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Desert Grooves-Ecstatic Dance London, Cacao, PLUS Belly Dance Workshop
October 14, 2023 @ 6:00 pm - 9:45 pm BST
ECSTATIC DANCE LONDON presents:
DESERT GROOVES – an evening of Mystical & Uplifting Dance Music, Cacao Ceremony & Fruit Social 7pm-9:45pm
*PLUS* Belly Dancing Workshop 6pm-7pm
Ecstatic Dance London – Pioneers of the Ecstatic Dance scene in the UK since 2009 are super thrilled to be offering a brand new event for all those lovers of dance music! You are warmly invited to join us for our freestyle, expressive dance & moving meditation sessions. This is a unique sober Saturday night dance in London!
BOOK HERE: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/desert-grooves-ecstatic-dance-london-cacao-ceremony-belly-dance-workshop-tickets-700708186047?
WHAT IS ” DESERT GROOVES” ALL ABOUT?
Many of us know that certain music genres can take us into deep states of bliss. tuning us to aspects of ourselves that we have lost touch with. And that, through dance, we can reconnect with the wonder, openness, and ecstatic nature of our being.
This kind of dance-as-meditation has been practiced throughout the ages, connecting us with something far greater than our individual selves.
This event is an invitation to come and dance to OPEN-UP, to release city stress, dance in more light and joy, and make new friends – all accompanied by a transformational mystical euphoric & uplifting dance music set to connect us deeply with our dance, our hearts, and our creativity.
We’ll be including delicious ceremonial grade cacao and a beautiful cacao ceremony/guided meditation facilitated by Seth to connect us with our body, our heart, and positive intention.
No prior experience of ecstatic dance is necessary. All are welcome.
Our Ecstatic Dance sessions have guidelines of: No booze, No Shoes, No phones, No Chit Chat, Move However You Wish, Respect yourself and others. (More info about what is Ecstatic Dance – further down)
No late comers please. This is a shared journey from the beginning to the end and we aim to create a safe container for all dancers. If you are more than 30 min late from the start of the session, unfortunately you won’t be able to join the session, please respect this and arrive on time. Thank you
****Alcohol, drug, psychedelic & smoke free space!!! We get a natural high through dance and cacao!***
***Please note: this is a zero-tolerance drug and alcohol space! This is one of the very few spaces where Londoners can go out dancing on a Saturday night in London in a safe and clean sober space. Please respect this, and please don’t come drunk or high as you will be refused entry or asked to leave. No refunds!***
BELLY DANCING WORKSHOP WITH MR ÖZGEN 6PM-7PM
Belly dancing classes offer a fun, low-impact workout for anyone who wants to learn the beautiful art of belly dance. Belly dancing provides a fun and comprehensive workout for the body. The dance isolates and moves every body part, from the head to feet, and as a continuous exercise, is great for the heart and lungs, and bones and joints. Belly dancing is the ideal activity to take you away from your everyday stresses. It requires total concentration, leaving little room for your mind to think about anything else. Tuning in to your sensual side, this uplifting dance helps to reduce mind and body tension. Come along, no experience necessary! 🙂
Mr Özgen is a professional Turkish style oriental dancer and instructor, and has performed, taught, choreographed and directed for the last 18 years. His reputation as a performer and teacher has taken him across the world. In Istanbul, he joined the cast of Night of the Sultans combining contemporary dance, ballet and oriental dance. He taught for several years at the Tolgahan Dance School in Istanbul, and is now based in London, teaching and performing Turkish Oriental & Romani (Gypsy) dance internationally. He is also a regular attendee at Ecstatic Dance London events.
SCHEDULE:
◈ 5:45pm-6pm Doors Open/ Check in for Belly Dance workshop(No entry after 6:10pm sorry, this is so we can all journey together)
◈ 6pm-7pm Belly Dance workshop with Mr Özgen
◈ 7pm-7:30pm Doors Open/ Check-in For Ecstatic Dance/ Warm up (No entry after 7:30pm sorry, this is so we can all journey together)
◈ 7:30pm-9:45pm Cacao Ceremony, Positive Intention Setting/ Ecstatic Dance SoundWave
◈ 9:45pm-10:15pm Optional fruit social to nourish you after the dance
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
1. Please come already dressed in comfortable clothing suitable for movement/fitness and dress in layers. Bring a set of dry clothes/small towel as you will probably get sweaty during the session. Toilets are available at the venue but there are no separate changing rooms.
2. We dance barefoot, in soft indoor shoes or grip socks.
3. a Reusable water bottle. Tap water & lemon water refill available at the venue.
4. A healthy snack to have after the dance.
VENUE:
2 minutes walk from Tufnell Park station (Exact venue details will be in your order confirmation email! Please scroll down in the email to see all details!)
