This is a set of some of my favorite tracks over the past few months...

Preparing the Path - Liquid Bloom & Poranguí 
Zuni - Gary Stroutsos
A Night at the Cathedral - Pete Kuzma
Cedar Moon (Feat. Geometrae) - Shaman's Dream, Poranguí, Eric Zang
Kula Kula (The Widdler Remix) - Pushloop
Trenches(Original Mix) - Flowdan
Maculala (Original Mix) - Kurup
Butterfly FX - Mindex & Supertask
Oriental Tales (Original Mix) - Rapossa
Love That Hurts (Original Mix) - ZHU, Karnaval Blues,Indiana
Don't Cry My Daughter - Giishgaawin
When It All Shuts Down Feat. Josh Friend (Original Mix) - D-Formation, Martin Caspi
Gatluak (Hyenah Beat Version)- Nyaruach
Se De Ritmo (Original Mix)- Tanit
On My Knees - Rufus du Sol
Visions feat. RBBTS (Township Rebellion Remix) - Lane 8
No Good (SWEET MIX) Don Diablo, Zonderling
Oceans - RY X
Senses Overload (feat. Laura Hahn) - Ficci
Mayway - Aluna


Artwork by Rara Avis © 2021
Vector Background Octagonal Art by Kristy Pargeter https://www.vecteezy.com
Other images by Shutterstock

This Is Ecstatic Dance Vol 1

An epic journey of highs and lows... thanks so much to the dancers who gathered to bring their full selves to the dance floor - gratitude to ecstatic dancers everywhere for co-creating such a beautiful community of movers and shakers.

Set List:
Opening - Live
Needless to Say / Hewar,Djivan Gasparyan,Andreas MüllerPure Realm Pure Realm (ft Master Winson Liao) / Maneesh de Moor
Twice / Little Dragon
Mystic State / Impartials
Prana / Dillard
Amoriri (Tribal Bass Mix) / Temple Step Project, Ape Chimba, Ebyän
Monsoon / Versa
Nothing (feat. Rider Shafique) (Sorrow Remix) / Om Unit
London / GUNS
Meet Freedom / MEMBA, Levus Alone
Speaking in Tongues /Jade Cicada
For Aisha / MEMBA,EVAN GIIA,Nooran Sisters
Are You Ready / BAD NINJA
Bazaar /Elfenberg
Kazikot / Elfenberg
Medicine Code / Tropo
Otun feat. Nidia Gongora / Montoya
Timbiqui Hasta DC Feat Nidia Gongora (Zakir 'Back to the Roots' Mix) / Sabo
La Maison (Original) / Gab Rhome
Love Tonight (David Guetta Extended Remix) / Shouse
Me Sueno feat. Martina Camargo (Extended Mix) / Martina Camargo, Tom Staar
On My Own / TroyBoi, Nefera
BUSS IT (Original Mix) / TroyBoi
Catharsis (Grouch Remix) / Hedflux
Clap / Wolfgang Gartner
Falling (BROHUG Remix) / Alesso
Plead With Me / Djrum
Ecstatic Grounding (ReGen AtYyA Remix) / Liquid Bloom
Whispers of Kerala's Ancestors (Fusion Mix) / Liquid Bloom & Shamans Dream
Ending / Live

Ecstatic Dance Fall 2022

A long, slow, soft intro... honoring the diminishing energy of the Sun and the growing presence of Darkness.  

Don't worry - the peak still comes... :) Enjoy the journey...

Dance Temple Saltspring 12.01.2022

This was a live set I co-created with breathwork facilitator named Brando Huang at a very special retreat for some friends @ Joshua Tree.

Many thanks to Garrett Brill and all the amazing humans who participated in weaving together a deeply nourishing dive into the Great Mystery.

Improvised Breathwork Journey Joshua Tree 11.2022

Breathwork Mazunte 01.22.23

One of my favourite places in the world, the sweet, nourishing, quiet mountain town of Ashland, Oregon.  I lived a life here in previous years and am always grateful to be able to come home and drop some tracks for my Ashland peeps.

Ashland Ecstatic 04.12.23

Holistic AI Daily Meditation: Starting the Work Day

ASC3ND Guided Imagery: The Inner Guide

Holistic AI Daily Meditations: Ending the Day

Williams Ecstatic 04.20.23

A delicious, multi-wave set inspired by the Southern BC Dance Temple community.  This was my home coming set after 6 months away, so it was extra juicy :)

Dance Temple Saltspring Island, June 05 2023

Dance Temple Victoria 08.20.23

DT Vic 10.22.23

This was a live recording I did for a yoga class in Vermont with Desiree Rumbaugh.  We'd worked together in the past on her DVD projects but never met in person.  Great chance to further our chemistry!~

Desiree Rumbaugh's Class Vermont 2012

Guided breathwork with live, improvised music.  An hour long practice that's great for any level of experience with breathwork.  Trust your body, find your edge, let the intelligence of your breath guide you into a gradual process of letting go and getting in touch with the deep spaciousness that is everywhere and nowhere at once.

Quantum Jam @ Still Life LA 03.06.24

(Oct 8th, 2024)

I took in an AA meeting this morning where we recited the third step prayer at the end.  While I'm very grateful for the roots of the 12 step program, for the many gifts it has given me, and for the amazing people I've met on this particular path of sobriety, I struggle with the language because it's rooted in a certain flavor of 1940's Christian rhetoric that doesn't speak to me.

