December 12, 2023 • 37 mins
Episode 20. Join me for an enchanting episode of Dani Nóbrega's life, from her early days as a ballroom and Latin dancer to helping to build the World Groove Movement with Misty Tripoli. Discover Dani's extraordinary journey, marked by a fusion of dance, alternative education, and holistic healing.
In this conversation, Dani shares how her passion for dance evolved from ballroom and Latin styles to discovering the "you can't get it wrong" message of the World Groove Movement. Learn about her pivotal role in bringing The Groove Method into schools across Canada, alongside Michelle Hillier, and her current role as the Director of the Groove Academy, mentoring facilitators globally.
Delve into Dani's commitment to continuous growth as she shares her exploration of healing modalities, including the transformative teachings of Joe Dispenza, and her recent completion of an accredited Shamanic Practitioner Training. This episode is a celebration of dance, education, and holistic healing, showcasing Dani Nóbrega's unique journey and the profound impact of the World Groove Movement on personal and collective well-being. Tune in for a rhythmic exploration of Dani's dance through the diverse landscapes of movement, education, and global community building.
Links:
Dani Nóbrega Website
Instagram: @dani_nobrega_7
Facebook: Dani Nóbrega
World Groove Movement Website
Contact me at happysweatlife@gmail.com for questions, suggestions, or to be put on the email list and be notified of new episodes.
Find my World Groove movement zoom class on Thursdays, under my name, at: https://theworldgroovemovement.com/virtual-search/
If you're interested in starting a podcast of your own, consider joining the SPI Community. The All Access Pass, in particular, has a step by step course for starting a podcast which absolutely was key for creating and launching my podcast. And equally important, I made connections with other fellow entrepreneurs/podcasters. If you do sign up through my affiliate link, I will receive a commission fee.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Lisa (00:09):
welcome to the Happy Sweat Life Podcast.
My name is Lisa Rung and todayI'm very excited and I didn't
ask Dani how you pronounce yourlast name, but I'm very excited
to introduce Dani.
If you can pronounce your lastname for me
that
Dani (00:23):
would be great.
No, Nobrega.
Nobrega.
Lisa (00:27):
Okay, wonderful.
And Dani is one of the foundingmembers of the World Groove
Movement.
She is the head of the GrooveAcademy.
She is the master teacher teamleader and also a presenter.
So I'm very honored to have heron, and of course we're going to
(00:47):
be talking about World Grooveand also her journey with dance
and with groove in general.
So welcome.
Dani (00:56):
Thank you.
so much for having me, Lisa.
Oh, you're
Lisa (00:59):
welcome.
So, how would you describegroove, or world groove, to
someone that doesn't know
Dani (01:06):
anything about it?
Well, grooving is absolutely themost accessible dance
experience.
I would say that it's the mostepic dance experience happening
on the planet, but of course I'mbiased because I do it for a
living.
But our, the main foundation,the foundation of what we do is
(01:31):
to bring these kind of twoworlds together of unity.
unity in in the same rhythm andthe same movement pattern the
repetition of that too, tocreate this kind of cohesion in
the group with authenticindividual expression.
So we have these two kind of keyingredients and we train people.
(01:56):
How to create this kind ofmagical dance experience where
everyone gets to be themselves,but something really special and
profound happens.
And that's why we're actually amovement.
I would consider us more asocial movement than actually a
dance modality like Nia or, orthe other ones.
(02:17):
Well, I mean, they couldconsider themselves a movement
too, which they may be, but I'mjust speaking on behalf of
Groove.
How this comes to be throughthis really connected experience
that we have together becausewe're all facilitated to do it
in our own way.
So there's a uniqueness, anindividuality, a sense of
(02:38):
creativity, but also you know,the simplicity in just the
repetition of the pattern thatwe're all unified on.
I could go on and talk a lotabout the nature of the class,
like on how we we aren't, wedon't just play with one style
of genre.
So we like to say it's a, it's ajourney through dance and
(02:59):
movement.
It's a journey through music andmovement.
So like most classes, like dancemodalities, it starts soft.
And then, you know, we get tothat, that climax, there's
cardio, there's strength.
So there's definitely a Fitnesselement to it.
People come to our class forfitness reasons.
They, they come for a workout,but there's also a very deep I
(03:23):
would say you know, emotionalaspect to come through and so
on.
So it's, it's this kind of spacewhere that we provide.
for, for creativity and for selfexpression and in that there's
also this, I believe this, thisspiritual aspect of it when you
are guided to be like reallyconnected to the music and in a
(03:45):
safe space to express yourself.
So it's a holistic program.
Our, our whole philosophy isthere's no.
right or wrong way to dance.
We empower people through ourfacilitation to express
themselves and really go to thedifferent corners.
You know, our shadow selves,like we, we, we make people be,
(04:09):
we don't make people, we invitepeople to be goofy and
ridiculous.
There's this element ofembracing your inner child.
When you come to groove, there'san element of.
allowing yourself to be dramaticand over the top.
So you see, it's this like spacewhere we get to explore all the
colors of what it means to behuman.
(04:32):
And that's what I mean with thisemotion.
Typically, these types of thingsare suppressed.
But this is a space where we cancome without, without the
narratives, without the stories,without any of that to just
simply express and be creative.
Did you have
Lisa (04:51):
your own journey to get through that to become more
expressive in your own dance ormore free on the dance floor
with
Dani (05:00):
groove?
Well, absolutely.
And I don't think that journeyever ends.
I think it's a lifelong, alifelong thing.
I come from a dance, like atraditional dance background
where there is a very right andwrong way.
And with that came a lot ofconditioning, right?
With that came a lot ofperfectionism as well.
(05:21):
With that came a lot of bodyimage issue.
And with that came This sensethat I'm never good enough,
right?
That's the, that's the undertoneis that I'm never going to be
good enough.
And of course that's noteverybody's experience, but
it's, it's an experience thatmany of us in, in the
(05:41):
traditional dance world share,right?
Because there's a lot ofpressure.
And, you know, though I lovetechnique and I love
choreography and all that stuff,and I see a beautiful place for
that.
My experience with traditionaldance was that I felt like I was
losing my soul in it.
(06:02):
Like, I felt like I was movingaway from the reason why I got
into it.
And so when I first startedgrooving, it's like It felt like
an explosion on the insides.
It's like every single cell inmy body came alive and was like,
to the point where I literallylike left my, my PhD, I, I left
my PhD to start this, to, tobuild the movement with Misty
(06:24):
actually, and also do consultingwork in schools I worked for 10
years, a decade in schools,consulting with teachers,
presenting at conferences,working with kids, I.
I've probably grooved over amillion kids in my life to get
them back into the feeling,because that's what I found was
missing so much was the feelingbecause it was, I was in a very
(06:47):
regimented style as well.
And I was being like, you know,evaluated and all this stuff.
So that was my experience withit.
And I.
Knew that there was a a veryimportant piece missing that I
thought Groove could bring.
And it did.
And it, and it helped, it hadhelped a lot of people.
I mean, we continue to help alot of people all over the
(07:10):
world.
People are grooving and reallychanging their lives, actually
listening to people's stories.
