Syzygy Dance Project is dedicated to making this world a better place through dance, and our annual Outreach Facilitator Training enables healthcare practitioners, counselors, recreation therapists, and experienced dancers to join us in this mission.

In this intensive 4-day training, we'll explore how dance and movement can be used as a powerful resource and tool in working with specific outreach populations (i.e., in jails, recovery centers, hospitals, elder care facilities, and schools). ​​
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This work is a dynamic movement practice of being in the body that can catalyze deep healing, connection and creative expression.

​As 5Rhythms Founder Gabrielle Roth states, "if you put your psyche in motion, it will heal itself."

Each week in our outreach classes, we witness the significant impact of this work, helping people make better life choices and open to new possibilities

​During this training we will begin in our own body, allowing ourselves to move freely and exploring our innate movement patterns. You will learn movement exercises, and how to support body movement and energetic attunement with others.

We’ll practice regulating and re-grounding ourselves while leading a group, integrating voice with authentic movement and exploring confident leadership.

​We’ll also discuss specific outreach populations, and the challenge of bringing movement classes to groups resistant to or less comfortable with movement.

​Level 1 Training Objective & Goals

Expand one’s tools and resources to lead and/or assist group movement classes with specific outreach populations. Participants can expect to:

• Obtain concrete examples of class themes, exercises, and music selection and how to adapt them for different outreach populations that may not have prior experience with dance and movement
• Gain embodied tools to support deeper body, movement, and energetic attunement in working with groups and individuals within a group
• Recognize how to use one’s own body and movement to regulate and re-ground oneself while leading a movement class
• Understand how to use voice and project confidence in leading a movement class
• Have an understanding of how to create an effective container and develop exercises to support the space available

Level 1 Prerequisites
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• Have a movement practice of some kind and is comfortable with dancing
• Have some experience in leading groups​
• Applicants must meet one of these requirements: 
  • Currently teach any type of movement related class OR 
  • Is a licensed/trained helping professional of any kind (i.e. counselor, psychologist, social worker, nurse, psychiatrist, recreation therapist, etc.) OR
  • Currently completing or have completed a graduate degree in dance, psychology, counseling, or social work OR
  • Have a dedicated dance/movement practice for more than 5 years.
  • ​​​Have an interest in using movement as a healing tool with a specific outreach population (i.e. incarcerated people, veterans, at-risk youth, recovering addicts, elderly, the homeless, etc.)

Lead Instructor – Sylvie Minot 

​Sylvie Minot is the executive director and founder of Syzygy Dance Project. Since 2000, Sylvie has taught weekly 5Rhythms dance classes and workshops in the Bay Area, New York, throughout the US, and Mexico. Sylvie has worked with a variety of populations including inmates, veterans, at-risk youth, recovering addicts, hospital patients, and the general public.

Sylvie received her BA in Dance from SJSU and is a certified 5Rhythms® Teacher who was also trained in the Heartbeat (emotional) map by Gabrielle Roth. She has studied psychology, indigenous healing rituals, energy medicine, and sound healing and is inspired by the teachings of Angeles Arrien, Carolyn Myss, and Tito La Rosa.

Sylvie is often described as a catalytic shape-shifter because of her ability to meet people right where they are and move with them into new possibilities.

​Guest Trainer – Wendy Heffner
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Wendy Heffner, LMFT, is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 25 years of experience in private practice. She has been using dance as an awareness practice and resource for her own renewal for almost as long.

Wendy completed an extensive training in integrating the 5Rhythms® with psychotherapy. She is an adjunct faculty member at the California Institute for Integral Studies.

In addition, Wendy is a founding board member of Syzygy Dance Project as well as a teacher and advisor for the organization.

Total cost of program is $1,000.00. At application approval and registration, a non-refundable deposit of $325.00 is required to confirm your spot. ​​Because attendance is limited, once payment is received and your spot is reserved, SDP is unable to offer refunds.
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