Cristina Del Pozo Expands Somatic Practice in Pamplona
«What was only a hobby kept turning into something, until it became my profession», Cristina Del Pozo recalled of her early transition into classical and contemporary dance, navarracapital.es reported. The Pamplona-native dancer and instructor has brought the Feldenkrais Method to regular group and individual classes across the city, establishing sessions at La Bajera and Centro Laskurain after using the somatic practice to recover from a career-threatening ankle injury.
Ankle Surgery Prompted a Shift to Somatic Education
Del Pozo’s career as a professional dancer hit a major hurdle in 2001 when an ankle injury required surgery. Seeking alternatives to protect against recurrent injuries, she discovered the movement discipline developed by Moshé Feldenkrais, an engineer and physicist who founded his method after treating his own knee pain. The rehabilitation process led Del Pozo to Vitoria and eventually to Madrid, where she completed a four-year degree in Dance Pedagogy at the conservatory. In 2014, she began professional training with the Instituto Feldenkrais España in San Sebastián, earning international accreditation four years later alongside students from London, Egypt, Abu Dhabi, and Chile.
Pandemic Shutdowns Sparked Free Healthcare Classes
Although certified in 2014, Del Pozo initially kept teaching dance as her primary focus. The COVID-19 pandemic provided the opening to introduce the somatic practice to a broader audience, prompting her to offer free online classes for healthcare workers operating under severe stress. «For those holding up the hospitals, those classes were a release, a moment for themselves after everything they were giving», she noted, pointing out how the vocal-guided, equipment-free sessions helped reduce anxiety and physical tension among medical staff.
Diverse Participants Join Group Movement Sessions
Today, Del Pozo’s classes in Pamplona serve a wide cross-section of the public, including seniors, fibromyalgia patients, musicians, dancers, and individuals undergoing cancer treatment or injury rehabilitation. Unlike traditional fitness classes, participants do not mimic an instructor or lift heavy weights. Instead, verbal prompts encourage students to notice habitual tension in areas like the jaw, shoulders, and eyes. «If we force things too much, we block the movement», Del Pozo explained. «In Feldenkrais we look for the exact opposite; there is no pain.»
Upcoming Public Workshops and Talks in Pamplona
Alongside her ongoing work as a dance pedagogue and performer, Del Pozo is scheduled to lead open introductory workshops in Pamplona. She will also discuss the Feldenkrais Method at Top Women Talks Navarra, an upcoming event for women hosted at the Eurostars Pamplona hotel. In addition to her local sessions at La Bajera and Centro Laskurain, she continues to maintain remote classes for students located across Spain and abroad.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Feldenkrais Method
How do Feldenkrais classes work without physical demonstration?
Instructors guide participants entirely through verbal instructions, asking students to observe their own movement patterns, breathing, and muscle tension without copying a physical model. This approach allows each participant to work safely within their personal range of motion.
Who can participate in Cristina Del Pozo’s Pamplona classes?
The sessions accommodate varied physical needs, welcoming dancers, musicians, older adults, patients managing chronic pain like fibromialgia, and individuals recovering from injuries or medical treatments.
Where does Cristina Del Pozo teach in Pamplona?
She holds in-person group and individual sessions at La Bajera and Centro Laskurain, alongside remote classes for students joining from other regions and countries.
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