Fall Movement Marathon

About The Barefoot Ballroom


 

The Barefoot Ballroom formerly Crazywood opened in 2010 in Huntsville, Texas as a retreat space for Dance and Yoga offerings. After a hiatus of 5 years the Barefoot Ballroom opens with the Movement Marathon. This opening is intended to reintroduce dancers and facilitators to the space and its availability for workshops, dances, and intensives on a daily basis.  

Video Walkthrough
 
What to Bring?

 
- Water for the Day
- Picnic for personal snacks
- Towel/Swimsuit for the Cold Plunge, Steam, and Shower
 
Barefoot Ballroom Sat (3)

Barefoot Ballroom Map

1219 14th Street, Huntsville, TX 77340


Parking for events is located off 14th street in a private lot. Overflow parking is street parking along 14th street and at the Huntsville Public Libary

Information & Policies


- Lunch will either be brought by the guest for a picnic or potluck-style meal

OR

- Guests can leave to visit one of the many closeby restaurants

- 2 private restrooms are available for guest use

- 2 open-air public showers (1 indoor, and 1 outdoor) are available for guest use

- We do NOT maintain a Lost and Found anything left will be DONATED to the SAAFE House

- Camping or any form of overnight stay on the premises is prohibited 

- There is no stove or fridge available for guest use

- Please keep the bulk of food and snacks in vehicles until lunch

- There will be a common table in the kitchen for sharing

- Food and beverages should remain outdoors or in the kitchen

Local Huntsville Dining

When you visit The Barefoot Ballroom enjoy some of our nearby businesses!

Recommended Reading


“Dancing is like dreaming with your feet!”  — Constanze Mozart

“When you dance, you can enjoy the luxury of being you.” — Paulo Coelho
Research shows that dance can help decrease anxiety, increase self-esteem, and improve psychological well-being.
And certain types of dance have even been used as a treatment for depression. Research published in 2019 in Frontiers in Psychology found that dance movement therapy (DMT) — defined by the American Dance Therapy Association as the psychotherapeutic use of movement to promote emotional, social, cognitive, and physical integration of the individual, for the purpose of improving health and well-being — was effective in treating depression.
Other studies show that dance helps reduce stress, increases levels of the feel-good hormone serotonin, and helps develop new neural connections, especially in regions involved in executive function, long-term memory, and spatial recognition.
**Spiritual/Mystical benefits: “Dance can transcend you to places that are higher than time, space and reality. You are allowed to express yourself when words fail to articulate how you feel. It almost becomes like this prayer or diary entry you're sending to the universe.
When we dance for ourselves we invite positive energy into our space and our being, we are able to slip into the present moment where our 'problems' do not exist and we break negative thought patterns whilst releasing pent-up stress and worry.”

Dance provides a much-needed connection with others. We are wired for connection and one of the best spiritual connections is the connection we have with others. When our spirits align and we experience movement together it provides the bliss we seek in the spirit of fellowship. The magical feeling of connecting to others in a higher dimension through the art of dance is what heightens the spiritual experience. It's metaphysical. Through dance, you develop an "unconditional bond" with other dancers, with the audience—and when you touch the heart of others through the art of dance an emotional bond occurs.

“There’s actually some very good evidence that social dancing can reduce the risk of cognitive decline as we get older,” says Carolyn Fredericks, MD, a neurologist at Yale Medicine, citing a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine involving 469 people over the age of 75. Out of all the physical activities, including walking, bicycling, stair climbing, swimming, and group exercise classes, dancing was the only activity associated with a lower risk of dementia.
“We always recommend that older adults seek out cardiovascular exercise and social engagement, and cognitive challenge — social dancing gets all three of these,” Dr. Fredericks says.
If you’d like to get out and meet new people, dancing is an excellent way to do so.  One of the best ways to build a better self-image and feel good about yourself is by learning new skills.  As you master more patterns and a variety of dance styles, you’ll grow more confident on and off the dance floor. As your skills develop, you will get a confidence boost from the compliments your dancing receives.





Articles: 

The 5 benefits of Social Dance

https://www.stuartsdance.com/post/5-benefits-of-social-dance


The Benefits of Dance For Spiritual Growth
https://revolutionofconsciousness.com/the-benefits-of-dance-for-spiritual-growth/

Article: The Spiritual Power of Dance
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/spirituality-dance_b_862226


Videos:
Health Benefits of Dancing Everyday
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=934JNw-kPYQ

TEDx - Peter Lovatt - Psychologist & Dancer “What is it about dance that helps people feel better?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihCh5wzNjYY