Community Journey
The heart of The Sensing Self is the people who embody it and the bonds we've created with each other through lived experiences together and a shared journey of growth.
We meet twice a week in 6-week themed cycles called Community journeys, with structured classes and space to connect beyond practice.
The theme of our upcoming community journey is Courage: to learn, to teach, to relate, to trust and to be yourself. Through handstands, breath and energy work, soft floor practice and partner trust exercises we will explore courage in action.
Keep reading to learn more about the community and the upcoming journey. If you feel courageous, you can take the first step now and register for Open Day on January 18.
We meet twice a week in 6-week themed cycles called Community journeys, with structured classes and space to connect beyond practice.
The theme of our upcoming community journey is Courage: to learn, to teach, to relate, to trust and to be yourself. Through handstands, breath and energy work, soft floor practice and partner trust exercises we will explore courage in action.
Keep reading to learn more about the community and the upcoming journey. If you feel courageous, you can take the first step now and register for Open Day on January 18.
Stories from our community
Discovering Unique Style & Way of Moving | Meet Justin
Discovering Joy through Movement | Meet Fenna
Leaning Into Fear with Movement | Meet Louisa
Community journey: Courage
January 18 - February 26
Practicing handstands can be a blind skill pursuit, or it can be an invitation to an honest conversation with yourself. In this journey, we will explore the handstand as the latter: a prism through which you can see and (re)build trust in your body, discipline, and consistency, while also (re)connecting to the eyes of a playful, curious child discovering the world and their own capabilities.
If you are a beginner, you will get a structured framework to understand the mechanics and psychology of hand balancing. If you already “have” the handstand, you will expand your idea of it and find new ways to sense, experiment, and play.
A key distinction of Movement Practice is its focus on the how : how you sense, move, relate, and learn, and how these patterns shape your life in and outside of practice. Breath is a clear metaphor for this approach. It reveals how we meet effort, intensity, and change.
In this journey, you will learn science-based protocols to notice and track your breathing habits, and work with tools such as CO₂ tolerance training, down-regulating and activating breath techniques to influence them. We will apply these tools directly in athletic games, partner work, inversions, and floor practice, so breath becomes something you can rely on under load. The aim is to make your breath a reliable guide, helping you move with more lightness, calmness, and a felt sense of energy and capacity.
In this journey, you will learn science-based protocols to notice and track your breathing habits, and work with tools such as CO₂ tolerance training, down-regulating and activating breath techniques to influence them. We will apply these tools directly in athletic games, partner work, inversions, and floor practice, so breath becomes something you can rely on under load. The aim is to make your breath a reliable guide, helping you move with more lightness, calmness, and a felt sense of energy and capacity.
The floor is a great feedback tool as it enhances our sensitivity and full-body control. Over the course of six weeks, we will learn several fundamental patterns and techniques of moving on the floor: not choreographies, but a language of movement that you can make your own. Through this work, soft floor practice can become a grounding, self-regulating resource you can return to wherever you are, while also giving you a few very satisfying ways to roll.
The antidote to a disconnected, disembodied modern life is embodied experiences together. In Movement Practice, transformation happens not just through skill or self-discovery, but through connecting, relating, and belonging.
In this journey, we’ll take leaps of faith and explore the exciting unknown with trust falls, partner handstand work with a pinch of inversion acrobatics, and closed-eye sensing exercises. It’s a chance to practice letting go, trusting yourself and others, and discovering connection in movement.
In this journey, we’ll take leaps of faith and explore the exciting unknown with trust falls, partner handstand work with a pinch of inversion acrobatics, and closed-eye sensing exercises. It’s a chance to practice letting go, trusting yourself and others, and discovering connection in movement.
About the format
Experience
- Open level: the only prerequisite is curiosity and readiness to work and relate.
- 6-week curated experience: you commit to the full cycle, but can choose which classes fit your schedule.
- Online materials: each journey includes materials for your self-practice and trackable progress.
Structure
- 2 classes per week: Thursday evenings (19:00–20:30) and Sunday mornings (10:30–12:00).
- 12 participants: the group is capped to nurture trust and connection.
Practical
- Where: the "Courage" journey will be held fully indoors at Studio Boing (Hillevliet 98, 3rd floor) in Rotterdam; some future cycles will include outdoor sessions or will be held entirely outdoors.
- Investment: the full 6-week journey is €120. The Open Day (€17) is booked separately.
Join the Open Day on January 18 and experience the first class of this cycle to see if you are ready for the full journey.
Guiding the journey
- Valeryia LiseichykavaFounder of The Sensing Self, movement teacherMovement practice is a life practice for me. What I teach is what has transformed my own life: using physical practice to build agency and confidence, to become more attuned to ourselves, to others, and to our environment, and to reawaken playfulness, curiosity, and free expression as part of everyday life.
My classes are structured and physically engaging, while always leaving room to adjust intensity and explore creatively. People of many ages and physical backgrounds have been part of this community, feeling both challenged and supported. We focus on honest effort, quality of attention, and process over performance.
I plan each class as an experience, considering not only movement content but also the emotional states and learning scenarios. Practicing as a group is powerful: the people around you become mirrors, and learning happens through relationship, exchange, and shared presence. Trust is essential for this work, which is why groups are kept small and the learning environment is shaped together.
Choosing to teach movement full-time 2 years ago was a leap of courage for me. I left an intellectual career to dedicate myself to embodiment and community. Courage, as I experience it, is the willingness to step into uncertainty and stay curious at the edge of our current abilities. I teach from that place, walking the same path as the people I guide.
Moments of connection
Impressions from the Sensing Self community journeys.
Frequently asked questions
Community Journeys welcome curious adults of all abilities and backgrounds. Practicing alongside people with different bodies and experiences is part of the learning. You can adjust the intensity of exercises to suit yourself, and minor injuries can be accommodated. For acute injuries or any doubts about joining, reach out at info@thesensingself.nl and I’ll help you figure out the best approach.
You can choose which classes to attend, though the journey is designed as a full-cycle experience and financial commitment is for the entire 6-week journey. Attending most sessions will give you the clearest progress and deeper understanding, but flexibility is built in so you can join as your schedule allows.
You can sign up for the Open Day here. After the class, all participants will have the opportunity to join the full journey and will receive an email with sign-up and payment details.
Yes, it’s possible to commit to the full journey even if you can’t attend the Open Day. Please email info@thesensingself.nl for sign-up details. Spots are limited, so priority will be given to Open Day participants.
Studio Boing is located on Hillevliet 98 (Kidcentrum Blijvliet building), 3rd floor, Rotterdam. The studio is accessible by public transport and bike; street parking around is paid. The doors of the building will be open 15 minutes before the class and closed at the start of the class. If you are late or need help finding us, please contact me directly at +316 13549263.
Wear comfortable clothes that allow you to move freely. For indoor classes, we practice barefoot, in socks, or in shoes reserved for indoor use. Water is available at the studio.
If you have a different question, please reach out via email - info@thesensingself.nl.