So for me, it was A process ofletting go of my shame letting
go of my, my fears, myinsecurities my need to be
(07:33):
perfect, to get it right.
And I mean, like I said, I don'tthink it's ever gonna end.
It's a, it's a journey that goeson and you, you keep getting
faced with it with, you know,things come up over again,
right?
But you know, every time I letmyself just freely dance and,
and consciously make that effortto not give voice, not amplify
(07:57):
the voice, the judgmental voicethat all of us have, that most
of us have.
Every time I groove, every timeI consciously make an effort to
not give power or not amplifythe inner critic in my mind that
wants to judge and that wants tojust talk, right?
(08:20):
Every time I, dim that.
Every time I drop back into mybody and back into sensing and
feeling and expressing andconnecting with the music, I
connect deeper to my ownauthenticity.
And, and also my creator.
For me, dancing is a meditation.
It's a form of, of divineconnection.
(08:40):
And, and from that space, what Ialways, always, always find is
when I give myself that space,that hour to dance, to just feel
and express, I receive a lot ofmessages after the fact in
meditation and stillness.
I receive a lot of messages.
I receive a lot of inspiration.
So for me, it's this process ofletting go, cleaning my body
(09:04):
vessel, releasing.
Getting out of my analyticalmind, dropping my awareness in
my body and opening myself up toreceive information.
For me, that's a deeplyspiritual practice because I'm
literally communicating with Godfor me.
Lisa (09:23):
That's powerful.
Wow.
I was reading that you had doneLatin in ballroom.
Is that the background that youcame from that you were speaking
of?
Yes.
Yeah.
Maybe you can tell the story ofjust Finding Groove, how did you
come across you know, did youmeet Misty or what was your
experience?
Dani (09:44):
Well, actually I came in through a friend who she and I
were actually dancing togetherin university and I had lost
touch with her for a few yearsand then when we reconnected she
was already grooving, she wasalready doing this.
So she invited me to a class andI, I fell in love right away.
(10:09):
So I actually, it's funny, Missyand I talk about this.
I actually became a mastertrainer and before I even met
Missy.
Because she was at that point.
There was another woman that wasbasically doing my job that I do
now, running the academy.
There was another woman runningthe academy, so I came in
through her and yeah, so I hadnever even met Missy for a year
(10:31):
and a half.
Lisa (10:32):
And what made you want to teach the young people?
Dani (10:36):
Well, at that time in my life, I was doing my PhD and I
was in education and I waslooking at, I was, I was really
studying critical pedagogy.
I was studying, learning throughthe body.
Alternative ways of learning,kinesthetic learning, all this
(10:58):
stuff and as, and having a dancebackground when I found Groove,
I was like, okay, this makes somuch sense for me to actually,
like, at that time I wasactually learning and
researching indigenous ways of,of learning, of, of
understanding and knowing andbeing and in the world.
(11:19):
And applying that to aneducation context, like how can
we make our education program,program education, our schooling
system more open to alternativeforms of learning.
And then when I found Groovebecause of my, you know, deep
dance connection, I was like, ohwow, this is just like, it spun
me for a loop, like I had tochange my thesis.
(11:42):
And so I was for a while.
Considering to write my thesis,my, my dissertation on, and I
was going to do some qualitativestudies because at that time I
was working in schools withMichelle Hillier.
She had started the danceprogram and Groove was 1 of the
things she was offering.
And so I was really gung hoabout providing the experience,
(12:07):
but also.
Doing some qualitative studyaround what is the long term
benefit if, if kids truly takethis on and practice and, and do
it.
And, and not only that, butintegrate if teachers actually
integrate these kinds of.
principles and philosophies intheir classroom.
How could this affect the, andimpact the classroom dynamic?
(12:35):
what does this do for emotionalintelligence, for example, or
what does this do for learningcapacity and all these things?
But my work really took off inthe doing.
Right?
So I was so busy just goingaround grooving people in
schools and also building themovement with Missy around the
(12:57):
world.
I was doing both at the sametime.
I was traveling, teaching,growing the movement, like doing
a lot of the business stuff.
So my dissertation went on theback burner and it's still on
the back burner.
So I'm one of those ABD folksthat like, because now I just
think of it like I maybe I'llwrite a book about it or write
(13:20):
about it, but, you know, to gothrough the Academy, it just
seems like, I don't know, Idon't know if it's for me.
Lisa (13:32):
Thank you to everyone that has listened and subscribed to
the Happy Sweat Life podcast,and a special thanks to the
supporters of my show throughBuzzsprout.
That includes my sisterMargaret, who was featured on
episode five.
If you're looking for a funnyepisode, that's a great one to
listen to.
To both my mom and my dad, andto a dear friend Kathleen, I
(13:55):
really appreciate your support.
And now back to the interview.
Can you think of any memorableexperience for a student that
was in one of the classes or I'msure there were many,
Dani (14:10):
Oh yeah, there were, there were many experiences and the
one that the one that pops tomind the most memorable
experience for me was actuallywhen I was working with, because
kids are tough to work with.
Some of them can be very tough,especially when you get to grade
seven, eight, nine.
(14:32):
You know, high school and I wasdoing these large large
presentations with sometimeslike 200 kids in the gym, trying
to get them to dance.
And I always have this spielthat I do at the beginning
before I get started, which isI, I put myself out there in a
way.
(14:53):
To kind of dissolve anyinsecurities that they may have
or fears around looking stupidbecause that's their biggest
issue is that they don't want tolook stupid in front of their
friends and as soon as we askthem to dance, they immediately
think they're going to lookstupid.
Right, right.
So.
To, to kind of dissolve thatinsecurity, I would do this
(15:14):
like, kind of ridiculous danceand I remember I was on stage
and I would do this dance.
I was like, so is anyone heregoing to make fun of me if I
like, move around?
Like, This and I'm doing thislike, you know, just this kind
of ridiculous movement in mybody, just moving.
And one girl like literallystood up from the audience and
(15:36):
said, I would because you lookstupid.
So she fully yelled, like yelledit, called it out.
I'm in a gym.
I have.
200 kids in the gym and I'malone on stage and I'm like, I
wasn't expecting that one.
You know, like that caught meway out of nowhere.
Like now I'm getting bullied bya grade eight, you know, but in
(16:03):
that moment, and, and you know,I didn't realize what I, what,
what I actually did before Iwent into these sessions, but I
really like now, now in myjourney, I, I know that, I'm
always guided in these moments.
Like, I'm always guided to saywhat I need to say and do what I
need to do.
(16:24):
I really trust trust God isbehind me all the time.
And in that moment, I, I turnedit into like this kind of
pedagogical opportunity forthese kids, for them to tell me.
So what do we do with this?
And what is this?
You know, and so I asked, I saidto the, to them, to in front of
(16:45):
everyone, I was like, okay, soshe believes that I look stupid,
so I have a choice right now.
I could take her judgment and Ican put it on, try it on and
take it as truth, or I can letit be her judgment and let it be
a projection of her reality.
(17:06):
And I can identify my for myselfwhat feels right for me, right?
So it's about, you know, we'renever going to get away from
bullies.
We're never going to get awayfrom other people's judgments of
us or other people trying to putus down.
And you know.
Take away, trying to destroy ourlight, so to speak.
