Welcome to the January TranscenDance® Tribune
This month, we embrace the spirit of New Beginnings, a reminder that fresh starts don’t always arrive with a detailed plan. Sometimes, they arrive as a sudden moment of clarity that gently invites us forward and to trust what’s unfolding.
In this issue of the TranscenDance® Tribune, we spotlight the inspiring journey of Facilitator Ann Stump, whose story reflects the power of listening to inner guidance and saying yes before everything makes sense. Ann’s path reminds us that new beginnings often start with willingness, not certainty. Through TranscenDance®, she discovered deeper trust, freedom, and self-expression and now shares that with others.
You’ll also be invited to explore a gentler approach to the New Year by setting aligned intentions that feel true and releasing what no longer serves you. Together, these pieces offer an invitation to move forward with clarity, compassion, and confidence, allowing your next beginning to unfold in a way that feels honest, embodied, and your own.
You’ll also discover ways to connect with the TranscenDance® community through our TranscenDance® Live Virtual Classes, which will be on Saturday, January 10, 2026 @ 10 am Pacific.
The TranscenDance® Tribune is dedicated to nurturing our conscious dance community and celebrating the healing power of the mind-body-spirit connection with a new issue every month. Previous issues are also available online at https://bti.com/tribune.
Dancing Into New Beginnings
Spotlighting Facilitator Ann Stumo
For Ann Stump, the start of a new chapter didn’t come with a long plan. It came with a clear message. In January 2025, Ann and her husband, Randy, attended DreamBuilder Live in person at Universal City. Ann remembers seeing Jennifer Joy Jiménez on stage, dancing, shining, and fully in her element. She loved watching her TranscenDance®.
The morning after DreamBuilder Live, as Ann stood brushing her teeth, she heard what she describes as Spirit speaking to her: “Ann, you need to do TranscenDance.” She had heard that voice before, the one that feels both exciting and scary at the same time. And she knew she needed to listen.
Ann went online and found Jennifer’s video about TranscenDance®. One message stood out right away: you can be any age, and you don’t need dance experience. Ann was 61 at the time, a retired elementary school teacher, and she didn’t see herself as a dancer. But she felt called to TranscenDance®. So she said yes.
Before she ever took a class, Ann signed up to become a TranscenDance® Facilitator and also enrolled for the Costa Rica retreat. She didn’t know all the details yet. She just knew, in her words, that it was “the right thing.”
Then she took her first class with Jennifer and everything clicked. Ann says she was hooked after one class. It felt so good in her body and spirit that she knew she wanted it in her life for a long time. “This is something I want to do forever,” she shared. For Ann, it felt like being in the right place at the right time, doing what she was meant to do.
When Ann arrived in Costa Rica and met Jennifer in person, it deepened her decision even more. Costa Rica had been on her bucket list, and for Ann, it was her first international trip. But what stayed with her most was Jennifer herself; her love, her light, and how real she felt. Ann says being around Jennifer felt like a blessing. “You can feel her light, her love,” she shared, along with the care Jennifer shows each person.
In Costa Rica, Ann also felt pulled into something bigger than a retreat. When Jennifer shared her vision, Ann knew she wanted to be part of it. She said she wants the world to know about TranscenDance® and called herself one of Jennifer’s “dance warriors.” In Ann’s eyes, this work brings healing, connection, and freedom. It creates a space to be who you were meant to be.
Ann describes Costa Rica as “magical” day after day. She felt cared for, nurtured, and supported. She also noticed how quickly the group became close. People who felt like strangers at first began to feel like family. “By the end of that week,” she said, “you love these people.” She brought her husband Randy who had an incredible time as well, she was so glad she could share such a powerful and deeply transformative experience with him.
One moment on the beach became a turning point for Ann. While dancing in the waves, she noticed how much she likes to stay in control. But instead of fighting the water, she relaxed and let the waves move her. Ann calls it a breakthrough, learning to let go and go with the flow, even when she doesn’t know what will happen next.
That message of letting go kept unfolding after she returned home. In the months that followed, Ann began to stretch herself in new ways. She hosted two Zoom classes a week, practicing again and again. At first, she only invited people she knew. Then, her friends encouraged her to share her classes with the public on platforms like Facebook. Ann noticed how much fear came up in her body when she thought about dancing with strangers.
And then Spirit reminded her of Costa Rica. Ann remembered how, at the start of the retreat, she didn’t know anyone until she did. “Everyone is a stranger at first,” she said, “until you get to know them.” That memory helped her see that strangers are simply people she doesn’t know yet. And if she wants to dance with the world, she has to be willing to meet new people on the dance floor.
TranscenDance® has also supported Ann in a more personal way. She shared that for much of her life, she was shy and often dimmed her light because it felt safer. She wanted everyone to like her, and she tried hard to get it “right.” But the more she dances, the more permission she gives herself to be her true self, to shine, even if it feels “too sparkly.” She says watching Jennifer be fully herself has helped Ann feel brave enough to do the same. Ann’s love for helping people is not new. She taught elementary school for 18 years, and she still lights up when she talks about watching people grow. After retiring, she felt unsure about what would come next. Then TranscenDance® arrived right at the start of 2025. Ann says it gives her the same feeling she had as a teacher: joy, purpose, and the honor of being part of someone’s growth.
