The Liberato Method

A body reeducation technique through dance 

The Liberato Method is a body reeducation technique. It is the result of a research on dance and the multidimensionality of the body in motion, carried out by Xandy Liberato and his team during the years 2009-2020. 

Its practice invites us to remember and reconnect with the freedom and purity of the body in motion, and at the same time it provides a body reeducation system which offers us the possibility of recognizing our body with the aim to develop our abilities and enhance our body awareness and expression, having a positive impact on health.  

The Liberato Method integrates a set of techniques and exercises theoretically and empirically based, as well as its own pedagogy which is totally adaptable and applicable to different fields, conditions, or life situations. 

Communication, flow, and sensitivity 

Communication, flow, and sensitivity are the main focus in this method that leads us to be aware of our own movement quality and body habits, to flow our body in new ways, and to bring awareness on aspects which we were unaware of.  

Self-discovery & Self-development 

Through genuine and spontaneous body movement, a process of constant self-discovery and self-development is facilitated. Each practice, dynamic, and exercise helps us to start an organic reconnection process with ourselves, with the others and with the environment. This knowledge can be applied in any areas of our life.  

Liberato Method essential exercises 

The essential exercises are what lies at the very core of the method. They were created with the intention of producing different stimuli and recreating situations in which the relationship with oneself, with other and with the environment are experienced through movement and dance. These exercises relate body movement with our every-day life, hence the correlation between dance and life. 

These exercises cover a wide spectrum of body possibilities and qualities, and they enable experiences in which every action is transformed in a dance originating from the present moment. 

While we experience the exercises, through self-observation, we have the possibility to discover and recognize how our body moves, how to find balance through a more conscious expression and how to dive deeper as we keep learning new or different ways of expression, since the learning process can be infinite.  

During this process, we can perceive some aspects about our body in motion and our behavior regarding our dance or life which we were previously unaware of. All of this might foster openness to change and a self-transformation process.  

The simplicity of the exercises makes it easier for any person to experiment them, regardless of how much body experience they have. These features are what makes it an inclusive method suitable for any person and any field. 

The Liberato pedagogy 

The Liberato Method incorporates a pedagogy based on the intelligence of the body in motion which is framed in a set of principles and values (such as self-responsibility, respect, freedom of choice and listening), always present throughout the whole practice. This education system benefits the person to experience and learn according to their own rhythm and to express themselves as they are. 

The Liberato Method welcomes diversity and can be adapted to any person, group, or field. For this reason, it is applicable to different depth levels according to each one’s needs or situation.  

Effects of the Liberato Method 

It has been applied to thousands of people in more than 30 countries, and very satisfactory results have been observed. According to the qualitative research on the Liberato Method’s possible social and emotional effects, carried out in 2020 together with the Social Psychology Department of the University of Valencia (Spain), a large amount of people has experienced the following effects: 

• increased body awareness 
• increased connection with oneself and the others 
• increased self-confidence and confidence towards others 
• more empathetic communication 
• more conscious relationships 
• listening development 
• sensitivity development 
• changes in the emotional behavior 
• increased enjoyment ability 
• experiences of freedom 
• changes in the way of dancing and living 
• increased social abilities 
• change of mindset 
• professional reorientation. 

The Liberato Method creation process and its academic connection 

The Liberato Method started taking shape from the connections that Xandy Liberato established throughout various stages in his life among traditional Brazilian dances, partner dance and contemporary dance as well as his professional background and his own search for self-knowledge.  

These connections generated a research process back in 2009, year in which he started developing his method. It was in 2015 when he formalized it by forming the Liberato research team, aiming to support the creation of the Liberato Method.  

In pursuit of going deeper, the Liberato research team, created a link with the academic world. In 2017, before bearing the official name ‘Liberato Method’, some studies on the current trends in partner dance were carried out with works as Laura Tonini’s, from the Federal Institute of Brasilia (Brazil), about her experience in partner dance and the influence that Liberato had throughout her whole process. 

Likewise, in May 2007, Joana Paula de Barros, educator from the Universidade de São Paulo (USP, Brazil) presented, in the framework of her master’s degree final work of the Faculdade Metropolitana de São Paulo (Brazil), a poster titled “Pedagogy of ballroom dancing: the context of creating a method” (“Pedagogia da dança de salão: o contexto da criação de um método”) in the 13th International Congress of Qualitative Research in Illinois (USA). Then, and after participating in three of the Liberato Retreats on the Liberato Method, Joana Paula de Barros applied her acquired knowledge in the teaching and research project of the USP “Dance as a body practice focused on body awareness, from general principles of somatic education” (“A dança como prática corporal com foco na consciência do corpo, a partir de princípios gerais de Educação Somática”). 

Later on, a partnership between Joana Paula de Barros, Xandy Liberato and Judit Triguero came up to present, on 16 and 17 of November 2018, the poster “Communication in social dance: challenges of contemporaneity (“La comunicación en la danza social: desafíos de la contemporaneidad”) and the communication “Social dance: pedagogic processes according to the Liberato’s perspective” in the 5th National Congress and the 2nd International Research Congress in Dance in Seville (Spain). 

In their commitment to keep deepening on the impact of the Liberato Method, the Liberato research team signed an agreement with the Faculty of Psychology’s Department of Social Psychology at the University of Valencia (Spain), between November 2018 and July 2019. During this agreement, the research project “Liberato Method’s effects on wellbeing. CPI-19-012” was carried out. To do that, a mixed method approach combining quantitative and qualitative perspectives was employed. The results of the research are in analysis process and its results are to be published in the future.  

The Liberato Method and its application: 

The Liberato Method addresses people interested in: 

Dance:

• Professional or amateur dancers willing to learn more technique and gain more consciousness for some traditional partner dance, such as Zouk, Salsa, Bachata, West Coast Swing, Blues, Forró, etc. 
• People who want to dance freely with a partner and are open to new bodily possibilities 
• People who want to start or reconnect with dance 

Movement as a way of self-knowledge from: 

• Psychology 
• Holistic Therapies 
• Integrative Medicine 
• Coaching 

Research on movement and dance 

• University and independent researchers in Dance, Dance therapy, Art therapy, Psychology, Sociology, Communication, Physiotherapy, etc. 

Artistic and bodily disciplines such as: 

• Music 
• Acting and performance 
• Sport 
• Yoga 
• Pilates 
• Biodanza 
• Circus arts 

Development in relationships: 

• Self-relationship 
• Partner relationship 
• Relatives relationship 
• Social relationship 
• Professional relationship