Ruth León, PhD
Founder and Facilitator of Here & Bow
Born in Valencia (Spain), I am passionate about communication and languages: verbal, non-verbal, symbolic, and artistic.
Since I was a child, I have been thrilled by languages as different vehicles of communication and expression, which led me to live in countries like the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Belgium as well as learn various languages (I currently speak 7 languages: Spanish, English, German, French, Portuguese, Italian & Catalan, and I’m looking forward to learning some more!), as languages help me expand my world view and discover new facets of myself!
My interest in communication led me to study a degree in English and Romance Philology (Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg-Germany), a postgraduate degree in Audiovisual Translation (UAB) and a postgraduate degree in Conference Interpreting (University of Leeds). Years later, my interdisciplinary inclination led me to pursue a specialisation in Conflict Studies and a PhD in International Peace, Conflict and Development Studies at the UNESCO Chair (UJI) with the doctoral thesis titled “Interpreting in the context of refugees: on its way to wellbeing”.
Another of my passions is teaching, that essentially to me means sharing what I’m learning, researching and enthusiastic about while trying to make it simple, have fun and reconnect to the inner child who is curious, open, and filled with excitement for the world!
I was introduced to the art of teaching over 25 years ago, when I started learning languages first to children and adolescents, and then to adults. For 12 years, after working as a translator and interpreter for the European institutions in Brussels, I was a member of the faculty of the Translation and Languages Department of the European University of Valencia, during which time I had the opportunity to found and direct UBUNTU – Solidarity Translation Agency. For 3 years, I also worked as a collaborating lecturer at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. I must say that my motivation to master the art of education remains unbroken!
As a researcher, I have numerous scientific publications and have been part of research projects related to wellbeing, dance, translation and interpreting in asylum and refugee contexts, as well as educational innovation. I also worked as a researcher at the Faculty of Psychology of the University of Valencia and carried out research stays in Austria, Brazil, Chile, and Italy.
Regarding dance, since 2006 and during my travels, I connected to various types of expressions (Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Samba, Lindy Hop, African Dance, Blues, Oriental Dance, West Coast Swing, Forró…). However, it wasn’t until 2015 that I became actively and deeply engaged in it. It was back then when I connected to Brazilian Zouk through Xandy Liberato and his method. I immediately connected with the enormous integrative and therapeutic potential of the Liberato Method, as well as its link to communication for peace, personal development, and wellbeing. So, I committed body and soul to this approach and started training with Xandy Liberato in weekly classes, international workshops, retreats, and private classes.
In 2018, I began to collaborate as a theoretical and experiential researcher in the Liberato Method research, development, and systematisation project. In this framework, between 2019 and 2023, I collaborated in the creation of the Liberato Method educational system, the drafting of a Liberato Method’s teaching manual, and the pedagogical design of the training programmes of Liberato Dance Retreats, Workshops, and Courses, both face-to-face and online.
In the therapeutic field, I have been linked to the world of personal growth and transpersonal therapy for more than 25 years, and I have a professional certified diploma in Sound Healing and the Healing Voice by the Association of Sound Therapy and Harmonic Studies.
I am currently pursuing my second doctoral degree, this time in Psychology at the University of Valencia, while also being trained and self-taught in various systems of self-awareness and personal development such as Psychological and Evolutionary Astrology, the Kabbalah, MBTITM, Human Design, Gene Keys, and the Enneagram.
Navigating a phase of professional evolution while integrating my diverse expertise and experience, I am presently pouring my passion and soul wholeheartedly into a project that holds profound significance to me – Here & Bow.