People who regularly dance Biodanza report that they are happier in life, have more (self) confidence and are better able to cope with the ups and downs of life.
Biodanza achieves this by strengthening and rewiring the participants’ autonomous nervous system every week for more pleasure, health, zest for life and resistance to stress.
The Polyvagal Theory of Dr. Stephen Porges sheds a new light on Biodanza; a system for human development created by Rolando Toro Araneda in the 60s of the last century. The Polyvagal Theory studies the autonomic nervous system and explains how we can “train” and “reprogram” it for less stress and more sense of well-being: physical, mental and emotional. Porges talks about ways to strengthen the autonomic nervous system and to make it function healthier again. These doorways and mechanisms correspond to what dancers do every week in Biodanza class! Biodanza brings the Polyvagal Theory to life in practice.
The vivencia (name of a biodanza glass) can be seen as the art of coming home to the ventral vagal system, the autonomic state where well-being, resilience and the restorative capacities of the body are available.
Week after week, the participants train and strengthen their autonomic nervous system with a series of neural exercises (= dances) that are offered in a specific form, with specifically chosen music, in a specific order, in an environment with trauma-sensitive language and with as many positive eco-factors possible.
. Each time a Biodancer dances a weekly class, his or her nervous system is trained and rewired for resilience, vitality and zest for life. The stronger this ventral branch of the nervous system becomes, the more it can slow down their stress reactions.
All ingredients and conditions that a nervous system needs to gradually regain more flexibility and resilience and to work more and more easily in the ventral vagal system are present in a Biodanza class:
- the combination of the elements music, emotion, movement and contact (one by one gateways to the Nervus Vagus – combined they are incredibly powerful!)
- the construction of the vivencia (lesson) that respects and supports the natural functioning of the nervous systeem
- the safe environment created by the facilitator and the other participants
- not talking during class, which deactivates the linguistic cortex and the thinking brain and makes the subconscious mind more accessible
- the curve of the lesson and the exercises offered (neural fitness) that invite constant state shifts so that the nervous system builds flexibility and resilience.
And because the nervous system learns by use, this state of being becomes more accessible the more one does Biodanza. This autonomic state of the ventral vagus will also be activated much faster in daily life and will be able to dampen the stress responses better and better. There is more regulation and flexibility in the nervous system. What people do in their Biodanza class has an effect on their everyday life. There is more flexibility to move through the dance of life. Daily life gets easier.
LEARN WITH ME?
You are welcome at my online MASTERCLASSES via Zoom on “Biodanza and Polyvagal Theory or at my in person day workshop on “Biodanza and Polyvagal Theory”. You can also book me for a day-workshop or a seminar at your Biodanzschool: “Biodanza and Polyvagal Theory – A polyvagal perspective on the role of the facilitator in autonomic regulation during vivencia”. I am also available as speaker on international Biodanza-congresses.
I was already invited to:
Flemisch Biodanzaschool (2019) 
Ecole de Biodanza de Bruxelles – (2023)