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The Body’s Expression of Safety in a Global Pandemic:
Dancing the Language of the Nervous System

International Webinar conducted June 6, 2020
This webinar offered a perspective for understanding emotional communication through the body and provides practical dance and movement exercises to explore with children.

In this difficult time, many countries across the globe have put in place social distancing measures. We are collectively in survival mode and children can feel particularly vulnerable in this time of uncertainty. The schools and systems on which children rely for social connection are operating remotely. While there is little discussion around what our bodies need to feel safe and secure, the needs of our nervous system goes largely ignored in regards to the social, cultural and legal expectations surrounding risks to our health.

Children especially communicate their sense of safety through their bodies. To this point, this webinar will take a neurodevelopmentally-informed approach to examine this type of communication with children and to begin understanding how, through socially engaged movement experiences, we can support them in calming their nervous system and creating a sense of bodily safety.



Christina Devereaux will draw upon Stephen Porges’ empirically supported research surrounding the neurophysiology of safety to examine the powerful role that dance and movement experiences can play in today's outstanding circumstances.

This event was presented by the National Centre for Dance Therapy and supported by the RBC Foundation. It is oriented to professionals, parents, educators, and therapists.

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