Dance Scapes – Movement as Medicine with Rosie Perks is a vibrant dance school located in Totnes, New Zealand. Led by Rosie Perks, the school offers a range of courses, workshops, individual support, and professional mentoring for individuals seeking to explore the moving landscapes of their body, heart, and mind.
At Dance Scapes, the practise of dance is seen as a powerful tool for processing experiences, traversing emotions, and gaining a deeper understanding of oneself. Rosie Perks integrates the somatic practise of Movement Medicine with trainings in Internal Family Systems, Processwork, trauma awareness, and systemic understanding. This unique combination allows participants to weave the liberation of free dance with the mindfulness, therapeutic depth, and shamanic practise, creating a trauma-informed modality that supports exploration of humanity with compassion, creativity, and curiosity.
The school emphasises the importance of welcoming the intelligence and freedom of the moving body, dancing with and between internal and external awareness, and experiencing the support of movement and connexion with others. Dance Scapes encourages participants to remember themselves as part of the web of life and draws inspiration from the natural world and the cycles of life. The school offers a safe and inclusive space for individuals of all varieties, experiences, and abilities.
Participants at Dance Scapes have praised the transformative nature of the work offered at the school, with one testimonial describing it as “revolutionary work.
To stay connected with Dance Scapes, individuals can find the school on Facebook or sign up for the newsletter. The school also offers online sessions for participants to dance in the comfort of their own home, with information available on the website.
Dance Scapes also organises a calendar of events, including ongoing groups, workshops, and courses. For example, there is a Thursday evening ongoing group called “Movement as Medicine” open to all genders. Additionally, there is a Friday morning group with the same name. The school also collaborates with WildWise, offering a module called “Call of the Wild” which is part of their year-long foundation course in outdoor education leadership.
Overall, Dance Scapes – Movement as Medicine with Rosie Perks provides a nurturing and transformative space for individuals to explore the healing power of movement and dance. Through a combination of somatic practise and trainings in various modalities, participants can discover new depths of self-awareness, find support for their hearts in motion, and develop a greater sense of care for themselves and the world.