collinleachlmt_yahoo.com 1st phone (001) 786 309 5599
Communication through touch is as rich as the information in any library. Thoughts and feelings conveyed through contact are literally moving, in every way imaginable.
Thai Yoga Massage
An elegant duet yoga form of bodywork that approaches you from every angle. You remain passive, attired in comfortable clothing, as I massage you with rhythmic compression, and guide you into fantastic full body stretches.
This meditative form of movement has a sophisticated symmetrical process that also focuses on alignment, and metta , or compassionate touch. Be aware that this can mean both light, or deep pressure are at your option. Ideal sessions are usually 3 hours, yet can be offered in a 1 hour service.
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Nuat Boran, meaning 'ancient/traditional massage' originated in India, and gathered cultural influences from China, and Southeast Asia. The Shan ethnic group of ancient Siam, or Thailand maintained, and developed this modality into a high art. It has many variations, but my approach is derived from the northern styles, these are the most popular forms of Thai being practiced around the world currently.
Swedish Massage
Soothing, flowing and rythmic, this classic full body massage form is one of the most widely practiced for good reason. Its so versatile it may be offered with a light nuturing approach, and as a deep tissue treatment. It is a powerful mover of lymph, which detoxifies the body. Usually applied with oil, or talc as an alternative, Swedish style offers effects developing out of these basic strokes- soothing long glides, kneading that promotes circulation and release, cross fiber friction and heat generating rubs, invigorating percussion, and the relaxed invigoration of vibration and shaking, yeah!
In the early 1800's Per Henrick Ling, a Swedish educator, and practitioner of medical gymnastics developed a holistic system to therapy and fitness. This included manual techniques derived from the ancient Chinese massage form, Tuina . Modern approaches to this classical massage have modified it into variations emphasizing a nurturing touch, or integrating more clinical techniques, and stretching.
Active Isolated Stretching, and Strengthening, Deep Tissue Specific, Acrobalancing, Aquaticontact, Contact Improvisation (dance), Muscle Energy Technique (muscle tone modulation), Wide Spectrum Bodywork, Dynamic Massage, Somatic Education... are some of the advanced forms of bodywork I practice, teach, or have developed. I shall offer complete descriptions of these modalities soon, yet feel free to contact me with inquiries.
Massage Bodywork in this context refers to an approach that is more focused, exacting, or has matured with the experience of the practitioner. The work my be subtle, or intense, or playful, and may facilitate a significant shift from the status quo for the client. Bodywork requires astute observation, and skills that are well matched to what is apropos for the moment.
Bodywork manifests in many different forms but may transcend protocol to help bring a recipient into a deeper state of well being.
I've been in the practice of professional massage for over 10 years, graduating in Miami, from Lindsey Hopkins Technical Education Center. And 10 years before that I had been developing my practice, based upon my introduction to a classical massage form, termed Swedish Massage, that has become the basis for massage with oil in the western hemisphere.
Two other bodywork forms had prominent influences upon my education in massage. Working with Aaron Mattes RKT, LMT in his clinical facilities for stretching and strengthening. And a half year spent in the north west region of Thailand, learning their ancient forms of massage further transformed my practice. My previous ongoing practice in Yoga, and mindfulness was a synergistic compliment to these specialized approaches for moving other peoples bodies.
Continued on Contact Improvisation page...
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...continued from Bodywork page. In 2005 a dormant interest in a unique dance form, Contact Improvisation became a deepening practice into my understanding of the mind-body genre. This duet form has an emphasis on weight sharing, leaning into each other through a continuum of spontaneous, dynamic movement. Contact has provided me a functional awareness of how to move myself, and others with elegance. Improvising movement also catalyzes inner processes both philosophical, and psychological. Thats to say it has greatly enhanced my own mind-body relationship, how I relate to others, and the world.
The inner urge of compassion, and the culmination of these practices expressed a paradigm shift in my work. I began working intensively with people learning to walk again after an incurred disability. In 2009 I began fusing my understanding of physical rehabilitation, kinesiology, dance improvisation, and theater. These sessions encouraged self responsibility for the client, and mutual engagement with our interests. I wanted my clients to be informed, and to inform me, espousing a sense of collaboration, even though I usually had the role of instructor. I helped with developing their options for movement, and how to think about movement for both body and concepts, for they are intricately related. A physical practice is synergistic when balanced with a mindful approach.
Indeed the process, or experience in aspiring to some result is just as essential as achieving the goal. So the apathy and anxiety of rehab were managed by cultivating curiosity, and imagination. An ability to consider a variety of options on an action as seemingly simple as walking could be fascinating, when therapy is approached via play. Contact me for booking workshops, or individual instruction.
Look at Videos page, or for a presentation of my early experimental research in Aquaticontact click here-http://www.youtube.com/user/collinleach My exploration and development of this form arose from my orientation in Contact Improvisation. This duet form has an emphasis on weight sharing, leaning into each other through a continuum of spontaneous, dynamic movement. In a deep water medium the emphasis is more on maintaining the connection via push; pull. Whether push, pull, or offering weight it's done in such a way so the partner has options to move otherwise. An example is to offer an open grip. Keeping the thumb with the fingers, in non opposition, avoiding excessive clamping, binding or hooking. Yet a sensitive, assertive, decisive, clear touch is also essential for these dances to bloom into their full dynamic and have continuity.
My practice was of allowing availability by offering resistance or passivity or responsive shaping. With push; pull one could keep positioned so as to offer other available surfaces of our body to interact with. It is a principle in Contact dance that every one takes responsibility for themselves. This allows partners to move with out being overly self conscience, trying to protect the other from every possible harm.
Its good practice to be aware of how oneself and the partner is breathing. Keeping heightened awareness of the self and anything that may come into physical contact, or in contact with the partner is an important skill. From this awareness of sensation arising within the body or from an outside stimuli (ting jing, Chinese) one chooses or reacts in response. This is the nature of improvisation.
The skills utilized in object manipulation, that is how to efficiently move the other, was an element of focus for me. It is exhilarating to practice ting jing, using the entire body to sense, respond and maneuver or be maneuvered. Often aquatic contact dances in the beginning can have a characteristic of peripheral connection via the arms, and legs perhaps. Then the push; pull dynamic can become an incessant activity (tiring) or lead one into a sustained submissive passivity. This is one of the reasons I like to begin a dance with no contact, so each person can discover the other gradually and find the pleasure of movement in their own way. Including aquatic bodywork affirms this quality of quietude, allowing for lingering, sustained passive extension in balance with contraction. This may reveal the feeling of how water acts upon the body that may be lost when in a continual commotion. Happy dancing!
For booking workshops, or individual instruction contact me.
Here is an experimental video, documenting my early research into an aquatic improvisation duet. More at- http://www.youtube.com/user/collinleach
When I speak with you I listen, carefully. I may ask how you wish to arrive at your destination. As a tactile storyteller, I help guide you to the places your body may go.
How I speak with you goes beyond words, as a tactile story teller. I may ask how you wish to get to your destination. I listen, carefully, as I help guide your body where it may go.
E-mail: collinleachlmt_yahoo.com 2nd Phone: 049 (0)151 43455452
