Martha Rice
Toronto, ON Canada
Tuesday classes online
9:00am-10:30am Eastern Time
Pay what you choose with a portion of the proceeds going towards Anishnwabe Health Toronto (https://aht.ca)
Follow @qoyatoronto or msg martha333@pm.me to join the mailing list to learn about online, in person classes and specialized voice workshops.
Hi, I'm Martha! I love exploring multiple streams of expression, whether it's through movement, language or voice.
For years I approached movement as an athlete, in my teens I was introduced to the mind-body connection, and it's fascinated me ever since. The mind-body-soul connection developed as I started practicing yoga and walking meditation in the labyrinth as a way to cope with the stresses of being in graduate school for speech pathology. Later, Qoya showed up during a health crisis, and this movement practice and community have nourished me on this wild dance we call life.
I'm a language geek who spent over 20 years working as a school-based speech language pathologist supporting kids to express themselves. I have a passion for all things language/literacy, social communication, and social emotional learning.
I returned to an old love of voice during the initial lockdown, so I'm singing again and have added voice therapy to my SLP services. Voice and vagus nerve practices are now integrated into my Qoya classes for teens and adults. Qoya provides opportunities to express ourselves through movement, and each class we practice noticing and following sensation. Bit by bit, we expand our vocabulary for sensation and feeling.
I'm a lover of ritual who desires to be in right relationship with pacha mama. While I live in an urban setting, I find ways to daily connect with the trees, water, and the sky, and I love inviting others to converse with nature in the city.
When did you take your first Qoya class? I was led to the online Qoya videos during time in my life when I was in a health and relationship crisis. I was on my knees in surrender. The movement and music medicine I found in Qoya were a vital part of the healing process. I remember the feelings of nervousness and wonder when taking my first in person class, then my heart expanded even more attending my first retreat.
What does it mean for you to teach Qoya? To be able to share the movement practice that helped me get out of my head and into my body is an honour. I love creating and exploring different themes in community each week. While the themes vary, the invitation to notice sensation in the body remains constant. Bit by bit, class by class, we practice noticing and following sensation.
What is your favorite song to dance to right now? In the mornings, I love moving to “One Voice” (Wallin' Jennys) to warm up my body and voice for the day. When I need an energy pick me up, I put on “Fire In My Soul (Walk Off the Earth).”
What book has inspired you on the path to embodying the feminine? Outrageous Openness, Letting the Divine Take the Lead (Tosha Silver)
Mary Magdalene Revealed (Meggan Watterson)
The Vein of Gold, the Journey to your Creative Heart (Julia Cameron)
Marion Woodman’s books
What would you tell someone who is thinking of taking a Qoya class for the first time? I was the kid/adult who thought she couldn't dance, so I avoided it. Qoya gives you permission to focus less on what it looks like and more on what it feels like. So bring your curiosity and willingness to explore noticing sensation while you move; there's no way to do it wrong!