Intuitive Movement & Dance Improvisation
FACILITATED SESSIONS | WORKSHOPS | PRIVATES
Why do people come to practice?
"for a moving meditation"
"to pause work thoughts and mental noise"
"to lead with more intention (& adaptability)"
"to spend quality time with my friends"
"to really 'feel the music,' improve musicality"
"to get energized by physical activity"
"to feel more confident being creative"
"to be fully present and aware"
Often, when I've learned movement or dance, I was thinking about what I’m "supposed" to do - where my body parts are supposed to be & when. If that's "outside-in," this practice is "inside-out:" to ‘find’ the dance in the movements we always have... to intuit dance from how we walk, breathe, attend to our body, relate to each other, and take in the world through our senses. Because the process is "inside-out," each dance for each individual necessarily looks different.
Suitable for all levels of movement experience.
Come dressed comfortably & ready to dive in!
I love that this practice brings me
immediately & thoroughly
into my body and out of my head
where I often am.
Every dance is an opportunity
to bring more
+ playfulness
+ intentionality
+ adaptability
+ creative confidence
+ balance and
+ communicativeness
into my daily life.
Improvisation differs
by individual and by moment
but we may start with...
centering, finding groundedness
heightening awareness
moving with intention
feeling for our breath
how it moves through our body
and how breath moves us
noticing the dense space between us
the people in our orbit
how we’re always in communication
without touch and without words
finding a point of contact
listening, finding new paths
switching lead and follow so quickly
we co-create the dance together.
maybe finding balance
to share weight and lift.
maybe asking for support
and offering support to others.
...and while we may be in a duet,
we're always dancing with the whole room, sharing space, crossing paths,
and finding inspiration.
Here’s to dancing again soon.
Angela with creator of Contact Beyond Contact, Vangelis Legakis.
[Photos by Nora Wendel, Elena Ignatochkina, & Angela Ognev]
About Angela:
Embodiment is helping me to be more present, at ease, resilient, focused, creative, and playful - and I am excited to share that with you.
I am a facilitator (Level 2) of the Contact Beyond Contact dance improvisation practice, which integrates Contact Improvisation (on communication through touch and shared weight), Authentic Movement (on presence toward inner impulses and self-direction), Passing Through (on connection to the whole group and environment), with elements of psychology, mindfulness, Qi Gong, Yoga, and Thai Massage. CBC was created by Vangelis Legakis.
I started teaching Yoga in 2013, with an emphasis on creative flows, intentional transitions, cues to increase embodiment, core, & being curious about discomfort. My training is in Ashtanga (200hr) and Hatha Vinyasa (200hr).
I explore other movement-based practices such as Argentine tango, clay sculpture, guiding mindfulness and meditation (particularly open monitoring, sensory, walking, & kind attention), and somatic coaching.
My background is in Psychology from the University of Chicago, pursuing a masters in Positive Psychology Coaching, facilitating workshops on design thinking and creative problem-solving, and hosting discussion-oriented events and communities.
Upcoming events:
There are currently no events scheduled, please check back later!
If you are interested in a virtual private or custom video focused on your needs, guidance preferences, or movement interests, feel free to reach out! [Typically $180 per content hour, with bundles for videos series.]Feel free to connect:
