Wu Tao is a set of choreographed movements done to music that increase the flow of energy called Qi through the body. Similar to Tai Qi and yoga, Wu Tao differs in that it uses dance as the main method to bring balance to the body, mind and soul.
When Qi is flowing through the body without blockage there are a number of benefits. These include access to greater amounts of physical and mental energy, resulting in increased stamina, vitality and strength as well as feeling more balanced and even in emotional responses. The more Wu Tao is danced, the more the energy is freed up and can flow easily through the body.
Wu Tao is an active and dynamic dance meditation. Meditation is the act of quieting the mind and allowing the natural peaceful nature of ones inner being to arise. While the mind is focused and concentrated on doing the dances and using the visualisation techniques, there is less room for the mind to chatter!
In Wu Tao visual images are used to aid in connecting a person to the specific qualities and energy of the dances. These images are directly related to the purpose of each movement. The focus when doing Wu Tao is very much on flow and not on thinking about the process. Thought processes generally pull a person out of the body and into the head, so thinking is best avoided when dancing! The dances enable a person to feel, express, transform and integrate emotions as they arise, and move one back into a natural connection with life energy.
Some of the more obvious and helpful results are that when Qi is flowing, a person will feel more positive, with increased energy and reduced stress levels. This is due to the effect on the Liver, which often becomes blocked in westerners due to our significantly high levels of stress and toxicity.
At a cellular level, embodying positive emotional states such as gratitude can have a powerful healing effect on the body/mind. The brain and body begin to rewire itself and the cells of the body start to rejuvenate and harness the true power of Life energy. As we have more of these kinds of thoughts, we create connections between cells that can encourage healing, a stronger immune system and increased energy.
There have been many studies showing the benefits of meditation for people of all ages. Some of the proven health benefits of meditation include greater orderliness of brain functioning, improved ability to focus, increased creativity, deeper levels of relaxation, improved perception and memory, decrease in stress hormone, lower blood pressure, reversal of the ageing process, reduction in cholesterol levels, and a reduced need for medical care (Lorin Roche Instinctive Meditation).
Wu Tao is a meditative form of dance. The meditation processes used in Wu Tao help to empty the mind of useless chatter and return it to a state of one pointed concentration. Wu Tao is a relatively easy way to be in a meditative state, as the dances require concentration to learn them and the music assists in keeping you focused on the imagery being used.
Founder
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 internationally, with students and instructors around the world, enjoying the benefits of Wu Tao through classes, workshops, retreats and training programs.