Who Is She?

Danler - Who Is She?

This day is kind of like two birthdays for me.  While it’s my 43rd, it’s also my 20th!
It was April 2003 that I moved from Kauai to Big Island where I found Ecstatic Dance in it’s early form.  It’s silly how much I can gush with gratitude for Ecstatic Dance.  But I do so because I believe it saved my life.

This is going to be hard to share and probably hard to read.

I wish I could say I came to Big Island with grace.  
When I came from Kauai, I felt utterly alone, heartbroken, angry, and confused.
It was the most painful, and difficult time of my life.  
My partner, newborn child and I were splitting up, and for good reason.
I was a mess in so many ways.  

My waking hours were filled with anguish.  There’s no way to explain the extent to the suffering I was experiencing.  I can just say it was impossible to see a way through it.
One day while walking through Pahoa I was brought to Kalani Honua… to Ecstatic Dance.
It was just a few people dancing barefoot to classic rock, pop, and a few electronica songs.  
No talking.  Just dancing.  
No direction.  Just movement.
I felt at home.  

Where my emotions once felt like someone standing on my chest, they finally moved through me.
I felt relief, integration and a bit of community.  
It became my weekly church where I diligently returned in search of peace, movement, release, integration, and connection.

I soon started to DJ.  
I started having a greater sense of purpose.  
Creating a musical “journey” for the Ecstatic Dance became a creative outlet.  Before then, I didn’t know I was a creative!
The 30+ hours it took to make a set went by in a blink.  
I was in the flow, where time stopped and nothing else existed.  
And the sense of achievement after coming through the creative process gave me hope.

In 2009, Ecstatic Dance stopped happening at Kalani.  Only then I realized I’d taken it for granted the whole time.
I stopped going to Ecstatic Dance for nearly 10 years.
My health declined. I gained weight. I began drinking to excess, focusing only on work.
Until a few years ago I had the opportunity to start a new Ecstatic Dance in Southern Oregon.

It started with just my partner and I.  
Week after week, we showed up.  Just us.
I practiced speaking the guidelines I’d learned from the years before at Ecstatic Dance.
Then, one by one over weeks and months, a new person would join us.
I shared the intentions I understood Ecstatic Dance was founded on.
I found my voice in sharing these intentions.
And eventually, a community formed with Ecstatic Dance in Williams.

Since then, my life has never been the same.  
There’s a kind of magic in building community around a central idea.
This idea being that we can find a sense of introspection, inclusivity, and interconnectedness… a way to integrate, process, and overcome our emotional wounds, possibly “healing” them ourselves through movement,
I can’t stop talking about how amazing this experience has been for me.
Since then, I’ve stopped drinking. 
I’ve started doing therapeutic treatments.  
I’ve been going to group workshops for self improvement through meditation and breathing.
My 40th, 3 years ago, seems like it was a rebirth.  
I’ve finally found a way to forgive myself…  A, way to forgive my parents… and everyone else.
Where once I was seething with anger, a facade to cover up the fear and sadness, today I’m able to face the world… vulnerable, honest, flawed, but willing to keep improving.

I look back at everything I’ve been through… and everything I’ve put others through.  
I’m immensely sorry.  
I wish I could start over with the sense of empathy and care I have now.
But, I also feel immensely grateful.
Today, I get to be alive.
And that means I can still do good.

2023-04-09 Ecstatic Dance Kalani

ECSTATIC DANCE @ Kalani (The Birthplace)

This set was recorded at home a week after BitF 2023, inspired by music I played there at the Mystic Lounge, since I often forget to press record button when I play live :)

The mix contains some of the tracks I played in the Mystic Lounge at BitF 2023 on Friday and Saturday and represents my vision of the Mystic Lounge camp's sound: multicultural, slow, hypnotic, shamanic and mystical, but in the same time groovy and driving.

Happy listening <3

Mystic Lounge BitF 2023 Curator Mix

Ecstatic Dance Melbourne - Temple Step Ecstatic Dance DJ set (24 Nov 2023)

(Downloadable! :) This Ecstatic Dance DJ Celeste set was a Silent Disco recorded from Venice Beach, CA on Sunday Dec. 11th for the first outdoor dance of the season on the beach - the sun was out & we were all getting down by the sea (whale sighting!) 

This mix features Celeste's signature style of integration of catchy tribal rhythms, deep house music, funk/soul remixes, tracks w exotic instrumentation in a steady ramp up to higher BPM house, a 1/2 time adventure at 50 min & another ecstatic peak at 1:03.  Pow Pow!

Check out Ecstatic Dance LA: https://www.ecstaticdancela.com 

& Celeste: www.djcelestelear.com 
www.boutiqueelectroniquemusic.com

Ecstatic Dance L.A. - DJ Celeste - February 2024 (DOWNLOAD ME!!!)

A cathartic journey shared with a community, through the Dance Temple of Comox Valley. 

This set has been curated with an intention of expressing an array of feelings that has been caused by a tremendously unfortunate event which caused big ripples within our community.

Life is fragile. It is precious, unpredictable. I will miss you my friend.. 
(18 February 2024).

Dance Temple 19 Feb 2024 Set 

Seek The Unknown

Tonight we are happy releasing the Track 'Aquarius' a 22.2. Portal Meditation Track by Piti Lion & Luca Sumitra - a beloved friend and musical companion is now releasing his first track with Danilo Dumonte - a producer from cologne who was weaving this beat as a collabo that we dont want to miss!