-Nearest station is Tufnell Park. 2 min walk from the station. Please check tfl.gov for latest travel updates.
-If you are driving, please be aware that the venue is in an Ultra Low Emission Zone and you may be liable to pay the daily fee.
-Find parking on parkopedia and use venues postcode. There is no parking at the venue.
-There are bicycle racks at the venue to lock your bike if you are cycling.
-Venue is accessible to wheelchair users.
-Toilets are available at the venue.
PRICES:
+Eventbrite fee. Book online or pay cash/ card on the door.
- Low waged/concession £15 (limited availability)
- Regular £20
- Abundance £25
CHILDREN: unfortunately these sessions are not suitable for children.
EVENTBRITE ORDER CONFIRMATION: Email might be in the spam folder. Please check the email you used to purchase the ticket, might not be your primary email account. Do not print any paper tickets, we will check you in by your name.
FREE CREW SPACES:
We also offer limited FREE *crew spaces in exchange of you helping us set up and/or pack down. (*Requirement – you need to have attended at least two of our indoor events before you can join the crew) Please complete the crew sign up form and we will get in touch: https://forms.gle/uXVr8kK9Eos7hjbK6
CANCELLATION POLICY:
We do not offer refunds. You are welcome to pass on your ticket to a friend, colleague or family member however please let us know the date & time of the booked session, name and email address of the person attending in your place. Send us an email with replacement person’s details to: youareyoubeyou@gmail.com
If you are showing any Covid-19 symptoms, please DO NOT attend the session.
If we need to cancel the class due to unforeseen circumstances, we will issue a full refund. If you have any questions please feel free to send us an email: youareyoubeyou@gmail.com
WHAT IS ECSTATIC DANCE?
MUSIC – MOVEMENT – COMMUNITY!
Brought to you by: Ecstatic Dance London – We love to dance. We love music. We love to inspire, to connect, to heal and transform!
Ecstatic Dance is a dance/movement practice to explore the exhilarating feeling of moving your body freely. You are invited to move, play, connect, sweat, stretch, sound, unwind, renew, release, improvise, transform. Be true to yourself, while respecting your body, in this space that we co-create together. Move your body, unleash the wild dancing self without caring what people think, claim your freedom, open your heart & touch the infinite!
Our Ecstatic Dance sessions create a safe and respectful environment that embraces ‘all ways’. We offer a movement practice that supports your free expression of emotions and inner space through movement and music. Our intention for these Ecstatic Dance classes is self-exploration, connection, fun, healing, expanding human potential and community building through freestyle ecstatic dance.
Enter an open space…and with your bare feet explore the exhilarating feeling of moving your body freely. You are invited to move, play, connect, sweat, stretch, sound, unwind, renew, release, improvise, transform. Be true to yourself, while respecting your body, in this space that we co-create together.
PRACTICE SPECIFICS: Warm-up: stretch, move/dance and reflect on the intention for the dance. The Practice: freestyle dancing to a large sound wave featuring Live DJ set. Some guidance & facilitation will be provided. And then we will let the music, the community and our own inner space direct our steps, our movements, our expression, our journey. Relaxation: Ecstatic Dance usually ends with a deep relaxation.
ECSTATIC DANCE GUIDELINES:
No late comers please. This is a shared journey from the beginning to the end and we aim to create a safe container for all dancers.
1. No talking during the dance (if you wish to talk, you are welcome to chat before/after dance outside the main dance space). When we dance without the chitchat, something alchemical can happen on the dancefloor. A unified field of Being emerges and we feel both wild and free, contained within ourselves And connected to something much, much greater than our individual selves.
2. Drug-Free, Smoke-Free, Alcohol-Free environment
3. No photos or videos, Mobile phones muted and out of sight
4. Care/Awareness for the co-created space and each other
5. Move your body however you wish
6. No spectating. Stay connected to your own body, sensations, emotions, and feelings. Ecstatic Dance is about you and your relationship to the Dance. Dancers feel uncomfortable when being spectated at. Come prepared to Dance yourself free from inhibitions!
7. You can dance alone, or with as many partners as (you) like to join. (If you’d rather not dance with someone, thank them for the offer by placing your hands in prayer position at your heart – Namaste. Thank you, no thank you.)
8. This is not a pick up place. Please respect all dancers (especially women) and do not ask for anyone’s contact details. If you wish to stay in touch with someone, give them your email instead of asking for their contact details. No means no.
“Our bodies instinctively know what feels good or bad, right or wrong. However, often our heads get in the way. Ecstatic Dance is about finding our way through to what feels good. How can we use dance to consciously transform towards finding joy, without denying our anger or sadness? Ask yourself: what’s my body feeling in this moment? Does it feel good moving this way, or that? Does it feel nourishing to dance with another, or dance solo? Where do I most feel connected with Self? Let your body lead the way.” ~ Abigail Harris
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