(17:30):
We're, we can't get away fromthat.
That exists.
That's part of, you know, beingon the earth, right?
Being in this world.
But what we can do with it isnot take it.
as our own.
This is what I really, this isthe main message because one of
our groove truths is actuallynobody cares what you look like.
(17:51):
And I always felt like I nevercould say that in schools.
I could never say thatauthentically, like, Oh guys,
yeah, nobody cares what you looklike.
Just dance.
Like we say it in groove classesand our adult classes, but for
kids, it doesn't resonatebecause they actually do get
bullied and they actually docare.
And it actually is a veryFragile time in kids development
(18:11):
lives where they need to feelsupported.
They need a sense of communityand it can be very damaging to
the extent that it gets carriedon with them throughout their
adult life and it shapes theirpersonality, their behavior, and
who they actually become as ahuman.
You know, sometimes bullies,people who have been bullied,
turn into the biggest bullieswhen they're adults because they
(18:32):
haven't processed that orthey've allowed it in, to seep
in.
So I, I basically just said tothem, you know, what other
people think of you, like whatthis girl thinks of me.
It's actually none of mybusiness.
it's none of my business.
That's her.
(18:52):
That's her understanding of me,but that's not my truth.
And in that moment, actually, Iactually got a standing ovation
from this little spiel that Igave and, and what had happened
with that girl is that she gotup and went.
To the office.
Like she left, she, she left.
So she took herself out of, andI wasn't, I wasn't bullying her.
(19:16):
I was just like, okay, I acceptthat you say that I look stupid.
Like that's, that's fine.
That's, that's your opinion.
Right.
So you know, when it happened,literally, I felt like.
My stomach dropped because I'venever had that kind of
experience before, but I'm sohappy that I was able to draw
(19:41):
from a higher perspective andshed light on, on this reality
for kids that a lot of people, alot of kids suffer in silence,
you know, a lot of kids sufferfrom this kind of treatment and
don't know what to do with itand they internalize it and then
it becomes a new program forthem.
So it's actually quitedangerous.
It is.
To have bullies not being calledout.
(20:02):
Right.
And that's how you call them outand you call them out with love
and compassion and you say,okay, that's your opinion.
It's fine.
And that's how you also stand inyour power to not let that
acidity that other people areprojecting onto you, contaminate
you.
(20:22):
So yeah, that was my mostmemorable moment,
Lisa (20:26):
Wow.
I was thinking two things.
One was when you were talkingabout minimizing your own voices
in your head when you're dancingto be freer and, you know, how
that, how you were saying thatthat starts as children, we
internalize other people'simpressions and voices.
(20:46):
And so it is all a lifelongjourney to undo that, but how
powerful that you couldintercept that at that age for
them.
You know, and give them anoption of something else they
could consider.
Dani (20:59):
Yeah, and we had an amazing dance party after.
So it was really, it was, it wasreally great.
And then I had to take a longnap.
Bye guys.
My work is done and I'll becharging the school double.
Lisa (21:14):
And then the other thing I was just thinking about as you
were talking about not, notcompleting your PhD at the
moment, but then you saying howmuch you tune into your
intuition and feel like, God hasyour back.
So, I admire that you're able tofollow the path that, that feels
right for you at the moment.
Dani (21:34):
Thank you.
Well, my father keeps botheringme about finishing it.
And I just keep saying, I thinkone day I'm going to get an
honorarium, one of thesehonorarium pieces, where they
just like, you know what, you'vedone good.
You didn't write it down, butyou've done good.
Here you go.
don't know when that'shappening, but I feel like in
some timeline, it's alreadyhappened.
Lisa (21:53):
Or that, as you said, it becomes a book, which I'm sure
there's many stories Maybe youcould talk a little bit about,
I'm just curious for yourexperience, like who's attracted
to becoming a facilitator ofGroove?
Is there a certain type ofperson or?
Dani (22:09):
Yeah, it's definitely someone who is seeking a little
bit more than just a dancefitness experience.
It's someone who's, you know,our, our core values are.
community authenticity andcreativity.
(22:33):
So it's somebody that getspulled in with the desire to
build community around dance,because that's one of the things
we've seen all over the worldhappen is just the network.
Like, the communities that aregrowing all over the world,
they're so close, like, thesepeople become best friends.
They become more than that.
They become family, you know,and I think it's because we
(22:56):
share these like intimatemoments where we're vulnerable
and we're showing our trueselves and we're not judging
each other and so on.
So it's this kind of depth thatyou don't get when you go to, to
Zumba, for example.
You know, and I hate to compare.
I don't want to compare becausethere's absolutely nothing wrong
with Zumba.
It's great.
It's awesome.
(23:16):
It, this is just a differentkind of experience.
So I think it's people who, youknow, are also misfits and
rebels.
People who, you know, don't wantto follow the rules.
People who don't want to Youknow, just do the same thing all
the time.
Like people that want to nurturetheir own creative expression.
(23:40):
So our group facilitators comein all ages.
They come in all ethnicities.
They come in all shapes andsizes.
Anyone can be a groupfacilitator.
You don't have to have any dancebackground to actually teach
groove.
You don't need it.
We actually don't care.
You need to pass yourcertification, but we mentor
(24:01):
you.
We guide you.
We teach you.
And you know, it, some people ittakes a little longer to get
there if, if they need.
But yeah, it's, it's the peoplewho are drawn to it.
It's more of a mindset and a anoutlook, I guess, an outlook.
Lisa (24:18):
It seems like some people know instantly that they want to
be a group facilitator, butother people.
can go quite a while beforethey, before they jump in.
Dani (24:28):
So we've heard there's a lot of people sitting on the
fence for a long time.
Lisa (24:31):
Yeah, I, I was one that just jumped in without knowing
much
Dani (24:34):
about it.
You're like, what the hell haveI gotten myself
Lisa (24:39):
Not easy at all.
No, it was very difficult.
I fortunately had theencouragement of Miranda, but
And, like you were saying, thegroup, you know, so we ended up
forming a a group to, who wereall facilitating together, going
through the training together.
We formed a group and we metevery week.
to help and support each otherto get through the practicum.
(25:02):
And we're still meeting.
That was two years ago.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And I would consider themfriends, you know, even though
we've never met in person.
Dani (25:11):
That's great.
Yeah.
Well, and that's the thing withfacilitation because you go to a
class and you're like, This isthe easiest dance class in the
world.
This must be the easiest thingto teach.
And you're like, holy bajoli.
How the hell do they do that?
There's a lot of layers.
(25:31):
I like to say there's a lot oflayers to learning how to
facilitate.
Lisa (25:39):
Yes.
And I'm, I'm talking about itbeing just one thing, but of
course there's the beginning andthen there's the, advanced
levels.
One and two, and then the fit,and kids, and young at heart.
Yeah, quite a few offerings.
Are you, are you consideringadding any other?
Dani (25:55):
I mean, we'll continue to add probably more advanced
trainings.
We're always growing andrefining.
And you know, therapeutic groovehas been on the back burner for
a while.
But I mean, there's just so muchto do all the time and we're a
small company and I have a hugeamount of responsibilities.
So, you know.
(26:16):
And it's pretty much up to me todo this.
