Episode Summary
In this episode, Ali welcomes Jo Cobbett - movement facilitator, artist, and poet - for a rich conversation about the transformative power of embodied movement. Jo shares her experiences navigating personal and community challenges, including the aftermath of wildfires, and how dance and somatic practices offer healing and connection, to self and community.
Together, they explore the importance of presence, curiosity, and intention in reclaiming body intelligence. Other topics explored are inhibition, learning from the outside rather than the inside, and finding answers through movement. Jo discusses her approach to creating inclusive, supportive spaces where people of all backgrounds can rediscover themselves through movement. The episode offers inspiration for embracing change, building community, and finding body brilliance in every stage of life.
FOR MORE ALI MEZEY:
ALI - Website
ALI - LinkTree
FOR MORE JO COBBETT:
https://www.movinground.com/
https://www.facebook.com/jobcobbett
BIO:
Jo Cobbett is a devotee and lover of wonder - crafting windows into profound self-encounters and discovering beauty throughout life's journey. Her primary portals are embodied movement and visual art, inviting play, curiosity, and existential dialogue with the world. Jo is directly engaged in life through nurturing family and creating spaces for self-exploration, expressed via her visual art, streamed poetry, and embodied movement offerings. Developing alongside her earlier partnership with Michael Mullen Skelton, Jo has been leading classes and workshops for over 30 years in Los Angeles and around the globe.
She trained in bodywork at Esalen Institute, studied 5Rhythms with Gabrielle Roth, Soul Motion with Vinn Arjuna Martí, and Open Floor with Kathy Altman, Lori Saltzman, and Andrea Juhan, among others. Her practice has been further deepened through improvisation and creative play with Paula Shaw, Camille Maurine, and Ruth Zaporah.
A primary influence in her life has been her training and collaboration with Susan Harper in Continuum Montage. Her ongoing inspiration also comes through Laura Sirkin‑Brown, and a lifelong conversation with nature — the whispers of wind, the flow of water, and the subtle intelligence of embodied movement.
Jo honors countless teachers encountered along the way and remains continuously inspired — including by Ali Mezey, whose presence and insights have enriched her path.
OTHER RESOURCES, LINKS AND INSPIRATIONS:
Michael Molin-Skelton — Conscious Dance/Soul Motion
“A few things that I hold sacred; the love of my life Anneli, the miracle of that love, Jaylan, resilience, friends that cherish and challenge me, integrity, dancing alone, dancing with you, transparency, love.”
Esalen Institute - A historic retreat center in Big Sur, California, focused on human potential and somatic practices.
Five Rhythms® with Gabrielle Roth – A dynamic movement practice founded by Gabrielle Roth exploring flow, staccato, chaos, lyrical, and stillness.
Soul Motion® with Vinn Arjuna Martí – A conscious dance practice rooted in presence, relational awareness, and creative expression.
Open Floor with Kathy Altman, Lori Saltzman, and Andrea Juhan - A movement meditation practice designed for personal healing and collective connection.
Improvisation with Paula Shaw, Camille Maurine, and Ruth Zaporah - Explorations in expressive arts, performance, and authentic movement.
Susan Harper & Continuum Montage - Susan Harper is a Continuum teacher who developed Continuum Montage, blending movement, breath, and sound to deepen somatic awareness.
Yakov & Susannah Darling Khan - Founders of Movement Medicine, a conscious dance practice integrating shamanic, therapeutic, and artistic paths.
Emilie Conrad, Founder of Continuum Movement
Andrea Juhan
Paula Shaw
Anna Halprin - Pioneer in postmodern dance and healing movement practices; creator of the Life/Art Process.
Baba Olatunji - Nigerian drummer and educator who popularized African drumming in the West; known for *Drums of Passion*.
Rupert Sheldrake - Biologist and author known for his theories on morphic resonance and collective memory fields.
Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy by Barbara Ehrenreich - A cultural and historical study of how communal dance and celebration have shaped human history.
Ecstatic Dance - A global movement community offering conscious, freeform dance events with no talking, alcohol, or shoes.
Let There Be Light by Jacques Lusseyran - Memoir of a blind French resistance fighter exploring inner vision and resilience.
[From time to time, a word or phrase goes wonky. Please forgive my wandering wifi.]