A personal reflection on Ecstatic Dance in Sarasota.....and Community.

Hey everyone, thought to share something. Someone asked me recently why we have so many dances, what inspires it. Thought to share a little more about me/ED and it’s evolution in sarasota.

I started taking dance/fitness when I was 18 yrs old, it was my first experience expressing emotions and feeling my body in rhythms and finding “dance” in a group of others. I was in college for physical therapy, had just been diagnosed w/eating disorder and discovering ways to heal. Dancing is what helped me go off depression medication and to think for myself.

That was 35yrs ago! I started exploring mind/body modalities, yoga, and finished my degree in Health/Wellness, was certified PT and taught many group modalities
with a passion to share what I experienced. I moved to SRQ and started teaching Nia 2000. I taught this, produced trainings, and developed the community for 13 yrs, became a black belt trainer and found myself at that crossroads… of disillusionment.

In 2013 I left that company, started exploring contact improv, offering Ecstatic Dances here with Patrick Moore’s initiation and support and developed a system called Kai that I trademarked, trained 80 folks globally to be teachers, and taught 4-6x a week. I choreographed, videoed and produced over 25 dances and it was great.

A few years before Covid, I felt that even as my aspirations were to help people learn to heal while moving, I noticed it was becoming limiting and some level of attachment was happening, to me, to the choreography, and it was limiting what I’ve experienced CAN happen by tuning more deeply into the wisdom of the body and thru the space that Ecstatic Dance offers. It is accessible to more folks….

Covid and lots of reflection had me giving Kai a goodbye and putting all my energy into Ecstatic Dance, that blossomed into an amazing small and really experienced, passionate online community of dancers.

This last January, after many attempts to feel into the timing and readiness of the local community, we began offering the 4 x weekly dances on-site. It’s been a practice of deep listening and of considering what supports my family ( single mom of two teen boys) , the dance studio Soul Studios that I’ve been graced to rent from Jamie in the last 9 years, and the base of folks who’ve danced with me for decades AND the amazing NEW Ecstatic Dancers that keep coming both locally and people ftom other Ecstatic Dance Communities.

My personal practice is movement/yoga daily, dancing is a primary way to stay healthy… it’s also been a new passion of NOT being the focused “teacher” like I have been for 30 yrs, but rather to step back and watch how the teacher shows up in community.. often as the quietest ones, elders, or even in silence. I am committed to THAT for learning each dance…as well as continuing to grow and explore as an Ecstatic Dance Dj…. Another thing that began during Covid. Just thought so much about the question and the evolution and gift of Ecstatic Dance, and all of you. 💜