Ecstatic Dance in the Park With Cacao - Summer Solstice

Join us for our return to Lily Hill Park, our first outdoor dance of 2024, to celebrate the Summer Solstice (Thursday 20 June) - the longest day of the year and the beginning of Summer.

Connecting to the cycle of nature through barefoot movement and dance on the earth, immersed in sound through headsets, we call upon Summer to return with her playful energy and divine light.

Schedule

• You are invited to arrive from 7pm with flowers and any offerings for the altar.
• Cleansing/smudging with copal, a plant from Guatemala, will be offered.
• 7.30 Cacao ceremony in circle, to set intentions, and practice gratitude.
• 8-9.30 Dance & Mini Sound Bath
• 9.30 Closing Circle
  
  Set in the wonderful Lily Hill Park, I’ll be guiding you on a Sound and Movement Journey using Silent Disco headphones.
  
  The Space

Lily Hill Park is a Green Flag Award winning 23-hectare public open space and local wildlife site. With a scented ornamental garden, woodlands and exotic trees and plants, it’s a stunning space to dance in and explore. With beautiful carvings it’s also home to England’s longest picnic bench, carved from a single piece of wood!

We dance on the hill in front of Lily Hill House. This is a really special space, where clear skies allow us to dance towards the sunset. The headsets give us the freedom to move and dance through the trees, to embrace our own personal experience while grounding in nature.

With Ecstatic Dance, the invitation is to disconnect the mind and connect with the body freely, without self-judgement or fearing judgement from others. The music is always different, and the dance is an opportunity to connect with the body and see how it would like to move to the music. Movement is conscious, intuitive and spontaneous as you allow the vibrations of the sound to resonate in whichever way feels right for you. Dancing in a public space can be a great opportunity to witness your thoughts and practice mindfulness.

Come and join our friendly, growing community!

A Few Things to Mention

This is an over 16’s, safe, respectfully alcohol and drug free environment. No phones, no chat! We move/dance barefoot.

Photos/videos may be taken during the event for advertising purposes.

Please note that by purchasing a ticket you agree that Just BE Sound and Movement Therapy is not liable for any injury or harm that you may incur at this event (dancing only exactly as YOU feel to) & you agree to take full responsibility of yourself, your health, your wellbeing and all of your belongings whilst at the session. Thank you.

Please take extra care with the headphones to ensure they don't get broken otherwise we will have to charge an additional £20 for any damage.

Weather

If there is heavy rain, you will be notified by email if the event will take place in North Ascot Community Centre, or will be cancelled. Please ensure you check your emails on the day of the event.

What Our Clients Say:

'I had the most fantastic time at Alison’s dance event in Ascot. Meditation, Cacao Ceremony and dancing to wonderful music. The music takes over your body and it just moves however it pleases without any thoughts. No one else cares what you’re doing, just dance for you. It’s beautiful, releasing, freeing, evocative and healing. I came away feeling better than I have done for the past 50 years! Let go of your doubts and inhibitions and find the courage to try it. Thank you so much for helping me to grow.’

‘That was the best experience of my life! To feel no judgement in a room full of people!’

'How does ecstatic dance feel? Like you are truly in your own world, letting your body take in and respond to wonderful music....to really FEEL the music and what that brings up in your body. '

'Alison incorporates a few questions and prompts which guide you to really be in the moment and let go further. As a newbie to this type of dance, I've tried it a handful of times and am completely hooked. I had never danced before and was very self-conscious at first, I'm overjoyed at how liberating and natural this feels and it is now one of my core activities for self -and soul nourishment!’

‘Your voice was incredible! Added another dimension to the journey. Such a beautiful experience.’

Location

Lily Hill Park. The exact location will be sent to you in your Eventbrite order confirmation email. Check for 'Additional Information'. Parking is available, please park in the car park on Lily Hill Road. The nearest train station is Martins Heron which is a 20 minute walk. **There is no public toilet at this park. However The Running Horse pub is open 11am to late, and there is a rugby club with facilities in the park. There’s no agreement with either of these venues though.**

What to Bring

Wear comfortable clothing, maybe a change of clothes or a jumper for after the dance. Bring a water bottle and perhaps sun cream if it’s sunny weather. You may like to bring a headband to secure the headphones which will allow you to move your head more freely! Something to sit on if the ground may be damp.

Payment

We have set a donation option to reduce your ticket fee cost. Please enter amount to purchase your ticket and ONLY 1 TICKET PER ORDER. Thank you in advance!

EVENTBRITE ORDER CONFIRMATION: Your email confirmation might go into your spam folder. Please check. Full refunds will be issues if for any reason the class has to be cancelled (due to weather etc) otherwise NO REFUNDS. Tickets may be transferred to another nominated person. The event may be rescheduled to a nearby indoor venue if heavy rain is forecast.

Cacao

Contraindications: Ceremonial Cacao is not recommended for anyone in the first trimester of pregnancy, with a serious heart condition, epilepsy or taking antidepressants. If you would like to still attend and take a much lower dose, you can do so at your own risk. Our Cacao is First Grade Ceremonial Cacao from Guetamala.

Cacao is a powerful plant medicine that contains iron, zinc, potassium, copper, and magnesium which contribute to cardiovascular health. It is said to have benefits for depression as it contains anandamide, the bliss molecule and has the ability to trigger the release of dopamine and endorphins and increase serotonin. Cacao also has powerful antioxidants and can balance blood sugar levels by increasing the blood flow to the brain. This helps with focus and awareness. Cacao also has spiritual and emotional benefits and can help us to connect with our higher self, tune in to our intuition and access transformational states.

About

Just BE Sound and Movement Therapy is run by Alison Heaslewood who qualified in Sound and Movement Therapy with the British Academy of Sound Therapy. She is also the founder of Ecstatic Dance Berkshire.

Following a five year episode of chronic pain in her twenties and a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, she turned to alternative methods of healing, including Sound Therapy. Along with sound, movement was instrumental in her full recovery. She has been supported on her spiritual path by cacao, meditation and connecting to nature, and has been continually called to explore deep practices of surrender and awareness.

With five years vocal training she has discovered the power of the voice to heal and bringing soothing vocals into her sound sessions along with other percussion.

She creates nurturing, relaxing and safely held spaces for anyone seeking a space to Just BE.

www.instagram.com/soundandmovementtherapy

To read reviews: www.facebook.com/JustBEsoundandmovementtherapy