DOWH feels like a sanctuary where my stress and tension melt away allowing for my most authentic Self to emerge, play, move, and simply be.
DOWH feels like a sanctuary where my stress and tension melt away allowing for my most authentic Self to emerge, play, move, and simply be.
Growing up in a home of dance and art, Erica Ross offers the wisdom of her life experience as a dancer, artist, group and workshop facilitator, certified hypnotherapist, life mentor, traveller and mother. She has been involved in the creative and healing arts for over 30 years.
Erica's dance journey began as a child, however her life journey really began in 1973 after graduating from high school when she took a trip through Europe, the Middle East, and South East Asia as an impassioned seeker. In her travels Erica fell in love with the world of nature, people, beauty, mystery and story-telling. Since then, she has been developing herself personally and professionally, always opening to new adventures, teachings and educational opportunities. She has a passionate love affair with dance, relaxation, and divine feminine imagery and mythology as a healing and spiritual path.
Dance Our Way Home™ is a synthesis of this life journey, her delivery system for her soul work. It is her gift for the enrichment of the female soul. Erica recognizes the truth that the human body is a tremendously creative and powerful instrument and that practicing awareness and relaxation offers an abundant flow of inspiration for self-expression. Erica’s devotional practice is simple- keeping her heart open, regardless.
In her DOWH sessions and workshops, Erica provides an ambiance of love, support, inspiration and joy — offering a full life-enhancing experience. Her clients come from a wide range of backgrounds — engineers, artists, teachers, nurses and business people —any woman who loves to dance and wishes to be more fully present in their body.
Having lived in different continents, exploring a variety of modalities, Erica continues to travel the world. Her experience includes:
Inspired by her daughter, Erica created and taught relaxation and expression classes for the Toronto Board of Education, wrote the module for the YMCA's ‘Let's Dance’ Camps, and was the YMCA's Family Development Centre's Dance Program Director. Her relaxation and movement workshops have been offered at The Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture, The North York General Hospital, The Hospital for Sick Children, The Fairlawn Neighbourhood Centre and Central Neighbourhood House.
Erica is in her 8th year of facilitating groups at Sheena’s Place, a not-for-profit organization supporting people with eating disorders and body image issues. Erica, along with Nan Keyser, co-founded Expressive Healing, a home for wellness programs. Most recently, Erica joined the Aangen Community Centre offering “The Goddess Within” and “Oasis” workshops.
Erica is DJ and co-founder of Toronto’s ‘The Move Dance Collective’, a weekly ecstatic dance gathering for men, women and children. She is now a member of Dance Ontario and Canadian Dance Assembly. She has been featured in the Globe and Mail Newspaper, Vitality Magazine, CIUT and CKLN Radio, and OMNI TV.
She is presently writing an inspirational book about Dance Our Way Home™, and developing her inaugural DOWH Immersion: Facilitation Certification and Wisdom Path Training, with the assistance of apprentices Twyla Kowalenko and Mari Rossi, being held fall of 2010.
“My philosophy is 'healing through unconditional love'. I believe that each one of us is unique and precious, with our own perfect pace and way of unfolding. I hold that vision for everyone. I bring to my work an appreciation and respect for the whole self-- emotion, body, mind, energy and soul; a sense of belonging and connection; an honouring of the present moment. I believe in miracles and limitless possibilities for change.
My wish is for all beings to recognize and celebrate their beauty, power, stories, and unique magnificence! May we help each other in this realization, and be divine mirrors for each other.”
— Erica Ross
Here is an audio clip of Marilyn Daniels' interview with Erica for the "Field-guide to Evolutionary Leadership" project. www.audioacrobat.com/play/WGsJX8hs