5Rhythms is not your typical dance curriculum.
It’s a philosophy more than it is a specific genre like ballet, jazz or contemporary. Founded in 1977 by the late American Gabrielle Roth, this particular school of thought and practice has become increasingly prolific ever since.
Anna Mrozik believes that 5Rhythms can be a valuable part of one’s weekly routine, which is why she’s been running classes in Whistler since January.
Born in Poland during the Cold War, Mrozik did not grow up dancing. She built a respectable resume as a financial analyst for various corporations. Yet a part of Mrozik had always wanted to coach other people, investing in holistic growth rather than numbers, spreadsheets and reporting.
Corporate burnout eventually took hold, and Mrozik sought change. She discovered a 5Rhythms class in Vancouver before the pandemic, which quickly became her favourite way to express herself through movement. The European expatriate committed hundreds of hours to workshops and practice until she became eligible to apply for official instructor training.
But what is 5Rhythms and how does it work?
Ride the wave
5Rhythms is open to people from all walks of life, regardless of skill level. It's highly improvisational and encourages attendees to find and refine their own style. The only structure comes in the form of the titular five rhythms, which Mrozik likens to parts of a day.
“The first is called ‘flowing,’” she elaborates. “Think about the early morning. You’re waking up, moving gently to get your coffee…waking up the body and the mind. These movements are continuous, circular and grounded. It’s like a cat who’s stretching.
“Then it builds up to 'staccato.' As the word probably already indicates, it's defined, sharp, precise, clear and expressive. Think about mid-morning or noon when we need to get stuff done … and when we interact with lots of people. A staccato person [would be] Michael Jackson.”
Next up is the “chaos” rhythm, where the precision of staccato becomes wild, unstructured and unpredictable. Mrozik uses the example of a hectic afternoon: deadlines approach, weekend plans change and family members are possibly getting into trouble. At this point, dancers are encouraged to throw themselves almost like a rag doll and surrender to the moment.
Fourth, we have “lyrical”. As the proverbial work day reaches its denouement, students transition into a relaxed and creative state of being. Mrozik says that these moves are light, whimsical and often done on your toes.
The last rhythm is known as “stillness,” representing nighttime and one's final moments before bed. Calm, meditative and restful is the name of the game here.
Mrozik explains that all five rhythms combine to form a metaphorical wave of sorts, and that they always take place in the same order.
‘Body, mind, spirit’
The benefits of 5Rhythms can extend well beyond the physical realm.
“We are all emotional beings, right?” Mrozik asks rhetorically. “The day is filled with experiences and emotions … and we act on them but we don’t find ways to process them. Nowadays, we are stimulated so much with information, but this practice is an incredible tool to actually process emotions.
"Body, mind and spirit: those three aspects of our lives need to be taken into consideration if we want to heal certain parts of ourselves. When you put your psyche in motion, it will heal itself. You show up [to every class] as you are. Let’s say you don’t have much energy one day—you move with that.”
A number of others feel the same way. They tell Mrozik that they consistently feel relaxed and at peace after sessions, with a level of freedom they don’t tend to receive from other things.
“People are a little bit turned off by [things that lack a specific structure],” Mrozik says. “But when those people who are hesitant finally come for practice, they often say: ‘wow, this is just so wonderful’.”
Learn more about 5Rhythms in Whistler at 5rhythms.com/teachers/Anna+Mrozik.
