Welcome back to the Evolve Move Play Podcast! Today we’re joined by EMP Coach Ben Medder from the UK. Last summer Ben and I hosted a workshop in London to explore the art of tree climbing alongside EMP’s ecology of practices. In this conversation Ben shares his journey from working in IT to embracing a career in movement coaching, highlighting his initial forays into parkour, martial arts, and natural movement. We delve into the nuances of teaching movement, the importance of connecting with nature, and how climbing trees and interacting with different environments can profoundly impact our physical and mental well-being. Our conversation also touches on the evolving landscape of movement culture, the influence of various movement leaders, and the future of movement education. Join us as we unpack the complexities and joys of a life dedicated to our own practices, teaching others and building communities dedicated to exploring movement. If you are looking for a way to expand your movement exploration alongside Ben, check out his upcoming courses: Move With The Seasons and RopeFlow London. We are looking forward to joining Ben for the 2024 EMP European workshops. TIME STAMPS: 00:00 - Chapter 1: "Early Years in Movement and Key Influences" Ben details his background in movement coaching at Gloves Boxing Club, the influence of mentors like Lee Saxby, and the transition to independent teaching following the club's closure in 2014. 18:00 - Chapter 2: "Discovering New Paths: Hampstead Heath, Tree Running, and Movement Exploration" Ben discusses discovering Evolve Move Play. He reflects on his experiences teaching at Hampstead Heath, engaging in online coaching with Evolve Move Play, and his initial foray into tree running and dancing with trees. 36:00 - Chapter 3: "Ido Portal Workshops and Teaching for MovNat" Ben shares insights from attending workshops with Ido Portal, his tenure as a MovNat instructor from 2014 to 2016, and how he integrated various movement influences into his practice, including partner games. 54:00 - Chapter 4: " Impact of Evolve Move Play and Fighting Monkey" Ben talks about the profound influence of Evolve Move Play's in-depth games on his approach and his later training with Tom Wexler and Fighting Monkey, which further expanded his methods in partnering and rough and tumble play. 01:12:00 - Chapter 5: "The Art of Tree Dancing: Merging Gymnastics, Martial Arts, and Dance" Ben continues discussing his unique approach to dancing with trees, drawing upon his diverse background in gymnastics, martial arts, and contemporary dance to inform his practice. 01:30:00 - Chapter 6: "Advancing in Tree Climbing and the Growth of Evolve Move Play" This chapter covers Ben's recent explorations in tree climbing, including the Tree Climb 30 challenge, his experience witnessing the evolution of Evolve Move Play, and discussions on advanced tree-to-tree transfers. Ben also talks about shifting his goals, focusing on recovery, and his perspectives on the future of the movement community. EMP | Visit Us Online - EMP Website: https://www.evolvemoveplay.com - EMP Substack: https://evolvemoveplay.substack.com - IG: @RafeKelly - http://www.instagram.com/rafekelley/ - FB: @RafeKelleyMovement - https://www.facebook.com/RafeKelleyMovement - Twitter: @rafekelley - https://twitter.com/rafekelley - YT Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/user/Faelcind?sub_confirmation=1 - Become a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/rafekelley BEN MEDDER IG: https://www.instagram.com/benmedder YT: https://www.youtube.com/c/benmedder Twitter: https://twitter.com/benzym Web: https://www.benmedder.com/