“Transformative Coaching Powered By”

“Somatic Counseling” “Personal Training” “Kinetic Playgrounds” “Storytelling Labs” “Join The Movement Culture!”

“Transformative Coaching Powered By

“Somatic Counseling”

“Personal Training”

“Kinetic Playgrounds”

“Storytelling Labs”

“Join Movement Culture”

  • Movement Playground: Awareness Lab is an educational system and community dedicated to movement culture, research, education and play.

    Ben leads workshops and coaching sessions with a tailored approach to Embodied Education dedicated to train humans for personal development with a strong focus on movement as the language and educational focus.

    We all sense our physical instrument is imbued with power and that mindful movement is an infinite source of intelligence, growth , and wellness. It is important therefore to create a community dedicated to embodied education.

    Body language is a term everyone understands yet very few teachers have sought to teach movement as a culture because it is elusive, extremely challenging, and requires a lot of education and perseverance. As an educational model it did not serve the industrial age yet mindful movement is the number one skill that defines us and separates us from machines.

    Movement as a language is the foundation of what makes us human and the cornerstone of what modern education is about.

  • As your dedicated coach I integrate mind, body, and spirit through four foundational pillars, guiding you towards a balanced, embodied and fulfilling life:

    1. Fire - Vitality & Movement

    Ignite your inner strength through dynamic physical practices that enhance your energy and resilience, allowing you to engage fully with life's challenges and opportunities.

    2. Air - Expression & Communication

    Master the art of breath, voice, and storytelling to improve your communication and self-expression, enriching your personal and professional interactions.

    3. Water - Creative Flow

    Unleash your creativity through dance and physical theatre, exploring and expressing your emotions to connect more deeply with yourself and others.

    4. Earth - Grounding & Awareness

    Cultivate mindfulness and stability with somatic coaching and meditation, grounding yourself to navigate life with greater awareness and inner peace.

    This holistic framework offers balance of structure and play, grounded in experiential learning and based on embodied cognition, psychology, neuroscience, exercise science, somatic education, and movement arts.

    “Get ready to level up your life with coaching for mind, body, and spirit!"

  • “If you want to be in truthful dialogue with your body, to reconnect with its natural intelligence, and to work with someone who will gently but masterfully guide you to towards that, then work with Ben! I completely trust his knowledge of how the body works, and his holistic, connected approach. ”

    — Sabrina Hayeem-Ladani

  • “A great practitioner is different than a great teacher.  I believe that Ben is both.  When I inevitably stumble in my grasp or execution of a concept, Ben is consistently able to discern the “why”, and he will immediately shift gears to a new exercise that frames the concept in a way that lays bare where I am falling short…and from there we can effectively work on improvement.  This ability to read in the moment how I am processing his instruction makes Ben a unique person and an excellent teacher. I feel fortunate to train with him.” “The exercises and training methods during our sessions - whether one on one or in group classes- are challenging, fun, and they get me thinking about how my mind and body can work in concert towards an objective.  Since I began working with Ben, I can see and feel positive results in everything from my breathing and posture to a level of confidence in my capability for self defense should the need arise. 

    — Greg E.

  • “Ben is the best trainer ever. He is a great teacher and person. I never miss his classes”

    — Maha Alasaker

  • “Studying under Ben's pedagogy was truly a step forward to the understanding of human bodies' capabilities. It is challenging and demands full focus. Ben will adapt himself to the student’s needs and will push them to reach their best creativity level. I got out of every class feeling fulfilled on a physical aspect and, most importantly, I found myself creating work.”

    — Tom Koch

  • “I felt extremely fulfilled going home - I’ve been telling all my friends and family about class and they are so intrigued by it all. ”

    -Millie Gibbons 

  • “This practice is beneficial to all, especially to all performers. Learning to understand, listen to and trust your body is essential to all truthful performance. This works allows you to explore yourself and teaches you techniques in releasing unwanted and unnecessary tension. “

    — Girshel Topuria

  • “ I have been using the techniques the past few days and they're really effective! I look forward to more!”

    — Danny Musengo

  • While I was aware of Asian martial arts in particular, I had never heard of Systema, a Russian martial art form.  However, since it was right around the corner, I decided to give it a go.  Unlike the Kung Fu I had previously studied for about a year, with endless slow repetition of various forms, Systema focuses on a small number of core principles, applied to different situations.  Ben teaches the class in a very hands-on, participatory fashion, making it comfortable for both newbies and more experienced participants.  We spend a lot of time with different partners using just our bodies and also knives, sticks, even a whip, working towards remaining calm and reducing long-held fears of hitting and being hit.  Each class ends with discussion and questions sitting in a circle about what we liked, didn’t like.  It’s a great workout and I’m finding it interesting and fun; I recommend it highly.

    — Larry Berkowitz

  • “Never before have I encountered a martial art that puts me so completely in my body.  After only a couple classes I found my awareness of my body increased exponentially, and I already had several years of martial arts and dance under my belt.  People chuckle when I tell them that we spend a solid half of class rolling on the floor, but my body now does things I had no idea it could do (like stand up from lying down without using my hands)!  Plus, who doesn't want to practice knife fighting blindfolded?!”

    — Robin Stillwater

  • “I've pursued many fitness modalities from structured cardio, to classic weight training, to pilates and yoga. Ben's creative, multidisciplinary, client-centered approach has seen my body change and improve in ways no other work has done before--increasing my joint mobility, lengthening my muscles, deepening my core strength, and giving me better balance. I move through the world better from having worked with Ben. All the while, he makes each session fun, different and interesting. I highly recommend him to anyone at any level of fitness wanting to feel better in their body.