So, I don't know what'shappening.
Can't tell you.
Lisa (26:20):
One person only has so much bandwidth and I know you're
doing a lot already.
Dani (26:24):
Yeah, thank you.
Lisa (26:25):
Maybe you can talk a little bit about your own,
personal work that you do withother people.
I know you do lead a grooveclass.
But if you want to talk aboutany of the other things that you
are offering and your, yourbackground, I mean, it was very
interesting when I was on yourwebsite reading about your
becoming a shamanicpractitioner.
That, that work is sointeresting.
Dani (26:48):
Yeah.
And I feel like I've come fullcircle because what I was
studying before I met groove.
Was like I mentioned in my PhD,I was studying, I was
researching, I was in myintellect as a good Westerner.
I was studying indigenous ways.
(27:10):
And I actually, and I went intothe Andean mountains and, and
explored and stayed with themand all this stuff.
So it was, it was still anembodied experience.
Not like I was just readingarticles online in my.
White ivory tower or anything,but it, I left that to do
(27:32):
groove.
And then when I went to Mexico,because I moved to Mexico at the
beginning of the pandemic, well,I ended up just staying there.
And I met.
A mentor who Beata Alfordi,she's a shamanic practitioner
and she actually created thiscourse.
I met her when I was, I guessyou could say, hitting rock
(27:55):
bottom in my personal life.
I was in an abusive relationshipand I was trying so hard to get
out and it was so hard for me toget out.
It was like If anyone's been inany form of abusive
relationship, they know how hardit is to get out.
And I, I found healing throughthis shamanic work.
(28:19):
I dove right in.
So I did a a variety ofdifferent plant medicine
ceremonies.
I worked with different plantmedicine.
But you know, I, I always say, Isay, and I love plant medicine,
don't get me wrong, but I, I dosay too, after I've done her.
Shamanic practitioner training.
(28:42):
You don't even need medicine.
Like you are the medicine youare absolutely the man.
I think there's a very powerfulplace for ayahuasca for what
Chuma for Yopo, for all of itthat I've, that I've tried and
I've done and I've sat with andevery single ceremony I've
received really deep andprofound messages that have
(29:02):
changed my life, but.
It's just the shamanic work andmaking these connections with
the drum and going into deepmeditative states with the drum
and communing with the, theelements, bringing the elements
into my life in a moreintentional, more ceremonial
(29:25):
way.
Like the small building blocksof day to day have really been
transformative for me in numberone, getting out.
Of that.
situation, but also with justreclaiming my voice, like coming
(29:46):
back to myself and, and alsohealing my trauma, like healing
my trauma from these experiencesand connecting with spirit, you
know.
But like I said, it's this, it'sthe, it's the small little
building blocks of every day andworking with the elements in a
much more intentional way anddoing shamanic rituals, actual
(30:10):
practices that that support mywellbeing.
It has helped me tremendouslywith anxiety, with depression,
all this stuff that, you know,you, you, you go in, you fall If
you're in an abusive situation,it's very easy to fall into a
depression.
It's very easy to lose yourvoice and, and, you know, of
course I could still functionin, in my work and I could still
(30:33):
do all these things because Iactually I, I've, thank God,
I've always been able to dothat, but that, that didn't mean
that I wasn't suffering inside,you know, and I think a lot of
people a lot of people are ableto still do their jobs through
life, but are deeply sufferinginside with anxiety.
(30:53):
And I would, I would wake upwith complete panic attacks
where I would be feeling like Iwas drowning.
And yeah, so I, I'm, I'm verypassionate about sharing it as
well, because it's just helpedme in such a deep.
So yeah, this is, this is my, myI won't say my next work.
(31:17):
It is, it's part of my work.
Like I feel like my, as Icontinue healing and growing and
learning, it's just more thingsthat I'll, I'll share.
Lisa (31:25):
And so you have one on one coaching and a retreat.
Is that my right in that?
Dani (31:30):
yeah, so I do one on one I, I work with people one on one
And it's not all shamanic stuffbecause I actually do a lot I've
studied a lot of Dr.
Joe dispensers stuff as well andgot to his training.
And I find that it's moreaccessible for me to.
(31:56):
Just relate this kind ofinformation.
I mean, I kind of, I like tocall myself like a cross between
the quantum physics world thatJoe Dispenza is pioneering and
championing, you know, well,he's part of it and the shamanic
world, because actually, whenyou study both, you see, there's
so many parallels.
(32:17):
You see that this new quantumstuff that everyone's, all the
raves about now, it's actuallybased on ancient principles that
have been used for healing sincethe beginning of time.
So it's nothing new, but hebrings a different language
because he brings the science.
So he has organizations thatwork with him, like HeartMath,
(32:37):
that show the actual brainchemistry, the actual.
New well, the brainwaves, yourbrainwaves actually change, your
brain state changed.
Changes and your physiologyactually changes.
Like it's, it's true that peopleliterally are healing themselves
of their cancers, of theirillnesses, of their autoimmune
(32:59):
disease through meditation,through deep states of
meditation that any person canlearn if you're willing to put
in the time and energy that ittakes to do it, because it
doesn't happen.
You have to stick with it.
So I use a cross, I use acombination of both.
I draw from both kind of fields,I guess you could say because
(33:23):
the shamanic stuff is definitelymore earth based and I like to
bring in things that connect usmore to the earth because I, I
think that that disconnection isit's part of our, our, our big
problem that we have as acollective.
But you know, the stuff that Joeteaches, Dr.
(33:47):
Joe Dispenza teaches is allabout, you know, pulling in from
the quantum, like, so reallybecoming nothing, like, that's
literally the goal is to becomenothing.
So you can completely empty sothat you have this divine kind
of intervention.
this experience with themystical, he calls it.
(34:09):
So both are like extremelypowerful and, and useful.
Lisa (34:16):
Thanks for sharing that.
Do you want to share yourwebsite or any other contact
information that you want toprovide people if they're
interested in getting to knowyou more?
Dani (34:26):
Sure, thank you.
Yeah, my website isdaninobegra.com and I'm also
running a 22 day or 22.
I have to check my own website.
I'm running a a program inJanuary.
(34:47):
Where it's for meditationpractices, earth centered
practices, shamanic practices,this stuff, every single day, I
send you something.
And then we meet on Sundays forfour consecutive Sundays.
So that's a group program thatI'm offering in the new year.
Just, you know, to help supportpeople with their mental health,
their mental emotional wellbeing and yeah, just their
(35:10):
overall health.
So it's my offering
Lisa (35:14):
Oh, wonderful.
And any anything else that youwould want to mention about
Groove or anything else thatyou.
Haven't talked about.
Dani (35:23):
Well, we are in the midst of finalizing our 2024 calendar.
So we're offering lots oftrainings in person and online
all over the world.
We're in Europe, North Americayeah, Australia, Hawaii, even.
So check out that calendar.
We also offer retreats andworkshops and we also offer a
(35:48):
free gathering every month.
It's called Funky Friday.
So it's a great way for peopleto just come in and groove with
us online.
About a hundred people show upto this, these free classes.
Well, it's a donation class.
You can send money if you want,or you don't pay.
Totally.
It's up to you.
We offer it just to support ourcommunity.
