User:Skymakai/sandbox

Ecstatic Dance (event) is a free form dance event loosely based on  Gabrielle Roth’s  5Rhythms(tm) guided dance practice. The general term ecstatic dance is used to describe transcendental and sacred dance, and other practices of movement  meditation. Ecstatic Dance events are differentiated by being a  talk free space and by featuring a live DJ, and  electronic dance music (EDM) amongst various musical  genres, with little to no direction from Facilitators to what ways  Community Members should dance. The events are inclusive of all ages and are drug and alcohol free. Not all events called Ecstatic Dance adhere to the Ecstatic Dance Format and Guidelines. Today, Ecstatic Dance is used to describe intentional dance events all over the world.

History
The term Ecstatic Dance was first used to describe this particular dance Format in 2001. The Founder, Max Fathom, was a Volunteer at the Non-For-Profit Company, Kalani Honua, in  Puna on the  Big Island of Hawaii. Ecstatic Dance at Kalani was a Community hosted event until 2009. Originally, it was spelled Ex-Static Dance and eventually was known by either spelling as the same event.

In 2009, management of Kalani took de facto ownership of the event by terminating the agreement which allowed the Founders/Hosts to hold the event at their location. After diligent efforts, but due to insufficient alternative locations for hosting the event, the Founders of Ecstatic Dance disbanded. Kalani Honua continued to host an event, called Ecstatic Sun Dance, at the same times and location as the previous Ecstatic Dance events. The event differed from the original Ecstatic Dance as it did not follow the Ecstatic Dance Format or Guidelines, nor did the DJ’s observe the 5Rhythms™. Eventually, management of Kalani Honua dropped the word Sun in the title Ecstatic Sun Dance and co-opted the name Ecstatic Dance for those events, and thus co-opted the original Ecstatic Dance. Today, by overwhelming volunteer support by Puna Community Members, Ecstatic Dance at Kalani Honua has much of its original character and continues to be held weekly.

In 2005, Gabrielle Roth’s 5Rhythms™ guided dance practice was released as a video series titled, The Ecstatic Dance. The video series has no affiliation or relationship with the Ecstatic Dance events.

In 2008, Tyler Blank and Donna Carroll co-founded an Ecstatic Dance event in Oakland, California. Due to the central location and popularity of the Oakland Ecstatic Dance events, Ecstatic Dance has spread around the world. Blank founded an Ecstatic Dance non-for-profit organization with the mission of connecting communities and teaching how to start Ecstatic Dance events around the world, free of charge. Carroll started an Ecstatic Dance for-profit business and  branding for Ecstatic Dance, focused on gaining income from training sessions, workshops, and merchandise.

In 2012, Blank and Craig Kohland aka Sahuna of Shaman’s Dream Music and Liquid Bloom held the 1st Annual Ecstatic Dance Retreat, at Kalani. The event has continued to be held every year since 2012.

Founders
Known as the original Founder of the Ecstatic Dance events, Fathom was previously from  Austin, Texas, where he was a member of a 5Rhythms(tm) Group called Sweat Your Prayers now known as Body Choir. They are an unofficial group of 5Rhythms(tm) dancers, and changed the name of the group after a request from Roth, who has the copyright to Sweat Your Prayers. The weekly Ex-Static Dance, the event which became Ecstatic Dance, was originally composed of 10-15 people. The events originally consisted of Fathom sharing a little about The 5Rhythms(tm) practice with the Community and playing music from 2 Sony Walkman tape players and a RadioShack 2 Channel  DJ mixer, to create a  continuous mix of music. The music which Fathom played at that time included songs from Peter Gabriel,  Annie Lennox,  Red Hot Chili Peppers, and  U2, amongst others in the genres of classic  Funk and  Motown. Every Ecstatic Dance event included original poems, prayers, or songs. Fathom often shared his own poems from memory.

