Episode 21: Raw Movement with Justina Kamiel Grayman

07/20/22 • 41 min

To build authentic connections requires being authentically connected to your body first. Disassociating where connection is required can cause detrimental consequences to your mental and physical health. Especially for creatives living in or just moving to the city to work on their craft. The transition isn’t always easy and the individualistic nature of living in a big city is a breeding ground for disconnection. So how do we come back to ourselves and enjoy living in our own bodies to create space for connection?

Today's guest went through major dissociation and depression when she moved to New York City many years ago. Having just broken up with her boyfriend and starting school, it was a rough start that brought out some inner demons that were locked away for a long time. She found solace in dance, a place where she could connect with herself and express herself through movement. Expression, which was next to impossible for her in any form prior to finding dance.

Justina Kamiel Grayman is a dancer, artist, choreographer, and psychology professor, who has bridged the gap between dance and psychology to create a program called Raw Movement, that helps others that were in her shoes connect with their bodies through unstructured movement, dance, conversation, and much more. Raw Movement is to co-create spaces for deep connection so others can thrive by feeling comfortable in their bodies.

Tune in for an authentically raw conversation about mental health, dance, art, and how we show up for ourselves and others in society.

Topics discussed in this episode:

How Justina discovered dance and choreography
Justina’s battle with depression after moving to New York
How dance helped with Justina’s mental health by expressing herself
How Justina bridges the gap between dance and psychology to create connection
How Justina created raw movement
What is body safety and expression
Why Justina dislikes the word transformation
Is there a place for hierarchy in growth and liberation?
Information about raw movement
What a raw movement session looks like
How city creatives can build more authentic connection through community

Listen to more Surviving The City podcasts by following this link. Also, connect with us on Instagram!

To learn more about Raw Movement workshops, visit Justina’s website here.

Connect with Justina on Instagram and Facebook!

Tune in for an authentically raw conversation about mental health, dance, art, and how we show up for ourselves and others in society.

Topics discussed in this episode:

How Justina discovered dance and choreography
Justina’s battle with depression after moving to New York
How dance helped with Justina’s mental health by expressing herself
How Justina bridges the gap between dance and psychology to create connection
How Justina created raw movement
What is body safety and expression
Why Justina dislikes the word transformation
Is there a place for hierarchy in growth and liberation?
Information about raw movement
What a raw movement session looks like
How city creatives can build more authentic connection through community

Listen to more Surviving The City podcasts by following this link. Also, connect with us on Instagram!

To learn more about Raw Movement workshops, visit Justina’s website here.

Connect with Justina on Instagram and Facebook!

Previous Episode

Episode 20: That Sober Curious Life with Candace Holmes

Alcohol is such a prevalent part of our culture, especially in city life. Events, celebrations, social gatherings, even clocking out of work is commemorated with a drink. When it feels almost impossible to do any of these things without a drink, that’s when we need to re-evaluate our motivation for drinking. If you do drink alcohol, even on occasion, have you ever asked yourself why you do it? Our hosts, Vicky and Key, asked themselves this same question and the answer they found was profound enough to start their sober curious journey.

In today’s podcast, Vicky and Key will be discussing how their relationship with alcohol has changed and why they decided to head toward sobriety and its impact on their lives. Along with our hosts, blogger from ‘Exploring Sobriety 365’, Candace Holmes, will be joining us to discuss her family’s history with alcohol abuse, and how staying sober year round has changed her life for the better.

Of course, battling any sort of addiction has its challenges. This episode takes us through the emotions, mental processing, and lifestyle changes that inevitably take place, along with practical tips on how to get through it.

Join us for a deep dive into how alcohol has woven its way into our lives, and what we can do to change that to be more present in our relationships, and harness creativity with sobriety.

Topics discussed in this episode:

Sobriety from alcohol and the pandemic
How drinking takes away creative power
Candace’s journey to sobriety
Mental processing when wanting a drink
Practical tips on how to avoid drinking
How living in a city gets woven into drinking culture
Non-alcoholic drink alternatives
Does alcohol make you more creative?
Alcoholism in the family

Listen to more Surviving The City podcasts here

Check out Candace Holmes’ blog Exploring Sobriety 365

Quit Like A Woman by Holly Whitaker

The Sober Diaries by Clare Pooley

Check out these podcasts mentioned in today’s episode:Sober Curious

Sober Black Girls Club

Next Episode

Episode 22: Artivism in Action with Y?

We are joined today by an incredibly wise and humble guest who is an artivist (art + activist). He shares with us the stories of his passion for music and his artivist journey. His name is Y?

Y?’s journey was anything but conventional, being born in a family fleeing their home country of Guyana to the US due to unrest, and having humble beginnings, his passion for art and music was always apparent, but could not be nurtured until he was in his 20s.

Although Y? had dreams to go to school for art and music, these dreams never came to fruition, but he still managed to find his way to his passion and is now a successful artist with a wide array of talents. Y?’s natural ability to connect and hold space is a lost art in and of itself, but he carries this deep love for himself and others so gracefully, it can be felt through this episode.

Tune in to hear some of the most inspirational content yet, and a beautiful story of Y?’s last moments with dear friend Robert Enamorado. This is a special episode you do not want to miss!

Topics discussed in this episode:

The story behind Y?’s name
What is artivism?
Y?’s experience with artivism
Y?’s education journey
A piece of art that has impacted Y?’s life
The importance of community for artists
How Y? created connection during Roberto Enamorado memorial event
The story of Y?’s last moments with Roberto Enamorado
How Y? stays present and positive with all the pain and suffering in the world
Importance of honing in your purpose and perspective
Why trying to convince others of your perspective is not beneficial
How to cultivate self love and stay in the community
Rediscovering creative purpose in the midst of a tragedy
The difference between expressing perspective vs convincing

CW: Please note that at 36:00-50:00 in we reference suicide as the friend that we speak about took his own life. Tap out and forward if you need to take care of yourself during that portion of the episode.

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is now active across the United States by dialing 988– it is available 24/7 to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Visit https://988lifeline.org/ for more info.

Connect with Y? by heading to Why Not Show Love here. You can also catch him on social media via Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. You can also shoot him an email here!To learn more about Y?’s company Creative Expressions, visit his other website here.

Listen to more Surviving The City podcasts by following this link. Also, connect with us on Instagram!