Philosophy
of movement
The importance of correct and conscious movement, performed in harmony with the mechanics of the human body
The experience I have gained over these years of teaching dance and Pilates has shown me thethe importance of correct and conscious movement, performed in harmony with the mechanics of the human body. An approach which puts the body at the centre of my practice and which focuses first and foremost on the wellbeing of the student, both during sporting activity and in daily life. For a long time, my body was the means I used to express myself: I began studying ballet at a young age, a discipline which then became my profession. I was lucky enough to have a ballet teacher who as far back as the 90s insisted on correct movements which were not only technically but also anatomically correct:she wanted her students to pay attention to their bodies, insisting that they learned to use it well and to respect it, because dancers must perform a type of work on a daily basis which puts a great deal of strain on the body. It was probably she who laid the foundations that today form the basis of my way of working, studying and training, an approach characterised by an attention to the body which has accompanied me throughout my entire career – initially as a dancer, and even more so in my current work as a teacher.
Every day I work with athletes and dancers, and with people who simply see movement as a path to better physical and mental health, and who want to move better, breathe better, be more agile.
They are people of all ages, often with mild or serious health conditions, who want to learn to improve their posture and optimise the movement of their bodies as they go about their daily lives, helping them to cope better with all of life’s challenges.
The same philosophy applies to my dance students, despite their awareness of what dance involves. Dance is a difficult and highly demanding discipline, and this is why I always seek to work in harmony with their physical capabilities.
A teacher’s responsibilities are enormous: our students are often young people who are still growing, their bodies changing and transforming before our eyes, therefore it is critical that teachers of physical disciplines have a thorough understanding of the anatomy and mechanics of the human body, and an awareness of the effects of movement on joints and tissues to prevent injury.
I also owe a great deal to other teachers who I have met over the years and from whom I am constantly learning, and who have shown me the importance of teaching with a flexible approach tailored to each individual student, rather than slavishly following a fixed programme. It is essential to seek the right exercises for a particular student, their characteristics and their artistic needs, shifting our focus to them and what they need to improve their physical condition, instead of simply following a rigid series of exercises There are no “magic” exercises, or any need for extreme training regimens, just simple, regular, ongoing practice in harmony with the body’s mechanics.