Ben Medder Coaching

Some Tree Dancing Vocabulary… A bunch of bits from a session of me repeating and exploring some tree dancing “vocabulary and grammar”. Not being a trained dancer, I need to spend a long time figuring out and feeling comfortable with bits and pieces until they feel familiar enough to form longer phrases. Vocab being the bits and pieces and I see the grammar coming later as a way to make sense of those bits and pieces according to my own little subjective and arbitrary rules. 🤓 The process usually follows that I then improvise over a repeated “line” (a route from point a to b) armed with some fuel for whatever might spark through the exploration. Until I settle on something that mostly is repeatable but has sprinkles of unique artifacts and variables that make each “take” different. Or another way to look at it with a music analogy:- I’m practicing noodling around on my guitar, until little ideas for licks and riffs come about that I jam with, which may or may not turn into phrases, longer melodies or even a more fleshed out sequence. I’ll be sharing ideas like this and others at my TREE DANCING WORKSHOP in 2 weeks time. Comment “tree dancing” if you want the link to find out more or message me. #treedancing #movewiththetrees #evolvemoveplay #movewiththeseasons #benmeddercoaching 🗓️UPCOMING WORKSHOPS: 🔘TREE DANCING | London | May 25th 🔘@evolve.move.play weekend workshop | Cologne, Germany | June 8-9th 🔘@evolve.move.play weekend workshop | Copenhagen, Denmark | June 15-16th 🔘MOVE WITH THE SEASONS: SUMMER | London | June 22 🔘MOVE LONDON | workshop colab with The Movement Project | July 20th 🔘TREEVERSE weekend workshop - collab with @rootsofplay | London | September 20-22nd

Hero tree dancing at this beautiful fallen Beech tree. She crafted these lines herself and can’t wait to share them next week at Treeverse (if she’s still up for it) as she’s joining us and we’ll be visiting this tree, among many others. 🙂 🌳✨ Few spots left at our Treeverse workshop with @rootsofplay X @benmedder — comment or DM trees if you’re interested in joining us/want more info - come traverse our tree climbing universe! 🌿💃 #treeverse #TreeDance #movewiththetrees #ConnectWithNature #movewiththeseasons #evolvemoveplay #rootsofplay #benmeddercoaching #treeclimbing #NatureLovers #ExploreNature

*TREEVERSE - A workshop by , .goldring and

Join us from 21-22 September in the beautiful Hampstead Heath for a two-day tree-climbing workshop.

During this workshop, we will be exploring three pillars of tree movement; tree climbing, tree dance and tree parkour. These three pillars (or lenses as it were) will allow us to navigate trees in new and inventive ways and see the green spaces around you differently.

*TREE CLIMBING will explore techniques of moving through the tree and route finding. Taking elements from rock-climbing practices, we will learn how to find pathways through the trees to match the level of desired challenge.

*TREE DANCE will involve coaching on different methodology of approaching a tree to find flow and creativity. Seeing how our bodies can meld with the tree and music to find a new range of moving.

*TREE PARKOUR takes inspiration from Parkour/Freerunning to develop skills of vaulting over and jumping between parts of the tree as well as utilising swinging and landing techniques to facilitate challenge.

This practice is open to all levels of experience. We utilise trees with low branches and ground level to allow for all to interact with them as well as challenges to engage those of multiple different levels and movement experience.

*PRACTICAL INFORMATION:*
- Price: £300
- Timings: 0900-1700 each day (including a 1 hour lunch break each day)
- What’s Included: Two full days of movement. Coaching from three experienced coaches

*HOW TO SIGN UP*
Comment or DM “TREES” and we will DM you a link with more info or check the link in our bio.

Exploring Fear Taster Session

I’m excited to let you know that my friend & fellow coach will be giving a sample of some of his amazing work around exploring fear( ), whilst I’m away teaching in Copenhagen this weekend.

Comment “fear” and I’ll DM you a link to register and find out more info.

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We are excited to welcome Louis Allan, a interdisciplinary Movement Coach, Sports Rehab specialist and the founder of Exploring Fear, as our guest coach for an insightful taster session focusing on his unique approach to exploring fear.

In the taster session, Louis will be helping you take a look at fear under the hood. There will be a series of tasks/exercises in order to get in touch with the direct experience of fear, notice how we respond to it and then work on ways in which you can look at fear differently in order to help you in different situations. This will include trust exercises, ukemi or fall practice, height exposure and a few other intriguing surprise activities.

This session is designed to be inclusive and accommodating for individuals of ALL levels, ensuring that each participant can explore fear at their own pace and comfort level, fostering personal growth and discovery.

Next workshop: Tree Dancing

WHEN: May 25th, 10am to 1pm

WHERE: Hampstead Heath, London

If you want more info, comment “trance” and I’ll DM you a link and answer questions if you have any. 🙂

Soft and slow. Smooth and graceful. Movement leaning more towards the expressive elements of flow and emotive impulse with the tree as your dance partner and muse.

This workshop is about exploring movement co-created between our body and the environment through interacting and dancing with trees. The trees will be our dance partners and inspiration as we touch, look, and listen to their shapes, songs and wisdom as a source of creativity for improvisation. We will also explore the evolutionary and biomechanical story of the 5 forms of arboreal locomotion: Quadrupedal, Quadrumanus, Bipedal, Brachiation and Clinging/Leaping as a backdrop before moving into creative tools to inspire new ways of moving with objects and space, to help you improvise and get you ‘out of your head’. 

