Most of us know how it feels to do a little dance for whatever reason—a moment of freedom, release, or celebration. Last year, I experienced a moving performance in Aarhus, Denmark, choreographed by Icelandic dancer Lovísa Ósk Gunnarsdóttir. Her piece, When the Bleeding Stops, explores the ageing female body and the silent emotional journey of menopause.

The dance practice at the heart of Lovísa’s piece began while she was recovering from an injury: take a 20-minute walk without headphones or distractions, notice what song naturally pops into your head, then return home and dance freely to that song. Lovísa started inviting others into this daily solo dance practice, asking if they would film their experience. Initially daunting for many, and uncomfortable for some, it became an empowering daily ritual—a space for processing, expression, and growth. You get the idea from the short video below:

Inspired by this performance and practice, we conclude each Pilates & Play class similarly, except there are no video recordings and all genders and non-binary individuals are welcome.

More information about the class is here: www.stephanieellison.com/classes

For more from Lovísa Ósk Gunnarsdóttir, and my colleague, filmmaker and dancer Marie Hallager Andersen: More on the Project.