Movement as Medicine
Movement as Medicine: Reclaiming Power Through the Body
As we enter May—a month of blossoming, recalibration, and self-renewal—I’m sharing a new chapter of my journey with you. .
But first, a proper introduction.
My name is Elana, and for over the last decade I’ve been exploring what it means to feel whole in our bodies—through dance, teaching, performance, and healing-centered work. At the heart of it all is one question I keep returning to:
What does it feel like to be fully at home in your body?
What Is Somatics?
You may have heard the word “somatics” floating around wellness spaces, but what does it actually mean?
Simply put, somatics refers to body-based practices that center felt experience over external form. It’s less about what your movement looks like, and more about what it feels like from the inside out. Somatic practices ask us to slow down, tune in, and listen to the stories our bodies are carrying.
These stories include ancestral memory, trauma, joy, resistance, intuition—and yes, power.
While I don’t identify as a certified somatic movement practitioner, I weave somatic principles into my work as a choreographer, educator, and liberation-focused creative. I incorporate tools like:
Breath-led movement
Grounding rituals
Mapping sensation and emotion
Honoring embodied knowledge
Creating space for pleasure and pause
These practices live at the core of my offerings—not as trends, but as traditions. Especially in our communities, these practices are part of how we survive, thrive, and remember who we are.
Why This Matters Now
Many of us have been conditioned to disconnect from our bodies—whether through trauma, capitalism, performance pressure, or systems of oppression. The result? We often live from the neck up. We chase validation, wear masks, and silence our inner signals.
But your body is wise.
It knows what it needs. It holds rhythm, memory, and voice. When we reconnect with it, we begin to reclaim agency over our time, boundaries, creativity, and healing.
Your Free Resource: 5 Practices for Reclaiming Your Body
As a gift to mark this new journey, I’ve created a downloadable mini-guide:
👉🏾 “5 Practices for Reclaiming Your Body”
This free resource includes grounding exercises, somatic prompts, and intentional movement tools designed for folx seeking presence, power, and peace in their bodies—whether you’re at home, in a creative practice, or navigating everyday life.
Want to dive deeper into my offerings, classes, and creative work around movement and liberation?
🌐 Visit My Website → www.txturesmovementcollaborative.uk
You’ll find information on upcoming workshops, community classes, and all new blog where I reflect more personally on movement, healing, and creative resistance.
Reading Resources
If you’re curious to learn more about the intersection of somatics, trauma healing, and embodied liberation—especially within diasporic communities—here are a few powerful resources I recommend:
“My Grandmother’s Hands” by Resmaa Menakem
A foundational guide to racialized trauma, healing, and somatic practices rooted in the body.“The Politics of Trauma” by Staci K. Haines
Explores how collective trauma impacts bodies, systems, and movements for justice.“The Body Is Not an Apology” by Sonya Renee Taylor
A bold invitation to practice radical self-love and reject body shame.“You Are Your Best Thing” (edited by Tarana Burke & Brené Brown)
A powerful anthology centering Black vulnerability, resilience, and joy.Healing Justice Lineages by Cara Page and Erica Woodland
An exploration of Black, Indigenous, queer, and disabled healing traditions in movement work.
