BODY VOICE CENTRE

What's on in 2026.

THEATRE FOR LIFE with John Bolton. 9.30am-3.30pm Monday-Friday 27th July-14th August, 2026.
All enquiries: [email protected]
In this 3-week intensive, participants will use their life-story to make theatre and use theatre to illuminate their lives.
We will explore the big stories of challenge and change, of success and failure, and the small stuff; the details that make us tick. We’ll recreate our nightmares and our sweet dreams and the story that needs to be told. It’s the story we know intimately, and the story we will learn more about by doing this work. It is not psychodrama or therapy but it is therapeutic.
Participants will work solo, in duos and in groups. There will be daily acting classes to provoke surprising forms and styles, to play with rhythm and space, to go between abstract and concrete, between literal and metaphoric. There will be storytelling, writing, drawing, singing and contemplation.
You are allowed to keep secrets. It is not about over sharing.
All enquiries: [email protected]

John Bolton has a special interest in making theatre from personal stories. He has co-created and directed eight such pieces over the last thirty years including the following;
Thumbul Balang Tom E. Lewis was the star of the seminal Australian film; The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith. Thumbul was Tom’s autobiography, focusing on the making of that film and his subsequent creative life. Premiered at Gasworks, Melbourne, it also toured country Victoria.
The Odyssey Andreas Litras’ parents were born in Greece. Odyssey is the story of their arrival in Australia, setting up a fish and chip shop and raising a family melded with the story of Odysseus and his final return home after the battles of Troy. Odyssey was invited to the main stage of the Melbourne and Adelaide Festivals, the Barbican International Theatre Event in London as well as many other international and national tours.
I Don’t Wanna Play House I Don’t Wanna Play House is the longest running indigenous show in Australian history. It tells the story of Tammy Anderson’s childhood and adolescence, a hero’s journey through abuse and constant movement between places of safety to her flowering as an artist and mother. It was invited to The Malthouse, The Dublin and Hong Kong Festivals and toured nationally and internationally.
The Baby Show Donna Jackson established The Women’s Circus in Melbourne and has directed ground-breaking shows throughout Australia. As a baby she was adopted. She loves dogs. The Baby Show examined the history and politics of adoption as well as exploring her own story. Her dog also did some tricks. What started as a solo show became a twenty-two-person extravaganza (with the Willin’ Wimmin choir) that toured country Victoria after sell-out Melbourne seasons.
Last Words Joseph Sherman arrived in Australia with his family when he was ten. The show explores his life, his family’s life, both in Odessa and in Australia, and how the cultural amnesia in Soviet Russian society forgot its poets, its heroes. It also explores the more personal forgetting involved in the dementia of his father.

MOVEMENT IS MEDICINE with Zee.
6:15 pm-8:00 pm Friday 19th of June, 2026
Facilitator: Zee
This workshop is for people who feel disconnected from their body and want to build strength, confidence, balance, and grounded energy to support everyday life and future growth.
We will connect through movement and dance!
For more information, email: [email protected] or people can also follow me on Instagram: Mumma_ganja1
Ticket link! https://events.humanitix.com/movement-is-the-medicin

ABADÁ Capoeira classes with Caroline for adults/teens, and kids aged 7–12.
Adults & teens: Mondays 12pm and Fridays 6pm.
Kids: Fridays 5pm
Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian art form that combines martial arts, movement, music, culture, fitness and community. Classes are beginner-friendly and focus on building confidence, coordination, strength, rhythm and connection in a fun and supportive environment.
Classes are led by Caroline, who has been training with ABADÁ Capoeira for 7 years and brings professional experience in supporting neurodivergent children and families. Sessions are welcoming, inclusive and supportive of different learning styles, abilities and confidence levels.
Music sessions: Included as part of Capoeira training, with opportunities to learn rhythm, singing and traditional instruments.
First class free. Concession and family discounts available.
Book a free trial - 0492987320

FOOTSCRAY GYPSY ORCHESTRA conducted by Terry Cole - band leader extraordinaire.
7.45-10pm every 2nd Tuesday evening.
Fees: $10 supper provided. Pay as you go.
All instruments and singers are welcome.
All inquiries: [email protected] or phone: 0425 751 381
FgO is a world music community orchestra based at the Body Voice Centre in Footscray in the western suburbs of Melbourne. Our repertoire focuses on klezmer, gypsy, balkan and other music. Easy parts are provided for less experienced players.
All instruments and singers are welcome. Percussion instruments will be kept to a minimum to let the quieter players have a go, so if you’ve got something you’d like to bang or shake, check in with us before the rehearsal and we’ll have a chat about it. In true gypsy style, our sound is influenced by whatever wonderful array of musicians turn up.
Whatever your instrument is, we’ll find a place for it. Bring a music stand, pencil and folder. Sheet music is provided and is also available via Google Drive.
Performances happen from time to time at local festivals and events.
FgO has a number of gigs coming up.
If you have any enquiries please feel free to
email: [email protected] or
call Terry: 0425 751 381
https://www.facebook.com/FootscrayGypsyOrchestra

