Dr Peter Lovatt, a dance psychologist once famously said that 'Humans are born to dance and if you are a human, you can dance'. True! But then, something gets in the way of that or something just happens that the core motive of humans shuts down. But now you have an opportunity to let yourself loose with Ecstatic World's Mumbai chapter, a safer space to let go, feel free and move to the organic beats of our body.
Established by Amsterdam-resident Kannakee in 2016 with Odessa Amsterdam and later Ecstatic World in 2020, the Mumbai chapter will offer a freestyle movement space where you can move to your inner rhythm without being judged. The first chapter opens today, January 18, 2023, at One Design Space at Pali Hill in Bandra.
“It is all about celebration and coming together as an inclusive community supporting a worldwide conscious movement where we will arrive at a safer space to let go, feel free and move to the organic beats of our body. We invite everyone beyond gender and geography to bring yourselves just as you are. To come and shine. To take your inner dance out,” says Kannakee, the founder of Ecstatic World.
Inspired by raw movement and what moves people, the movement focuses on building inclusive conscious dance communities, creating safer and non-judgmental spaces, mentoring her team and talents, and initiating and facilitating Ecstatic Dance mainly in Amsterdam, Brussels, Ibiza, Goa and now in Mumbai.
“Mumbai is the only major city in the world that had its very own conscious dance chapter missing. It was a need of the hour post COVID-19 times, where a lot of us have opted for alternative lifestyle choices for self-care and healthy living,” says Kannakee adding that the Mumbai chapter brings together a dream team of fresh talents of musicians from across the world.
Expect a safe, judgement-free, non-defining space that is delicately held with a team of professionals coming from all walks of life. Kannakee says this is a place where one arrives to feel fully free and enjoy moments of bliss connecting to their authentic self and others with excellent music, movement and mindfulness. “Our sessions are free flow, it’s an invitation for like-minded people to meet offline and form a community coming from a heart space of unbounded love and conscious awareness,” she says.
Kannakee |
While you may feel tempted to take many pictures of your first experience at such a setting, the sessions are without photos or video to respect the depth of vulnerability of the dance floor and protect people’s privacy and respect their boundaries. “Not every practice needs to be documented. Somethings can be left magical,” Kannakee quips.
Supported by artistes, DJs, musicians, and ceremony leaders, the music at Ecstatic Dance is multi-genre. For the Mumbai chapter, there will be Victorien, an international DJ and a popular name in the conscious community. He will start with playing the flute and move on to his DJ set which he has designed following the base structure of Ecstatic Dance, which is essentially derived from five rhythms, a dance form founded by Gabrielle Roth and the big mama of ecstatic dance.
Kannakee says that the immersive sound experience will provide a soundscape that will bring a calming end to the session with a sound bath. “Sounds that are soft and soothing, allowing people to melt even deeper laying on the floor or sitting in any meditative posture,” she shares and adds that musicians for Mumbai chapters have been hand-picked and mentored by her to run regular sessions of free flow movement in the city.
The next chapter of Ecstatic Dance will be a sunset session with guest artist Suduaya from France on February 26, 2023 in Juhu.
