African Healing Dance Video
In 1997 Wyoma, created and danced the lead role in the African Healing Dance video, produced by SoundsTrue, Inc. The instructional program of six traditional African and Caribbean dances performed by Wyoma and her dance group Damballa uses Wyoma's unique teaching style to provide audiences with a high energy and user-friendly dance class at home. As facilitator of African Healing Dance ("spirit movement"), Wyoma provides a non-judgmental atmosphere in which we can explore our own natural rhythms and our relationship with ourselves, each other, the animals, and elements. Wyoma helps people gain the confidence and ability to connect with their own rhythm and movement. This organic movement is healing and transforming to the spirit and the body.
Facilitator and Teacher
As a teacher of traditional African Dance, Wyoma incorporates into her classes an understanding and value of culture deeply rooted in community. She encourages students to respect each other, listen, be aware of space, and pay attention to breathing. Students are connected to the culture through dances, drumming, and songs that relate the rich African history. Wyoma's repertoire includes dances from Guinea, Senegal, Mali, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Congo/Zaire, South Africa and other Sub-Saharan countries as well as Haiti and Brazil. Her classes include opportunities for students to experience their own natural movement, spirit, and sense of humor through improvisation.
Wyoma facilitates Kwanzaa workshops and celebrations intended for children as well as teaches African based movement for workout classes at spas and retreat centers.
Body Mind Consultant
Wyoma has over thirty years of experience as a massage therapist. Additionally, she has been practicing Yoga since the age of 18, receiving her teacherís training in Yoga in 1978 from the Sivananda Yoga Ashram in Montreal, Canada. She provides private consulting for physical, mental, and emotional health. Wyoma works to inspire creative problem-solving, increase body awareness, improve muscle tone and flexibility, rejuvenate, empower, and heal individuals.
Wyoma has worked with educators, students, individuals, and groups, utilizing dance therapy/healing dance, stress management techniques, intuitive healing massage, guided imagery, meditation and yoga.
Dance Project Manager
Wyoma initiated and managed the Ford Foundation funded Tudhaneni Dance Project in Namibia, Africa in 1998-1999, and consulted for the project in 2000.
The Tudhaneni Dance Project, located in Ongwediva in northern Namibia focuses on "building the future from the past" by fostering the interest and awareness of young people in the importance of dance as a medium for cultural expression in post apartheid Namibia. Working with dance groups at the local teachers' college, youth centre, schools throughout the region, and in rural villages, Tudhaneni aims at revitalizing traditional dance among young people by bringing elders and young people together to share their skills.
Consulting and Advising in the Arts
EARTH WALK NATURE LEARNING CENTER
Advisory Committee Member
Moab, Utah | 1998-present
Emphasis on the arts for private non-profit youth development program based in Moab, Utah (summer camp) and Denver, Colorado (school year-service learning component). Program focuses on leadership skills, cultural exchange, environmental awareness and community responsibility for inner city "at risk" population.
HRiA's mission is to help people to live healthier lives and build healthy communities through policy, research, prevention, and health promotion. For over fifty years, Health Resources in Action has been a leader in developing programs that advance public health and medical research. Through theCommunity Health and Medical Foundation divisions, HRiA works with governments, communities, scientists, and nonprofit organizations that share an imperative for resolving today’s most critical public health issues through policy, research, prevention, and health promotion.
