SEATTLE MOVEMENT PROJECT
UPDATE: I have moved to Boulder Colorado and will be releasing the next iteration of my work soon.
Welcome! My name is David Gallina (they/he). I am committed to improving people’s quality of life through the practice of movement, mobility, dance/play therapy, somatics, and functional neurology in a trauma-informed way that is inclusive and accessible to all bodies.
I’m in the process of building a new website here...In the meantime, I’m going to provide information about upcoming in-person and online classes, workshops, and coaching options. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions: seattlemvmtproject@gmail.com
Here is a work-in-progress writing with the intent of giving a bit of context and perspective of what I'm doing here that I've been reading in my movement classes:
I teach an approach, an education process,
a PRACTICE to developing human movement
that i’m calling Seattle Movement Project
this draws inspiration from many fields and teachers
there is a list of acknowledgements on my website to honor those
who have shaped/are shaping this work
I’m curious how to build a culture of movement
based on inclusivity, accessibility, consent, and cooperation
I’m curious how we can embody both deep respect for this work AND lighthearted playfulness
These classes provide a glimpse into a much larger body of work- I want to express gratitude to the countless ancestors that contributed to the collective wisdom in these fields: martial arts (especially capoeira), dance, somatics, (non-Western) yoga, circus arts, gymnastics, strength and conditioning, and more
Most of us have never had an actual coherent physical education
the intent of Western colonialism/capitalism is to disconnect us from nature,
from each other, from our physicality
the western default of physical education is designed to distance us
from how to live in, and live as, this amazing miracle we call a body
On the individual level,
some outcomes of this practice may include - more enjoyment, a great sense of aliveness, feeling stronger, more confident, more mobile/flexible, more adaptable, healthier and happier, learning new things and increasing our movement IQ. Some things we work on include developing strength, hand balancing, expression, spine intelligence, increased ability and vocabulary moving close to and on/off the floor, softness, elasticity, body awareness and the somatic layer, injury rehab/prehab, recovery techniques, and nervous system restorative and regulation practices
This is an opportunity to increase our overall awareness, our ability to focus, deepen our relationship with our bodies and each other.
On the social level,
All of our ancient ancestors gathered around movement:
hunting, gathering, dancing, making music, ritual, fighting/martial arts, striving towards better living conditions
What’s more human than to gather around movement?
There’s something deep in our souls that wants to move together, learn together,
grow together…. through practice and play.
A pillar of this practice is learning how to move well with other humans, how to be a better partner.
My hope is that this practice, this work
improves the quality of your life, allowing you to FEEL better
and when we feel even a little bit better
that allows us more space to be more kind and generous
so we can better contribute towards collective healing and liberation for all beings
so we can live well and die well
This is the view, the perspective I’m working from.
It's a work in progress and I'm very open to feedback.
This is what i’m most passionate about bringing to the world.
It’s an honor that you chose to spend your time here.
Thank you for joining.
-David
I'm slowly starting to use Instagram again after a long break...you can follow me here
A few more things about me:
In addition to teaching in Seattle, I’ve taught workshops at the International Association of Functional Neurology and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, UCSF Medical School, and Bastyr University. I have studied extensively with Movement Culture, am a Functional Range Conditioning certified Mobility Specialist, and engaged in continuing education in neuroscience, anatomy, trauma healing, and somatic-based movement. I love freeform/ecstatic dance, singing and playing music, being in nature any chance I get, playing with poetry, and spending time with my local Seattle community.