My Story
Seónagh Kummer, Ph.D.
Dancemaker, dance educator, somatics coach and performer Seónagh utilizes somatics as a means to cultivate global community dialogues, gets behind ideas that better how we think, creates interventions, and instigates personal-social transformations that MOVE us—toward depth, peace, social justice, wellness. Seónagh teaches and inspires thousands of people each year through the arts of dance and somatic movement, helping people re-get back in touch with the way they breathe, move and perform. Having been transformed through movement and visualization herself, Seónagh experienced and assisted elders in ceremonies that led to healing through dance and movement. She travels the world to lead teachings and continues to expand her research in this field.
Seónagh sees all aspects of our world as interconnected, and her artistic works speak to what is sacred and profound through the juxtaposition of form, memory, and objects or living things. Objects and living things exist in time while each one also asks us ethical questions. What right do we have to ignore them? In what ways are we interconnected? In pursuit of these and other ethical questions Seónagh has created many public dance workshops. She loved teaching dance as a tenured professor at a university in Los Angeles for many years, and resigned during the “great resignation” of 2020 to pursue her passions full time as a freelance artist and somatic movement therapist and coach. Seónagh earned a PhD in Dance at Temple University as a Fisher Center Fellow, and holds an MA in dance/theatre education from the University of British Columbia as a Graduate Fellow.
Mission Statement
Seónagh’s mission is to empower people to rise to their most compassionate selves through the liberation of dance, and to use dance and its effects as a means to cultivate global community dialogue. As co-founder of Dharma In Motion, an organization that empowers women and their communities using dance to raise funds, and as Creative Advisor for the International Gandhian Institute for Nonviolence and Peace – everything Seónagh delivers the message of service as a way of life, and comes in focused making things better and easier in the world.
“Seonagh is an accomplished professional and friend whom I had the pleasure of knowing since the Summer of 2020 in several capacities. Seonagh has many qualities: intellectual brilliance, passion, care, empathy, creativity, and openness. There is one aspect, however, that rises above the rest, which is her sense of social responsibility and awareness about the community where she creates, works and lives. “
“Seónagh is a dedicated somatics coach who helped me personally to find faith in my artistic voice, and provided a safe space for me to grow. Her depth and breadth are driven by wisdom and reason. She inspires me to do good for my community. She constantly seeks new ways to be fruitful, make changes, and always expresses a message of love.”
“To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful… This is power, it is glory on earth and it is yours for the taking”
“Seónagh Kummer was an emotional tour de force, eloquently rendered movement”
“Working with Seónagh has been a transformative experience. As a result of our work together, I’ve been able to more effectively tap into my body’s power, and remain connected to my body’s needs as well as its strength. Seónagh has an incredible ability to sense exactly how to help — her approach is a rare combination of both genuinely nurturing, and truly educational. I can’t recommend her highly enough!”
“I was having a really difficult time during a traumatic event in my life that activated my Complex PTSD. Seónagh offered me a short Somatic Coaching session over the phone. She gave me a simple practice to do on my own using the natal position. Within 24 hours I felt a significant shift in my experience. I was able to respond instead of react to the people involved in the devastating situation.”
em·bod·ied
embodied
Feeling at home in your body. … an ability to be in your body in the present moment, to know and to feel its sensations (emotional and physical).
Knowing how to respond with wisdom…to know a safe and healthy expression of your needs, desires, fears, anger, joys, hopes, and wants.
Life is for living. It’s time to get you out of your own way, and move.
Seónagh leads lots of different dance workshops, retreats and educational events. Check the workshop page for online events, and check back for live workshops when we can be together safely again.
