Dance Pure Strength
Connecting to the Universal Dance Spirit
There have been great civilizations that did not have the wheel, and yet no civilization has existed without some form of dance. Our ancestors knew how vitally important it was to encode wisdom, meaning, mythology, healing, and knowledge through sacred movement. From the sheer simple pleasure of self-expression to moving in concert with the cosmos, dance allows us to express our humanity in ways that are absolutely essential to life on Earth.
Unfortunately, this universal understanding of dance as sacred, which many of us know deeply in our bones, is absent from the toxic, hyper competitive, body image obsessed, and often outright abusive world of popular dance culture.
Jonathan’s Dance Story
One of my earliest memories is of spending hours enthusiastically trying to mimic Michael Jackson and practicing back spins and other break dance moves. I was only four years old! Throughout childhood, my moments of greatest joy and freedom involved movement and self-expression. As a teen I got into break dancing and then house dancing and spent many early mornings dancing my heart out in the mega clubs of 1990’s New York City (before bottle service culture came along and ruined everything!) I became a personal trainer in 2000 to help others discover the power of movement to transform.
I’m passionate about serving dancers and artists because they inspire me and I see their work as being essential to creating the more beautiful world that aught to be. The level of strength, sensitivity, and courage required to sacrifice for dance is truly awesome. I’ve had the privilege of learning from and being mentored by amazing artists. They’ve shaped my destiny and made me a better coach, mentor, healer, and person.
The Primal Dance System
My approach is body positive, evidence based, comprehensive, interdisciplinary, intimate, and holistic, a unique integration of western science and eastern wisdom practice that creates an incredibly practical, pleasure based, and empowering experience. I personalize the experience for each dancer while drawing from the following movement practices to develop a unique yet universal movement repertoire. Guided by my twenty one years coaching movement as a personal trainer, the process is focused on helping dancers become fluent in and fully embody the language of dance.
The human body-mind-spirit is like a five stringed instrument, the dance it makes, like a beautiful song. Each element of the Primal Dance system represents a note on the pentatonic scale of human vibration. Dancers learn how to tune their own body-mind instrument through several unique movement modalities.
WOOD: training the eyes, integrated the senses, organizing the systems, nourishing the tendons/ligaments, channeling anger.
FIRE: sequential movement dynamics, merging sensory input with motor output, nourishing the heart, channeling joy and jealousy.
EARTH: Absorbing energy, shaping movement with attention/intention, nourishing muscles, and channeling anxiety.
METAL: reflecting dark energy, mindset calibration, transferring energy, nourishing the immune system, and channeling grief/sadness.
WATER: sensual empowerment, moving meditation, stillness in movement, nourishing the hormonal system and bones, channeling fear and sexual energy.
A dancer whose body is "in tune" makes beautiful movement music that is more efficient and joyous, with less pain and chance of being inured.
The Movements Modalities
Primal Energy- gentle, sensory based movements that use the floor to relax the entire body-mind and soften excess tension stored in the muscles, organs, and joints. These movements form the moving alphabet of dance, the letters from which all dance languages emerge. We then continue to use the floor to optimize how force is transmitted throughout the body’s systems i.e. ligaments, tendons, bones, fascia, organs, joints, etc.
Energy Medicine (Qigong) - breathing techniques, sound vibration, and gentle movements unblock and harmonize the subtle energy channels. Flowing like rivers of energy throughout (and beyond) the body, these meridians form the very matrix from which blood, bone, and breath emerge, the very gateway from which the letters of our movement alphabet form.
Healing Touch - various forms of touch - from energetic touch to sensual (and always consensual) touch and holding to acupressure and tapping - balance the endocrine/hormonal systems and increase receptivity to subtle energy. This energy exchange, like a duet, creates a simple and direct dialogue between bodies, using the language of dance to have a conversation in its purest, most honest form.
Strength and Conditioning - body weight exercises that help with force production, stabilization, absorption, reaction, and redirection allow the dancer to access the full potential of their innate power.
Primal Flow - Sensory rich, whole body movements that are increasingly complex and unsupported are explored, creating high levels of coordination, integrated strength, and power with precision. We begin to use the primal movement alphabet to construct and explore movement phrases and sentences.
Who’s This For?
Professional and pre-professional dancers looking for a way to access new levels of strength without needing equipment, and while staying lean.
Dancers and performing artists interested in the subtle aspects of movement, energy exchange, and healing.
Dancers and actors interested in developing a holistic movement practice to support their mental and physical health, increase the bodies ability to recover quickly, and develop their intuition.
(Un)Common Benefits
Decrease joint pain, fatigue and increase energy naturally.
Access new levels of power, strength, and endurance.
Prevent injuries (while learning from/healing existing ones).
Balance your hormonal cycle and decrease symptoms of PMS and PMDD.
Develop more awe/respect for your body.
*PLEASE NOTE NONE OF THE PROGRAMS OFFERED BY JONATHAN ARE MEDICAL TREATMENTS AND SHOULD NOT REPLACE MEDICAL INTERVENTIONS.