SACRED PSYCHOLOGY www.sacred-psychology.com with Tammy Ben-Shaul.
COMMUNITY RED TENT GATHERINGS (held monthly).
7pm - 10pm Sat each month.
Book here: events.humanitix.com/red-tent-gathering-women-s-circle
WISDOM OF CYCLES WORKSHOPS and other group experiences.
The gatherings and workshops are held towards body, heart and mind healing. Those are hosted by SACRED PSYCHOLOGY which is an orientation and a modality for integrated wisdom practices. Sacred psychology was founded by Tammy Ben-Shaul to answer the need modern society has towards deepening and broadening our experiences of connection.
MONTHLY RED TENT women’s circles are evening gatherings that include rituals to call ourselves to the present moment, focusing guided meditation and facilitated heart centered conversations. You can book to the women’s circles here: events.humanitix.com/red-tent-gathering-women-s-circle
WISDOM OF CYCLES workshops are held to learn how to anchor ourselves in reality. The cycle of Birth, Growth, Full Bloom, Harvest, Decay, Death and Re-Birth governs five cycles that is right in front of our eyes: Seasonal, Daily, Lunar, Menstrual and Life Stage cycles all follow the same cycle, at varying paces.
SHAMANIC WOMANCRAFT teachings: These can be experienced either as a one on one, or a group gathering learning about our Birth Imprint, Red Thread, Sacred Wound, Rites of Passage and Birth Formula.
Rites of PASSAGE CELEBRATIONS: Tammy gathers women of your own tribe around Menarche (first bleed), Mother Blessings, Transition to Sagescence (menopause) celebrations.
Tammy Ben-Shaul, PhD https://www.tammybenshaul.com/, is an accredited clinical psychologist and a certified psychoanalytic relational psychotherapist, Shamanic Womancraft practitioner, Yoga teacher, Menstrual Educator. She’s a Buddha Dharma practitioner and an avid women’s psychological development researcher, teacher and speaker.
To contact and for more information: Email: [email protected] Phone: 0432883083 Website: www.sacred-psychology.com You can always join Sacred Psychology’s Community on whatsapp. This is a no cost, information and wisdom of cycles prompts: chat.whatsapp.com/D1E9iRxGl2g2dK2W80Fifs

SAUNDERKAN JU-JITSU
Alternating Monday and Tuesday nights in 2026, 6.30pm - 8pm.
First 2 sessions are free.
All enquiries here.

CONNECTED BODY with Ailsa Woodhouse
TRE® Foundations Course – Wednesday evenings, 7:15–8:30pm
Investment: $140
For enquiries please email: [email protected]
www.connectedbody.com.au
Places are limited – bookings essential.
This 5-week course introduces you to TRE® (Tension and Trauma Release Exercises), a gentle yet powerful self help practice designed to support your nervous system to release deeply-held stress and tension. Together, we’ll explore how to safely connect with, regulate and follow your body’s natural tremoring process, allowing you to discover a calmer, more resilient way of being.
By the end of the course you will have the skills to continue your practice independently at home, where regular practice allows the benefits to gently deepen and unfold over time. Each session concludes with a 15-minute sound bath with Tibetan and crystal bowls to support integration and rest.

Creative Voice Workshop with Hilde Knottenbelt. All enquiries contact Hilde [email protected]
2-Day Creative Voice Workshop Saturday 2 May, 2:00pm-6pm Sunday 3 May, 11:00am-5:30pm
This workshop will involve exploring the expressive capacity of the human voice and bringing together connections between voice, body, breath and the imagination.
Participants will be lead in processes that enable co-creating improvised vocal music with others; including harmony, melody, text, vocal rhythms and story.
Drawing on these elements will enable participants to enter the realms of human experiencing using the voice as an instrument of creative expression and sensitive responding.
The workshop is for:
People who want to develop their creativity through voice, aspiring and established singers, improvisers, people who sing in choirs, and people who simply have a desire to sing with others and are ready to give it a go. It may also be of interest to musicians, voice teachers, music therapists, creative arts therapists, playback theatre practitioners and to people who love the immediacy of working in the moment.
Facilitator
Hilde Knottenbelt began developing this process in 1987. Since then she has led workshops throughout Australia, New Zealand and in Switzerland. Hilde has an extensive background in the creative arts and psychodrama and brings a wealth of knowledge and insight to every workshop. She skilfully facilitates groups of all backgrounds and abilities, creating a relaxed and supportive atmosphere in which to explore, create and express through the medium of voice. Based in Melbourne, Hilde has a private practice in voice work, counselling and supervision.
Phone: +61 419 192 187
email: [email protected]
fb.me/CreativeVoicewithHilde
http://www.creativevoice.net.au