Two particular factors are attributed to Fathom’s inspiration for founding the Ecstatic Dance events: The original intention for staring the Ecstatic Dance events was to, in Fathom’s words, “…Start a movement that could heal us and allow us to develop into fully realized human beings.”
 * 1) Fathom began infusing the dance events with Electronic Dance Music ( EDM) after having been exposed to it at  Burning Man Festival.  After EDM was included in the events, popularity for the event grew quickly.  EDM became an essential part of the events, though many other genres continued to be a part of the musical journeys.
 * 2) Fathom had met and studied with the  Mayan Shaman,  Martín Prechtel.  In his studies, Fathom became acutely aware of ongoing  racial objectification being inflicted upon indigenous cultures and tribes, as well as  unchecked destruction being inflicted upon the planet.  It became imperative for him to create a cohesive  movement where the Community in Hawaii could experience The Sacred in a ceremony of dance, and to help create a sense of  belonging.

In 2005, Fathom partnered with co-founder Elizabeth Betwixt. Betwixt took on Ecstatic Dance as a full-time job and life’s work and developed the Format and Guidelines. Betwixt is known to have coined the term for Ecstatic Dance: Community Ritual Movement Journey. Fathom later returned to Austin, where he lives to this day.

Format
Ecstatic Dance events have a particular Format composed of 5 parts.


 * 1) Warmup (Music)
 * 2) Opening Circle with Guidelines and Agreements
 * 3) Invocation
 * 4) Program (Music)
 * 5) Closing Circle and Share-Back

Format Explanations
Ecstatic Dance is described as a free form dance event, guided by a DJ'ed, crafted musical journey. The music selections and timeline of the journey should compose a bell curve or wave. The bell curve starts out calm, increases intensity until it comes to a peak, then returns to calmness. This is the primary similarity with Roth’s 5Rhythms(tm), and is how Musical Facilitators loosely adhere or observe the the 5Rhythms(tm) when playing music for Ecstatic Dance.
 * 1) The Warmup music is very calm, with at least 15 or 20 minutes of  Ambient or  Acoustic music without a drum beat.  After then, music with a drum beat or motivating rhythm is introduced.  The Warmup in itself may be an entire journey, coming to a peak and back to calm.  Or, it may only come to a peak without calm near the end, increasing the group energy before the Opening Circle.
 * 2) The Opening Circle is created by the Community Members when the Warmup is complete.  At this time, the Facilitator in the role of the Voice of the Circle will speak to guide the group.  Community Members typically sit making a circle in or around the dance space.  The Voice of the Circle will welcome the Community Members, then explain and encourage Community Members to adhere to the Guidelines which create the container and essence of the event.  The Voice of the Circle will either present an Invocation or introduce Community Members who will offer the Invocation.
 * 3) The  Invocation consists of an original performance by one or several Community Members in cooperation, which may be composed of a poem, a prayer, a song, a combination, or another type of performance art.
 * 4) The Program is composed of music in a similar bell curve as the Warmup.  However, the Program timeline is often longer than the Warmup and may include music selections of higher intensity for a longer, higher peak of the bell curve.
 * 5) The Closing Circle is similar to the Opening Circle.  The Voice of the Circle will gently guide Community Members from a meditative state, often experienced near the end of the event, back to awareness of their surroundings.  Then, Community Members typically sit in a circle in or around the dance space, as in the Opening Circle.

The Closing Circle is composed of 3 parts:
 * 1) Names: Community Members are encouraged to go around the circle, sharing their names.
 * 2) Share-Back: Share-Back (explanation below), is a unique and important part of the experience, and happens with random succession in a popcorn-style rather than going around the circle.
 * 3) Community Announcements: Community announcements allow Community Members to announce other events, goods for sale or personal offerings/requests.

Share-Back Explanation
Share-Back, occurring in The Closing Circle, is a significant part of the Ecstatic Dance experience.

Share Back is voluntary. In Share-Back, Community Members are encouraged to share their thoughts and feelings about what they experienced at the event. Before the Share-Back section of the Closing Circle, the Voice of the Circle will explain the Guidelines of Share-Back. Community Members are encouraged to listen actively and to only respond with quiet, affirmative gestures. Share-Back from Community Members should only be about their experience at that particular Ecstatic Dance event.

