Shannon Sahaja
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Embodifest is a somatic ceremony full-spectrum immersion for those who are ready for a fearless and magical experience.
This retreat is an opportunity for us to play with each other and heal ourselves in one of the most beautiful and magnificent places on Earth.
The Big Island of Hawaii is the birthplace of Ecstatic dance and a sacred pilgrimage for dancers. Dive into black sand beaches, sing in natural hot pools, immerse yourself in a world created by lava in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and experience the catalyzing effects of the Ecstatic life with us.
We Love you. Welcome. And, Aloha!
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----------------Dates ----------------
January 18th - 25th
(Arrive no later than the 17th and depart no earlier than January 26th.)
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----------------Pricing ----------------
Event limited to 45 participants. It is highly attendee focused and tickets WILL sell out.
Retreat Includes:
1. Daily continental breakfast and catered lunch
2. Airport transportation to and from Hawaiian Sanctuary
3. Full Spa access (hot tub, sauna, cold plunge, and pool)
Prices based on ticket availability.
If price is up, it is available
Tier 1: **Sold out**
Tier 2: $999 (next 15 sign ups)
Tier 3: $1111 (final 15 sign ups)
*Discounted volunteer and low-income tickets available. Message for details.
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------------Accommodation ------------
Retreat Center Accommodations
(kitchen and spa access included):
-Tent or Car Camping $25/night
-Lodge Rooms $111/night
-Cabins $119/night
-Premium cabins (include bathroom/shower) $133
*Cabins can accommodate 1-2 people
**Please contact Hawaiian Sanctuary to book accommodations ASAP.
----------------LOCATION ----------------
https://www.hawaiiansanctuary.com/
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----------------SCHEDULE ----------------
*Exact Schedule TBA*
Wednesday
8am - 9am Meet n Greet/Sign-In
9am - 10:30am Opening Circle (Annabelle)
10:30am - 11:00am Snacks/Logistics
11:15am - 1pm Dance is Life (Gabriel)
1:15pm - 2:15pm Lunch is Served
2:45pm - 4:30pm Experiments in Communal Play: The Improv Arts (Shannon)
*Free Time*
6:30pm-9:00pm Ecstatic Dance and sound bath! @ Sundari Gardens
Thursday
9am - 10am Wake n' Shake Ecstatic
10am - 11am Opening Circle and Authentic Relating (Annabelle)
11:15am - 1pm Contact Improvisation (Merrick)
1:15pm - 2:15pm Lunch is Served
2:45pm - 4:30pm Intro to Acro Yoga (Lauren)
*Free Time*
6:00pm - 8:30pm Organic Ecstatic @ Kumakahi
Friday
10am - 11am Opening Circle Restorative movement and Authentic Relating (Annabelle)
11:15am - 1pm Movimiento Creativo (Mona)
1:15pm - 2:15pm Lunch is Served
2:45pm - 4:30pm 2:45pm - 4:30pm All levels Acro Yoga (Lauren)
*Free Time*
6pm - 7pm Sound Bath @ The Hawaiian Sanctuary
7pm - 11pm Bee Dance @ The Hawaiian Sanctuary
Saturday
9am - 10am Wake n' Shake Contact Jam
10am - 11am Opening Circle Restorative Movement and Authentic Relating (Annabelle)
11:15am - 1pm Contact Improvisation (Shannon)
1:15pm - 2:15pm Lunch is Served
2:45pm - 4:30pm 5 Rhythms (Rachel)
Sunday (no lunch)
9am - 10:45am Song Circle & Cacao @ Sundari
10:45am - 2pm Ecstatic Dance! @Kalani: The birthplace of Ecstatic Dance
~Sunday Funday Flow~
2pm-4pm Drum Circle at Kahena Black Sands Beach
Optional Natural Volcanic Hot Ponds
Monday
9am - 10am Wake n' Shake Contact Jam
10am - 11am Opening Circle Restorative Movement and Authentic Relating (Annabelle)
11:15am - 1pm Contact Improvisation (Merrick)
1:15pm - 2:15pm Lunch is Served
2:45pm - 4:30pm Thai Massage (Lauren)
Tuesday
9am - 10am Wake n' Shake Contact Jam
10am - 11am Opening Circle and Authentic Relating (Annabelle)
11:15am - 1pm Divine Play (Kai)
1:15pm - 2:15pm Lunch is Served
2:45pm - 4:30pm 5 Rhythms (Rachel)
~~~~~~Conscious Cuddles~~~~~~
Wednesday
10am - 11am Opening Circle and Authentic Relating (Annabelle)
11:15am - 1pm Dance is Love (Gabriel)
1:15pm - 2:15pm Lunch is Served
2:45pm - 4:30pm Taking the Lead and Closing Circle
*Free Time*
6:30pm - 9pm Ecstatic Dance featuring DJ and Sound bath! @Sundari Gardens
*********Class Descriptions*********
Dance is Life/Love - This class redefines dynamic zen. We will up-level our physical awareness and drop deep into our conscious movement. Forging a bridge between sound and body, music and motion, we will begin to see, hear and feel more than ever before.
