‘You wander from room to room looking for the diamond necklace that’s already around your neck’ – Rumi
Weekly Heart Dance sessions starting Thursday October 9th 2025 at Harberton Parish Hall TQ9 7SD.
There is also a possibility of a regular class starting in Stoke Gabriel. Please get in touch if you are interested.
Are you a woman over 50 years of age? Would you like more energy and to move more freely? Would you like to free your mind, rest, let go, play, connect without words, belong? If you have been affected by cancer in any way, then you’re especially welcome.
Take time and space to pause, to be yourself in a moving meditation and wellness practice. Heart Dance, conscious dance, is a safe space for heartful connection to yourself and others. It is a conscious dance and movement practice that blends somatic awareness, mindfulness and freeform dance. It is not about learning specific dance steps or choreography; instead, it encourages authentic self-expression through movement, with a focus on presence, connection and exploration.
‘The tender, gentle, allowing, welcome atmosphere is palpable. The effect Jo’s classes have on me is surprising to me: initially I thought I would not be able to access my soul, heart, essence but I have gradually been able to and I am embracing a new trust in myself and in my experience. All that Jo brings contributes to me being able to be curious about where my muscle memory holds emotion. Jo is particularly professional, completely loving, deeply qualified and has such a range of disciplines at her disposal. – H.N.
For me this is such a nurturing experience, touching all aspects of me. There was a moment when I was dancing and you put on Nina Simone ‘I wish I knew how it would feel to be free’ and I felt so free and alive, in a way that I don’t normally function in every day life. Jo holds the space in a very special gentle way, encouraging you to be fully yourself, whatever is going on for you. – Alison
You choose to join in with what feels right for you: we start slow, resting in stillness and build up energy, as feels right for you, before warming down and softening towards the end of the session, all within a safe container. The music can be anything from world music to jazz, to classical. There are no steps or choreography, there is no wrong move, so you are free to move in your own way. This is space to listen deeply to your body, allowing yourself to be moved from within; space to listen to your inner landscape, express, and rest when you need to. Take what you need for you. No level of fitness experience is necessary, nor any particular kind of body, just an openness to listen to your body. Although this is not therapy, the medicine of movement is a liberating, joyous experience – therapeutic for the mind, body and soul. Creative expression (doodling and mark making) is encouraged with art materials provided.
This is intended to be a safe and inclusive space with a culture of kindness, care and respect to all. It is a alcohol- and drug-free space so please refrain from consuming alcohol or non-prescription drugs prior to attending.
Please wear clothes that are comfortable to move in and bring water. Most people dance barefooted but soft shoes or non-slip socks are fine too. You might like to bring a yoga mat or blanket for resting on the floor, especially as we begin and conclude. Resting is welcome throughout the session if that is what your body needs!
To honour everyone’s experience, there is no talking during the practice – if you’d like to chat, then you’re encouraged to do so outside the dance space.
We usually begin with a grounding practice and welcome circle to settle our nervous systems and arrive fully in the moment. From stillness we move, with gentle somatic inquiries, before returning to stillness and meditation. We conclude in a circle with optional confidential sharing about your experience.
Practical information
When: the sessions are on Thursdays from 1.30pm to 3pm. We will begin on time, so please arrive at least 10 minutes early to allow yourself to settle before we start so we can begin together on time.
The venue is Harberton Parish Hall, Tristford Road, Harberton, TQ9 7SD. There is ample free parking on site.
A Term Pass (covering 9 classes at standard rate) bought by 9th October includes a free class. The term runs until 11th December; NB there is no class on 27th November. Drop-in price per class is: £12 Supported / £15 Standard / £18 Pay it forward to support another woman to attend. Payment on the door by cash (preferred, if possible) or card (card payments may need to be taken after the session).
If you plan to join these sessions starting October 9th and have not already filled in a health form, please complete and submit this confidential form online: https://forms.gle/wXKf1QzVYc4dYKUH9. If you have any health conditions which may be impacted by movement, please consult with your GP or health practitioner prior to attending.
About me: “I’m a Soul Motion trained community dance facilitator, artist, mindfulness teacher and trained yoga teacher. Over many years, my experience of Soul Motion dance has offered a sense of belonging, acceptance and nurturing, as well as fun. Through mindful movement, yoga and dance I have learned that the body has its own intelligence, its own wealth of knowledge and it speaks its truth. Having come from a professional background in talking therapies as a Clinical Psychologist (after working as a Macmillan Nurse) this insight of bodily intelligence has been priceless for me and has been part of my healing and self-care in my own cancer journey. I belong to the Dance in Cancer Care network and credit Emily Jenkins of Move Dance Feel https://www.movedancefeel.com/the-evidence for her monumental work in this field. ” (There’s more about me here).
More about what dance means to Jo
Including dance in her MA in Fine Art studies, Jo felt deeply nurtured from listening to the body in movement and dance, which enabled a softening of deeply held, embodied pain. A long-term meditation teacher, qualified yoga and dance facilitator, dance for her, is a devotional practice; she invites playfulness alongside a deep reverence, and a invites a sense of curiosity for the unknown into the dance space.
Soul Motion® was founded by Vincent Martinez-Grieco, a dance and movement teacher, as a culmination of his explorations in healing after the trauma of the Vietnam war. Jo trained with the Devon School of Soul Motion and is a member of the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the International Conscious Movement Teachers Association (ICMTA). She belongs to the Dance in Cancer Care network and credits Emily Jenkins of Move Dance Feel for her monumental work in this field. https://www.movedancefeel.com