Now, she’s bringing that gift to her local community in a new way. Starting in January, Ann will teach TranscenDance® every Tuesday through a citywide program through April. When she saw the word “instructor” on the marketing materials, she smiled. “I’m still a teacher,” she said. “Once you’re a teacher, it’s hard to let that go.”
One of Ann’s biggest lessons as a facilitator has been learning how to show up for herself first. She shared that even if no one comes to a class, she still dances. She still lets the music move through her. She still chooses the practice for her own heart. It’s helped her shift out of old patterns of pleasing others and putting herself last. “You fill your cup first,” she said, echoing one of Jennifer’s teachings, “and then you send out that love.”
When Ann speaks to someone who feels curious about becoming a facilitator, she keeps it simple. If it’s on your mind, she believes it might be meant for you. “If you’re considering it,” she said, “it probably has your name on it.” And if something sparks even a little joy or interest, Ann’s advice is to follow that feeling and give it a chance because you never know what kind of new beginning might be waiting on the other side.
If you’d like to explore attending the Transformational Retreat in Costa Rica with Jennifer, visit www.BTI.com/CostaRica
Come move with us!
This month, you’ll have two opportunities to join us for our TranscenDance® for New Beginnings Live Virtual Classes:
- Saturday, January 10, 2026 @ 10am Pacific
If you’re brand new, TranscenDance® is an innovative mind-body-spirit modality that infuses the mindfulness of yoga into a free-form, joyful, conscious dance.
And great news – there are no steps or “moves” to learn. You simply let your higher self move your body in a dance that’s as unique to you as your fingerprint (or your “soul print”). All ages and mobility levels are welcome.
And if you’d like to take a deep dive into the 10 stages of TranscenDance®, our TranscenDance® Facilitator Training Virtual includes multi-day Intensive training, as well as a full year of Live Virtual Classes. You will feel more confident in your body while bringing joyful movement and conscious dance even more into your life and the lives of others.
Join the Live 3 Day Well-Being Revolution Challenge!
Join the 3-Day LIVE Well-Being Revolution Challenge starting January 14th – a sacred space where you’ll reconnect with your body, release the stress and weight you’ve been carrying, and awaken that radiant aliveness that’s always been within you.
This isn’t about pushing harder… it’s about remembering the joy of moving with ease, trusting yourself, and coming home to your own body.
✨ Say yes to yourself today, and let’s walk this journey together. Sign up at https://www.bravethinkinginstitute.com/3-day-challenge 🩷
Creating a New Year That Feels Like You
As a new year begins, many of us feel the familiar pull to set resolutions—to improve, fix, or push ourselves toward change. The messages around us are often loud, urging us to do more, try harder, and aim higher.
But a new year doesn’t have to ask more of you. It can invite you to move forward in a way that feels true.
Rather than pushing yourself toward change, 2026 can be an opportunity to let change unfold—guided by your own inner rhythm, wisdom, and timing. A year shaped by what feels honest, aligned, and alive inside you.
A softer way to approach New Year’s resolutions begins by releasing the idea that you need a complete life overhaul. When we stack too many resolutions at once, we often overwhelm ourselves before we even begin.
Instead, get intentional on your New Year’s resolution this year. When you allow yourself to take intentional action toward the life you would love, momentum builds with greater ease and grace.
When your energy isn’t scattered, it has space to settle and move forward with ease. Ask yourself what part of you is quietly ready to be expressed, healed, or claimed in 2026.
Rather than a broad resolution like “I want to be healthier,” choose something supportive and specific. It might be nourishing your body with more care, creating movement that feels good, or speaking to yourself with greater kindness. Let your intention feel like an invitation, not a demand.
Once you’ve chosen your resolution, connect it to why it matters. Often, the reason is simple: you want to feel more present, more energized, and more at ease in your own life.
Before committing, pause and notice how this New Year’s resolution feels in your body. Does it create a sense of ease or tension? When an intention is aligned, it feels supportive, giving you something solid to lean into as you move forward.
From there, begin small.
Lasting change doesn’t come from willpower alone. It grows through small, consistent choices that build trust in yourself. Five minutes of movement. One nourishing choice a day. A pause to breathe and check in.
Small steps matter. They create confidence. They build momentum. They gently remind your nervous system that change can feel supportive rather than stressful.
As you step into this new year, consider releasing the pressure to become someone new. Sometimes the most powerful new beginning isn’t about striving for more. It’s about allowing yourself to begin—right where you are.
Before you rush forward, take a quiet moment to reflect:
- At the end of 2026, how do you want your life to feel—in your body, your relationships, and your day-to-day life?
- What part of you is ready to be expressed, healed, or claimed in this next chapter? Has it been asking for your attention for a while?
- If you chose one thing to commit to this year, what would feel most loving and supportive?
- If you focused on that one area, how might it create a ripple effect through the rest of your life?
