About Me
A Journey of Trust, Dance, and Connection
Hi! I’m Alana. Here’s my story.
At 28, I left a cozy job at IBM Canada to explore the world and follow my passion for culture. What I thought would be a one or two year trip became a 14 year journey through Asia, Africa, and South America. I spent much of that time teaching English, immersing myself in local life, reconnecting with friends, and exploring new interests. This was the start of learning how to trust myself and life’s unfolding path.
During my travels, I rediscovered dancing, a passion I never knew I had. Despite being told I couldn’t keep rhythm as a child, dance became my doorway to connect with the essence of who I am.
A connection to myself through the expression of the body was born. This was a permission I hadn’t accessed before because my mind had always led the way. It was truly a beautiful awakening.
To nurture this, while living in Thailand, I started dancing alone on a quiet beach at sunrise and sunset. In other countries, I mostly danced in my house, since dancing outside would have felt out of place. It wasn’t until years later, while staying in a crowded hostel in Chile, with no space to move, I decided one day to cross the street and dance in the local park.
Dancing solo in such a public place was terrifying and exhilarating. AND letting go of inhibitions and expressing myself freely brought such a deep sense of liberation; it felt like anything was possible.
This personal practice helped me listen to my body, quiet my mind, and connect with nature, which became my teacher, dance partner, and guide.
I eventually moved to Argentina and kept dancing outdoors. On a return visit to Chile, friends asked to join me. I couldn’t believe it! What a joy and a completely different experience it was to share the practice with others. I loved it! Then to my surprise, back in Argentina, friends expressed immediate interest.
That is how Danza a la Naturaleza was born, inspired in Chile, created in Argentina.
Today, I share Danza a la Naturaleza, also known as Dance to Nature and Danser à la Nature, with a growing community from Chile to Argentina to Canada and beyond. Together, we reconnect with nature and ourselves.
Along the way and presently, I’ve explored practices like 5Rhythms, Authentic Movement, Biodanza, Ecstatic Dance, Holotropic Breathwork, and Contact Improv. Each has opened new doors to self-discovery, and I remain inspired by the power of movement and community.
Twelve years after creating Danza a la Naturaleza, this remains my heart’s work, helping others awaken their true essence through movement, nature, and music. I invite you to join me on this transformative journey where we move, breathe, and connect deeply with ourselves, with nature as our guide.
Always connected, through music, movement and nature,