passion for movement and art

About me

Hi, my name is Iris van der Sar.

It is my passion to express myself through movement and other forms of art, and share it with small or large audiences. After the Rotterdam Dance Academy, as adancer, Igained years of experience with several well-known dance companies.

As a performer, costume designer and creator, I have been living it up since 2004 in my own company: Passar Performing Arts: www.irisvandersar.com and www.passar.eu

In addition, I am very passionate about cultivating awareness, learning about (self-)healing and human behavior. The inner hunger to discover this led me to take several courses in different disciplines, in order to express the art that lives within me.

I am always curious about how to live my life closest to my essence, which is how I discovered whirling. In whirling, I found my base, the place where all my passions come together: movement, dance, transformation, and costuming.

Whirling has become part of my life in recent years.

During my first vortex journey, so to speak, I felt called to make this dance form my own.

I am completely fascinated by it, and have been working on it daily ever since: with the inspiration it gives me to draw, write, design costumes and share in the spine exercise group in Rotterdam. It is The transformation and inspiration tool, which for me offers endless possibilities.

Expression of gratitute

Hereby I would like to express my gratitute to the teachers I have met on my path: For sharing their wisdom and passion for whirling.

For Authentic Leadership, Wisdom, Love of Life, emotional clarity and discovering my potential as a human being, I have received intensive guidance from Zvonimir Cekalovic Ballon over the past 20 years. With him I attended many annual trainings and workshops. Which to this day inspire me to live Life as fully as possible. www.zvoceba.com

The Whirling I learned from a number of teachers who lovingly guided me, and provided the space to dive deep into my research.

I experienced my first trips under the guidance of Gert Daniëls. A highly dedicated and gifted teacher in sufi dance, connected to shamanic wisdom from many directions. www.gertdaniels.dance

The second teacher I had the pleasure of meeting is Jeanne Lendfers. With great passion and an impressive amount of inside and Sufism knowledge she has amassed over the past 20 years. www.inne.nl

And the third teacher is Ziya Azazi. He opens up the space completely for his own research. Encourages one to go farther and farther. And is a very passionate teacher, human being and performer. A feast to observe. www.ziyaazazi.com

The pictures on this website are mostly taken by my daughter Anoora van der Sar, student at st Joost art and design, for photography. See her portfolio here: www.anooravds.wordpress.com

Reports of my first vortex trips

‘My first whirl dance brought me home in 15 min.

Yes! This feeling, right in my hara and in full swing.

Full present in my heart.

Interspersed with

Fear of falling, losing control, flying out of control.

And discover that surrender is the only way to stand.

My mind searched for hold, but then I threatened to fall.

I was allowed to go deeper inside

Being present in me

And then I could speed up

Spreading my wings.

Inside a silent stillness within me

White light

An experience full of love

After running a fully charged battery, clean

Present and lovingly present.

The feeling stayed with me for days.

The second spine experience

Wanted to get past the fear

And in no time I whirled around at high speed

Turns turn faster and faster

All I could see was haze; it was already darkening in the studio.

I noticed that my vertical axis was slightly further behind me, slightly behind my heart.

There I felt safe while the world raced past me.

With intention deeply rooted in the earth.

I was given to consider life a little more

Can stay more consciously in my center

Being able to see the movement around me

The third time in good spirits

Did I get barfy, deathly pale….

I needed all my strength to remain present in my body,

Controlling my stomach and being very gentle with me.

My dance was quietly cramped and restrained

The knot in my stomach became more and more palpable.

I surrendered to what was there….

Afterwards, Jeanne gave me a beautiful drawing:

With the text:

‘Experiencing God in every detail’

So that includes pain.

The fourth time

Was I nice in my center

Danced for the first time with a spine skirt

I was in balance

Was able to gain plenty of momentum.

But didn’t feel as much.

That was a disappointment.

I did expect a little more from it.

The fifth time was quietly controlled

Retrieved

No expectation.

The vision of a mushroom releasing its seeds from beneath her skirts

Hahahahaha! Life is funny!

I turn to the right, the so-called male side, and I immediately start sprinkling seeds! (-;

Earthly swaying free

I dared to go out and play

With my arms and the skirt

The skirt dances with me? Or do I dance with the skirt?

The chain in the skirt made geometric patterns

Triangles squares and other angles,

And then rolling again like the waves of the sea.

I played with speed

And stood proudly at the wheel.

Grateful for the space and loving guidance I received.

A new whirlwind adventure Dervish in Progress, Ziya Azazi

In a big studio with lots of beautiful people

And beautiful skirts

And full of curiosity and exitement

Filled with new information on how to

This dance can send

Physical emotional mental

Once again, I was full of anticipation…

But my body said no, don’t calm down too much….

I am not safe

My emotions said I am not seen heard

Trying harder went the mind: you can do this best!

And I went and I got sick again

I sat down, because I couldn’t bear the shame of spitting all over the dance floor.

I had just learned that I can choose:

My mind says stop at rising emotions and throws up nausea

What does it want to be felt?

It was sadness, deep guilt shame: I am not good enough.

I was devastated, and surrendered to crying

Pale again, the thought of taking a step was already too much….

Let alone a circle around my axis….

Then I had had it: spinning is not good for a person: end of research.

I won’t go back to the second day.

I’m too sick.

I drew a card:

The caterpillar said, “only the last stage of my life I am a butterfly.”

Yes so … ok, I surrender … today I am an egg and I will see.

I went with the promise to myself to take it very easy and not expect anything.

And somewhere I did feel: the worst was over yesterday.

Today an unexpected gift awaits.

And so it was

After an intensive authentic sharing session, and some new knowledge.

Am I very quiet in a corner of the studio, with no swirly skirt

With my hands on my heart, turn left.

Step by step, step by step….

Repeating the following sentence over and over: I am good as I am

I am good the way I am, I am good the way I am.

The music whipped up, the dancers went wild like a whirlwind,

Laughing screaming.

And I kept quietly doing what I was doing

Slowly I noticed more freedom in my body, more room to go a little faster anyway. My axis became stronger my column became wider and lighter.

I closed my ears to the music as it roared straight into my ears next to the box.

And kept turning faster and faster

I am good the way I am

I am good the way I am.

I felt good there as I was. In my strength in peace and love for me.

And then from behind me, two arms appeared around me.

Ziya whirled with me.

Before I knew it, I was whirling around the room upside down in his arms over his back.

I let go of everything at full speed

And felt quiet within me, peace.

Yet fully present in my body

Completely free

Back on the floor through in a whirlwind dance

Spinning playing laughing

And again loose my own dance in

From there I was free

A vibrant energy awoke

My passion for movement and dance went wild

I swayed, stomped, sloughed

Flown.

Carefully pushed my limits, discovered new positions, movements and possibilities.

I’m FREE!!!!!!

I have so much fun dancing

So much power, so many opportunities to express myself.

Dance dances me…

Workshops and open classes

Books

About me

Expression of gratitute

Reports of my first vortex trips

Workshops and open classes

Drawings inspired by swirling