And to introduce people.
(36:09):
So these classes are run byeither Misty or one of the
master trainers on the team.
And yeah, we just want to, ourgoal is to just get as many
people dancing and feeling thatbliss that we all feel when we
just let her rip.
we let the freaking thing fly.
That's what I say in my intro inmy classes.
(36:30):
I was like, welcome to myWelcome to my group class.
My name is Dani.
This is where you let your freakflag fly.
Then they get it.
Then I don't have to go throughthe whole spiel.
They're like, perfect.
Lisa (36:38):
Excellent parting words.
Well, thank you so much Dani,for spending time with me and,
and Thank
Dani (36:44):
you so much for listening to me and for wanting to
interview me.
Lisa (36:48):
And I'll have the links to Dani's website and Groove on my
show notes if anybody'sinterested in checking it out.
Dani (36:59):
Amazing.
Thank you so much, Lisa.
Thank you.
welcome to the Happy Sweat Life Podcast.
My name is Lisa Rung and todayI'm very excited and I didn't
ask Dani how you pronounce yourlast name, but I'm very excited
to introduce Dani.
If you can pronounce your lastname for me
that
Dani (00:23):
would be great.
No, Nobrega.
Nobrega.
Lisa (00:27):
Okay, wonderful.
And Dani is one of the foundingmembers of the World Groove
Movement.
She is the head of the GrooveAcademy.
She is the master teacher teamleader and also a presenter.
So I'm very honored to have heron, and of course we're going to
(00:47):
be talking about World Grooveand also her journey with dance
and with groove in general.
So welcome.
Dani (00:56):
Thank you.
so much for having me, Lisa.
Oh, you're
Lisa (00:59):
welcome.
So, how would you describegroove, or world groove, to
someone that doesn't know
Dani (01:06):
anything about it?
Well, grooving is absolutely themost accessible dance
experience.
I would say that it's the mostepic dance experience happening
on the planet, but of course I'mbiased because I do it for a
living.
But our, the main foundation,the foundation of what we do is
(01:31):
to bring these kind of twoworlds together of unity.
unity in in the same rhythm andthe same movement pattern the
repetition of that too, tocreate this kind of cohesion in
the group with authenticindividual expression.
So we have these two kind of keyingredients and we train people.
(01:56):
How to create this kind ofmagical dance experience where
everyone gets to be themselves,but something really special and
profound happens.
And that's why we're actually amovement.
I would consider us more asocial movement than actually a
dance modality like Nia or, orthe other ones.
(02:17):
Well, I mean, they couldconsider themselves a movement
too, which they may be, but I'mjust speaking on behalf of
Groove.
How this comes to be throughthis really connected experience
that we have together becausewe're all facilitated to do it
in our own way.
So there's a uniqueness, anindividuality, a sense of
(02:38):
creativity, but also you know,the simplicity in just the
repetition of the pattern thatwe're all unified on.
I could go on and talk a lotabout the nature of the class,
like on how we we aren't, wedon't just play with one style
of genre.
So we like to say it's a, it's ajourney through dance and
(02:59):
movement.
It's a journey through music andmovement.
So like most classes, like dancemodalities, it starts soft.
And then, you know, we get tothat, that climax, there's
cardio, there's strength.
So there's definitely a Fitnesselement to it.
People come to our class forfitness reasons.
They, they come for a workout,but there's also a very deep I
(03:23):
would say you know, emotionalaspect to come through and so
on.
So it's, it's this kind of spacewhere that we provide.
for, for creativity and for selfexpression and in that there's
also this, I believe this, thisspiritual aspect of it when you
are guided to be like reallyconnected to the music and in a
(03:45):
safe space to express yourself.
So it's a holistic program.
Our, our whole philosophy isthere's no.
right or wrong way to dance.
We empower people through ourfacilitation to express
themselves and really go to thedifferent corners.
You know, our shadow selves,like we, we, we make people be,
(04:09):
we don't make people, we invitepeople to be goofy and
ridiculous.
There's this element ofembracing your inner child.
When you come to groove, there'san element of.
allowing yourself to be dramaticand over the top.
So you see, it's this like spacewhere we get to explore all the
colors of what it means to behuman.
(04:32):
And that's what I mean with thisemotion.
Typically, these types of thingsare suppressed.
But this is a space where we cancome without, without the
narratives, without the stories,without any of that to just
simply express and be creative.
Did you have
Lisa (04:51):
your own journey to get through that to become more
expressive in your own dance ormore free on the dance floor
with
Dani (05:00):
groove?
Well, absolutely.
And I don't think that journeyever ends.
I think it's a lifelong, alifelong thing.
I come from a dance, like atraditional dance background
where there is a very right andwrong way.
And with that came a lot ofconditioning, right?
With that came a lot ofperfectionism as well.
(05:21):
With that came a lot of bodyimage issue.
And with that came This sensethat I'm never good enough,
right?
That's the, that's the undertoneis that I'm never going to be
good enough.
And of course that's noteverybody's experience, but
it's, it's an experience thatmany of us in, in the
(05:41):
traditional dance world share,right?
Because there's a lot ofpressure.
And, you know, though I lovetechnique and I love
choreography and all that stuff,and I see a beautiful place for
that.
My experience with traditionaldance was that I felt like I was
losing my soul in it.
(06:02):
Like, I felt like I was movingaway from the reason why I got
into it.
And so when I first startedgrooving, it's like It felt like
an explosion on the insides.
It's like every single cell inmy body came alive and was like,
to the point where I literallylike left my, my PhD, I, I left
my PhD to start this, to, tobuild the movement with Misty
(06:24):
actually, and also do consultingwork in schools I worked for 10
years, a decade in schools,consulting with teachers,
presenting at conferences,working with kids, I.
I've probably grooved over amillion kids in my life to get
them back into the feeling,because that's what I found was
missing so much was the feelingbecause it was, I was in a very
(06:47):
regimented style as well.
And I was being like, you know,evaluated and all this stuff.
So that was my experience withit.
And I.
Knew that there was a a veryimportant piece missing that I
thought Groove could bring.
And it did.
And it, and it helped, it hadhelped a lot of people.
I mean, we continue to help alot of people all over the
(07:10):
world.
People are grooving and reallychanging their lives, actually
listening to people's stories.
So for me, it was A process ofletting go of my shame letting
go of my, my fears, myinsecurities my need to be
(07:33):
perfect, to get it right.
And I mean, like I said, I don'tthink it's ever gonna end.
It's a, it's a journey that goeson and you, you keep getting
faced with it with, you know,things come up over again,
right?
But you know, every time I letmyself just freely dance and,
and consciously make that effortto not give voice, not amplify
(07:57):
the voice, the judgmental voicethat all of us have, that most
of us have.
Every time I groove, every timeI consciously make an effort to
not give power or not amplifythe inner critic in my mind that
wants to judge and that wants tojust talk, right?
(08:20):
Every time I, dim that.
Every time I drop back into mybody and back into sensing and
feeling and expressing andconnecting with the music, I
connect deeper to my ownauthenticity.
And, and also my creator.
For me, dancing is a meditation.
It's a form of, of divineconnection.
