Workshops with Gwen Spinks
To book a workshop in your community please contact me.
Up-coming workshops are listed on the Events page.
Going through the layers
We will start both days with movement exercises using the Feldenkrais Method of Movement – these are a series of small slow movements to connect your body, brain and habits – it’s our habits (and we have thousands of them) that can cause us pain.
You’ll learn to move with less effort and increase mental awareness and creativity. It’s only when we are aware of what we are doing that we can change it.
Then the fun starts!! I will take you through the many layers of how I work – how I create stamps, use mix media and create rich textures.
Between the layers there will be time to discuss: presenting & marketing your work; because I was in sales long before I was an artist, I have a wealth of knowledge on how to market your work… and why it’s so hard.
2 Days: 11 to 4
Location: could be at my studio or where your group meets
Cost: $110 per person (depending on location)
Face the Music and dance
This workshop focuses on the social environment.
Social settings, especially dances; can be very frightening – all our fears and insecurities come rushing back as if we never left high school.
The Argentine tango’s embrace brings us face to face with those fears. We will be working on connection to ourselves and our dance partner.
This workshop includes physical exercises and discussions to help you identify what gets in your way and of course dancing.
This is a 2 hour workshop
Transforming thru Tango
Understand connection to others through self awareness – It is in relationship that we learn about ourselves.
How we behave on the dance floor is the same as how we behave in life.
This workshop will address the factors that “hold you back” from being the person you want to be.
Through a series of physical & technique oriented exercises, self-evaluation tools … and of course by dancing, you will gain a greater understanding of self, others and how you react to situations … which will improve your dance and your life!
(visit Classes to see a short video on the Transforming thru Tango)
This is a 3 day workshop
From the inside out
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.
~ Viktor E. Frankl
This course is a collection of exercises and information to help you understand the messages your body is giving you – I have been teaching a version of this course for over 20 years. I think it’s even more valuable for us now to understand how stress works in our bodies.
Our bodies store everything that happens to us – to understand how that affects us and our relationship with others we must become aware of our “triggers” (i.e. that gut feeling) once we identify our “triggers” then we can change how we react. Giving us more control and confidence in all situations.
Gwen Spinks bio:
There to begin… how did I come to teach a course like this? How am I qualified? Well, I’m an artist, dancer, organizer, entrepreneur; but mostly I’m a teacher. I’ve been teaching dance for over 30 years. I teach the Feldenkrais method of movement and I teach my art form. It’s through teaching that I have learned the most. Watching people struggle with shame, embarrassment, judgement. These are the things that get in our way. Over the years I have gathered many tools to help people understand how their emotions get in their way. I am grateful to share these tools.
This is a 2 hour workshop
Feldenkrais for dancers - all levels
“by understanding what you are doing – you can do what you want”
This workshop will show you how to re-connect with your natural ability to move, think and feel (three things we all certainly use in our dance!).
You’ll learn to move with less effort and notice the relationship between movement and thought, increased mental awareness and creativity.
Feldenkrais is about movement, balance, and how you carry yourself. It is not dance specific; it applies to all dances; it is suitable for all levels of dancer, from beginner to professional. It aims to improve the range, comfort and quality of how you move.
It teaches you how your current habits of moving can be self-limiting, or even damaging. By understanding how you move, both on a physical and a mental/emotional level, it will improve your posture, flexibility and mobility.
Our habits follow us everywhere – as we gain more understanding of how we walk and stand in our daily life we improve how we move on the dance floor.
(visit Classes to see a short video on the Feldenkrais Method)
This workshop can vary in length
Embodied Leadership
This workshop focuses on the work environment and how to become aware of the messages your body gives you in stressful situations.
Who’s in charge when you are stressed? This workshop includes physical & writing exercises, and discussions to help you identify how you physically and emotionally respond.
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.
~ Viktor E. Frankl
This is a 2 hour workshop
Styling Workshop for Argentine Tango
This workshop focuses on:
- Foot work – how to keep it clean
- Turning in balance with your partner
- … and building fluidity & confidence on the dance floor.
I will use Argentine tango as the model, however, the principles taught apply to all dances.
This is a 2 hour workshop
Listen to the Rhythm
The question I’m asked the most by my adult students is “How do I know what dance to do to what music?” I can’t count how many times I’ve seen people sit out dances because they don’t want to be wrong.
Dancing is a part of our society. I first started teaching this course at the Gabriola Elementary School in 2003. … it worked so well that even the boys liked it!
This course is for kids and adults. I teach 12 dances.
By the end of the course you will know the basic steps in each dance; what its rhythm is; where it’s from; and you can identify the music and a characteristic to each dance.
No partner is needed – I focus on the rhythm and movement of each dance rather than lead and follow. Depending on the group I add the lead and follow aspect.
My goal with this course is for people to have fun and to gain confidence on the dance floor.
This is a 2 to 6 hour workshop – depending on how much detail you want.