Translations:Conscious Dance Practices/InnerMotion/The Guidebook/Advanced Techniques/Core Impulse/3/en

1. Tune into the Music: Begin by clearly feeling the beat and groove of the music. Using  layered listening, previously explained in the Music Focus section, find the fundamental beat - usually a steady drum, bass, or consistent rhythm together with possible secondary rhythms such as the offbeat hi-hat.
2. Ground Through Your Feet: Stand comfortably with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Feel the soles of your feet connecting firmly to the floor. This grounding provides stability for the rest of your body to respond dynamically.
3. Activate the Core: As you inhale, allow your lower belly to expand naturally. As you exhale, gently engage your abdominal and lower back muscles - not by clenching, but by sensing a subtle lift from your pelvis and lightly pulling your down belly inward and upward. Imagine your breath activating your center, creating a steady, energized support.
4. Start to "Bounce": With the music's beat in mind, start a gentle bounce by softly bending and straightening your knees in rhythm. Imagine your legs as springs, absorbing and releasing energy like you’re standing on a soft trampoline - each downward motion absorbs energy, and each upward motion releases it. Each downward motion is a subtle energy gathering, and each upward motion is an effortless release, creating a rhythmic pulse. Feel a feedback loop form between your feet, knees, and hips - this continuous loop is your basic groove, ensuring you dance "in time" with the music.
5. Engage the Upper Body: Introduce your torso and shoulders into the movement, using them as counterbalances. As your hips naturally respond to the bounce, let your torso sway or gently twist, maintaining balance and adding expressive dynamics. Allow your shoulders to remain relaxed and responsive, and feel how the torso’s subtle movements enhance the rhythmic bounce generated by your lower body.
6. Expand Movement Outward: Allow the movement to travel further through your body. Let your arms and hands follow naturally, expressing rhythmically and freely without tension. Include head movements gently - nods, tilts, or subtle rotations in sync with the overall rhythm.
7. Move Through Space: Once you've established a comfortable internal rhythm, begin moving through your dance space. Start with small, rhythmic steps connected directly to your core’s pulses. Experiment with directions - forward, backward, sideways, diagonally, or in circular patterns.
8. Enter the Flow: As your core consistently guides your movements, you’ll find yourself naturally transitioning into a flow state. Movements become intuitive, connected, and expressive. Trust your body’s innate rhythm, letting go of conscious control. Experience your dance as a seamless, energized expression from within. At some point, the music and your movement will feel inseparable - as if your body is riding an invisible current. You’re no longer ‘doing’ the dance; you’re simply in it.