John Wooden (October 14, 1910 – June 4, 2010) spoke mountains of truth for me today. This verse that he quoted caught me especially:

I’d say this applies to all minds, not just young ones. To be what you want your students to learn seems to me to be the most powerful way to reach people. Thanks Elbert & John.

I just received a letter from the Chilean actress whom I coached for 2 months last year. Wow, what a gift!! I’m sharing it as it is, because I love the feeling I get from her use of English, which is not her native tongue. It was a fabulous experience for me too at the time, this is just the icing on the cake! Thanks MJ for this amazing feedback!!!

If you are inspired to dive into individual coaching sessions (artistic or life coaching) with me after reading, or want to know more about both then please get in contact – I’d love to hear from you!

About my experience with Susanne Bentley

An unexpected gift…

I crossed the ocean without knowing exactly what I and Susanne will do together.

That was the first step of our amazing encounter.

Join an 8 weeks individual coaching program with Susanne was an exciting travel. And not just in professional terms but also in a human sense.

Professionally, I have to say that I´m impressed and also very happy about her way of working.  As a coach, she has a sharp eye open to catch where you are and then what she can propose you in order to expand, explode and go further of the colors that you already have. This remarkable capacity is clear during the coaching sessions: she is able to give you just a little advice with which you can run away hours and days within your own research process…while she patiently observes.

Also, Susanne has a very gently way to lead you towards unknown territories of the movement, voice and improvisation. In the knowing that the unknown could be exciting but also fearful for us, she finds the words, the exercises and, most important, the adequate rhythm to propose you this kind of journey, step by step.

I was the opportunity to work with Susanne also as an external eye. At the end of the coaching, we work in my first solo, “Le truc que habite chez moi”. Susanne aids to me to develop my original idea, by questioning me in a very clever way. That helps me, for sure, to find how I could make visible what I really wanted to say. Moreover, she is very generous and extremely respectful with yours option as a dancer/mover.

She is there to advice you, to go with you, but not for impose you her own ideas, and she understands that very well.

I´m very happy about my experience with Susanne Bentley. During my coaching program with her, I always felt her dedication and her attention to me.  Beside her exceptionally conditions as a coach, she is a very sweet woman, passionate for what she does and for what her students do.

María José Parga

Actress and performer

Woohoo! So excited to finally be getting into business mode… Gratitude in abundance to Sam Vanoverschelde for his photo & design skills!!!

my favourite level… up close & personal with the floor in the break!

Love all those smiling faces!! That’s why I do what I do!

Thanks to Mathieu Wérotte for these beautiful images!!!

Last Sunday’s Bal Moderne in the Ardennes was a great success. Here are some photos of the dancing team (Jordi, Frauke, Vania & me) in action thanks to Olivier Calicis.

© olivier calicis

Great talk by Bunker Roy about Barefoot College, solar engineer grandmothers and professionalism. Where the teacher is the learner and the learner is the teacher. According to him a professional is “someone who has a combination of competence, confidence and belief.” What are you a pro at?

I give thanks to all the people who have ever given me a lollipop moment… there are soooo many… gratitude in abundance. Happy to say I’ve let a lot of them know.
“There is no world, there’s only 6 billion understandings of it. And if you change one person’s understanding of it, one person’s understanding of what they’re capable of, one person’s understanding of how much you care about them, one person’s understanding of how powerful an agent for change they can be in this world, you’ve changed the whole thing.”

How have you made someone’s life better without even knowing about it?

As what I have been preaching now for a few years is “Serious Dancing” (wink,wink) I am delighted to watch this video (again) and feel confirmed in my belief in play as an educative and life tool. As well as being justified in my love of playing of course! As my favourite preacher said: “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you, I only want you to have some fun” – Prince “1999”

And “if you hit me, I’ll hit you back!” Remember, the floor is your friend! I think I’ve said that to at least a thousand students by now over the years… Going to join my friend very shortly in Tanzquartier and in Tanzfabrik. See Calendar page for details.

Better late than never! It is  a beautiful image. Thanks Thomas – again!!!

photo: Thomas Sennesael