Another Daytime Dance course over :(

I’ve just finished another six week Mambalsa course at the Nightingale Cancer Support Centre in Enfield and what a lovely group it was.

I was aiming for a gentle introduction to Mambalsa without too much emphasis on the well-being aspects of Psych. Ed. but they came up anyway.

Often the classes would end in a group discussion about recovering from cancer and I have to admit it was great to share those stories and feel a paid up member of that club.

Every group teaches me something about dance and life. This group showed me that like a hummingbird, beauty has no relationship to size. We took the lid off our creativity and relaxed and moved freely within the ethos of Mambalsa dance. I’m being deliberately cryptic but confidentiality prevents me from sharing any detail.

I will take the chance to share the last two tracks we danced as a way to illustrate that Mambalsa is danced to any 4:4 time music:

• Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen - complete with head banging and Zimbabwean Wellington Boot dance! (I’ll just leave that to your imagination)
• Would You Be Loved by Bob Marley - A perfect song to end on.

I’m already missing all my Mambalsa Dancers from the Nightingale and can’t wait for the next group.
Alastair

 

The Nightingale is one of a handful of cancer support charities in the country. They offer a range of therapies from counselling to massage for anyone in the borough who’s been affected by cancer. They also build community spirit through their fundraising events like the Enfield Night Hike.

 nightingalesupport.org.uk

Dance Curious Mambalsa Event

 

Still Dance Curious?

Mambalsa® Dance Curious Event.

The Next FREE full day Dance Curious Event is....

Saturday 23rd November 2024

If you would like to come you can book via: 

https://www.streetbeat.co.uk/Mambalsa/Info::-Mambalsa-Dance-Curious-Event

 

 

2024 So Far

2024 Q1

What have I been up to this quarter? Well.......

Coming Soon! Monday 27th May 2024 (Bank Holiday)

I'e been busy making the arrangements for the first London 1-Day Mambalsa Course for ages!!!

This is it! The start of the roll out.

I’m looking for the dance curious, dance teachers, fitness and well-being people to join me for a full day of Mambalsa and Dance Psychology CPD.

Event Link (mambalsa.com)
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Arts University Bournemouth STEP24 Event 20th March 2024

Dr Peter Lovett’s (AKA Dr Dance) STEP24 event was my first purely speaking engagement.

My talk was titled Confidence and Empathetic Communication Through Dance, and was in essence about the way we can use the concept of attentive empathetic communication (AEC) to increase confidence. That sounds really heavy but AEC is developed in peek-a-boo play between babies and caregivers, from around six weeks to a year old. It’s building confidence through fun, co-regulation and positive intention.

The message is simple: We can shift any dance or fitness practice towards a well-being / self-development practice through using AEC as a model.

I’ll post the talk as soon as it’s available.
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Norfolk Mambalsa Workshop: Feb 2024

What a pleasure it was to shoot up to Norwich to run an invitation only 1-Day Mambalsa course. It was a chance to rejig the course format and connect with a fun and interesting bunch of people. Thanks for the opportunity and hopefully see you again soon. Norwich is useful as it tests the logistics of running a day course. It was about 2.5 hrs drive each way which wasn’t a problem. All the right questions about the venue and group were asked and it set things up for the Mambalsa Project’s regional/national courses.
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Alastair Sadler MBACP (Accred) Feb 2024

I submitted my BACP Accreditation last October and finally came through at the end of Feb. That’s as high as I feel the need to go with my psychotherapy training. My private practice is established and I’m running a bereavement group at the Nightingale Cancer Support charity in Enfield. 

It’s great to have that balance between dance and therapy. For the Mambalsa Project it means I’ll have more time to focus on Mambalsa and a safety net income. I feel being a psychotherapist also adds credibility to the psychological aspects of Mambalsa, especially the well-being and self-development elements at the core of the Mambalsa Ethos.

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Cancer Free January 2024
On a personal note I was declared cancer free in January after six months of chemo. Obviously it was hugely disrupting. I blogged my way through chemo so here’s the link to my adventures in ChemoLand.