Diane Rawlinson
We were honored when Diane Rawlinson brought her fun loving and free spirit to the GH platform from Libertyville, IL to teach Yoga with a Splash of Interplay. Diane dedicated her series to her friends at InterPlay and between her fundraiser and live event at Extensions Dance Academy, raised over $1,000 towards helping them help others unlock the wisdom of their bodies.
Diane Rawlinson began her yoga and somatic practice journey while completing her degree Dance Education at Ohio State University over 40 years ago.
Throughout her life she complimented her dance training with Pilates, Alexander Technique, Bartenieff Fundamentals,InterPlay Improvisation, Brain Dance, Anatomy, Kinesiology, Injury Prevention, and a large range of teaching methods and alternative movement approaches.
After decades of teaching and leading yoga and dance, Diane returned to the basics and completed an immersive 300 Yoga Teacher Training with Swastha InterNational in Costa Rica (pre pandemic) and is a registered Experienced Yoga Teacher. That experience reignited her passion for sharing yoga in new ways. Diane holds a degree in Dance Education from Ohio State, MFA from UW-Madison, and was on dance faculties at Northwestern University, UW-Stevens Point, and University of Akron.
Ms. Rawlinson was one of the first certified leaders of InterPlay worldwide and is currently the InterPlay in Education Coordinator.A writer/editor for Dance Spirit/Dance Teacher magazines from 1997-2019she was named NDA Midwest Dance Educator, UW-MadisonSchool ofEducation Distinguished Alumni, District 214 Friends of the Arts Award, Illinois Teacher of the Year Meritorious Award, and 2014 Chicago’s Ruth Page Award Recipient for her work as an advocate, mentor and educator.
She has presented InterPlay at state, national, and international conferences and workshops including: International InterPlay Conference IllinoisState Theatre Festival, National/Regional HS Dance Festival, DePaul University, Illinois StateUniversity, Loyola University, Dance Teacher Magazine Conference, Bill Evans Somatics Conference, CNADM, NDEO Conference, Hubbard Street Professional Development Institute, and Gibney Dance Center (NYC).
On a personal level, the InterPlay community has been an unwavering support for most of her adult life and the range of people that are part of the global community more inclusive and unique than one could articulate. Some of her most rewarding experiences as a dancer, as a teacher, and as an individual revolve around fellow InterPlayers during their leaders gatherings or untensives (retreats and workshops).
She has witnessed couples in their 60’s partner each other, an 18-year old and 80- year old dance a duet, listened to and shared stories with humor and tears, and became part of one voice in vocal toning practices. Diane is continually inspired by people from all walks of life. The stories we have shared, dances created, and songs sung through the improvisation process are embedded in her memories. Diane raised over $1,000 to support of her friends at Interplay.
InterPlay is a community of people around the world who speak the shared language of a wide and deep variety of play. It is a body of bodies who enjoy contact and connection. You don’t have to dive in the deep end of InterPlay to learn and benefit from it, but it does exist and some wonderful folks are “swimming” there.
InterPlay practitioners often refer to it as “unlocking the body’s wisdom” and the practice is devoted to fun. It uses a variety of techniques like movement, play, and storytelling to tap into the creativity that we all have within us.
