Move With Elan (What to Expect in ATM Class)

What to Expect When You Come to Awareness Through Movement^® class

Awareness Through Movement (ATM) class is a process of organic learning, a chance to experiment with your nervous system. The lessons are sometimes simple, sometimes puzzling, always unusual, and fun. You may learn about current patterns or habits of movements that you have, and you may discover new possibilities for your approach to movement, problem solving, or self-observation. Come with a spirit of inquiry and active curiosity!

In all venues, you'll remove your shoes and select a place on the floor. There may be blankets, mats, or other padding on which you'll sit, lie, or stand (depending on the lesson). Arriving early may give you a chance to chat with other students or with the instructor(s). As with many other students, you may find that the initial invitation to "lie down and feel your contact with the floor" is a welcome respite from your usual weekly routine, leading you to smile and let go of a breath you didn't know you'd been holding.

Depending on the lesson and the class topic, there may or may not be a short anatomy demonstration, either with a model skeleton or with anatomy books. Sometimes there might be a review of a bit of a previous lesson, or perhaps a class member will ask a question whose answer will be relevant for others, leading to a short discussion. Generally, though, each student's experience is unique, a reflection of that person's cumulative past experience and personal approach to any given movement puzzle.

Suggested attitudes to bring to a lesson:

Be curious.
Have fun.
Be a little lazy... or maybe even a lot lazy.
Notice what happens without judging whether it's "right" or "wrong".
Be kind to yourself; consider class time a gift to yourself.
Pay attention to what you are doing. If your attention wanders, rest - let it go.
Napping is allowed!

Suggested approaches when doing a movement in a lesson:

Proceed slowly - take a whole breath to do a movement.
Stay well within your comfortable range. If you can move something 4 inches, move it only 2 inches. Keep the movement small.
If any movement is painful, do NOT do it. Either do it much smaller or simply imagine it.
Move easily enough that your breathing is not affected.
Notice something new each time you do a movement (avoid mindless repetition).
Do less so that you can feel more.

Move With Elan

What to Expect When You Come to Awareness Through Movement® class

Suggested attitudes to bring to a lesson:

Suggested approaches when doing a movement in a lesson:

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What to Expect When You Come to Awareness Through Movement^® class