Feedback from Body Rhythms, Cambridge, April 2006:
“The weekend exceeded all my expectations. Silvija is one of the most exciting 5Rhythms teachers I have danced with in a long time. She managed to create and maintain good energy within the group throughout the workshop. Her instruction was both clear and direct, and was often illustrated with some amazing body movement. Silvija has a reassuring self-confidence and maturity that belies her age. I felt safe with her, that she was taking us to places she knew well. I particularly enjoyed the novel metaphors she used during instruction (often humorous, and occasionally risqué). It is evident that Silvija has drunk from a different fountain of knowledge from most of us regular dancers! Now I just can’t wait till I can dance with her again” Richard Epworth
„Silvija brings a breath of fresh air into the 5 Rhythms. She is innovative in her approach and insightful in her method of teaching. Both newcomers to the practise and oldcomers like me can benefit from both her humour and her wisdom. She uses a unique approach to encourage the group to move the whole of their bodies in each Rhythm. I hope many more dancers discover her like I did, and I believe in that process that they will be given the opportunity to discover themselves.“ Lavinia
Feedback from Animal Dancer with Michel Wery, Zagreb, September 2010 :
Animal Dancer workshop is a wonderful journey from our inner world outward, with deep consciousness about all that surrounds us. I’m grateful to Michel who created a safe space with so much support and care for all our forms which came to life during these three days. The energy in the hall shifted, time flowed in a different way – we were given a lot of space for all our transformations.
Much has happened – my inner space shifter towards recognizing the pieces of the mosaic which tell the story of my life – from my childhood until today. As a little girl I often liked to play a wolf or a horse or a big wild cat…
Being able to experience my body, thoughts and emotions from the aspect of instinct, alertness and attention was amazing. I felt like an animal who was vigilantly observing everything around it, acknowledging its limitations… it was astonishing to connect with this part of myself – when the instinct enables you to feel yourself, the world around you, other dancers/animals, the space and sounds which surround us in the dance hall, the sounds coming from outside… all the changes…
With ease and through play we moved out of our own limitations. I allowed myself to transform into different animals. From each animal I received its message with gratitude; that which I needed to bring to consciousness, release, and surrender… For me Animal Dancer was an extraordinary experience of presence in my body, alertness in all the senses, focus, awareness of myself and of my surroundings, awareness of sounds, different energies, of accepting the change that occurs from one second to the next… Animal Dancer is an experience of trusting my body, trusting my instincts, my intuition, and the Universe.
It was marvellous to dance through all the spaces which were opening, to meet other dancers moving through their own worlds! I would like to thank all the dancers at the Animal Dancer. Thank you Michel for the Animal Dancer and the magic of ritual theatre at the end of the workshop!
Acceptance - Love - Respect - Gratitude - Joie de vivre - Liberation - Awareness - Focus Today is NOW.
Vesna
Feedback from Waves, Belgrade, 2008:
Most of the people when hearing the music instinctively move their bodies in the rhythm. Some of us do it shyly, just tapping with feet or fingers; some of us are freer and sway or go into the trans. Some of us believe they are hell of dancers; some are choking the impulses of their bodies believing they look ridiculous when dancing.
Imagine dancing without rules, just letting your body move following its deepest instincts – there’s simply no way you can make a wrong step, however you dance is great, because it’s authentic and it’s you. Soooo liberating! This is what I experienced this weekend on a dancing workshop “5 Rhythms”, system established by Gabrielle Roth, and held in Belgrade Rex Cultural Centre by Silvija Tomcik.
I should also say that I never went to a single proper dancing class, that I’m not particularly musical person, but that I passionately love rhythm and music, that I enjoy when my body is in motion.
This is just big thanks to Silvija and her Zagreb team, organizers Zoe and Suncica from “Zene na delu” and the whole group of wonderful people for wild, joyful, serene, warm, exhausting, liberating, crazy, poetic, in&out of tune dancing!
Olivera
Feedback from Body Rhythms, Budapest, 2007:
Silvija,
You do not know how much you gave me with that instruction that we should move our heads. As I could let my head move on its own way I almost fell into another world. And I was in it until did not start to keep my head up again. And then I saw persons who’s head was up and I saw how strongly they controlled their own movements and I saw other who was in a very similar state of “trance” as I was. By now I know clearly the difference.
