by CHRIS BARRY

Name: Ilia Kavoukis

Age: 34

Occupation: Dance therapist/bodyworker

Bio: This enlightened NDG resident and former owner of Ambiance Salon de Thé in Little Burgundy claims she “was a mess, stressed out, even I didn’t like myself,” before being introduced to Reiki and other “alternative therapies” through a seminar at the Natural Health Consultants school in the West End. Within six months of her discovery, she had sold her restaurant and was hungrily developing the skills she now employs in her dance therapy workshop, her massage/reflexology business, and whenever it comes time to do a little energy healin’ through the ancient art of Reiki. “I’m a much happier person now. I really feel like I’m getting to my core, to the real me.”

When she first started sinking her teeth into this stuff were her friends and family concerned that she might be going a little loopy? “Are you kidding?! Absolutely.”

What dance therapy is: “A means of attaining personal acceptance” through movement and by “getting in touch with your body. In my dance class you can’t do anything wrong, and the objective of many participants, really, is to have fun. Most people come initially for the recreational aspect, but then, after awhile, it’s for the therapy. So many people just hate the situation they’re in,—their jobs, their relationships, their family lives or whatever—and absolutely need an outlet to express themselves. Dance gives you that outlet.”

Some music you might find yourself interpreting should you sign up for one of her classes: “Everything from rock ’n’ roll to African Tam Tams to Loreena McKennitt—you know, everything.”

Might Lou Reed’s monstrosity of non-stop feedback noise, Metal Machine Music, be a good record to help people shake their sillies out and wiggle their waggles away? “Well, the theory behind dance therapy is that there are five rhythms to everything we do: flowing, staccato, chaos, lyrical and stillness, with each one having an emotion attached to it. This Metal Machine Music record sounds to me like it would fall into chaos—which ultimately expresses sadness—so sure, I could play that in my class.”

The gender ratio of her class: 85 per cent female.

What it costs: About $15 per session.

How to enroll: By e-mailing sunshinecenter@sympatico.ca or visiting http://www3.sympatico.ca/sunshinecenter.

With respect to reflexology, is it true some women can experience orgasms if their feet are rubbed a certain way? “Well, maybe some [of my clients] have experienced arousal but they’ve never told me about it. When a woman is relaxed, her body is more orgasmic, so I certainly wouldn’t be surprised if it’s possible.”

Are there a lot of foot fetishists in the reflexology trade? “Hey, I don’t know. I can only say that I personally don’t have one—although people are always suggesting that I do.”

Last book read: Maps to Ecstasy, by Gabrielle Roth.

Musical preferences: World beat, Diva Premal. “Whatever moves me.”

One recent film she really dug: Bruce Almighty.

Words of wisdom: “Have no expectations. Let life unfold in front of you, don’t try and control it.”

Comments? dimwit@openface.ca