WhAT DO STUDENTS HAVE TO SAY about working with Jonathan?
ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER’S BELÉN PEREYRA IN RONALD K. BROWN’S FOUR CORNERS. PHOTO BY PAUL KOLNIK
“Jonathan is a phenomenal teacher and master of his craft. I’ve learned so much from him and feel honored to be his student. It’s created a massive shift in how I approach my body, dance class, and performing. In particular, focusing on my energetic body has allowed me to move from a place of knowing, trust, and playfulness that feels amazing. With that inner awareness, I am to transcend old movement habits, trust my body, and meet the moment with clarity and strength.”
— Belén Pereyra- Professional Dancer, Alvin Ailey
“Jonathan’s Primal Flow practice made me less judgmental of my body and more open-minded.”
“Jonathan has shown me a method of deep self-exploration through movement that has benefited me immensely. My anxiety has generally improved, thus allowing me to be more ‘present.’ In my everyday dance/movement classes and in audition scenarios, I am able to perform better by making more efficient choices. .
The simple energy meditation Jonathan taught me has made such an amazing, immediate impact on my life.
The primal practice is a breath of fresh air. I am truly in awe of the power of relaxation - how deep it can go, how freeing it can be, how it can bring you mentally and physically to a deeper being, that allows for speed, clarity, efficiency and power. It's like stripping all the bull**** away to allow for clear communication in the body. As a result, my body feels instantly 10% stronger in class.
It's very cool to experience a workout that can be a moving meditation. I feel strong, calm, and sharper afterwards. I am more grounded, honest with myself, and have clearer thoughts thanks to this practice. ”
— Karina O. - Dancer, Actress, and Artist
“I have a more regular menstrual cycle with way less symptoms thanks to the Primal Energy practice. Less PMS, way less bloating, and amazingly, I seem to have urinary tract infections less often. It’s changed my outlook on dance and the way I see myself.”
“For the longest time, I was experiencing constant lower back pain. It eventually became a ‘normal’ circumstance that I got used to living with, and I almost forgot what it felt like to live without it. With a few consistent morning ground exercises from the Primal practice, my pain subsided until it could hardly be felt at all.
Jonathan has also shifted my approach to strength training. Rather than intensely abusing isolated areas of the body in a traditional gym setting, ground-based work that calls on all areas of the body to perform as one machine has shown me how to truly implement maximum efficiency with the least amount of effort. With this understanding, the sky feels like the limit!”
— Julia Spizzichini, Radio City Rockette Ensemble Dancer
“After performing 10 shows here in Israel and really implementing the techniques/exercises Jonathan provided I feel such an immense amount of peace and freedom (that I’ve honestly never felt before.)
My body feels strong and my mind is at peace. I feel so much love and joy from the practiced he shared.
I have been focusing a lot on my breathing, my meditation, focusing a lot on slowing the body and mind down.
I struggle managing my endometriosis and haven’t had a period in 26 months but a few days ago I got my first period back and I want to say thank you because I haven’t changed anything in my life except for adding your exercises/teachings and managing my mental well-being.
I think it’s amazing how well my body has adapted, and I know a lot of us feel so much stronger/capable because of our time with Jonathan!”
— Hannah Kate Galbraith, Kamea Dance Company (Previously Les Ballet Jazz Montreal)
“I generally don’t like being touched, I never get massages, and in the past I’ve only worked with female trainers. The touch Jonathan does in our sessions feels very safe, comfortable, and affirming.
His knowledge of the hormonal cycle, care for my body, and ability to relieve PMS symptoms is completely unlike anything I’ve experienced before and has improved not only my health and fitness, but also my family relationships.”
“I have benefited dramatically from the Primal Energy practice. It helps me experience more enjoyment and pleasure dancing and in daily life, and explore new ways to be present and aware about my body and the space around me. The practice has challenged me to focus on the softer aspects as opposed to the harder aspects. I like to work hard and feel like I’m working hard so it’s challenging for me to find work in calmness and feel productive. I wasn’t educated on how important it is to move with as little tension as possible, respect what my body is saying, and to be curious but not let negativity take over.
The Primal Energy practice has changed my perspective on negativity. I use to have to constantly tell myself not to have negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones. After I do this practice I don’t think in terms of negative or positive I just focus on my body and what it’s telling me and explore different comfortable ways to move with pleasure. The practice helps me find my center and go into a calm state rather than feeling very tense.”
— Alexia Belrose – Dancer and Personal Trainer
“Working with Jonathan is a sensual yet wholesome experience. The touch based healing he shared with me decreased the symptoms from my endometriosis more than anything else I’ve tried (and I’ve tried it all, seriously).”
“Jonathan’s Primal Dance class is really enjoyable and educational. It allowed me to explore new ways of optimizing my body, breath and movement that are totally absent from traditional dance classes.”
— Christine Shepard - Artist
“I love working with Jonathan. I feel totally zen for hours after class, like there is a positive energy field all around me. It really feels like coming back into my body. I enjoy the simplicity of the exercises that also turn out to be quite challenging.”
— Erke Roosen - Professional Dancer and Model