The NVC Dance Floors

How the NVC Dance Floors developed

Bridget Belgrave and Gina Lawrie began working as certified trainers with the international Centre for Nonviolent Communication in 1996/7. They have worked together in the UK since 1998, and have been actively involved in spreading NVC and supporting trainer development in Europe, Australasia, India and North America.

From the beginning of her work with NVC, Bridget used colour-coded cards to support people learning the ingredients of Nonviolent Communication. In 1999 she was inspired by Klaus Karstædt’s work with chairs and NVC. Bridget and Gina adapted and developed this, trying various layouts. Labels on the chairs soon became cards on the floor. The physicality of standing and moving on the cards inspired the metaphor ‘Dance Floor’.

In the following years Bridget and Gina created six more ‘Dance Floors’ and learned how best to use these in trainings. The ‘whole’ of these seven dance floors was unexpectedly more than the sum of its parts, providing an integrated method for introducing, learning and practising NVC.

Receiving feedback and requests from around the world, Bridget and Gina wrote the Facilitator’s Handbook, published it and the original seven Dance Floors, and launched them at the international NVC Convention in Munich in August 2003. Since then they have been supporting the spread of the Dance Floors, and the quality with which they are used, so that this approach can reach people who would benefit from it.

In 2005 they added the ‘Connect with Respect’ Dance for use with younger people, and in 2009, in collaboration with Robert Gonzales and Susan Skye, they created a new Dance, ‘Transforming the Pain of Unmet Needs to the Beauty of Needs’.

The NVC Dance Floor materials are available worldwide

Accessibility: Bridget and Gina wish to make this work accessible to all. For simplicity and sustainability they use an online shop to sell the materials. However if you are not able to use an online shop, please email the address below. Also, if you are not at ease with the price of the materials, please say what price would work for you.

Local distributors: If you live in Australia, Denmark, Canada or USA, please buy from your local distributor. Their contact information is on www.NvcDanceFloors.com
From all other countries, please buy from www.life-resources-shop.com

Product catalogue: Each distributor can provide a product catalogue, with details of all the materials available. The Facilitator’s Handbook and the Dance Floor Cards are available ready-made or as pdf files. Some additional materials that integrate with the Dance Floors are also available. Details of all materials are on the Dance Floor website.

Languages: NVC Dance Floor Cards are available in English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Norwegian and Swedish. The Handbook is available in English, Danish and German. We request everyone using the Dance Floors with a group to read the Handbook, so that this method is used with its full subtlety, depth and sensitivity.

Workshops: Bridget and Gina offer workshops in several countries, where you can learn how to use the NVC Dance Floors in your practice groups and trainings, and experience how they contribute to your own development.