(08:40):
And, and from that space, what Ialways, always, always find is
when I give myself that space,that hour to dance, to just feel
and express, I receive a lot ofmessages after the fact in
meditation and stillness.
I receive a lot of messages.
I receive a lot of inspiration.
So for me, it's this process ofletting go, cleaning my body
(09:04):
vessel, releasing.
Getting out of my analyticalmind, dropping my awareness in
my body and opening myself up toreceive information.
For me, that's a deeplyspiritual practice because I'm
literally communicating with Godfor me.
Lisa (09:23):
That's powerful.
Wow.
I was reading that you had doneLatin in ballroom.
Is that the background that youcame from that you were speaking
of?
Yes.
Yeah.
Maybe you can tell the story ofjust Finding Groove, how did you
come across you know, did youmeet Misty or what was your
experience?
Dani (09:44):
Well, actually I came in through a friend who she and I
were actually dancing togetherin university and I had lost
touch with her for a few yearsand then when we reconnected she
was already grooving, she wasalready doing this.
So she invited me to a class andI, I fell in love right away.
(10:09):
So I actually, it's funny, Missyand I talk about this.
I actually became a mastertrainer and before I even met
Missy.
Because she was at that point.
There was another woman that wasbasically doing my job that I do
now, running the academy.
There was another woman runningthe academy, so I came in
through her and yeah, so I hadnever even met Missy for a year
(10:31):
and a half.
Lisa (10:32):
And what made you want to teach the young people?
Dani (10:36):
Well, at that time in my life, I was doing my PhD and I
was in education and I waslooking at, I was, I was really
studying critical pedagogy.
I was studying, learning throughthe body.
Alternative ways of learning,kinesthetic learning, all this
(10:58):
stuff and as, and having a dancebackground when I found Groove,
I was like, okay, this makes somuch sense for me to actually,
like, at that time I wasactually learning and
researching indigenous ways of,of learning, of, of
understanding and knowing andbeing and in the world.
(11:19):
And applying that to aneducation context, like how can
we make our education program,program education, our schooling
system more open to alternativeforms of learning.
And then when I found Groovebecause of my, you know, deep
dance connection, I was like, ohwow, this is just like, it spun
me for a loop, like I had tochange my thesis.
(11:42):
And so I was for a while.
Considering to write my thesis,my, my dissertation on, and I
was going to do some qualitativestudies because at that time I
was working in schools withMichelle Hillier.
She had started the danceprogram and Groove was 1 of the
things she was offering.
And so I was really gung hoabout providing the experience,
(12:07):
but also.
Doing some qualitative studyaround what is the long term
benefit if, if kids truly takethis on and practice and, and do
it.
And, and not only that, butintegrate if teachers actually
integrate these kinds of.
principles and philosophies intheir classroom.
How could this affect the, andimpact the classroom dynamic?
(12:35):
what does this do for emotionalintelligence, for example, or
what does this do for learningcapacity and all these things?
But my work really took off inthe doing.
Right?
So I was so busy just goingaround grooving people in
schools and also building themovement with Missy around the
(12:57):
world.
I was doing both at the sametime.
I was traveling, teaching,growing the movement, like doing
a lot of the business stuff.
So my dissertation went on theback burner and it's still on
the back burner.
So I'm one of those ABD folksthat like, because now I just
think of it like I maybe I'llwrite a book about it or write
(13:20):
about it, but, you know, to gothrough the Academy, it just
seems like, I don't know, Idon't know if it's for me.
Lisa (13:32):
Thank you to everyone that has listened and subscribed to
the Happy Sweat Life podcast,and a special thanks to the
supporters of my show throughBuzzsprout.
That includes my sisterMargaret, who was featured on
episode five.
If you're looking for a funnyepisode, that's a great one to
listen to.
To both my mom and my dad, andto a dear friend Kathleen, I
(13:55):
really appreciate your support.
And now back to the interview.
Can you think of any memorableexperience for a student that
was in one of the classes or I'msure there were many,
Dani (14:10):
Oh yeah, there were, there were many experiences and the
one that the one that pops tomind the most memorable
experience for me was actuallywhen I was working with, because
kids are tough to work with.
Some of them can be very tough,especially when you get to grade
seven, eight, nine.
(14:32):
You know, high school and I wasdoing these large large
presentations with sometimeslike 200 kids in the gym, trying
to get them to dance.
And I always have this spielthat I do at the beginning
before I get started, which isI, I put myself out there in a
way.
(14:53):
To kind of dissolve anyinsecurities that they may have
or fears around looking stupidbecause that's their biggest
issue is that they don't want tolook stupid in front of their
friends and as soon as we askthem to dance, they immediately
think they're going to lookstupid.
Right, right.
So.
To, to kind of dissolve thatinsecurity, I would do this
(15:14):
like, kind of ridiculous danceand I remember I was on stage
and I would do this dance.
I was like, so is anyone heregoing to make fun of me if I
like, move around?
Like, This and I'm doing thislike, you know, just this kind
of ridiculous movement in mybody, just moving.
And one girl like literallystood up from the audience and
(15:36):
said, I would because you lookstupid.
So she fully yelled, like yelledit, called it out.
I'm in a gym.
I have.
200 kids in the gym and I'malone on stage and I'm like, I
wasn't expecting that one.
You know, like that caught meway out of nowhere.
Like now I'm getting bullied bya grade eight, you know, but in
(16:03):
that moment, and, and you know,I didn't realize what I, what,
what I actually did before Iwent into these sessions, but I
really like now, now in myjourney, I, I know that, I'm
always guided in these moments.
Like, I'm always guided to saywhat I need to say and do what I
need to do.
(16:24):
I really trust trust God isbehind me all the time.
And in that moment, I, I turnedit into like this kind of
pedagogical opportunity forthese kids, for them to tell me.
So what do we do with this?
And what is this?
You know, and so I asked, I saidto the, to them, to in front of
(16:45):
everyone, I was like, okay, soshe believes that I look stupid,
so I have a choice right now.
I could take her judgment and Ican put it on, try it on and
take it as truth, or I can letit be her judgment and let it be
a projection of her reality.
(17:06):
And I can identify my for myselfwhat feels right for me, right?
So it's about, you know, we'renever going to get away from
bullies.
We're never going to get awayfrom other people's judgments of
us or other people trying to putus down.
And you know.
Take away, trying to destroy ourlight, so to speak.
(17:30):
We're, we can't get away fromthat.
That exists.
That's part of, you know, beingon the earth, right?
Being in this world.
But what we can do with it isnot take it.
as our own.
This is what I really, this isthe main message because one of
our groove truths is actuallynobody cares what you look like.
(17:51):
And I always felt like I nevercould say that in schools.
I could never say thatauthentically, like, Oh guys,
yeah, nobody cares what you looklike.
Just dance.
Like we say it in groove classesand our adult classes, but for
kids, it doesn't resonatebecause they actually do get
bullied and they actually docare.
And it actually is a veryFragile time in kids development
(18:11):
lives where they need to feelsupported.
They need a sense of communityand it can be very damaging to
the extent that it gets carriedon with them throughout their
adult life and it shapes theirpersonality, their behavior, and
who they actually become as ahuman.
