07/05/2026
What is the BodyMind?
We often treat the head and the body like they live in different zip codes, but they actually exist in a continuous loop. The BodyMind is the recognition that every thought has a physical hit, and every movement sends a message back to the brain.
In Shake the Dust, we don’t just "work out" the body; we engage the BodyMind to rewire the stress response. Through repetitive movement, we move out old messages and "work-in" to find a deeper, more integrated strength from the inside out.
What "Modality" is this?
Shake the Dust is a high-energy yet gentle, somatic-based crossover. It’s a cathartic combination of Pilates/Body-weight practices, Somatics, Free Movement, HIIT, and Yoga with a focus on breath and sacredly recognized Relaxation. We don’t just "do" these styles for the sake of it; Shake the Dust is a highly crafted session using the most effective tools of each practice in an intentional sequence. It is a guided journey of perpetual movement designed to help you reach your breakthrough and your joy.
What is Embodiment?
It’s the shift from thinking about your body to actually living in it. Instead of looking in a mirror and judging what you see—which is so common in a physical class—embodiment is about feeling the "dragon" in dragon pose or truly experiencing the strength and groundedness of a tree pose within your own body. It’s coming home to yourself and a reminder that you are the whole: both the seed and the fully grown tree.
What is Somatics?
"Soma" means the body in its wholeness. Somatic practices focus on your internal experience rather than how a move looks. In this class, we use somatics to "check in" with the nervous system, helping you find where you’re holding onto old stories and moving them out. For example, in a standard workout, a squat is about whether your knees are perfectly over your ankles. In a somatic squat, you might be dancing, twerking, or bouncing—whatever the music allows you to do, to continue with or free up a feeling, like that burning in your thigh.
What is The Container?
Containers are known movements—like a star jump. We all know what that is, right? But have you ever truly become a star jump? Containers allow everyone to feel secure enough to participate at any fitness level. They drive us into familiar places and habits of the mind, providing a safe structure... and then we let them spill over and out. It’s not therapy, but it can be therapeutic.
What is Spilling?
Spilling is what happens when we let go of the "containers" we start in and release the "held-together" self. It’s the moment the emotions, the sweat, and the energy finally overflow into unforced freedom and flailing. It is beautiful, and it’s where the real transformation happens.
What is Free Movement?
It is moving your body with no choreography—no "right way" to move, shake, or flail. Free movement is an invitation to let the music you hear and the vibrations you feel in your heart—or any part of you—guide your body to move. It’s where you stop dancing and start expressing.
What is HIIT and what does HIIT for Hippies mean?
Traditional HIIT classes are short bursts of "all-out" effort followed by a 30-second rest, where people often stand around dreading the next 60 seconds. We do it differently. There are just a couple of challenges in the class that hit right when the music peaks, giving you a spike of driven energy that taps into your system unconsciously, leaving you feeling high at the end. "HIIT for Hippies" is just my way of saying it’s strong and heart-centered, but not to be taken too seriously—and yes, I consider myself a hippie!
What are Kundalini Postures?
These are ancient, specific, repetitive movements designed to move energy with a specific purpose in a particular direction. They work systematically to cleanse and tone the physical and emotional stagnation of your organs and your energy bodies.
What is Breathwork?
Breath is our fuel. With it, we up-regulate or down-regulate. We use specific breathing patterns to stoke the internal fire (up-regulating), which can enable organ cleansing, or we use it to anchor ourselves back into stillness (down-regulating). The breath is the bridge between the mind and the body. It really is the best thing we can master in our lives for peace and strength.
What is Resourcing or Down-Regulating?
It’s the "off switch" for your stress. Most of us spend our lives in a constant state of hyper-alertness. Down-regulating is the intentional process of calming the nervous system and dropping your heart rate—moving us from "Fight or Flight" into "Rest and Recover." In Shake the Dust, we use comforting movements (resourcing) to shift from joyful high-intensity movement to a state of complete peace. It’s where the bliss lives, and we do this a lot.