Guidelines/Requirements
Ecstatic Dance is collectively created by Community Members adhering to several Guidelines. By creating limitations, a container for transformation is created. Signing in and committing to be being self liable, as well at taking care of the space are typically the only hard requirements;  Hosts and Facilitators attempt to be as  inclusive as possible. Those who don’t follow the guidelines are treated with patience and respect, gently reminded of the guidelines/requirements. The guidelines are:
 * Sign in and commit to being self-liable
 * Make a contribution
 * Keep the space talk free (and camera free)
 * Take care of yourself and each other
 * Take care of the space

Guidelines Explanations
In order to assure the event coordinators and the building owners that they are free of liability in circumstances of personal injury or death while participants are at Ecstatic Dance, signing a liability waiver is typically mandatory. Ecstatic Dance was originally supported  by donation and volunteers and may still be done this way at some events. It was created and supported by the Hosts, Community, Founders, and Facilitators. Community Members are encouraged to give money or offer to contribute in other ways, in order to make the event financially and physically sustainable. A minimum financial contribution or time contribution may be requested. No one should be turned away due to lack of funds or ability. The Guideline to keep the space talk free is possibly the most memorable of the guidelines, and the one on which some Ecstatic Dance events hold as their primary or sole requirement. Keeping the space free of conversation is paramount to the experience of Ecstatic Dance; It allows Community Members to move into a meditative state, and to be in the moment. The prohibition of of cameras and cellphones (unless with consensus permission) is included for the same purpose. It should be clarified that noises and vocalizations such as hoots, laughter, crying and other non-talk noises are okay. There are some exceptions, including clear use of the word, “No.” It may be necessary to speak, in order to be assertive with  personal boundaries. Community Members are encouraged to embrace the journey they might encounter while at the event. Ecstatic Dance events can induce strong emotions. The event is meant to be a judgement free space for Community Members to embrace parts of themselves they may not normally feel safe to experience, and to support each other in their experiences. Community Members are encouraged to make nonverbal gestures in order to gain agreement before initiating partner or interactive dance. Community Members are also encouraged to maintain consciousness of their own movement in relationship to others, so as to avoid collisions. This guideline is intended to encourage Community Members to respect the rules of the venue. Depending on the venue, drinks or food, as well as glass bottles and other items may not be allowed. Certain shoes meant for dancing may or may not be allowed. Sweat is often a normal occurrence, and bringing towels to clean up after one’s self may be a requirement.
 * Sign in and commit to being self-liable:
 * Make a contribution:
 * Keep the space talk free:
 * Take care of yourself and each other:
 * Take care of the space:

Host
Hosts are the Community Members whom take on the responsibility of securing the venue, advertising, coordinating the Voice of the Circle, Musical Facilitator and other Facilitators, as well as other tasks necessary in hosting a successful Ecstatic Dance event. Hosts may play other roles as well.

Voice of the Circle
For the purpose of guiding the Opening and Closing Circles wherein talking is generally prohibited, someone must embody the role of the speaker. The title Voice of the Circle is given to the Facilitator who takes on this role.

Musical Facilitator
The role of Musical Facilitator is to provide the music, and most importantly, to create a musical journey for the Ecstatic Dance event. The role of the Musical Facilitator title is differentiated from being called a DJ. The musical selections typically include some Electronic Dance Music (EDM), but should include many more musical genres. The music can be played with sophisticated DJ equipment to create a seamless, unending rhythm, ideal for creating the dance journey. The Musical Facilitator role, amongst all other roles, carries a large responsibility.

Facilitator
All persons helping create and guide the event holds the title of Facilitator. Just as the Guidelines should be differentiated from hard rules, Facilitators are differentiated from managers, workers, and staff. Any attendee may be a Facilitator, at any time, by helping with the event. Facilitators share a singular goal: to help the experience for all Community Members be a positive one. In the case of Community Members forgetting or not following the Guidelines, Facilitators ‘encourage’ and gently point out the infraction, with respect and kindness.