Mono no aware (物の哀れ)… Mostly lost in translation but apparently it can mean something like “the bittersweet poignancy of things.” “The beauty of the cherry blossum… most beautiful when captured between the precipice of life and death.” The reality of impermanence. Overwhelming if you catch yourself at the right moment. Or we can find solace. Appreciation of fleeting moments whilst they last. Things can be fragile. Things can be brief. Appreciate. Because things change. If something doesn’t last long…it might become more precious. “The realization of impermanence is therefore bittersweet, tinged with mourning, and yet also capable of recognizing the beauty of change in itself.” This tree fell. We lost it, in one sense. But we gained a different perspective in return. A new appreciation. A wake-up to fact that things are always changing. After mourning and moments of bittersweet sadness. We decided to dedicate the class to moving and being inspired by it. Tree hugging for real. It will likely live on for a while longer. Some tenuous roots in the ground. Buds still doing their thing. And maybe it can change direction. Reach out to the side to what is now up. And keep on growing. New opportunities. I’ve seen it before. Only the next few cycles of seasons will reveal. We’ve lost a few trees that we are fond of. This isn’t the first time and it won’t be the last. Respect. Cherish. Keep on moving. Thank you for the memories. #mononoaware #bittersweet #impermance #movewiththetrees #movewiththeseasons #evolvemoveplay #fightingmonkey_practice #benmeddercoaching #movement #London - UPCOMING WORKSHOPS: If you want to join me to meet and move with the many unique trees we visit I have workshops comin up soon. 🗓️Book your spot via link in bio or DM me 🌳27 April: MOVE WITH THE TREES - 3 hour workshop 💃🌳25 May: TREE DANCING - 3 hour workshop

Post from Instagram, 22nd March.

The quiet before full spring is heavy. The last of our reserves. Energy is low and it's tricky. Patience. Wait well. Every day is getting lighter. So much has to and will happen between now and that full explosion of green. Take stock of how you feel now compared to 2 weeks from now and get back to me. #springtings #springequinox #movewiththeseasons UPCOMING WORKSHOPS: 🗓️Book your spot via link in bio or DM me 🌱 23 March: MOVE WITH THE SEASONS SPRING EQUINOX - 1 day workshop combining movement and nature connection practices for spring 🌳27 April: MOVE WITH THE TREES - 3 hour workshop 💃🌳25 May: TREE DANCING - 3 hour workshop — ONGOING MOVEMENT PRACTICE IN LONDON: -STate Of Play TRAINING: Wednesdays 18:30-20:00 -FORMS, GAMES & TREES: Saturdays 10:00-12:00 -Small Group Training Membership: Members only classes, mentorship & access to all classes & workshops — DM me for more info or see link in bio. #movewiththetrees #movewiththeseasons #evolvemoveplay #fightingmonkey_practice #benmeddercoaching #movement #London

A small snippet of our body to body practice from the regular Saturday class: FORMS, GAMES & TREES UPCOMING WORKSHOPS: 🌱 23 March: MOVE WITH THE SEASONS SPRING EQUINOX - 1 day workshop combining movement and nature connection practices for spring 🗓️Book your spot link in bio — ONGOING MOVEMENT PRACTICE IN LONDON: -STate Of Play TRAINING: Wednesdays 18:30-20:00 -FORMS, GAMES & TREES: Saturdays 10:00-12:00 -Small Group Training Membership: Members only classes, mentorship & access to all classes & workshops DM me for more info or see link in bio. #movewiththeseasons #evolvemoveplay #fightingmonkey_practice #benmeddercoaching #movement #London

Footage capturing a memorable moment from a Move with the Seasons workshop. This is difficult to share, but I feel it is important to. While reviewing old workshop footage, I stumbled upon this lovely culmination of a day’s workshop that made me so happy to see and honestly quite proud. It reminded me that our passions and pursuits hold significance, especially during moments of self-doubt. After a full day of exploring all the practices I love, we ended with a wonderful bonded group of people, once strangers, now trusting, being vulnerable, and communicating with their bodies, to each other and the space/place. But it’s a bittersweet feeling as it was revealed to me that someone in the video has recently passed away. Many feelings came up. This is the last time I saw and got to move with that person. I immediately checked my emails to see when we last communicated. Around a year ago, I emailed just to check in. I received a lovely reply sometime later with an update on everything that was going on in that person’s life. Full and positive was the reply with many new projects and endeavours going on - but also the very significant mention of recovering from cancer. Her outlook was positive, saying she expected to recover. I didn’t reply. I feel terrible that I didn’t, and I’m not sure how I forgot to. So, I feel strongly about posting this as a small contribution to celebrating what a lovely person to have met. I don’t know how else to express this at the moment. It may not help with guilt, but I hope it’s okay to share and that if you are reading this, it inspires you to focus on the importance of spending deep and quality time with people you care about, or even finding your way to creating meaningful encounters with others you don’t yet know. After all, we only have each other and the ‘spirit of place’ we create with the memories and stories we share. In memory of Annamaija. You were a lovely and sweet soul and although I only had the pleasure to move with you on a few occasions, every time we did, your energy and lasting presence were always felt and appreciated and still are. Rest in peace. #InMemoryOfAnnamaija #RestInPeace #CelebratingLife

Hero helps me demonstrate in class with the @fightingmonkey_practice Practice Ball. My children have shown ME many ways the practice ball can be used: from being tied around the waste to act as a tale of a galloping ‘Falcon Monkey’ (Hero’s spirit animal) to grappling hooks and demolition balls knocking down a Doll House! The beauty of a simple abstract tool can be revealed when you hand it to a child and learn from their imagination. That being said, I can’t pretend I'm not pleased that Hero now actively asks to play is adults au with them. She wants to come to the next Fighting Monkey workshop. #fightingmonkey_practice #fightingmonkey_rootlessroot #fightingmonkey_games