September 2025
A Connected World
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A connected world
"I believe that the possibility of a better future humanity is nearer to our grasp than is presumed by the gloomy outlook of self-destruction that is predicted and held by many. A society in which its members are only so many units composing it is not the final form of society. A society of men and women with greater awareness of themselves will, I believe, be one that will work for the human dignity of its members rather than primarily for the abstract, collective notion of human society." - Moshe Feldenkrais: Somatics, Spring 1979
The Feldenkrais Method® of movement is a form of somatic education designed to expand movement options and sharpen a person's physical sensitivity.
These principles go beyond improving movement and comfort; they also foster greater self-awareness and personal empowerment. The method achieves this by helping individuals know themselves better, giving them the freedom to choose behaviors and actions that truly align with their ideals and meet their individual needs.
While this exploration focuses on the internal self, those who undertake this inner journey naturally encounter a secondary project: understanding how they interact and connect with the outer world.
One of the greatest benefits of the Feldenkrais Method is that it teaches us to be more present in our lives. This deeper self-connection directly improves the quality of our interactions and our relationships with the people and environment around us.
In this month's SenseAbility edition we have contributions from Marcela Bretschneider and Luiza Moraes.
Marcela gives a beautiful presentation of an outreach project that she led in Ecuador along with two other Feldenkrais® practitioners, Paulina Peñaherrera and Josie Caseres. During the project Marcela gave five separate Feldenkrais workshops to communities from a variety of backgrounds in the capital city of Ecuador.
The goal of the project was to share the Feldenkrais Method with people who have had limited access to this great resource. During the presentation Marcela guides us through this impactful week of lessons and personal interactions, which left a lasting impact on her and all the people that took part.
The second interview is with Luiza Moraes (she/they), a Brazilan born Feldenkrais practitioner who trained and practiced in Europe for many years, who now lives in Chicago, IL.
Luiza is formally trained in history, dance and performance, they are also an Ancestral Healing practitioner. In their professional work and their personal life they seek to embody the principles of the Feldenkrais Method, which have guided them towards personal autonomy, through questioning and challenging institutionalised authority.
In the interview Luiza discusses how the Feldenkrais Method can start to heal the relationship we have with ourselves and help us reconnect with our more authentic self. They discuss how this journey into our inner world can begin to change our life for the better and improve our interactions with the world around us.
We hope you enjoy this new edition of the SenseAbility newsletter.
Joe, Michelle and Jane
FGNA Communications team
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One Week in Ecuador: A Feldenkrais Outreach Project
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One Week in Equador - A Feldenkrais® Outreach Project
A presentation by Marcela Bretschneider
Marcela gives a beautiful presentation of a recent outreach project that she led in Ecuador along with two other Feldenkrais practitioners, Paulina Peñaherrera and Josie Caseres, both from Ecuador.
During the project Marcela gave five seperate Feldenkrais workshops to communities from a variety of backgrounds in the capital city of Ecuador.
The first workshop was taught to a group of native Amazonian women who have limited contact with the modernized world, who are actively fighting to protect their territory. During the workshop Marcela introduced the idea of thinking of themselves as a territory that they can protect and care for.
The second workshop was taught to a group of contact improvisation dancers. As Marcela has an extensive dance background she could introduce Awareness Through Movement® lessons as preparation for contact improv, where the participants were given a chance to explore the concepts with one another while dancing.
The third workshop was for medical professionals with an interest in movement and health. There were doctors, nurses, physiotherapists present as well the workshop being open to the general public.
The forth workshop was for professional dancers from the Ecuador National Dance company, it was designed to help these career dancers get in touch with the principles of ATM® so they could integrate them with their existing knowledge and ability.
The final workshop was for women only and was titled Feldenkrais and the sacredness of the Feminine, which is guided by the work of Donna Ray. It was designed to help them connect to sensitivity and sensuality, which provided contrast to the toughness that they have needed to hold to be a women in their world.
During the presentation Marcela guides us through this impactful week of lessons and personal interactions, which left a lasting impact on her and all the people that took part.
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Marcela Bretschneider, Assistant Trainer, lives and works in Argentina. She has enriched her experience in the Feldenkrais Method® of somatic education worldwide, bringing the method to different regions. Over the years, she has specialized in working with high-level athletes, people with chronic pain, and the sacredness of the feminine. A former dancer and dance teacher, she also holds a degree in Emotional Wisdom and Inner Dialogue.
Contact:
instagram.com/marcela.bretschneider
instagram.com/feldenkrais.ec
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Connecting to your Inner Self; Healing your Outer World |
An Interview with Luiza Moraes
The second interview is with Luiza Moraes (she/they), a Brazilan born Feldenkrais® practitioner who trained and practiced in Europe for many years, and who now lives in Chicago, IL.
Luiza is formally trained in history, dance and performance, and is also an Ancestral Healing practitioner. In their professional work and their personal life they seek to embody the principles of the Feldenkrais Method® of somatic education, which have guided them towards personal autonomy, through questioning and challenging institutionalised authority.
In the interview Luiza discusses how the Feldenkrais Method can start to heal the relationship we have with ourselves and help us reconnect with our authentic self. They discusses how this journey into our inner world can begin to change our life and our interactions with the world around us.
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Luiza Moraes (she/they) is an interdisciplinary artist swaying through movement practice and its unruly offshoots—writing, painting, embroidery, choreography, podcasting, teaching, sewing, zine-making, divination, and folk herbal medicine.
A Scorpio of mixed ancestry, she is committed to disrupting institutional authority through emancipatory pedagogies and lives in the tension between different ways of knowing.
Formally trained in history, dance, performance, and the Feldenkrais Method, they are now undergoing certification as an Ancestral Healing Practitioner. She seeks to embody decolonial existing as a form of structured improvisation.
Links: luizamoraes.substack.com
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