Syzygy Dance Project is dedicated to making this world a better place through dance, and founder Sylvie Minot's annual Outreach Facilitator Training enables healthcare practitioners, counselors, recreation therapists, and experienced dancers to join this mission.

In this intensive 5-day training, you will 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). ​​
​
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."

In Syzygy Dance Project's own community outreach work, the significant impact of this work is witnessed by helping people make better life choices and be open to new possibilities in their lives.

​During this training you will begin in your own body, allowing yourself to move freely and explore your innate movement patterns. You will learn movement exercises, and how to support body movement and energetic attunement with others.

You will practice regulating and re-grounding yourself while leading a group, integrating voice with authentic movement and exploring confident leadership.

​The training also involves discussions around specific outreach populations, and the challenge of bringing movement classes to groups resistant to or less comfortable with movement.

​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, and
• Have an understanding of how to create an effective container and develop exercises to support the space available.

Level 1 Prerequisites
​

1. Have a movement practice of some kind and is comfortable with dancing,
2. Have some experience in leading groups​, and
3. 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, and
• ​​​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 Minot received her BA in Dance from San Jose State University and a Master's Degree in Theology in Spirituality and Holistic Health. She is a certified 5Rhythms® Teacher trained by 5Rhythms founder Gabrielle Roth and a Heartbeat teacher. Sylvie has studied psychology, indigenous healing rituals, energy medicine, and sound healing. The teachings of cultural anthropologist Angeles Arrien, author Caroline Myss, and Peruvian sound healer Tito La Rosa inspire her.

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
​
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.

​
​To attend training:

​Please submit a $35 non-refundable application fee (which includes the 3% fee) and answer the application questions below to submit your application for STP Outreach Facilitator Training. ​We look forward to reviewing your application, and we will get back to you on the next steps as soon as your application has been reviewed by Sylvie Minot.

At application approval, payment in full 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. 

---------------------