Contact Improvisation - a martial art, awareness training, and an improvisational movement form that guides its participants to gain somatic intelligence and deep listening skills while having a ton of fun!
In its most basic form, CI is a partner dance form based on the physical principles of touch, momentum, shared weight, and following a shared point of contact to investigate and develop a truthful relationship with being present and attuned.
Divine Play - Divine Play is an improvisational embodiment practice that cultivates authentic expression through voice and movement. Drawing from practices such as Somatic Movement, Contact Improv, Theatre, Choreography, Performance, Light Language, Qigong, Breathwork, Yoga, and Gaga, it is a living library of avenues to train our subtle awareness to attune and remember our innate intimacy with Divinity through the innocence and intelligence of PLAY.
By playing, we are becoming children again, coming home to the essence of creation within us, letting go of who we think we need to be, for who we really are within our hearts. The sacred essence of JOY is a force of aliveness and vitality that fuels our will to live. We are making space in our lives to contact this foundational essence within us and rewire ourselves for an upward spiral of co-creating a beautiful life with the world around us.
5Rhythms #1 Becoming One
In journey, we will follow the 5Rhythms Map to move through the parts of us that keep us separate from each other. Using evocative music and gentle guidance, Rachel Jordana will facilitate a class that moves you to dissolve the barriers of your individual identity to become one with the larger whole.
5Rhythms #2 On Becoming
Who are you in this moment? And how about the very next moment? In this class, we will explore the multi-faceted versions of you and how they move in the world, giving you full permission to express all parts of you. Through Gabrielle Roth’s 5Rhythms Map, we will dance through flowing, staccato, chaos, lyrical and stillness and possibly even widen your range of movement and emotional expression.
Movimiento Creativo - Dancing with Wolves -
Locked or free, what would it be? Join the tribe on this transformational guided dance to reconnect with your higher instincts, natural power, and sense of freedom. MONA and the Grand spirits will guide you on a conscious dance journey with organic house-curated music in order for you to express, release, and relief your emotions. We gather to move, heal, feel, sing (and howl!) You are invited to participate in the alignment of the mind, heart, body, and spirit.
Intro to Acro Yoga -
Acroyoga is a dynamic blend of trust play acrobatics and Therepeutics ! In this workshop we will learn The very basics of acro Yoga! With some fun partner yoga and group warm ups.. and learn how to Base , like a boss! fly like a bird and spot like a ninja .
This is great for somebody who’s never done Acroyoga .. and is excited to learn the Amazing foundations! Let’s fly and play together with some therapeutic flying!
ALL levels AcroYoga -
In this workshop a.k.a. play-shop” we will go over some fun, trust games as well as dynamic and different ways of getting in and out of posesthat will also include some beginner flows and some yummy leg love.
Thai Yoga Massage -
“Thai massage is like lazy man’s yoga!"
In this workshop we will Begin with a juicy yoga warm up and learn some yummy therapeutic ways to help support our friends.
Come get relax and touch each other in therapeutic consensual ways and so much more!
*********Teacher Bios*********
Gabriel -
As an International presenter, Gabriel Francisco has spent the last 20 years connecting, sharing, and inspiring on the highest, most professional level of dance education. From studios and workshops in Japan and Brazil to teaching choreography in Europe, Russia, Australia, and New Zealand, Gabriel has given his entire adult life over to unlocking the movement potential in other beings.
Shannon -
Shannon Sahaja is an embodied alchemist with 2 decades of teaching, living, and performing in the field of somatic arts. Graduating Magna Cum Laude from one of the top dance conservatories in the country, Shannon is devoted to inspiring students to experience their own essence through play, spontaneity, and nourishment. Shannon offers exquisite facilitation and participants often reflect on how incredibly safe they feel in her field.
Shannon had the great honor of being the Creative Director of Ecstatic Dance Oakland Sunday from 2015 to 2020.
She now lives in Hawaii and teaches weekly classes in Contact Improvisation and Improv Arts.
