Welcome to Soma Studies
Where Simplicity is key and physical intelligence blossoms.

CURRENT MADISON CLASSES

ADULT BALLET

Ongoing Classes - Madison, WI

SOMA STUDIES

Workshop Series - Madison, WI


Clarity in Action  -   Physical Fluency  -   Learning in Motion
A Lifetime of Exploration



Feldenkais is a neuromuscular method of re-education and addresses the mechanics of movement through attentive, small motions that provide an experience of sensory feedback. The Work is simple and direct. It feeds your system without using force and provides you with postural adjustments that help connect your overall self-use. 

Reset and Recover your physical well-being to set yourself up for the best possible outcome. 


Awareness Through Movement (ATM)

Lessons are uniquely designed to provide muscular release, skeletal alignment, and improved quality of movement.

The gentle approach allows people from all walks of life to participate and the meditative environment stimulates learning so body awareness and self-awareness can prosper.

Awaken to the inspired interaction of thought, feeling, sensation, and action.
 




There are over 1,000 different Awareness Through Movement Lessons and I’ve chosen 8 essential lessons from which to start a fantastic movement exploration! Reset and Recover with these lessons that work with all the basic movement principles such as extension, flexion, rotation, and breathing. Improve how you feel within yourself and trust that feeling better is within everyone’s range of possibility.

Movement is life, life is a process.

Improve the quality of the process and you improve the quality of life itself.


Moshe Feldenkrais

The creator of the Method, Moshe Feldenkrais, was a brilliant scientist and the deep intelligence within each lesson’s structure can be experienced over and over again for surprising results that will leave you feeling vital and renewed in such an easy way. 
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SomaStudies - A Lifetime of Exploration in Movement

Alignment, Articulation, and the Awareness of both are important aspects of healthy, functional movement.

At Soma Studies, we work with skeletal alignment to allow for a balanced use of muscle effort to take place. However, we also investigate the articulation and interaction of thinking, feeling, sensing, and moving. We observe the intricacies between motivation, intention, and action while we listen to our own reactions and natural responses to the world around us. If we understand what we do and how we do it, then and only then, can we achieve the desired outcome.

With curiosity and exploration, the details of movement and body will unfold into a beautiful flow of Physical Fluency.
 

Soma Studies Online Program

Somatic exploration can really blossom at home as it can be deeply satisfying to quietly sink into your experience within your personal surroundings.

One of the biggest wonders of somatic work is how people can feel such big change from such small, subtle movements.


Food for Thought

I am so happy to bring this Online and In-Person Program to you so that you may enjoy your physical learning from the privacy of your home and at your own pace.

CATRINA CHOATE-HERETOIU | Founder, SomaStudies

Catrina Choate-Heretoiu is a somatic practitioner and dance educator who works with recovery and learning through movement. She is the co-founder of Soma Studies which includes online/live somatic classes and is the creator of Soma Stories and Ballet Journeys.

While young, she trained at the prestigious School of American Ballet and then continued to dance professionally with Miami City Ballet, Carolina Ballet, and Miami Contemporary Dance Company. Catrina thrived in her performance career but she also understood movement from a healing perspective and chose to nurture an academic and somatic path. 

Catrina has a B.A. Degree in English Literature from Florida International University, an MFA Degree in Dance from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, and is certified in The Feldenkrais Method of Somatic Education. She has taught all levels of ballet and Feldenkrais at many conservatories throughout the U.S. and Europe such as the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Dance Department, Northern California Dance Conservatory, and Sacramento Ballet.  

Throughout Catrina’s life, movement has been the trusted language of communication and she understands that a somatic conversation through movement can reveal unexpected experiences that can promote learning, growth, relief, and ultimately connection.

 Movement is everything and everything is movement.