Stim Dancing: processing sensory stimulation and emotions through repetitive and unrehearsed dance.
Stim dancing is bodily survival knowledge that helps us bolster against stress and process trauma.
Pass it down.
Let’s get happy flappy.
Let’s stim dance.
I'm dancing on my own (dancing on my own) I make the moves up as I go (moves up as I go) And that's what they don't know, mmm-mmm That's what they don't know, mmm-mmm But I keep cruising Can't stop, won't stop grooving It's like I got this music In my mind Saying, "It's gonna be alright." Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake I shake it off, I shake it off --Shake It Off
Let’s get unapologetically, autistically, kinetically wild.
This is Pure stim music
A Neurodivergent Crip on Hearing The Bobby Lees
3 seconds in, I lost my shit and straight into head banging
Monkey Mind
It's just my monkey mind
Monkey Mind
It's just my
I take him out, and then I sit him down
I look him in the eye, and say no more
monkeying around
Now you look-y here, you gonna leave me
alone
Cause there's no room here for a little
monkey in my home
Monkey Mind
It's just my monkey mind
Monkey Mind
It's just my
That monkey mind, he likes to eat himself alive
Think he's done, and then he takes another bite
Now see, I gotta learn to be kind
To my monkey mind, cause he'll be with me till I die
Monkey Mind
It's just my monkey mind
Monkey Mind
It's just my
Monkey Mind by The Bobby Lees
Let’s bolster against stress and pass down bodily survival knowledge.
…flamenco is in itself a ballistic activity with its own built-in reward system that can then bolster the brain against traumatic stress.
…not only can traumatic knowledge be passed down, so can bodily survival knowledge-knowledge about how to survive the debilitating effects and symptoms of PTSD.
Because We Have To: Flamenco as Survival Strategy against Detrimental Effects of Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder
If your “threat to life” responses are being re-associated on a regular basis with flamenco responses, slowly, like polishing stone, flamenco has the potential to be an asset for people who are working through PTSD.
Because We Have To: Flamenco as Survival Strategy against Detrimental Effects of Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder
sensory pleasure (which could be viewed as almost the opposite feeling to anxiety) can be one of the richest, most delightful experiences known to the autistic population – and should be encouraged at any appropriate opportunity.
Avoiding Anxiety in Autistic Children: A Guide for Autistic Wellbeing
Thrive Crawling up the spine Feel each vertebrae Trailing up the stems Blooming when I say Thrive
There are so many unexpected movements that live inside my body. So many different shapes and motions that never get to come out during day to day life. There’s something so liberating about being able to explore all of these things I didn’t even know lived inside me.
torktorktork
Let’s bliss.
Time to step out of the deficit view of Autism for a thread. Let’s talk about Sensory Euphoria instead. Sensory euphoria/bliss shows us that Autistics can and do have positive sensory experiences.
Lauren Melissa Ellzey
It’s important to highlight Autistic sensory euphoria, because mainstream presentations of Autism are deficit-based. Sensory bliss shows that the sensory experiences of Autistics may be challenging but also wonderful.
Lauren Melissa Ellzey
Sensory euphoria/bliss occurs when one or more of the body’s eight senses* experiences positive hyperstimulation. Instead of going through overwhelm, meltdowns, & shutdowns of overload, the result of sensory bliss might be exhilaration, full-body tingling, & happy stimming.
Lauren Melissa Ellzey
Stimming is beautiful.
I’m a very emotional person. I have to use everything I’ve got to sing those songs.
Aurora Aksnes
Stim It, to the Limit, One More Time
Oh come and ride with me A little drive with me Come and ride with me A little Ohhheee La, la, la, la la la la
Video credit: David Castro of Vancerts
Stimming
Thanks for shaking it off with us.
Learn more about stimming on our glossary page.
