I teach two courses at San Diego State University in our Somatics series. Body Modalities (we call it “Bod Mod”) and Embodied Anatomy. Bod Mod is an experiential overview of several modalities in the field of Somatic Movement. Embodied Anatomy is an experiential and empirical overview of human anatomy and kinesiology inspired (of course) by the work of Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen. We learn anatomical facts and work with them in our bodies to create anatomical fantasies that support our dancing. Below is a radically incomplete list of resources that I’ve collected while developing the courses:
- The School For Body-Mind Centering (BMC®), creator Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen’s YouTube channel, and Burchfield Rose Publishers.
- Andrea Olsen’s (BMC®) The Place of Dance is an exquisite guide to somatic practice as it relates to dance. Body and Earth is a set of “seven web-based somatic excursions”.
- The Feldenkrais Method Free Awareness Through Movement (ATMs) recorded lessons: Lynette Reid Jill Wigmore-Welsh Scott Clark. There are many others online…
- Amy Matthews’ (CMA, BMC®, yoga) Embodied Anatomy training. Expensive, but she has so much information to offer! You can also sign up for her weekly newsletter and get free, short video excerpts that are packed with her perspective and supporting science. Oh, and her work with babies…the most.
- ISMETA (International Somatic Movement Education and Therapy Association) has many other resources and lists several certifications in somatically-oriented systems.
- Cultural Somatics Training & Institute created by Resmaa Menakem, author of My Grandmother’s Hands, a book about white body supremacy, racialized trauma, and embodied approaches to healing.
- Rooted. An online community devoted to “somatic abolitionism” led by trauma therapist, Karine Bell.
- The Politics of Trauma by Staci K. Haines, co-founder of generative somatics, a multiracial social justice organization bringing Somatics to social and environmental justice leaders, organizations, and alliances.
Embodied Anatomy
- Complete Anatomy is my current go-to anatomy app.
- Anatomy Zone on YouTube has several animated anatomy tutorials
- Nervous System: John Chitty discusses the Autonomic Nervous System (including Dr. Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory). I also like Chitty’s article Polyvagal Theory, the Triune Autonomic Nervous System, and Therapeutic Application
- Fascia: Gil Hedley’s Integral Anatomy is a beautiful series of videos where he dissects and discusses the fascial system. So grateful he posted these videos…what a gift. And then Tom Myers’ Anatomy Trains…