Where Do I Start?
The most common questions asked about Bonnie’s books and videos are, "Where do I start? Which book or video is the best place to begin?" The answer depends on your prior experience with Bonnie and her work and your particular interests.
If you’re new to Bonnie’s work and Body-Mind Centering®, a great place to start is with her first book, Sensing, Feeling, and Action. It’s a collection of her essays, interviews, and articles, and covers the wide scope of her work and its many applications.
EMBODIED ANATOMY VIDEOSIf you are interested in the foundations of movement as they relate to our body systems, Bonnie’s Embodied Anatomy Videos are a place to begin. Each video covers one body system and explores it in depth. Most Embodied Anatomy videos also include material on the embryological development of that system.
Embodied Anatomy Videos were filmed during live teaching situations and have been edited to present the heart of the material. Each video is organized into sections and material is separated into chapters for easy navigation. Embodied Anatomy Videos can be used as an entry point for your study at home or, if you have taken workshops or courses on the material, as a resource in reviewing and delving deeper into the material.
In this series, there aren’t any videos that are easier or more advanced than others. Choose the one or ones that address the body systems that interest you the most.
If you’re still not sure where to begin in the Embodied Anatomy Videos, we would recommend the series on the Skeletal System as a place to begin. Bones are very accessible, especially for people new to anatomy. This system gives our body its basic form and, when embodied, supports a kind of structural organization and clarity. You can find the videos on the Skeletal System, which are The Lower Limbs, The Upper Limbs, and The Axial Skeleton.
WORKSHOP VIDEOSWorkshop Videos were filmed during live workshops and minimally edited. They invite you into the natural flow of Bonnie's teaching as it unfolded in the workshop.
There aren’t any videos that are easier or more advanced than others. Choose the one or ones that cover the topic that calls to you.
Bonnie often teaches similar material but presents and approaches it in different ways. She very rarely teaches the same thing in the same way twice.
ADDITIONAL VIDEOSAdditional Videos are videos that are produced by Bonnie but do not fit into the Embodied Anatomy Video or Workshop Video categories. They also include videos that feature Bonnie but are produced by other organizations.
The only video recommended for a specific population is Practicing the Basic Neurocellular Patterns. This is a companion video to Bonnie’s book, Basic Neurocellular Patterns: Exploring Developmental Movement and is suggested for those who have had at least a little introduction or experience with the Basic Neurocellular Patterns. The Basic Neurocellular Patterns book is appropriate for anyone, including those who have no experience with the BNP. The book and video are available as a set.
BOOKSSensing, Feeling and Action: This exciting book explores Bonnie’s innovative approach to how mind expresses itself through the body in movement. It contains essays, interviews and exercises covering a broad range of topics, including Sensing, Feeling and Action; Perceiving and Action; The Action of Perceiving; The Alphabet of Movement; The Training Problems of the Dance; The Dancer’s Warmup; The Mechanics of Vocal Expression; The Fluid System; The Organ System; Embryology; and the Nervous System.
Basic Neurocellular Patterns: Exploring Developmental Movement: This is a major book on developmental movement and the influence these patterns have on our physical, perceptual, emotional, and cognitive functioning. Although the BNP normally emerge and ideally integrate throughout infancy, revisiting these patterns and exploring them as adults can be eye-opening, transformational, and life changing. The book includes many guided explorations you can use as an adult to access these patterns. See also the companion video to this book, Practicing the Basic Neurocellular Patterns.
Mechanics of Vocal Expression: This book is an introduction to some of the basic structures and principles of the vocal mechanism. When embodied, these principles offer an exciting and dynamic process for unfolding our physical voice to express what we experience, feel, think, and cherish. The book includes exercises and suggestions for how we can deepen our awareness of them.