FMA Freedom.Movemeant.Alignment. is a wholistically integrated program of Filipino Martial Arts, self-defense, rhythmic movement exploration, and body-based awareness exercises practiced within a trauma-informed and healing engaged community. FMA aims to empower, uplift, sustain, and embody personal power and agency for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), especially for cis and trans womxn of color and gender expansive folks of color in a queer friendly inclusive space. In this environment we co-create through the technologies and rituals of our bodies, our minds, and our spirit.
About Instructor
Crystle Dino was born and raised in the northside of Chicago with roots in Balayan, Batangas on her father’s side and Torrijos, Marinduque on her mother’s side. She is an art therapist, performance and visual artist, dancer, cultural worker, educator, bodyworker, and Filipino martial artist who specializes in working in community settings using art and body based practices with the intention of fostering well-being, body/mind connection, and re-establishing a sense of safety and trust within one’s body. She has trained with the school of Defensor Method of Filipino-Indonesian Martial Arts with Mahaguro Nate Defensor since 2005 and continues studying other martial art forms, such as silat and kalinda.
“Teaching, facilitating, and holding this space has already demanded of me my own personal and relational growth and leadership development. FMA is my seed vision of self-defense to community defense as ritual, equipping folks with skills for protection of themselves and others, and a balm for nourishment and rejuvenation. My role is to guide folks in discovering and connecting with the strength and power that’s already within them- to trust in their power and trust in the decisions they make.
Come join us in this movemeant, as we enter a new dimension we create with our bodies; a dimension that honors the personal power and agency of the most vulnerable population in Chicago and one that honors that our healing and growth into a more empowered version of ourselves is connected to our Freedom. Movemeant. and Alignment.”
For more information on FMA Chicago, please check out Crystle’s website: freedommovemeantalignment.com.