You know, sometimes bullies,people who have been bullied,
turn into the biggest bullieswhen they're adults because they
(18:32):
haven't processed that orthey've allowed it in, to seep
in.
So I, I basically just said tothem, you know, what other
people think of you, like whatthis girl thinks of me.
It's actually none of mybusiness.
it's none of my business.
That's her.
(18:52):
That's her understanding of me,but that's not my truth.
And in that moment, actually, Iactually got a standing ovation
from this little spiel that Igave and, and what had happened
with that girl is that she gotup and went.
To the office.
Like she left, she, she left.
So she took herself out of, andI wasn't, I wasn't bullying her.
(19:16):
I was just like, okay, I acceptthat you say that I look stupid.
Like that's, that's fine.
That's, that's your opinion.
Right.
So you know, when it happened,literally, I felt like.
My stomach dropped because I'venever had that kind of
experience before, but I'm sohappy that I was able to draw
(19:41):
from a higher perspective andshed light on, on this reality
for kids that a lot of people, alot of kids suffer in silence,
you know, a lot of kids sufferfrom this kind of treatment and
don't know what to do with itand they internalize it and then
it becomes a new program forthem.
So it's actually quitedangerous.
It is.
To have bullies not being calledout.
(20:02):
Right.
And that's how you call them outand you call them out with love
and compassion and you say,okay, that's your opinion.
It's fine.
And that's how you also stand inyour power to not let that
acidity that other people areprojecting onto you, contaminate
you.
(20:22):
So yeah, that was my mostmemorable moment,
Lisa (20:26):
Wow.
I was thinking two things.
One was when you were talkingabout minimizing your own voices
in your head when you're dancingto be freer and, you know, how
that, how you were saying thatthat starts as children, we
internalize other people'simpressions and voices.
(20:46):
And so it is all a lifelongjourney to undo that, but how
powerful that you couldintercept that at that age for
them.
You know, and give them anoption of something else they
could consider.
Dani (20:59):
Yeah, and we had an amazing dance party after.
So it was really, it was, it wasreally great.
And then I had to take a longnap.
Bye guys.
My work is done and I'll becharging the school double.
Lisa (21:14):
And then the other thing I was just thinking about as you
were talking about not, notcompleting your PhD at the
moment, but then you saying howmuch you tune into your
intuition and feel like, God hasyour back.
So, I admire that you're able tofollow the path that, that feels
right for you at the moment.
Dani (21:34):
Thank you.
Well, my father keeps botheringme about finishing it.
And I just keep saying, I thinkone day I'm going to get an
honorarium, one of thesehonorarium pieces, where they
just like, you know what, you'vedone good.
You didn't write it down, butyou've done good.
Here you go.
don't know when that'shappening, but I feel like in
some timeline, it's alreadyhappened.
Lisa (21:53):
Or that, as you said, it becomes a book, which I'm sure
there's many stories Maybe youcould talk a little bit about,
I'm just curious for yourexperience, like who's attracted
to becoming a facilitator ofGroove?
Is there a certain type ofperson or?
Dani (22:09):
Yeah, it's definitely someone who is seeking a little
bit more than just a dancefitness experience.
It's someone who's, you know,our, our core values are.
community authenticity andcreativity.
(22:33):
So it's somebody that getspulled in with the desire to
build community around dance,because that's one of the things
we've seen all over the worldhappen is just the network.
Like, the communities that aregrowing all over the world,
they're so close, like, thesepeople become best friends.
They become more than that.
They become family, you know,and I think it's because we
(22:56):
share these like intimatemoments where we're vulnerable
and we're showing our trueselves and we're not judging
each other and so on.
So it's this kind of depth thatyou don't get when you go to, to
Zumba, for example.
You know, and I hate to compare.
I don't want to compare becausethere's absolutely nothing wrong
with Zumba.
It's great.
It's awesome.
(23:16):
It, this is just a differentkind of experience.
So I think it's people who, youknow, are also misfits and
rebels.
People who, you know, don't wantto follow the rules.
People who don't want to Youknow, just do the same thing all
the time.
Like people that want to nurturetheir own creative expression.
(23:40):
So our group facilitators comein all ages.
They come in all ethnicities.
They come in all shapes andsizes.
Anyone can be a groupfacilitator.
You don't have to have any dancebackground to actually teach
groove.
You don't need it.
We actually don't care.
You need to pass yourcertification, but we mentor
(24:01):
you.
We guide you.
We teach you.
And you know, it, some people ittakes a little longer to get
there if, if they need.
But yeah, it's, it's the peoplewho are drawn to it.
It's more of a mindset and a anoutlook, I guess, an outlook.
Lisa (24:18):
It seems like some people know instantly that they want to
be a group facilitator, butother people.
can go quite a while beforethey, before they jump in.
Dani (24:28):
So we've heard there's a lot of people sitting on the
fence for a long time.
Lisa (24:31):
Yeah, I, I was one that just jumped in without knowing
much
Dani (24:34):
about it.
You're like, what the hell haveI gotten myself
Lisa (24:39):
Not easy at all.
No, it was very difficult.
I fortunately had theencouragement of Miranda, but
And, like you were saying, thegroup, you know, so we ended up
forming a a group to, who wereall facilitating together, going
through the training together.
We formed a group and we metevery week.
to help and support each otherto get through the practicum.
(25:02):
And we're still meeting.
That was two years ago.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And I would consider themfriends, you know, even though
we've never met in person.
Dani (25:11):
That's great.
Yeah.
Well, and that's the thing withfacilitation because you go to a
class and you're like, This isthe easiest dance class in the
world.
This must be the easiest thingto teach.
And you're like, holy bajoli.
How the hell do they do that?
There's a lot of layers.
(25:31):
I like to say there's a lot oflayers to learning how to
facilitate.
Lisa (25:39):
Yes.
And I'm, I'm talking about itbeing just one thing, but of
course there's the beginning andthen there's the, advanced
levels.
One and two, and then the fit,and kids, and young at heart.
Yeah, quite a few offerings.
Are you, are you consideringadding any other?
Dani (25:55):
I mean, we'll continue to add probably more advanced
trainings.
We're always growing andrefining.
And you know, therapeutic groovehas been on the back burner for
a while.
But I mean, there's just so muchto do all the time and we're a
small company and I have a hugeamount of responsibilities.
So, you know.
(26:16):
And it's pretty much up to me todo this.
So, I don't know what'shappening.
Can't tell you.
Lisa (26:20):
One person only has so much bandwidth and I know you're
doing a lot already.
Dani (26:24):
Yeah, thank you.
Lisa (26:25):
Maybe you can talk a little bit about your own,
personal work that you do withother people.
I know you do lead a grooveclass.
But if you want to talk aboutany of the other things that you
are offering and your, yourbackground, I mean, it was very
interesting when I was on yourwebsite reading about your
becoming a shamanicpractitioner.
That, that work is sointeresting.
Dani (26:48):
Yeah.
And I feel like I've come fullcircle because what I was
studying before I met groove.
Was like I mentioned in my PhD,I was studying, I was
researching, I was in myintellect as a good Westerner.
I was studying indigenous ways.
(27:10):
And I actually, and I went intothe Andean mountains and, and
explored and stayed with themand all this stuff.
So it was, it was still anembodied experience.
