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Marlo Fisken is a dancer and movement educator that I really admire. In fact, she is the dance teacher and movement role model I wished I had as a kid.
I am both amazed by the crazy moves she can do on the pole, (just check out her videos on Instagram) and inspired by the healthy, loving relationship she has with her body, which also shows up in her teaching philosophy (she teaches a style of floor flow emphasizing continuous movement).
I first encountered Marlo online in 2015 through my book and training program, Dance Stronger. I wanted to speak with her because I personally feel I have a lot to learn from her, not just in terms of movement but in her relationship with movement.
Her style of movement education gives permission for people in all types and sizes of bodies from all movement backgrounds (including the lack thereof) to discover (or rediscover) that movement can and should be fun, playful, weird, and expressive, and that even going to the gym can be a creative act that does not need to look like what anyone’s expectation of a workout should be.
In our conversation, Marlo and I discuss:
- Her journey getting into dance and fitness
- Overcoming toxic messaging about her body size in dance training
- The main injuries and challenges she faced in her dance career and what helped her heal and move forward
- Why play is an important concept in movement education for adults, and how Stuart Brown’s writing and other play research has informed Marlo’s work
- The value of distraction, having fun, and finding something you love while recovering from injuries
- How to “design an environment” to foster better connection with your body when you can’t feel your body in motion
- How she manages her relationship with social media for mental wellbeing
- Her thoughts on conventional gym culture and fitness routines (and why its important to give permission to ourselves to do weird things in the gym)
And much more.
Our conversation gave me a lot to think about. I can see a lot in the way Marlo relates with movement, her body, and with her teaching that I can apply to myself and with my clients. I’m inspired to try to make my sessions more playful, and infuse more fun into my own movement practice.
I hope you enjoy this interview with Marlo Fisken.
Where to find Marlo online:
Marlo’s Website: www.flowmovement.net
Instagram: @marlofisken
YouTube (Marlo): https://www.youtube.com/c/marlodancer
YouTube (Flow Movement): https://www.youtube.com/user/flowmvmt
Here’s a little more about Marlo Fisken Things
I’ve always been immersed in movement. I’ve studied dance for 30 years and taught for 18 (not counting the many full-cast dance productions crafted in my childhood living room).
I’m a graduate of the Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts (as a modern dance major), and I have a degree in Anthropology and Public Relations from the University of Miami. Throughout my twenties, I lived in NYC and accumulated professional dance credits in movies, commercials, and TV. Simultaneously, I worked the fitness scene and seized every opportunity I could to learn about the human body.
I’m probably most known as a pole dance innovator. I started experimenting with the pole 13 years ago–before there were mainstream competitions. Pole confirmed that I have a knack for circular movement and that I love bringing lightheartedness and spark to activities people tend to take (very) seriously.
Flow Movement was born out of my desire to share the benefits of fluid, creative, dance-based movement with the world. Dance doesn’t have to be complicated or intimidating, though it too often is. The Flow Movement approach invites all people to move with imagination, sensuality, and sensitivity and to become more comfortable being on and playing with the floor.
