Roy Higginbottom
In 2009 I took a 1 year career break during which I traveled extensively. Subsequently, these experiences crystallised within a wish to establish a social enterprise to demystify and disseminate knowledge of the mindfulness practices that have benefited me, focusing on reaching those least likely to encounter the practice and most in need of the benefits it can bring.
In a nutshell, it’s about giving people skills to face difficult challenges, manage stress and enjoy life more through programmes of person centred mindfulness training.
Mindfulness training can help people facing the most challenge in their lives deal with their situation and focus on the things that are possible. Developing, innovative, engaging ways to deliver personally relevant programmes to those most in need is at the heart of what I do.
Argentine Tango has been my passion for over 12 years now and the Tango Lab is a culmination of all that I have learned so far. In essence, it’s an exploration of all aspects of Argentinean tango, teaching, learning, social dancing and most of all having serious fun!
The link with mindfulness soon becomes clear as you get deeper into tango. You quickly find that it is toally absorbing, infact you can only really dance tango when you are in the present moment and I count dancing tango as part of my own regular meditation practice.
My teaching focusses on developing connection and technique that is well suited to small spaces and busier dance floors that are the norm where I usually dance in Europe.
I also put a lot of emphasis on body awareness and bodywork to support key aspects of the dance, much of which is drawn from many years of martial arts training, other movement practices and my alter ego as a mindfulness meditation teacher.
I look forward to meeting you mindfully, maybe on the dance floor!
Roy
Training, mentoring and coaching
Roy is an experienced trainer, mentor and project manager with over 25 years’ experience of community development in the environmental sector and a formal qualification in teaching in the lifelong learning sector. A skilled, facilitator, he has a proven ability to engage groups and individuals backed up by specific training undertaken with the Environment Council, the Neighborhood Initiatives Foundation and training in Non-Violent Communication. He also has a wealth of experience to the development and delivery of tailored training packages with formal training and a depth of experience in communications planning, dealing with the press and media
As an experienced senior manager, he has a depth of experience in coaching and mentoring individuals in their personal and professional development. In previous roles he has also personally supported and mentored people and organisations in the development of literally hundreds of small medium and large scale projects.
Mindfulness Training and Experience
Roy has undertaken formal mindfulness teacher training with Zenways led by Zen Master Julian Daizan Skinner with whom he continues to study. Julian was the first Englishman to reach the level of Zen Master in both the Soto and Rinzai traditions of Zen.
Roy’s daily mindfulness practice has developed since he first encountered it formally in 2008 and it reflects the flexible nature of his approach, incorporating sitting meditation, body scan meditation and mindful movement involving elements of Zen Yoga, Thi Chi, Chi Kung, gentle stretching and dancing Argentinean Tango, all aimed at bringing mindfulness into everyday experience.
From returning to the UK in 2010 he has researched deeply into the history, development psychological processes and neuroscience of mindfulness. This has culminated in the setting up of an enterprise which emphasises the flexible, innovative and dynamic nature of his approach to teaching mindfulness based around the individuals needs and experiences rather than a standardised approach.
Movement and body awareness training and experience
Roy has an enduring interest in movement and movement based meditation developed over the past 25 years.
He is an accomplished martial artist studying in the traditions of Tai Chi, Shaotokan Karate and Capoeira.
Over the last 14 years he has also focused on dance and other movement forms including Salsa, Argentinean Tango and Contact Improvisation. Since 2008 Roy has focused principally on developing his skills in Argentinean Tango, traveling extensively to find the best teachers. In 2009 he spent three and a half months in Buenos Aries exploring tango at the source; following an intensive tailored programme of regular group classes, bodywork and daily 1:1 lessons with highly regarded teachers.
As an accomplished social dancer travels widely throughout Europe and across the UK to dance.
From around 2008 has taught informally on a regular basis and has undertaken professional tango teacher training with Eric Jorissen and the team of teachers at El Corte in the Netherlands in 2014 and 2016. Roy still travels to El Corte regularly to dance socially and continue his training.
Additional Body Awareness Experience
Roy has also studied Pilates with weekly 1:1 instruction over an 18 month period from 2005 and is a trained Thai massage practitioner studying for in Thailand for 2 periods in 2010 and 2012.