Not like I was just readingarticles online in my.
White ivory tower or anything,but it, I left that to do
(27:32):
groove.
And then when I went to Mexico,because I moved to Mexico at the
beginning of the pandemic, well,I ended up just staying there.
And I met.
A mentor who Beata Alfordi,she's a shamanic practitioner
and she actually created thiscourse.
I met her when I was, I guessyou could say, hitting rock
(27:55):
bottom in my personal life.
I was in an abusive relationshipand I was trying so hard to get
out and it was so hard for me toget out.
It was like If anyone's been inany form of abusive
relationship, they know how hardit is to get out.
And I, I found healing throughthis shamanic work.
(28:19):
I dove right in.
So I did a a variety ofdifferent plant medicine
ceremonies.
I worked with different plantmedicine.
But you know, I, I always say, Isay, and I love plant medicine,
don't get me wrong, but I, I dosay too, after I've done her.
Shamanic practitioner training.
(28:42):
You don't even need medicine.
Like you are the medicine youare absolutely the man.
I think there's a very powerfulplace for ayahuasca for what
Chuma for Yopo, for all of itthat I've, that I've tried and
I've done and I've sat with andevery single ceremony I've
received really deep andprofound messages that have
(29:02):
changed my life, but.
It's just the shamanic work andmaking these connections with
the drum and going into deepmeditative states with the drum
and communing with the, theelements, bringing the elements
into my life in a moreintentional, more ceremonial
(29:25):
way.
Like the small building blocksof day to day have really been
transformative for me in numberone, getting out.
Of that.
situation, but also with justreclaiming my voice, like coming
(29:46):
back to myself and, and alsohealing my trauma, like healing
my trauma from these experiencesand connecting with spirit, you
know.
But like I said, it's this, it'sthe, it's the small little
building blocks of every day andworking with the elements in a
much more intentional way anddoing shamanic rituals, actual
(30:10):
practices that that support mywellbeing.
It has helped me tremendouslywith anxiety, with depression,
all this stuff that, you know,you, you, you go in, you fall If
you're in an abusive situation,it's very easy to fall into a
depression.
It's very easy to lose yourvoice and, and, you know, of
course I could still functionin, in my work and I could still
(30:33):
do all these things because Iactually I, I've, thank God,
I've always been able to dothat, but that, that didn't mean
that I wasn't suffering inside,you know, and I think a lot of
people a lot of people are ableto still do their jobs through
life, but are deeply sufferinginside with anxiety.
(30:53):
And I would, I would wake upwith complete panic attacks
where I would be feeling like Iwas drowning.
And yeah, so I, I'm, I'm verypassionate about sharing it as
well, because it's just helpedme in such a deep.
So yeah, this is, this is my, myI won't say my next work.
(31:17):
It is, it's part of my work.
Like I feel like my, as Icontinue healing and growing and
learning, it's just more thingsthat I'll, I'll share.
Lisa (31:25):
And so you have one on one coaching and a retreat.
Is that my right in that?
Dani (31:30):
yeah, so I do one on one I, I work with people one on one
And it's not all shamanic stuffbecause I actually do a lot I've
studied a lot of Dr.
Joe dispensers stuff as well andgot to his training.
And I find that it's moreaccessible for me to.
(31:56):
Just relate this kind ofinformation.
I mean, I kind of, I like tocall myself like a cross between
the quantum physics world thatJoe Dispenza is pioneering and
championing, you know, well,he's part of it and the shamanic
world, because actually, whenyou study both, you see, there's
so many parallels.
(32:17):
You see that this new quantumstuff that everyone's, all the
raves about now, it's actuallybased on ancient principles that
have been used for healing sincethe beginning of time.
So it's nothing new, but hebrings a different language
because he brings the science.
So he has organizations thatwork with him, like HeartMath,
(32:37):
that show the actual brainchemistry, the actual.
New well, the brainwaves, yourbrainwaves actually change, your
brain state changed.
Changes and your physiologyactually changes.
Like it's, it's true that peopleliterally are healing themselves
of their cancers, of theirillnesses, of their autoimmune
(32:59):
disease through meditation,through deep states of
meditation that any person canlearn if you're willing to put
in the time and energy that ittakes to do it, because it
doesn't happen.
You have to stick with it.
So I use a cross, I use acombination of both.
I draw from both kind of fields,I guess you could say because
(33:23):
the shamanic stuff is definitelymore earth based and I like to
bring in things that connect usmore to the earth because I, I
think that that disconnection isit's part of our, our, our big
problem that we have as acollective.
But you know, the stuff that Joeteaches, Dr.
(33:47):
Joe Dispenza teaches is allabout, you know, pulling in from
the quantum, like, so reallybecoming nothing, like, that's
literally the goal is to becomenothing.
So you can completely empty sothat you have this divine kind
of intervention.
this experience with themystical, he calls it.
(34:09):
So both are like extremelypowerful and, and useful.
Lisa (34:16):
Thanks for sharing that.
Do you want to share yourwebsite or any other contact
information that you want toprovide people if they're
interested in getting to knowyou more?
Dani (34:26):
Sure, thank you.
Yeah, my website isdaninobegra.com and I'm also
running a 22 day or 22.
I have to check my own website.
I'm running a a program inJanuary.
(34:47):
Where it's for meditationpractices, earth centered
practices, shamanic practices,this stuff, every single day, I
send you something.
And then we meet on Sundays forfour consecutive Sundays.
So that's a group program thatI'm offering in the new year.
Just, you know, to help supportpeople with their mental health,
their mental emotional wellbeing and yeah, just their
(35:10):
overall health.
So it's my offering
Lisa (35:14):
Oh, wonderful.
And any anything else that youwould want to mention about
Groove or anything else thatyou.
Haven't talked about.
Dani (35:23):
Well, we are in the midst of finalizing our 2024 calendar.
So we're offering lots oftrainings in person and online
all over the world.
We're in Europe, North Americayeah, Australia, Hawaii, even.
So check out that calendar.
We also offer retreats andworkshops and we also offer a
(35:48):
free gathering every month.
It's called Funky Friday.
So it's a great way for peopleto just come in and groove with
us online.
About a hundred people show upto this, these free classes.
Well, it's a donation class.
You can send money if you want,or you don't pay.
Totally.
It's up to you.
We offer it just to support ourcommunity.
And to introduce people.
(36:09):
So these classes are run byeither Misty or one of the
master trainers on the team.
And yeah, we just want to, ourgoal is to just get as many
people dancing and feeling thatbliss that we all feel when we
just let her rip.
we let the freaking thing fly.
That's what I say in my intro inmy classes.
(36:30):
I was like, welcome to myWelcome to my group class.
My name is Dani.
This is where you let your freakflag fly.
Then they get it.
Then I don't have to go throughthe whole spiel.
They're like, perfect.
Lisa (36:38):
Excellent parting words.
Well, thank you so much Dani,for spending time with me and,
and Thank
Dani (36:44):
you so much for listening to me and for wanting to
interview me.
Lisa (36:48):
And I'll have the links to Dani's website and Groove on my
show notes if anybody'sinterested in checking it out.
Dani (36:59):
Amazing.
Thank you so much, Lisa.
Thank you.
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