FOOTSCRAY COMMUNITY SING-A-LONG CHOIR
Singing together - Keeping connected - Joyful and fun.
Led by John Howard. Call John for all enquiries.
Thursdays from 7pm to 8.30pm during school terms. Weekly sessions from Thursday T1 29th January, T2 30th April 2026.
Casual $20/10 or by the term.
Contact John 0430 120 436 for bookings or just come along.
COME AND SING WITH US
No auditions, ever. No previous experience necessary. All voice types welcome including those who have been told they “can’t sing”.
TRY SINGING
It’s good exercise and great for connecting with others.
Our goals: fun, wellbeing, inclusiveness, MUSIC!
FIRST TRY-OUT SESSION IS FREE
New singers can join any time. First session with the group is free! Then $20/$10 a session casual, or join for the whole term. Talk to John if you are money strapped.
All are welcome.
Contact John 0430 120 436 for questions.

PRACTICE YOGA with Lisa Sommerlad
Lisa is a senior qualified yoga teacher with a creative and intuitive approach to guiding yoga & meditation classes.
Lisa specialises in 1:1 sessions & family sessions, with a commitment to offering yoga for clients with specific needs of all ages and abilities, held in the Small Studio.
She is available for primary, secondary school & university Well-being incursions and Yoga sessions at aged-care centres, workplaces and events.
Whether you are after a one-off personalised session or ongoing lessons, feel free to be in touch with Lisa to discuss your requirements.
Lisa 0431590109 www.binducreativedanceandyoga.com.au

SUN YOGA with Lisa Worley. Tuesday evenings in 2026.
General Hatha yoga classes for adults.
They are gentle and slow paced, developing a deep meditative focus that nourishes your body, heart and mind.You will strengthen and stretch, relax and focus, slow down and breathe...
Casual attendance welcome. First class FREE :-) Join anytime.
Info and bookings call Lisa 0411 111 794

IYENGAR YOGA with Vanessa Shribman. Thursdays and Saturdays 2026
Contact Vanessa for all enquiries: Phone or Email or Web
Class Pass here.

Yoga maybe the way out of Chronic Pain
Have you ever noticed how your emotional state and wellbeing affect your pain? You may have noticed when someone knocks into you in a crowd that If you are sleep deprived or upset the pain is worse than when you are feeling fine. AFL players fail to notice a hamstring tear when they are kicking the winning goal; women when describing the birth of their baby hardly mention the pain when they felt safe, supported and in control. Is this a strange anomaly or is it explained in the physiology of pain? I have just come across the Pain Management Workbook by Pain Psychologist Rachel Zoffness. It reiterates all I learned in neuroscience and explains what we now know about pain and the brain. We know so much more about pain through the study of neuroscience and through the fMRI of the brain when in pain.
Pain is not rooted only in the body. Pain is interpreted by the brain. It is influenced by how we are feeling and by the social context of our situation. This does not mean that there is nothing physically wrong when we feel pain but the extent of the physical injury or condition can be down played or up played by the brain. This happens in the examples I gave above. In the case of chronic pain (which is pain felt for longer than 3 months) pain can be even more complex because it becomes wired into the part of the brain which controls the physical body and can extend out into other parts of the brain We talk about different areas of the brain lighting up when we feel chronic pain. When we are in challenging emotional states, depressed, anxious, tired more areas of the brain light up sending more danger signals and increasing the intensity of the pain. Believe it or not this is good news for those experiencing chronic pain. If we can undertake activities which change the focus of the mind and or relax us, the pain intensity can decrease significantly. Research has discovered that graded mindful activity is the best way to change that neuronal wiring that embeds the pain cycle. We want to go to bed and hide when we are in pain but in the case of chronic pain that is the worst thing we can do. Yoga fits the bill of graded, mindful activity. Not all yoga is equal in chronic pain management. The movements need to be guided, slow and controlled. Practitioners need to be mindful and conscious. This is where Iyengar Yoga reigns supreme as it can be all of these things at once. It is also supported with props and taught by experienced and trained teachers making it the perfect modality to deal with pain and the fear that accompanies it.
If you are suffering from pain, ensure that you attend classes with a certified Iyengar teacher who can modify the classes for your needs.