Kaï Sunrise -
(she/her) is a divine channel for light, unconditional love, and joy. Her love for Gaia has deep roots that have led her to become a Wayshower for New Earth culture. Her devotion towards co-creating peace on Gaia is currently focused on Playshops & Ceremonies of Divine Play & Light Language, where she guides participants in remembering how to authentically express their unique essence.
Dr. Rachel Jordana Horodezky, Psy.D -
is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Certified 5Rhythms Teacher. In her teaching, she incorporates beautiful music and intentional guidance to evoke trance, emotional process and deep healing. She lives in Santa Cruz, California where she has a full-time private practice and two rambunctious little boys. She teaches movement workshops nationally and internationally. For info or to book a session please visit:
5Rhythmswithracheljordana.com
Annabelle -
Dr. Annabelle C.C. Catalano is a physical therapist, dancer, and lifelong athlete. She has been studying the human mind, body, and the art of movement since 2010. Annabelle is a recipient of several awards for community involvement and service in her home towns in the US and around the world in The Dominican Republic, South Africa, and Greece. Her passion for movement and connection flows through her offerings on the island of ecstatic dance, functional mobility and somatic play practices she calls Embodied Connection. Annabelle curates the opening each day to flow with the rhythm of the Embodifest community throughout the 8 days we share together. Each morning, she will guide you through movement and sharing practices for physical restoration and integration as a whole and in small intimate groups. Through authentic relating and personal reflection practices, we will experience a deepening of safe conscious connection, self awareness, care and love.
Lauren -
Lauren DuBois is a holistic health practitioner, a licensed massage therapist yoga teacher and Acroyoga teacher.
Lauren first found her love for Acroyoga in 2006.
She loves how Acroyoga blends together touch communication and trust and play.
Lauren has taught Acroyoga at many different festivals & retreat centers all around California Oregon Hawai’i Costa Rica and Montreal!
Lauren has found great success in her life teaching what she loves
Lauren currently lives on Maui where she has a successful holistic bodywork/ massage practice and teaches Acroyoga jams workshops.
Magalí Clazón aka Mona -
Mona brings her somatic guided journey representing the integration of disciplines that allowed her to transform. Founder of Movimiento Creativo, she found refuge on the dance floor in the middle of Buenos Aires. Mona is an Ontological Coach, Yoga, Dance, and Mindfulness Teacher. For the past decades, she has studied, practiced, and immersed in somatics and movement. Her experience has taught her some emotions can't be expressed. They need to move first.
Mona went through hardships with the way she used to perceive her body, the way she was talking to herself, the non-worthy feelings, her powerless voice, and more. After years of somatic experiences, she found the way through practicing Zouk in Brasil, finding the intimate relation we can have with and between bodies. Stretching was so needed during this time that she dived into the discipline and coached high-performance CrossFit athletes to bring their attention to it. This led her to adopt mindfulness as a tool and Vipassana as the mind-body connector. Being an Ontological Coach and 5 Rhythms dancer made her realize the importance of deconstructing to find her most inner Self, and of weaving, to continue creating herself. She migrated to the West Coast and became a devoted steward of the Earth. She dances intimately with the elements, allowing wild nature to inform the elemental aspects of her being.
Merrick Jacob (she/her) -
is a lover of movement, continuously in awe of the body and its potential for unique expression, creativity, & authentic connection. Influenced by her background in figure skating, AcroYoga, hand-balancing, and contact improv, she guides playful movement experiences as an opportunity for deep listening, exploration, and co-creation. She is a certified AcroYoga Teacher with AcroRevolution & AcroYoga Montréal. Merrick studied a variety of somatic movement therapy modalities with Dynamic Embodiment & The Moving On Center: School of Participatory Arts & Somatic Research, focusing on BodyMind Centering & Laban Movement Analysis. For more contact improv with Merrick, she hosts 2x a month at The Center SF. Say hi to her here: https://merrickjacob.com/
***People often end up staying longer for continued community integration and island exploration! Please give yourself extra days to flow and breathe if you can.***
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Registration:
Step 1. Send payment to Gabriel Francisco through Venmo or PayPal
-Venmo: https://Venmo.com/gabriel-francisco-2
-Paypal:
https://www.paypal.me/djgabrielfrancisco
-(*If you choose PayPal, you must select “friends and family” or there will be a $25 fee*).
***No Refunds***
Tickets are fully transferable for any reason.
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Step 2. Email or message Gabriel Francisco to be added to our telegram dance group and learn about accommodation options at the retreat center and on the Big Island:
-Facebook: @superherohiphop
-Email: mdorsai@gmail.com
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Contact Gabriel with questions:
-IG: @gabrielfranciscoproductions
-FB: facebook.com/superherohiphop
-Email: mdorsai@gmail.com
