I have have been trained and certified in the USA by Gabrielle Roth to teach the 5 Rhythms at both levels, Waves (2000/2001) and Heartbeat (2009).
For over 30 years I’ve been teaching dance and movement practices to grown-ups, children and teenagers, senior citizens and people with mental disorders. I am mother of three children.
When I encountered the 5 Rhythms, I felt I had found my path, a path which, by movement, wholeheartedly connects me to myself, a path that leads me to my intuition, to other dimensions of my existence and connects me to my vital energy. My teaching style combines my love of the 5 Rhythms with my joy of teaching them with clarity, humour and ease, and is characterised by my long-time experience as a dancer and dance therapist.
Professional dancer (ballet, Modern Dance, choreography) trained at “Tanzprojekte Köln” dancing school (student of James Saunders)
Ever since I was a child my heart belonged to dance and acting. I searched for ways of expression in order to cope with emotions and feelings as well as with life issues. In movement, expression as well as creative processes there was something great, life itself, healing − that much I sensed as a child.
From 1987 to 1989, I attended “Tanzprojekte Köln” dancing school. Studying ballet, Modern Dance, choreography and performance with James Saunders, I became a dancer and dance therapist.
At that time I started teaching dance myself. In the beginning I taught expressionist dance to grown ups. I then started giving classes in ballet and creative dance, first to children, later to senior citizens and teenagers. Eventually I also danced with people who had mental diseases.
In order to continue my dance training and expand my repertoire after having finished my dance studies in Cologne, I took classes in ballet, Modern Dance, contemporary dance, New Dance, contact improvisation, body-mind-centering, creative dance, expressionist dance, jazz-dance, African dance and tap dance. Yoga and meditation also became important elements of my life.
University degree in education (Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main)
I grew increasingly fascinated with the relationship between movement and psyche. I was familiar with movement. Now I wanted to gather knowledge about the human psyche. From 1990 to 1996, I studied pedagogy at Goethe University, Frankfurt/M., focusing on psychology, psychoanalysis and sociology.
Further trainings: dance therapy and expressionist dance
In 1990, I attended a further training in expressionist dance at the centre for movement art (Zurich), led by Claude Perrotet.
From 1998 to 1999, I took further studies in integrative therapy and dance therapy at Fritz Perls Insitute (Hückeswagen).
Coach and trainer certified by dvct, Deutscher Verband für Training und Coaching (German Association for Training and Coaching)
In 2006, I decided to acquire further knowledge and skills in the field of business training. I took part in the program “Train the Trainer” that has a strong focus on experience-oriented training, and have been a certified trainer of the German Association for Training and Coaching (Deutscher Verband für Training und Coaching).
Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (body oriented trauma therapy by Peter Levine)
From 2016 till 2019 I took part at the trainiing by Elfriede Dinkel-Pfrommer at the Odenwaldinstitut to become a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner.
Somatic Experoiencing leaves its mark on my work very seignificant – especially at the Heartbeat-Level.
Beside the catarthic process during dancing it is also about consciously containment – the capability to hold emotions and to expand the spectrum of our emotions.
Acknowledgements
I want to express my deepest gratitude to all my teachers that have guided me on my path ever since, especially to Gabrielle Roth, Susannah Darling Khan und Ya´Acov Darling Khan, Andrea Juhan, Kathy Altman and Lori Saltzman.
I also want to thank my children for the gift of a heartfelt and loving relationship, my parents who have supported me on my path and, of course, my students who, in a process of constant co-creation, have shown me ever since the powerful dimensions of the 5 Rhythms.
Further information
Upcoming 5 Rhythms events with Andrea Brecht, workshops, the 5 Rhythms.
Click FAQ for answers to the most frequently asked questions.
Do you have further questions? Do not hesitate to contact Andrea Brecht.
