The Go-go dance model

Or, joyful moves for sustainable creativity

I recently had a nourishing and revealing conversation with Mandy Roux, an embodied leadership mentor who skillfully guided me to drop into my desire to be in sustainable, joyful relationship with my creative work. For this, I take inspiration from go-go dancers.

These entertainers show up at a party and fill the room with joy and energy, dancing for hours. The secret to their endurance is that a lot of the moves work certain groups of muscles while the others rest, all while looking spectacular. They are the marathon runners of the night!

How does the Go-Go Dance model work in creative practice? to be creative, playful, and joyfully sustained in my work and my creativity, I NEED to push my hands and feet into the earth. To keep the party going, I engage the somatic layer of sensory presence & receptivity, and relax the muscles used for thinking, analyzing, strategizing, and problem-solving.

To be in relationship with nature is a non-negotiable, as I have personally experienced the benefits of getting quiet to listen to nature’s rhythms, and feel connection to non-human kin. So one day each week I have an incubation day, trading girl-boss for girl-moss. I find that intentional moments off my business and my creative projects allows me to return to them with renewed focus and enthusiasm. It’s good to gossip with trees.

Taking these pockets of time away can only make me a better support to my wonderful therapy clients. Thanks Mandy for the generous and generative conversation.

Where can I find nature in Montreal?

From that realization, I ended up creating an open resource that puts those desires into action. So if finding nature in Montreal sounds a contradiction to you, check out my map of spots in and around the city accessible by public transit.

Enjoy, and if you have some please message me so I can add it in.