Katherine

I am a dancer, teacher, writer, and certified Somatic Movement Educator through the School for Body-Mind Centering®. I currently teach ballet for several schools in the bay area and recently completed a year-long Authentic Movement immersion program under the mentorship of Mary Lou Seereiter. A self-directed practice between a mover and a witness, Authentic Movement helps cultivate seeing and communicating without judgement, taking responsibility for personal projection, and learning to listen and observe with openness and clear attention. I’ve worked with several embodiment modalities over the years, but Authentic Movement in particular has profoundly increased the level of trust I have in my own movement experience and has helped me come home to my glorious, gifted, whole, intelligent body.

I grew up with a family of ducks, two rabbits, three dogs and two cats (that’s me and Moorka above). I’ve cared for pets all my life and devote much of my time now to helping the community cats in my neighborhood. I like working with Animal Fix Clinic in Pinole, CA. They have an affordable trap-neuter-release program and are a very responsive and communicative organization. I also had a great experience at Wild Care in San Rafael that helped me with an injured pigeon.

My father was an avid hiker and backpacker and taught me the importance of being outdoors. When I’m not dancing or teaching, I’m hiking the trails of Mt. Diablo State Park or planning my next trip to Yosemite. As a child, my family made frequent trips to Yosemite, but recently I’ve started going there alone, as often as I can. Standing on the valley floor, at the base of those glacial mountains, I feel in my right proportion to the earth. The correct length, width, and height.

If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area, please join me for a ballet class! I currently teach beginning through advanced levels for ODC/Dance, Smuin Center for Dance, and Shawl-Anderson Dance Center.

For inquiries about somatic education or Authentic Movement, please reach out to orloff.ke@gmail.com.