    -Ben Stark

  • “Ben is a gifted healer. I had only time for two sessions with him. My left knee had been bothering me. Ben was able to give me significant relief by working on my entire physical structure rather than just the knee. I highly recommend him. You would be hard pressed to find a more knowledgeable and kind miracle worker. He will also set you up with a set of exercises address your specific needs.”

    — Dieter Gloeckler

  • “Benjamin taught me a lot. I first found him in order to heal or at least work on my scoliosis. The body exercises given are empowering…It’s shocking how awake and aware I now feel with his training.Life changing experience. I feel blessed and so thankful!”

    — Morgan Swierk

  • “My first session was a revelation.  I can only describe it as a combination of being taught how to adjust my own spine, to rethink how to move my body to correct the bad habits, and to stretch more deeply than any yoga class.  To my surprise I was tearful at the end of the session, partly due to the deep release and partly because for the first time ever I could see that there was light at the end of the pain tunnel. Ben’s gifted and intuitive teaching reminds me of seeing a master in that he can sense the issue before I try and explain it in words.  It is quite remarkable. “

    -Natalie Clark

Air.

The Expressive Body

Fire.

The Combative Body

Earth.

The Contemplative Body

Water.

The Creative Body

Akasha

The Celebrating Bodies

Training Studio Location

 

97 Rua Do Conde De Redondo, 1150-103 Lisbon

Phone
(724) 901 - 1217

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Contact:

"Embodied learning is not just about mastering movements; it's about discovering the language of the body and the stories it yearns to tell.”

The physical instrument is the seat of one’s experience of life in mind, body and spirit. Improve the instrument and the depth, range and quality of the experience increases.

  • Mission Statement:

    Advocating for the fundamental value of somatic awareness, storytelling and movement arts as intangible cultural heritage serving all aspects of society too often stripped away from our learning environments.

    Providing individuals, communities and organizations with opportunities to cultivate their physical instrument, question their body culture, investigate and express their narratives and creativity through storytelling and cross disciplinary art forms while advancing holistic education for the present day and the future.

    What I offer:

    • A progressive, science based framework, developed through a lifetime of practice and research, designed for achieving peak performance in mind, body and spirit through personal and group training.

    • Personal development including self inquiry and healing through somatic care, breathwork and meditation.

    • Skills for managing stress and improving emotional and physical resilience as well as self defense skills through combatives and martial art training.

    • Tools for developing Creative Expression through integrated movement arts and storytelling.

    • The ability for people to train for their physical (fitness) goals within the comfort of their home or in person at my studio as well as the opportunity to expand, grow and share those skills in group setting through community workshops.

    What is my Approach:

    My approach is a 4 element framework developed through professional certifications as well as a lifetime of personal practice, exploration, and research in the body of work of teachers, scientists and artists largely of the 20 and 21st century in lineages related to dance, theatre, martial arts, psychology and healing work.

    With a unique blend of expertise in somatic psychology and education, martial arts, personal training and physical theatre, I offer a holistic approach to supporting you on your journey to optimal health, creativity, and self-discovery.

    I am dedicated to empowering my clients to grow and thrive in all aspects of their lives. Whether you're looking to improve your physical fitness, deepen your mind-body connection, refine your performance skills, or enhance your communication abilities, I'm here to guide and support you every step of the way.

    Through personalized training sessions, innovative coaching techniques, and a supportive learning environment, I help clients build confidence, overcome challenges, and achieve lasting results. With a focus on individualized attention, goal-oriented programming, and a commitment to excellence, I'm passionate about helping my tribe reach their goals and live their best life.

    Experience the transformative power of personalized training and coaching. Let's travel on this journey together and reach for your best self.

    Location and Schedule:

    Privately at my studio and online as well as in workshops hosted internationally.

    Join the Tribe:

    Follow me on social media, joining the whatsapp community group, signing up for the newsletter. If you are interested in private training reach out to me by email, whatsapp, or dms on social media.

    Acknowledgements:

    I dedicate my work to my ancestors, my family, my friends and all the inspirations, teachers, scientists, artists and influences, that have come my way whether in my certified training programs, college education, or through personal inquiry and research. I apologize for those I have forgotten to mention as these figures represent a universe in of itself with constellations and galaxies for each lineage, explored, come across, admired, inspired from, tested, questioned and or pursued.

    (George Hebert, Etienne Decroux, Moshe Feldenkrais, Jean Pierre Barral, Andrew Taylor Still, William Sutherland, Ida Rohlf, Thomas Myers, Vladimir Vasiliev, Michael Ryabko, Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, BKS Iyengar, TKV Desikachar, Joseph Hubertus Pilates, Eugen Sandow, Max Sick, Alexander Zass, Charles Atlas, Jack LaLanne, Pavel Tatsouline, Francois Delsarte, Etienne Decroux, Jean Louis Barrault, Jacque Lecoq, Antonin Artaud, Marcel Marceau, Jerzy Marian Grotowski, Augusto Boal, Viola Spolin, Anton Chekhov, Konstantin Stanislavski, Vsevolod Meyerhold, Lee Strasberg, Sanford Meisner, Moliere, Shakespeare, Rudolph Laban, Pina Bausch, Martha Graham, Ohad Naharin, Keith Johnstone, Charlie Chaplin, Guy Laliberté, Anne Bogart, Viola Spolin, Bruce Lee, Yip Man, Morihei Ueshiba, Kano Jigoro, Zhang Sanfeng, Master Zhang, Wang Zhi Peng, Wong Shun-leung, Nino Bernardo, Hélio Gracie, Antonio Damasio, Immordino Yang, Daniel Wolpert, George Lakoff, Andrew Huberman, and so so many more...). These are some of the first names that come to heart as sources for constructing a culture and education of embodiment in motion and growth through storytelling and the cultivation of mind body spirit awareness.

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