Michelle Locke is the creator and founder of Wu Tao Dance.  Prior to developing Wu Tao, Michelle was a professional ballet dancer with the West Australian Ballet Company.  A serious back injury led her on a journey of self discovery through natural medicine.  She experienced first hand the use of Shiatsu and Chinese Medicine to heal the body, and trained as a Shiatsu Therapist in 1987. Michelle went on to establish the first professional school of Shiatsu in Western Australia, the Shiatsu School of WA in 1993.

Her deep passion for dance inspired her to turn her attention to combining the healing benefits of oriental medicine with dance and music.  In 2000, Wu Tao was created after a long period of research and development.

Since then, Wu Tao has spread across Australia and New Zealand with over 120 teachers now trained in the Wu Tao method.  The response from the community to Wu Tao has been extremely positive.   People are now enjoying the benefits of increased health and vitality through attending one of the many classes available in over 150 suburbs in Australia and NZ.

Wu Tao means The Dancing Way (Chinese translation), and is a dance-based therapy that balances and harmonises the flow of Qi (life-force energy in the body).  It has its foundations in Oriental Medicine, and is a system of healing, with a holistic philosophy and practice, that restores balance to the person on all levels.

The main form of Wu Tao is a series of dances that balance the Qi.  This is achieved by activating and stretching the channels (called meridians), which are the pathways through which the Qi energy flows.  Each dance, (there are 5) works on balancing two meridians, which belong to a particular element. (eg. Kidney / Bladder Meridians belong to the Water element).  The dances are learned and then performed to beautiful melodic music which corresponds with the particular energy and quality of the element for which it is used.  The end result is an experience of beauty, harmony and balance, physically, energetically and mentally, during and after performing the dances.

Wu Tao is both movement and stillness. Doing and Being.  It encourages the development of these qualities and an experience of being in the flow of the life-force.  In Wu Tao, while one is focused on ‘doing’ the routine with the music, the mind becomes still and the body poised and balanced.