Let 2026 be a year that feels like you. Not the version shaped by expectations, pressure, or comparison but the version rooted in truth, connected to the body, and guided by inner knowing.
A year of deeper self-trust, honoring your natural pace, and allowing life to unfold with more ease and grace. You don’t have to force your becoming. You are already on your way. Let this be the year you say yes to yourself—fully and unapologetically—and allow that yes to ripple through every part of your life.
Making Space for What Wants to Emerge
New beginnings don’t happen all at once. They unfold. Often, they begin with a quiet inner nudge—an invitation to trust what’s stirring beneath the surface. From there, intentions take shape: what you feel called to move toward, what wants to grow. And just as important as naming what’s next is honoring this moment of release. Because a new chapter isn’t created by carrying everything forward from the last one.
As a new year opens, it can be tempting to focus only on what you want to add—new habits, new goals, new ways of showing up. But real, lasting change also asks a gentler question: what are you ready to let go of? Releasing what no longer serves is about honoring what once supported you and recognizing when it no longer fits who you are becoming.
Some things were right for a season. Some patterns kept you safe when you needed protection. Some beliefs helped you survive, even if they now limit your growth. Letting go doesn’t mean those parts were wrong. It simply means they’ve done their work.
Sometimes what’s ready to be released is obvious—a habit that drains your energy, a commitment that no longer feels aligned, a relationship with perfection or comparison that keeps you small. Other times, it’s more subtle. It might be the pressure to have it all figured out, the need to please or prove yourself, or the belief that you have to push, rush, or struggle to move forward. These are not things you release through force. They soften when you meet them with awareness and compassion.
Releasing creates space. Space in your body to breathe more fully. Space in your mind to hear your inner guidance more clearly. Space in your life for what is trying to emerge next. This is where healthy new beginnings take root—not in effort, but in openness.
If you’ve already named an intention for the year ahead, this is a powerful place to pause and ask what might get in the way of that intention flowing with ease. What patterns, expectations, or stories are you still carrying that don’t belong in this next chapter?
You don’t have to release everything at once. You don’t need a dramatic moment or a clean break. Sometimes release happens quietly—through choosing differently, through saying no when you once said yes, through offering yourself more grace than criticism. Sometimes it happens in the body first: a deep exhale, a relaxed jaw, a softened shoulder.
Letting go is a practice. And like all meaningful practices, it unfolds in layers. As you clear what no longer serves, you may notice something unexpected—you don’t feel emptier. You feel lighter. More present. More yourself. Because what you’re making room for isn’t just something new. You’re making room for truth, for alignment, and for a way of living that feels more honest and sustainable.
As you move forward, hold this truth gently: you don’t have to carry everything to honor how far you’ve come. You are allowed to release what no longer fits, trust what’s unfolding, and step into this new beginning with clarity, courage, and care.
TranscenDance® Facilitator Training
If you’d like an invitation to educate others, you’d love to explore sharing TranscenDance® .
2026 Dates:
- May 29 – 31, 2026 (Friday – Sunday)
You can choose one of two paths:
- Option 1: Personal Training (for those wanting a personal development path)
- Option 2: Facilitator Training (for those wanting personal development, professional empowerment, & the ability to teach and facilitate others as a TranscenDance™ Facilitator)
To learn more about the TranscenDance® Facilitator Training, visit www.bti.com/explore
Join us for a full year of TranscenDance® Live Virtual Classes!
Embrace the empowering essence of conscious dance and step into a brighter tomorrow. Seize the opportunity to immerse yourself in the transformative power of movement by gifting yourself or a friend with our Annual Class Pass, available at https://bti.com/dance.
Simply select the next scheduled class and, upon checkout, click the inviting purple button labeled “Want to get your class for just $12.40 to unlock access to the Annual Class Pass. Here’s to being one dance step closer to nursing yourself to your ultimate and best self-care routines.
Get social with us!
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Be sure to follow us on social media, where you can enjoy short conscious dance break live streams!
- Follow our official Brave Thinking Institute Health & Wellbeing Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BraveThinkingInstituteHealthandWellBeing
- Join our TranscenDance® Global Community Facebook Group to share your journey and see highlights of others, and explore classes being offered by Facilitators: https://www.facebook.com/groups/transcendanceglobalcommunity/
- TranscenDance® Global on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/transcendanceglobal/
- TranscenDance® Global on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@transcendanceglobal
- To read past TranscenDance® Tribune Articles, you can click HERE.
If you’re looking for local classes in your area or other virtual classes being offered, please see our global roster of trained facilitators below. ⬇️
If you’re looking for TranscenDance® classes in your area or other virtual classes being offered, please click here to view our global roster of trained facilitators. More Facilitator contacts will be included as we receive contact info and requests to be added.
This season invites us to trust what’s unfolding within us. May we honor what we are ready to release, listen to the wisdom guiding us forward, and create space for the life that is asking to emerge, one honest, aligned step at a time.
Dancing with you through life,
The TranscenDance® Tribune Team
Jennifer Joy Jiménez and Paula Lopez
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