HULA HOOP CLASS with Donna Sparx. Check in with Donna for online options.
7.30-8.45pm on Wednesdays in 2026.
Tix available throughout the term (unless sold out) and every hula hoop class is designed as a stand-alone – meaning you can join at any time and slot right in!
Do you feel like it’s time to inject some fun, fitness and flow into your world?
Needing to tone up, tune in and take some time out for you?
This class will get the body moving and grooving with a hula hoop.
If you are looking for new ways to get fit, relax, have fun, connect with other awesome people and play, then Hoop Sparx classes are for you!
Our hula hoop classes are a combination of inspiration, fitness, tech, flow, play and dance. Classes include instruction, practice and challenges for everyone at all levels.
There are 5-10 hoopers in every class aged from about 20-65!
WARNING: Once you come to hoop class, it's likely you will end up:
a) totally addicted
b) part of a really awesome community
c) getting toned without even noticing you're doing a workout
d) giggling more
e) surprising yourself at what your body can do
f) having more fun and joy in your world
Each term runs for 8 weeks and each class focuses on different moves, tricks, drills, transitions and concepts. Classes don’t add on to each other so you can join at any time although, people who come more regularly do start to get comfortable in the hula hoop and begin to pick things up a little quicker.
About the facilitator:
Donna Sparx is a professional hula hoop dancer who is passionate about bringing the dance into the hoop and sharing the freedom found in play and flow. Recognised globally for her creativity, innovation, flow facilitation and playful approach, she has shared the hoopla with thousands of people aged 2 to 72! Donna has performed with the Women’s Circus and at many festivals and events. She brings a passion and playfulness to her work that is infectious.
Her motto: Do it ‘til you can.
What to bring: All hoops provided and sanitised for covid safety. BYO playfulness, water bottle and wear comfy clothes.
Stay connected: Web: www.hoopsparx.com. Facebook: www.facebook.com/hoopsparx Instagram: @donnasparx

ADULTS ARTS THERAPY GROUP with Kimberley. By appointment.
NDIS and all people are welcome.
Found Objects Creative Therapies invites you to an inclusive environment to support mental health and wellbeing in a safe and supported environment. The group offers an opportunity to engage with a variety of art materials and creative processes as a form of self-expression, providing connection and inspiration, in a supportive environment.
No art experience needed.
Some of the benefits of group art therapy sessions support participants in creating opportunities for social interaction, and reducing feelings of isolation and loneliness. Group activities foster a sense of community and belonging, allowing engagement in materials and with other like minded participants.

Each session will have a theme and allow a variety of materials to be explored, however those who prefer, can use it as an open studio to create as they choose.
Morning tea and all materials are provided. Small groups, booking required.

About Found Objects Creative Therapies:
Found Object Creative Therapies was founded by Creative Arts Therapist Kimberly Howeler AThR in 2023. Kimberly has a BA (Visual Arts) MTAP (Therapeutic Arts Practise) has experience supporting individuals from paediatrics to the elderly facing mental health challenges, AOD recovery, and people with ASD/ADHD/IL/PDA in both community and clinical settings. She facilitates groups and one on one session.

Kimberly’s passion lies in engaging with people, their unique stories, and their diverse experiences, fostering a spirit of curiosity within the therapeutic space. Her primary goal is to cultivate a non-judgmental, person-centered environment that embraces a multi-modal approach to therapy.

Kimberly is based in Footscray and is a professional member of ANZACATA. She is available for one on one or group sessions.

Enquires and bookings: Please reach out to Kimberly for more information and bookings.
Phone: 0475 403 722
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.foundobjectstherapies.com.au

THE PALMIST IS IN with Ruth Gale. Book Ruth for an online or in person session.
You have a map to your life in your hands. It can tell you who you are and why you are here. I can read it for you.
I can identify your life purpose, areas of challenge and soul path. You'll gain an expanded sense of who you are and why you are here. Phone 0439947287 or email Ruth to make an appointment. Sessions are available over the internet.

ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE with Shona Innes.
Shona is offering a couple of different types of lessons. The first is the usual hands-on lesson and the second a hands-off lesson (in Alexander language called a "talkthrough".) A "Talk through" can accomodate social distancing and is something which is standard practice for Shona.
THE THINKING BODY with Shona Innes. Alexander Technique lessons, Experiential Anatomy and Todd Alignment are Shona's areas of expertise.
Hands washing and usual precautions apply.
Find out how the Alexander Technique can help you with Pain Posture Performance Stress Management
Shona: 0421 285 338 [email protected]
Footscray, Fitzroy
Shona offers private classes. Contact Shona for booking.

LIFEWISE COACHING Online with Marg Peck.
Lifewise coaching and mentoring. Life and health coaching move towards ease, growth, creativity and joy. Clarify your personal and professional purpose and authentic mission. Align with values and create life balance. Realise our gifts and share them in creative and sustainable ways.