**Please Note: We are excited to feature an additional element to our programming this month - a cacao ceremony hosted by Marely Illumina - preceding our standard dance programming. Attendees planning to participate in the cacao ceremony at 6pm must register in advance and arrive early. Once the cacao ceremony begins, the doors will close from 6:00-6:45 to maintain sanctity. Attendees who do not register for the cacao ceremony in advance will be admitted to the dance at the conclusion of the cacao ceremony at 6:45pm.

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-6:00pm: Admission for Cacao Ceremony
6:00pm-6:45pm: Cacao Ceremony by Marely Illumina (doors remain closed)
6:45pm-7:15pm: Doors Open, Mix & Mingle

7:15-7:25: Opening Remarks

7:25pm-8:10pm: Contact Improv Warm-up by Marely Illumina

8:10pm-9:55pm: Ecstatic Dance Journey by Keena Maya

9:55pm-10:40pm: Ancestral Sound Journey by Lester Seal

10:40-10:50 Closing Circle

10:50pm-11:15pm: 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 Marely
Marely, a devoted student of plant medicine and spiritual arts, curates ceremonies, retreats, and trainings around deepening our connection to the elements, ourselves, and each other.

Weaving her indigenous & cultural wisdom, eastern studies, and relational skills - she holds cacao ceremonies supported by traditional prayers, medicine songs, expansive topics of open discussion based off of the Mayan calendar and nawales, and beautiful stories.

The cacao ceremonies invite everyone to open their hearts, receive and share inspiration, and co-create a mandala of sensory and embodied connection.

The ceremony consists of prayer to the 4 directions, Mayan stories and inspiration, medicine songs, honoring cacao & space for the group to share their reflections.

Why Cacao?
Cacao is known as a powerful plant medicine, long revered in indigenous cultures for its ability to open the heart, foster connection, and elevate consciousness. 🌿❤️ It’s no wonder cacao has been used in ceremonies for centuries — its natural compounds can enhance mood, stimulate the senses, and ground you in the present moment.

Physiological Benefits:
• Boosts serotonin and endorphins, lifting your mood naturally
• Improves blood circulation, fueling your body with warmth and energy
• Full of antioxidants, supporting overall health and vitality

Spiritual Connections:
Cacao has been called the "Food of the Gods" and is often used to invite inner clarity and intention. As we sip this sacred drink together, we’ll set collective and personal intentions to guide us through the dance. The energy of cacao allows for deep heart-centered awareness, helping us connect more deeply to ourselves and each other as we move freely through space. 🌟💃

About Keena Maya
The depths of Keena Maya's sound are incantations, drawing us down into our roots, grounding us into our bodies, and invoking the incandescent deity within us to rise. Guided by the rhythms of the Earth and Moon, she calls her sound BASS BLISS: a transmission for heart expansion via the dance floor. Music that is not just heard but felt.

As an artist, DJ, instrumentalist, and mystic, she passionately creates intentional dance rituals. Embodiment over substances, to awaken towards our collective evolution.

With her beloved Joro-Boro, she is half of the ritual bass project b e i n g - s o u n d . They perform live electronic/acoustic ritual bass, guide binaural bass meditations, and create immersive sound art & installations.

Keena Maya is here to empower and uplift the creativity of others and does this through her work as a pillar of the Collective BAE, a feminine powered ecosystem and agency amplifying cross-cultural connection, collaboration, co-creation, and wellness for ALL.

She is a resident DJ of the NYC Ecstatic Dance community and continues to spread her
wings facilitating ecstatic dance journeys around the world.

In 2023 she released her debut single 'A Deeper Calling' and is currently working on a few
releases for 2024, including an EP with Natalia Clavier.

Roots in Brooklyn and currently stewarding life between the Hudson Valley of New York
and Bulgaria.

Keena Maya is, so that we may become.

WEBSITE https://keenamaya.com/
INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/keena.maya

About Lester Seal's Ancestral Sound Journey
Close your eyes and feel the remembrance of the nature that flows through us all. Awaken the senses to your true being and remember that of which you are a part.

Through the tools of looping, flutes, shakers, crystal bowls, chimes, and voice. Lester Seal uses the power of sound to take you on a journey to another realm and into Alpha and Theta brainwave states.

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

About MOON•MA Elixir Bar
MOON•MA Elixir Bar will be serving up herbal elixirs and dance fuel snacks with all organic and locally foraged ingredients. There will also be handmade herbal drink mixes, tinctures, body oils, & more to take home with you.

The mission behind MOON•MA is to share the healing power of nature through simple and effective daily rituals. A cup of tea. An oil massage. An herbal elixir. Through consistent moments of presence with the natural world, we can set ourselves up for optimal health, connection, and vitality.

Morgan, the creator of MOON•MA, is also a yoga teacher, artist, and is deeply passionate about women’s health, leading monthly women’s circles and ceremonies honoring the sacred rites of passage of pregnancy, birth, and beyond.

Mutual Aid

No one will be turned away due to lack of funds, so if you need assistance, please DM us on IG @ecstaticdancenyack

Conversely, if you're feeling flush and generous, we invite you to pay it forward for someone less able for a beautiful energy exchange : )

We hope to see you there!

Love & Light

The EDN Team

M Keena Frisbee

M Keena Frisbee

M Keena Frisbee