May We Dance: A Rhythmic Ritual of Petals and Pulse

May arrives not gently, but with a growing radiance. The sun climbs higher now, stirring life from the depths and drawing it upward — into bloom, into breath, into movement.

In the Lower Hudson Valley, lilacs perfume the air. Irises, wild phlox, and the first peonies begin their slow unfurling. The world is not waking — it is reaching.

This is the season of quickened hearts and ripening light. A time when the Earth pulses louder, and the body answers.

Let us dance in this crescendo. Let us honor the rhythm of longer days and greening fields. As the sun feeds the open blossom, may our movement feed the part of us that longs to stretch, to shake loose, to feel the heat rising from within.

Come — step into the ritual. Among petals and pulse, find your place in the great unfolding.

Ecstatic Dance is a form of freeform movement where participants let go of inhibitions and dance to the rhythm of the music without following any structured steps or routines. It's a way to express oneself authentically through movement in a supportive and non-judgmental environment.

Ecstatic Dance Nyack's program features six key components:

Opportunities to meet fellow community members and strengthen relationships at the start and end of each event.
A dance warm-up that prepares the body and spirit for an evening of dance and somatic exploration.
An extended set of curated dance music.
A meditative sound healing experience to bring restoration after lively dancing.
Complimentary fresh fruit and water, plus organic, locally-foraged beverages and snacks for sale from local artisans.
A non-denominational altar to facilitate introspection and affirmation of one's own personal values, memories, aspirations, and intentions.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

5:30pm-6pm: Doors Open, Mix & Mingle
6:00pm-7:15pm: Human Instruments: Vocal Liberation & Collective Harmony - A Workshop by Nick Demeris

7:15-7:45pm: Break + Admission for Dance
7:45pm-8:00pm: Opening Circle

8:00pm-8:45pm: Dance Warm-up - Brialle Ringer

8:45pm-10:30pm: Ecstatic Dance Journey - Marsseia

10:30pm-11:00pm: Sound Bath - Jayme Rose

11:00pm-11:15pm: Closing Circle

11:15pm-11:45pm: Socialize & Farewells

WHAT TO WEAR/BRING

Comfortable and loose-fitting clothes that let you move your body and free yourself
A water bottle or container to refill at the venue
Good vibes and an open heart and mind

ECSTATIC DANCE NYACK GUIDLINES

First, Dance with Yourself: If you choose to dance with others, do so from a place of giving, not taking. All physical contact with fellow dancers must be consensual. Consent is Freely Given, Reversible, Informed, Enthusiastic, and Specific (FRIES). To separate from a dance partner, you can show hands in prayer to signal your respectful departure.
No Alcohol: Movement is medicine. The spirit of alcohol is not welcome at Ecstatic Dance Nyack. To maintain a space of sensitivity, authentcity, awareness, and clarity, we invite you to experience the depths of your own being without alcohol. Plant medicine is welcome only if used privately, respectfully and responsibly. No smoking within 50 feet of the premises.
No Speaking: Ecstatic Dance empowers participants to explore and express themselves with movement and body language. The cessation of speech unblocks wellsprings of feeling and emotion that are otherwise limited by words. Connect with yourself and others in a new way.
No Phones: Havent you spent enough time looking at it already?
No Photography or Video: What happens here stays here. To allow for fully authentic expression and exploration of our deepest emotions, free from all forms of shame and guilt, participants can be assured that their experience will never be known outside the walls of Ecstatic Dance Nyack.
No Shoes: To stay grounded, protect everyone’s feet, and maintain cleanliness, please do not wear shoes on the dance floor. Socks and special indoor-only dance shoes are permitted.
Be Yourself: This is a judgment-free zone. Allow your body the freedom to move however it needs. All ranges of emotion and expression are welcome here, from joy to sorrow, and everything else. Let movement and music guide you to feel and display every part of yourself. All of you is welcome here.

About Nick Demeris
Nick Demeris is a singer, composer, and facilitator dedicated to creating experiences of interdependence and play through music, teaching, and interactive singing. Over the past fifteen years he developed the Human Instruments method, a system of practice that explores the human body as an instrument and trains us to listen to and sing the music that is ever-present.

Nick has collaborated with Carnegie Hall, TEDx, YouTube Health, The Juilliard School, UNICEF, Apple, Sesame Street, ten-time Grammy winner Bobby McFerrin and Pulitzer and Tony winner Quiara Alegría Hudes. His work spans musical
performance, vocal coaching and global cultural exchange, integrating techniques from Jazz, Blues, World Music, Raja Yoga and Tibetan Buddhism.

Through his performances and workshops across the U.S. and around the world, Nick inspires individuals and groups to
discover their own instrument, find our collective harmony and collaborate through shared musical experiences that transcend all distinctions. We are Human Instruments.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearehumaninstruments/

About Brialle Ringer
Brialle Ringer is an emotional alchemist, somatic healer, and vegan fairy goddess devoted to helping changemakers remember that joy is sacred and ease is our birthright. Rooted in earth wisdom, breathwork, yoga, and intuitive movement, her offerings are part ritual, part rebellion– soft spaces to release the weight of the world and remember the freedom within. With each stretch and sway, she invites you to transmute pain into possibility, and density into divine inspiration. Her practices are portals where the breath is prayer, the body is oracle, and embodiment becomes a sacred homecoming.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brialleringer

About Marsseia
Marsseia is a music producer, DJ, and sound artist who crafts soundscapes & ecstatic dance journeys sets designed to evoke profound connection, awaken the senses, bring vibrational healing and elevate the spirit. Blending live instruments, spoken poetry, and diverse global rhythms, she creates immersive, high-vibrational experiences.

Rooted in the power of music as a tool for transformation, her sets weave together hypnotic beats and ethereal melodies, guiding listeners into euphoric states of movement and heart-centered bliss. Whether through deep, meditative journeys or ecstatic dance journeys, she invites you into a space where sound becomes a portal to feel, for liberation, presence, and profound connection.

Links:

Website: www.marsseia.com

Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/marsseia

Spotify: MARSSEIA

YouTube: www.youtube.com/marsseia

Instagram: instagram.com/marsseia

About Jayme Rose:
A free spirit at heart and seeker of Truth, Jayme Rose weaves the sacred and the silly into all that she does and has a deep passion for creating transformational, healing experiences.

The gongs found her when she was fresh out of college [spring of 2020] wondering what was next. Drawn to the interconnectedness of the gongs, she devoted herself to deepening in relationship with this sacred instrument and immersing in many different trainings / hands on experiences.

What started as playing a studio gong during savasana as a yoga teacher has blossomed into being the carrier of three gongs and traveling across the US to share them.

It is with deep gratitude and reverence to share the transformational, healing power healing of the gong.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/theroseresonance

Mutual Aid & Generosity

We believe dance should be accessible to everyone. If you need financial assistance to attend, please email us at ecstaticdancenyack@gmail.com, and we’ll do our best to support you.

For those who have the means to give more, we offer a "Generous Dancer" ticket option—your contribution helps ensure that someone else in our community can join the dance. Thank you for paying it forward and keeping the spirit of generosity alive! ❤️✨