A shamanic flute, and a psychedelic synth are headlining this special release making it both - a chillout & meditation track & a psychedelic drumming journey 🪷🪶

Ele van Aldebaran was adding his psychedelic guitar riffs to make this song a full journey. -thanks. for the magic brothers! 🙏🏻

Flutes, Percussions, Shakers: Luca Sumitra Fischer
Beat & Samples: Danilo Dumonte
Mix & Master: Piti Lion

Aquarius Meditation (Instrumental) - Piti Lion & Luca Sumitra - 22:2 Portal, Shamanic Drum Journey

Opening set @ Something Sexy with Play-full Events on February 17th. 2024 with Lady-K and Mr. Berg-E.

The world record for longest female orgasm is 45secs, did you know?

Something Sex'eh~ Opening Mid Tempo Mix

February RtR was one of the most challenging events I have ever hosted so far!

I had the intention to hold a space in honour of Black History Month and practice giving a bit of voice to the part of me that is disturbed by witnessing injustice and suppression. On the same night, there was another event happening, which resulted in very few people signing up for RtR to the point that I did consider cancelling the event. After sharing my concerns with my mentor and teacher, Bettina Rothe, I decided to keep the dance floor open, and show up for my practice, the practice of being a space holder no matter what… Many thanks to those who joined the dance floor and those who didn’t, that was a powerful resilient experience. 

The dance took place on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

For tracklists, check out the playlist on Spotify or scroll down :)
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5noWVmc5OuMvUHBrZHcbFe?si=a90a6c8698ef4975&pt=87e5d10cbb60ad790f3042874bcd5cfc

Artwork: https://www.instagram.com/imagescometomind/

Gratitude always for the musicians, here is the track list:

Kothbiro - Ayub Ogada
Four Women - Nina Simone
Los Guasangú (Cerrero remix) - Semblanzas del río Guapi
Zulu Song feat. Paki Palmieri (Paki Palmieri Afro Roots Mix) - Miriam Makeba, Paki Palmieri
Immigrants (We Get the Job Done) - K'naan, Snow Tha Product, Residente & Riz Ahmed
Mista President - The Souljazz Orchestra
Thonga Lami (Gaudi Remix) - Gaudi, BCUC
Sikilidi feat. General C'mamane, Dladla Mshunqisi, Sizwe Mdlalose, Ms Mamellow and Miss Vee (Original Mix) - DJ Tira
Me Ama feat. Kali Mija (Original Mix) - Lati, Jazzuelle, Kali Mija, Enrico & Carmo
As You Are (Original Mix) - Blanka Mazimela
Fogo (Extended Mix) - Cafe De Anatolia, Arcade Saiyans
Fadjamou (TWOTEK Remix) - Oumou Sangare
Sinnerman (Sofi Tukker Remix) - Nina Simone, Sofi Tukker
La Ka Rubà feat. Akil (Original Mix) - NenaHalena, Akil
Hayii (Citizen Deep Remix) (Original Mix) - Yasmin Levy, Citizen Deep, Mzux Maen
The Rapture Pt.III (Original Mix) - &ME, Black Coffee
Birds - Dominique Fils-Aimé
Makambo - Geoffrey Oryema
Strange Fruit - Nina Simone

RtR - Rings of Saturn - Ecstatic Dance Wave - February 22, 2024

I played this Arab Deep House set at the event Dance of the Dragon with Drumspyder!!  Hope you enjoy these sexy beats.

Dance of the Dragon event 2024-03-22

This Ecstatic Dance was offered on Easter Sunday at Kalani on the Big Island of Hawaii.  It was a high energy joyous journey of transformation, rebirth and resurrection. Blessings to your dance journey wherever this may find you. 

Track List 

Chrysalis - Ayla Nereo
Ballad or a Sleepless Traveler - Sweatson Klank
Sacred Space - Young Marco 
Anuwe - Sri Kala 
Sing Like the Birds - Mose, Sam Garrett 
Ancestral Heritage - PACHIRA 
Kabak Kemane - Oirentaldeep 
Muqaddiamah - Morillo 
Rabat (Kr3ture remix) - Balkan Bump 
Buho (Liquid Bloom & PERE Remix) - Raio & sophie Sofree
For the Oceans and the Trees - Raio 
Stromboli (The Human Experience) - Rising Appalachia
Away (DJ Tax Rashid) - Ryan Herr, Yemanjo 
Radhe All Day - Scott Nice
Bululu - Yemanjo 
Dirty Bump (T-Puse Remix) - Balkan Bump
Rocky - Mr Moudz, Darksidevinyl 
Frikitona - Andruss 
TURMA - Twogangs
Didgeridoo Me - Scott Nice
Nam Mô A Di Đà Phật - Equanimous, Alcina
Flashback - Dimond Saints
Hang On - AN-ten-nae
Wanna Boom - Scott Nice
TRUTH (feat. Truth Now)- KR3TURE
RATATA - Mr. Oizo, Skrillex, Missy Elliott
The Cobra’s Dance - TSVI, Luru 
Naan Beat (Original Mix)- Keith McKenzie 
Mad Cow Bell - AN ten nae
Energy (Ewan McVicar '05 Remix) - NEIL FRANCES & DRAMA
Higher Love (Arnel & Cale Remix) - Kygo
Worship (Sofi Tukker Remix) - Jon Batiste & Sofi Tukker
Asibe Happy (feat. Onset Music) - Trinix Remix 
Freedom (feat. Catherine Feeny) [Equanimous Remix]- KR3TURE
Im Traum Wird Geschlafen - KARIYAN
The Tide - Sizzle Bird, Chillstepped & Eudlo
Healing - TWO LANES 
Reminiscence- Woven Kin

Resurrection Ecstatic Dance // Kalani, Big Island, Hawaii // 2024

Ecstatic Dance DJ & Facilitator living on Big Island, Hawaii // Co-creator of Ecstatic Dance SLC // Earth & animal lover // movement is medicine

Resurrection Ecstatic Dance // Kalani, Big Island, Hawaii // 2024

DJ Madelion

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