Today we’d like to introduce you to Dana Danielson.
Hi Dana, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
It all really began with my immense love of dance, for as long as I can remember. And then there’s the “touch” piece as well. I’ve always loved to dance and I’ve always loved to massage / be massaged. So when I was in my late 20’s (that was 1998) I finally discovered a movement practice that totally lit up and rocked my world!
I found the 5Rhythms. It’s a type of dance / moving meditation. I had only read a little about it in a book (remember, this was 1998 – limited web presence of everything) – and I made a big venture / trip to a 5Rhythms workshop in upstate NY. I felt like I had found a new home – in my body, in community, on that dance floor! It was incredible!!!
Fast forward to today, over 25 years later, I am now a certified and accredited 5Rhythms teacher and an Esalen Massage + Craniosacral Therapy practitioner. Through those many years, twists and turns, I showed up to a lot of workshops, trainings, sessions, and had to let go of traditional career paths (and job-security) – to develop a business of helping people to find their true Inner Stillness.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Oh wow! Is following one’s own path ever a smoothly paved road?! I made choices along the way that took me farther and farther away from a secure and predictable career (income) path. I left a comfy corporate photography job to get into art education, because I knew that was getting me closer to “something” authentic. Then I left the teaching job to pursue my own massage career, teach movement classes and lead community wellness endeavors.
Then the real “kick-in-the-butt” came. In late 2019 I finally opened the expanded business I had dreamed of for 20 years. I rented a building that could house several private therapists / practitioners as well as host a mid-size group / class room space. It started out beautifully! Soul Waves Studio hosted various healthy life-style classes and community events like dance, yoga, cooking, and art. We even had several Wellness Fairs in the big parking lot.
But you can do the time-line math……a few months into that venture is when the world came to a halt with the pandemic. I kept trying to get creative and do outside events and so on. I tried to keep going but it just never got on its feet all the way. Plus I was stuck in a 3 year lease with no financial help except to borrow money to keep up the rent and expenses.
So I downsized a couple of times once the lease was up, and now I rent one room to see private clients. In order to do groups and bigger events, I have to find or collaborate with other venues or places in town.
It’s been 5 years now since things went upside down and dark. I’m still digging out of a deep hole of financial, mental and emotional drain. It’s been rough and hard to keep my spirits up but I’m glad to say, just recently I have begun to see some light again! It’s about time!! I have ideas and creative projects just waiting to be born!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Whether through movement, touch, art-making, or a combination, I guide individuals or groups in embodiment experiences, which is all about feeling presence, awareness, connection, deep listening, and tuning-in to one’s own Inner Knowing. Which essentially means, I help people to find quiet and calm as well as relieve physical, pain issues.
When I’m doing 1:1 bodywork / massage, I help people to get relief from chronic pain or stress/anxiety (often these things come in a package deal, right?) But I do this in a way that isn’t the more common “deep-tissue and push-through” way. Esalen Massage and Craniosacral therapy (plus other modalities I use) are gentler ways that, for some crazy reason, allow the deep tensions and layers in the body to release and soften. Most clients are really doubtful at first and later surprised when tissue releases using so little pressure.
When I’m guiding the 5Rhythms / the meditative dance, I’m basically guiding people through an awareness / movement journey with music. I choose music that follows these 5 rhythms / energies (flowing, staccato, chaos, lyrical and stillness) and I create the setting for people to move however they want to or however they CAN move. Through this process, there is an exploration of many things, depending on the day and the person. But in most cases, people come to feel more in-tune, calmer, more present and in their body.
The most challenging piece is that some people may not feel (or trust that they feel) the release or benefits from that first session or class. I can feel and see the things moving and opening but the client doesn’t always. It’s like the dry outer-layers of the onion. It’s not juicy yet. So they may give up on trying it again.
But I trust and know first hand – from my own experiences with chronic pain and from seeking my own authentic life – that the kind of “less-is-more” work I offer, really can have huge benefits, if we just keep showing up for it!
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Great question! I know my biggest backers and supporters may never truly know it or hear “thank you” enough.
First of all my husband has been an incredible support and solid rock in my life. He’s stood by me through all the set-backs, leaps forward, hard work, crazy ideas, countless tears /frustrations, career shifts and more. He’s not so personally “into” all the work I’m doing but he sees how it transforms me and others, so he sort of “gets it ” and trusts that it’s good stuff I have to bring to the world.
I am so thankful that I grew up with a super loving (and dancing) Mom and family. And ever-grateful I had caring grandparents who provided a solid foundation in my life.
I must give props to the friends who have become clients for 20 years (and vice versa) and who have trusted me to support them along their healing path. And many of which, were always willing to let me test out the next and newest techniques!
Pricing:
- $20 group class rate
- $105 monthly membership / session
- $195 2 hour session
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.soulwavesstudio.com/5rhythms
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulwavesstudio_dana/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soulwavesstudio/
