Holistic Motion

Our aim is to get the freedom to move in every aspect of our movement. Therefore, we separately study all related aspects, in the end to see them as one holistic picture of our motion – our being.

At the camp, we will go really deep into all relevant aspects. We will be learning, training, feeling in the group and synchronising together. We are going to be deeply aware of our body, mind and also the soul. Your body and mind will reach a  really high level of fluidity. After the  art of movement, you will learn how to heal yourself and how to cope with stress. You will build up a good base on which to continue with new, good habits.

https://youtu.be/wifKAwu2kic

 

We don’t try to just understand movement mentally. We are developing our senses to deeply feel how things work. The personal experience achieved by playing has priceless value for us.

The aspiration to  move efficiently leads us to use as little power as possible. To be relaxed is not just efficient, but also really healthy. It is hard to be efficient without using the flow of bodywave – kinetic energy. Being able to surf on your bodywave lets you accumulate kinetic energy to be much stronger and much more dynamic.

Our dynamic meditations help empty your mind and keep you in the present. Being able to passively accept impulses and let others move with you is the path to really synchronise and harmonise with your surroundings.

If the mind is quiet, the soul can express itself…

The element of play-fighting brings our kind of contact improvisation into a bit more chaos. The aspect of chaos creates new situations and positions whilst being able to control this movement through feeling and experience. It is a bigger challenge to flow in new situations. The magic happens out of your comfort zone…

A good mover is a healthy mover. It is no surprise that an inseparable part of the System of Motion is a comprehensive vitalising programme.

 

We are open to drawing knowledge and experience from any source. We draw from martial arts, dance, sports, qigong, yoga, Pilates and modern physiology (e.g. Anatomy Trains).

Despite many sources and many aspects, our result is a comprehensive system, because we are not working with specific techniques, but with principles that work across all our movements. System of Motion is the unique holistic picture of motion.

The philosophy of our system comes from the Cossack tradition, which is known today as ‘Russian Systema’. It is characterised by the liquid body and letting the intuition lead our movement instead of the logical mind. Systema comes with  functional stress management. It goes really deeply into our motion and is a great source of knowledge about human motion.

However, Russian Sytema is often taught at a physical level, without philosophy.

Systema is much clearer if you understand the source of Systema – if you understand Cossack philosophy.

Cossack culture does not just consist of  traditional martial arts and dance, it is also a comprehensive system of self-care and self-development. It improves health and vitality. You could say that it is a  kind of Slavic yoga or Chi Kung.

The Cossack tradition includes the wisdom of pre-christian Slavic culture, which has the same roots as Indian culture: from Vedic culture. The Cossack traditional system is closely related to  Indian yoga. Both have a lot of similarities, but also  many differences. It is interesting how each  complements the other and is synergised.

For yoga practitioners, it is really interesting to see where they grew up in their sister’s branch. It gives you a chance to see yoga from a totally new perspective.

Another deep source for movers is Chinese martial arts. In System of Motion we draw knowledge about our bodies from functional Chi Kung (Qigong),  I Liq Chuan, and from Wing Chun Kung Fu.

However, we also draw  from other sources such as Japanese Karate, Filipino Escrima, Kickboxing BJJ etc.

 

Another deep ancient source of knowledge is dance.

Contact improvisation creates a wide variety of movement; the variety of contact improvisation is  multiplied if we add aspects of play-fighting. Contemporary dancers generally contribute a lot to help  understand our motion.

Breakdancers have unbelievable body muscle control and a natural feeling for body wave.

Capoeira brings playfulness and acrobatics.

The list of inspirational dance is endless.

Of course,  we cannot forget  a modern scientific approach. We apply Anatomy Trains, learn from dynamic neuromuscular stabilisation etc. Next to physiotherapy, we observe  new trends in medicine, including Pilates, Feldenkrais and other programmes.

No doubt that sports instructors in an effort to enhance performance  also gain a lot of relevant knowledge of movement.

There is not enough space to mention every related aspect; however, one of them should be mentioned: stress.

We live during a pandemic of stress. It negatively affects the human body with a whole list of illnesses; it causes undesirable tension which consumes your vital energy, makes you feel tired, and causes pain.

Therefore it is important that at our camp you learn how to realistically cope with stress.