This month we want you to meet ACMM student Lukas Enciso! Lukas is an Afro-Latin Dance Instructor and performer who uses meditation and mindfulness in how he teaches. Based in Victoria, Lukas shares his journey with ACMM and how it has impacted his teaching style and personal life.
Continue reading to find out more.
Hi Lukas! Tell us a little bit about yourself
I am of Uruguayan descent and born in Australia. An Afro-Latin dance teacher by career and a disability carer by trade.
My Latin background helped pave the way for my passions that are always of “the creative” between dance and music (mostly Latin and African percussion). Through my business I offer performances and teach adults and children. Most of my dance and drumming within Fitzroy, Carlton and Brunswick Areas in Melbourne. I also host workshops, events, groups and parties in Melbourne.
I live with my partner and have 2 meows that are our babies.
What attracted you to become a meditation teacher and study with ACMM?
Meditation and Mindfulness became a big part of my life in recent years. I had used some mindfulness within my dance classes before but I decided I should learn how to be a better guide and meditation student myself.
I chose to study with ACMM because I felt connected to their recognition of holistic practices and the course structure felt the most rewarding for me to pursue.
How has meditation impacted you on a personal level – what are the benefits you have seen?
How has meditation impacted you on a personal level – what are the benefits you have seen?After a traumatic experience, I turned to mindfulness and meditation daily. To help heal, forgive and love. It has supported me to find and accept who I am as a person. It helped me distinguish my boundaries, my needs and wants, my flaws and my talents. Meditation was the invaluable tool that helped make me the human I am today.
What does your personal meditation practice look like? What styles or types of meditation do you enjoy?
I am a very sensory meditator, which for me means I like to have the right environment, time of day, sitting arrangements, sights, sounds and smells are really important to me. I have my go-to of “traditional” based sitting within self techniques. These are largely situational and include the use of breath, body scans or visualizations.
Movement and music are two of the most powerful ways to connect to mindfulness. I have attended various tribal and dance-like mindful group workshops, finding each more rewarding than the last.
I actually began my meditation journey using chakra based techniques to help hone my focus and heal the parts of me that needed it. Checking in on these every now and then and it’s still one of my favourites.
Do you have your own meditation/mindfulness/holistic business, plans to start one?
Yes, I run my own business with my partner called Buena Onda! It is a business that offers dance and fitness, as well as various educational and entertainment services such as Salsa, Kizomba classes, Afro-Latin dance and drumming and now meditation and mindfulness. 
Not long ago I worked with a dear friend of mine on our first project together “Alquimia” which connected movement meditation and dance energy with visualization. It was a magical, tribal and cathartic experience that had a lot of deep moments to reflect on. We hope to continue these workshops and more information can be found via our social media below.
I am also expanding my offerings to include tribal and primal energy using music and dances as a conduit for my students to let go of what they feel they should be or look like, not only in the dance world but in general life.
There will always be a place for mindfulness in the dancers community. Even in my work within disability care, mindfulness could help a lot of my clients, especially those suffering mental illness and disorders, even physical disorders, limitations or pains.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about becoming a meditation teacher?
Becoming a meditation teacher has been incredibly rewarding, even life changing. A personal opinion would be to have an active practice for a sensible amount of time before even considering becoming a guide as there is a lot of energy involved to be able to give that to a person, let alone a group. If you’re already a teacher in different fields then it’s definitely a bonus. Just find what it is you love and if you love to share then being a meditation teacher is magical.
What have you enjoyed about studying with ACMM?
I loved learning about all the different and unique techniques and the process of how each technique is broken down. Then there are always the challenges of self reflecting, as this course may bring up things you may not have even processed or faced yet, as hard as it might be to look here it’s incredibly powerful and rewarding to go through.
You can find out more about Lukas and his offerings at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BuenaOndaDanceAndFitness
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buena.onda.df/
We provide Basic Certification right up to Diploma and Masters. A range of post graduate training options and support, are also available, including our Business Lounge Program which supports new meditation teachers to begin or expand their teaching practice. Download a prospectus for all the details.
