PRACTICAL DETAILS
Date: Saturday 22nd August 2026
Time: 18:00 - 19:00 - UK Time (check your time zone here)
Venue: Online via Zoom
Title: Dancing Fascia - Researching Fascia-tegrity with Dance
With: May Kesler with guests Betsy Ann Baron and Anne Willett. Also featuring John Sharkey
Note: The replay will be available in the Members' Area, Past Webinars section, normally two days after the live webinar.
SUMMARY
Through viewing and analyzing excerpts of fascia dances presented at the Fascia Research Society, participants will explore principles of fascial development and movement, including embryologic formation, geometry, interconnectedness, tension, compression, spirals, and fluid continuity.
The workshop will include guided fasciategrity-focused warmup and improvisation, experiencing exploration of individual fascial movement patterns to deepen three-dimensional understanding of the body in motion. Participants will be shown fascia-inspired fabric and tensegrity models as movement tools and dance props to support a deeper understanding of biotensegrity principles.
Discussion will include fascia fabric as an example of embryological development of fascia, hypermobility and hypomobility, stretching, formation and texture of restrictions, unwinding, rehydration, and healthy healing movement.
Participants will use the dancing body as a means of understanding the body through enhancing interoception, embodiment, and creativity, while also learning choreographic and artistic guidelines for movement exploration.
Participants will come away with:
- Greater embodied awareness of fascia with enhanced interoception, applying this to patient care.
- A bridge between scientific inquiry and artistic and creative discovery
- Guidelines for using poetry, fabric, art, movement, geometry, rhythm, video to describe fascia in motion, with the added benefit of using the body systems we are investigating.
- A deeper understanding of interconnected three-dimensional fascial movement and its relationship to manual therapy and fascial release
- Practical ways to use fascia fabric as a visual and tactile model for educating patients and health professionals
Note: All monthly member webinars are made available in the membership section a couple of days after the event.
PRESENTER
May Kesler, MA , MS, Mth, PT has been a dancer, physical therapist and massage therapist for more than 45 years. She received her MS in Physical Therapy from Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons in New York in 1982, and her MA in Dance and choreography from American University in Washington DC in 2001. A lifelong dancer and choreographer for more than 67 years, May began dancing as a child and continues to perform today.
Her extensive studies in movement disciplines include Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais Method, Rommett Floor-Barre ®️, Doug Varone’s choreography devices, and other wholistic dance and manual therapy practices, including Barnes Myofascial Release and Craniosacral therapy. Her passion for fascial anatomy, and biotensegrity, dance choreography and somatics is deeply integrated into her work at Kesler Physical & Massage Therapy in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
May’s dance works Fascia Illuminated and Graceful Tension-A Fascial Dance premiered through the Fascia Research Society conferences in Montreal in 2023 and New Orleans in 2025. Her dance films exploring fascia and movement have also been featured internationally in fascia and dance film festivals.
BetsyAnn Baron is a highly esteemed massage therapist and educator, embarking on her professional journey in 1991 and venturing into the realm of teaching in 2006.
Her early training was in Kinetic Swedish Massage™and Masso-Kinésithérapie in Montreal, Qc, Canada. Her educational path expanded to encompass Cranio-sacral Therapy and Visceral Manipulation through the Upledger Institute. In 2001 she completed her certification as a CORE Myofascial Therapist with George Kousaleos, subsequently delving into the world of Structural Integration with his CORE Structural Integration program. A member of the International Association of Structural Integrators (IASI), she earned board certification in their inaugural examination in 2007. Currently, she dedicates her time to applying philosophies and techniques that embrace structural integration into her practice.
Drawing from her diverse experiences, BetsyAnn developed Structural Myofascial Therapy®, currently a 3-level continuing education curriculum. Inspired by her teacher George Kousaleous and guided by the visionary principles of Dr. Ida P. Rolf, she has been sharing her expertise across Canada and Europe since 2006. Through her courses, she empowers manual therapists to enrich their practice with the distinctive myofascial philosophies she has cultivated.
Prior to immersing herself in the world of massage therapy, BetsyAnn enjoyed an engaging 15-year career as soloist with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens. Fuelled by her fascination with the intricate movements of the human body, she transitioned into studying the bio-workings of the body. Her first hand experience as a dancer uniquely positioned her to comprehend the profound impact of physical injuries on the body, igniting her passion to assist individuals in overcoming injuries and chronic pain.
BetsyAnn Baron is a Board-Certified Structural Integrator, member of the International Association of Structural Integrators (IASI) and a member of the Fédération Québecoise des Massothérapeutes (FQM).
Anne Lloyd Willett, MS, NPCP-NCPT is a movement therapist and somatic educator with over 30 years of clinical and teaching experience. Working through the lens of fascia and biotensegrity, she integrates somatic intelligence, body flow, breath therapy, and dance into her practice, bridging current fascial science with embodied application.
Anne brings extensive dance expertise as a student, teacher, and choreographer: studied with the Royal Academy of Dance in London as a child, she went on to dance with a Martha Graham-based company and perform regional musical theatre in the San Francisco area. As a former student of Ron Fletcher, himself a direct student of Joe Pilates, she weaves his foundational work into a framework that aligns deeply with contemporary fascia research.
In addition to holding workshops, classes, and private sessions with clients ages 12 to 101, Anne is an author and international guest lecturer. Most recently, she co-choreographed and performed a dance work presented at the Fascia Research Congress 2025, which received a standing ovation from an international audience.
John Sharkey is an international educator, author and authority in the areas of Clinical Anatomy, Fascia Science, human movement and the manual treatment of chronic pain.
John is a graduate of the University of Dundee, University of Liverpool and University of Chester. He completed undergraduate and post-graduate studies in the areas of exercise physiology, clinical anatomy and holds post-graduate qualifications in education.
John's latest book ‘Understanding Fascia, Tensegrity and Myofascial Trigger Points’ has become one of Human Kinetics' most popular titles, reflecting the growing interest in topics related to fascia science.
John provides unique, full-body dissection courses across the globe and is a popular conference Keynote speaker. John will be chairing a round table discussion on fascia at the upcoming International Fascia Research Congress, in New Orleans, as well as providing a workshop with his colleague Dr Andrzej Pilat of Myofascial induction and a special dissection course with Dr Carla Stecco, Gil Hedley and Gabriel Venne.
Note: All monthly member webinars are made available in the membership section a couple of days after the event.