It was fantastic. Thank you, Laszlo, on his way to be free
Feedback from Vienna:
Dancing with you Silvija, was from the first time… and still is, easy to BE, without effort, nothing to be DONE from myself. As you use the „right“ amount of words: enough to get understanding, and not too much to disconnect and you stay in „your“ language, not meaning croatian, but your „wording“. You pick up questions, and sometimes answer them directly, sometimes giving impulses. You give your OWN examples, which I enjoy tremendously because it meets for me authenticity and honesty. So that’s supporting me to give myself permission to let go of my restraints, insecurities. Because there is no right or wrong. I feel welcome, when I see you receiving all of us individuals, different peoples by responding to us (in dialogue, questions…). And I feel your presence: when I look at you during dancing, I can see, that also if you are at the computer that you notice me looking at you, and see you observing. You give yourself to the dance by showing yourself in your words/actions/interactions/dance.
Dancing 5R for me is: to incorporate and at the same time transform and letting go of my inner processes also on my body level. With love and care and joy Katharina
Feedback from «Relating through Rhythms», Vienna, April, 2007:
It happened very spontaneously that I actually participated at the workshop… but it seemed to have a space (both practically and emotionally), so it had to happen.
I did not have a heavy baggage to get rid of, nor did I feel my heart heavy beforehand. I came as an open and curious person. It gave me joy first of all. I realised (again) how fantastic physical contacts can be, even with strangers, and how deeply we humans are connected to each other. I gained lots of energy.
I was particularly touched by one situation. On the first day we had to find a partner and roll to them, then find a touch and hold it…while feeling the closeness, the warmth of the other. After a few minutes we sat up. We were both touched, but my partner was crying and told me how good it was for her and how beautiful she found me.
This was a wonderful thing to hear, as I have taken such a long inner and outer journey in the past years in order to be able to love better and to be lighter…. if any of it shows now, if I am a person who can give this way (just with my being), than it is a great feast. A feast of my whole life: of growth, of meaning, of possibilities. This experience has also inspired me to find a way where I can give more of myself to others. So I am seeking…and will keep seeking…
Dance is a recent discovery in my life, although it seems like a realisation of an old dream from unaware times. I do not know where discovering my own dance will lead me. It seems to be a very good complement to my ongoing psychodrama training, and to my recent “arrival in the body”, my regular yoga practice.
You seem to be a very strong woman, someone who has seen a lot, including the shadows. You are also very free and honest to yourself. Your feelings seem to be close to your heart, which is a rare quality these days. You have the passion to fill others with fire.
Many thanks for the inspiration and for your presence. Orsolya
Feedback from When Love Comes To The Body, July 2010., London :
I realize my body is a safe refuge in tough moments. A place I can go, a place I can stay, my place, doubt free, question free. A place where I know my truth is. Even though it’s changing, even though I can’t figure it out, I can feel it’s there and it’s enough for me to rest, to recover, to start over again.
My body loves me by telling me what is important and what is good for me. My body loves me by connecting me to the world and the people around when I don’t know how to connect.
My body loves me – and that’s brand new – by helping my mind making choices and decisions that are healthy
My body loves me by helping me accepting THIS specific life is all about ME and that it is OK
With much Love & Gratitude
Mounira
Feedback from When Love Comes To The Body, Budapest, 2010.
Many thanks for the weekend!!! I hope that always more and more people will get the joy, happiness, feelings through taking part an a 5 Rhythms workshop.
I know the 5 Rhythms is not the only way to get closer to what we are but it works!
I don’t wanna write here a long letter, but the feelings are still working in me after this weekend, and I’m very, very proud of that I’ve found something important fact about the errors, mistakes: it showed me that the errors give us the chance to born something brand new. And it means to me that to fall or to make a mistakes can lead us/me into new adventure instead of blaming myself:-)
Thanks to you for doing and teaching 5 Rhythms!!!!!
Keep movin’ 
))))
Szilárd
