Our guest in this episode is Zac Jones - Heal Yourself and Move
Zac comes from an incredibly rich movement background: a graduate of the Australian Ballet School, Soloist with the Queensland Ballet and the Expressions Dance Company. He's a second degree black belt in Aikido, first degree black belt and teacher in Filipino Arnis, and continues to study Kung Fu and Russian Systema. Zac also holds a Masters of Fine Arts in Choreography from the Victorian College of the Arts. Zac was Strength Coach at the Australian Ballet School for five years and has studied body mindfulness and somatic practices, including Continuum, Idiokinetics, Skinner Release Body-mind Centering and Contact Improvisation. Drawing on his vast range of experiences, Zac founded Heal Yourself and Move in 2014 and now teachers into dance schools around the world, focusing on movement, intelligence, relaxation, and training the body to be the teacher. Zac welcome to the show.
[1:59] Zac talks about his introduction to Pilates around 1995 studying at the Australian Ballet Centre in Southbank, Melbourne, and training with Andrew Baxter, who was one of the early pioneers bringing Pilates to Australia. This was the beginning of understanding how to link body concepts to find technical breakthrough in a high-level skill pursuit,
[5:34] Zac recalls his first impressions of working with Andrew in a small group setting with some ballet demi-gods, and Pilates giving him a sense of alignment, engagement, and perfect tuning.
[11:14] When Zac receives a strong grounding through Paul Cini’s APMA focus on clinical application and the connection of anatomy and physiology. He also credits Wendy Smith (Studio 303) and Steph Glickman (Armature Pilates).
[16:12] Zac describes other influences on his teaching – the somatic approach, Franklin, Ideokinetics, Skinner Releasing, Body Mind Centring and Continuum, and Feldenkrais.
[17:01] Bruce asks how martial arts and Aikido added to the blend of influences.
[22:31] Zac describes his dislike of set programming and how it feels antithetical to his personal experience of Pilates. Joseph Pilates was a continual innovator.
[26:45] Zac gets excited with the ongoing process of working on solutions for people or himself and getting breakthroughs.
[27:51] Bruce questions Zac about more recent developments in his teaching and Zac talks about going online and back into the dance world.
[32:17] A big discovery for Zac has been finding out that change is possible instantaneously; in particular, release from tension.
[34:57] Zac looks to what he wants to do in the future and explains the importance of listening to intuition.
[36:12] Bruce asks how musical percussion influences Zac’s work.
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