So I asked Claude.ai to help me rewrite this prayer with some of the concepts of evolutionary biology + buddhism mixed in, as the combo of those two traditions speak to me very much - the results were amazing! (Claude is an excellent writer, to me it's more enjoyable to read than Chat GPT for creative writing)

Original third step prayer:

God, I offer myself to Thee...
To build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt
Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will
Take away my difficulties.  That victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of Life 

Contemporary revised version:

To the Universal Consciousness that flows through all things:

I open myself to the process of conscious evolution, aligning my actions with the greater flow of life. May I be a conduit for positive change, both within myself and in the world around me.

Free me from the illusion of a separate self, so that I may act in harmony with the interconnected nature of all beings. Let me transcend my ego-driven desires and fears, to better serve the highest good.

Transform my challenges into opportunities for growth and understanding. May my journey through adversity inspire and empower others, demonstrating the resilience, compassion, and wisdom that arise from aligning with life's evolutionary current.

In facing each moment with mindfulness and acceptance, may I contribute to the collective awakening of all beings.

Breathing In : Evolutionary Alignment Refresh

From EDLA on Venice Beach 10/27/24. To check out their dance events go to: www.instagram.com/ecstaticdancela/

SET LIST: 

Tjuele | Mpho Sebina, ATI
Drifting | Skysia, Equanimous
AWAY | Oxlade
Espíritus Del Bosque | El Beso Del Árbol
Pon De Replay (Ed Marquis Remix) | Rihanna
Californian Knight (Original Mix) | Platinum Doug
Mantra | TRITICUM
Point Of View (Original Mix) | Raidho
Find Your Way (Extended Mix) | Starving Yet Full, The Spirit
Here Comes The Sun (Original Mix) | Khenya (IBZ)
Yamore | MoBlack, Salif Keita, Benja
Fuego (Club Mix) | Bhaskar, Alok
You & I | Dabeull, HolyBrune
Laalach (Original Mix) | TroyBoi
Big Bad Sound | Chronixx
Almost | Khanvict, Raaginder
Sweating | Alewya
Gonna Burn | VINIVILLA
Disco Stepper (Original Mix) | House of Prayers
Good Times (Extended Mix) | Mr. Belt & Wezol
Can't Get Enough (Original Mix) | Block & Crown, Jesus Davila
What U Doing feat. Leo Wood (Original Mix) | Dennis Cruz, Leo Wood
Spaceship (Original Mix) | Guau
Compound (Peter Horrevorts Remix) | Michel De Hey, Groov
Release Yourself (Eddie Amador Club Mix) | Eddie Amador Presents
So Sweet (Extended Mix) | Unknown Artist (7010534)
Light It Up feat. Richie Loop (Extended Mix) | Hardwell, Suyano, Richie Loop
Zomba Vocal Mix | Unknown Artist (3978920)
Fire In My Soul (Tom Staar Extended Mix) | Oliver Heldens, Shungudzo
Dougne Te Soye (Original Mix) | Massimo Lippoli
Amante | corandcrank
Uwrrongo (BosPianii Remix) | Q-L V, C_MeSoul
All Along The Way (Yannek Maunz & Arutani Reworks) | El Mundo & Zazou
Anima | Doe Paoro, Float Waves

Ecstatic Dance LA DJ Set 10-24

DJ set recorded live at Dance Temple Victoria on Valentine's Day, 2016!  

As the popular culture of our western world celebrated Valentine's day, we at Dance Temple Victoria chose to send a prayer of Love to help Awaken the world from suffering. 

This can begin by learning to love ourselves more deeply, and letting Spirit guide the process by which we awaken to the tremendous capacity we all have for self-love, compassion, love of others, and love of life itself.

Track List: 

Mera Man Loche - Unconditional Love // Mirabai Ceiba
Om Sarve // Tina Malia
Light Touch // D-echo Project
Orbital
Ensueno // Vibrasphere
Elegua // Akal Dub Remix
Congo Bongo // Liquid Stranger
If you Leave // Akal Dub
Gossip
2On (Troy Boi Remix) // Tinashe
Getaway // Croatia Squad
Beautiful Day // Trentemoller
Habibi // SoundSnobz
Sunshine

Rara Avis Dance Temple Valentine's Day 2016

FREE DOWNLOAD :) 

This is the first song i've ever posted to Soundcloud that is this raw and uncut.  It is a recording I made on May 11th, 2016 at my altar.  

The lyrics are 100% improvised by focusing on my connection with the Divine, listening deeply, pouring my heart out and singing about something that day which is deeply relevant to me.

I've had this practice for some time of praying to Spirit through my songs, but have rarely if ever shared it because it's unrehearsed and not 'produced'.

Along the theme of this prayer-song, it fills me with great joy to be able to share what I have for anyone who needs it.

Please download it for free, enjoy and share it with anyone you think might resonate with me.

All I Have Is All I Need

Live + DJ set for Dance Temple Victoria, May 21st 2017.

Playlist:
Intro - live improvised prayers (Rara on flute, guitar, vocals + loops)
Rag Desh Part One (Alap) / Benjy Wertheimer
Morey Pya Bassey / Cheb I Sabbah
Lawny of Tunes / D-Echo Project
Sani / Zaman 8 feat. Hafez Modir
Say It (feat. Tove Lo) / Flume [SG Lewis Remix]
Telescope (Original Mix) / Bop + Synkro
Speedle / Electrocado (CloZee Remix)
Little Lover / Broadhurst (Teemid Remix)
Horus / Sluberjack
Xique-Xique / Nicola Cruz Remix
Grandmother Tree / Deya Dova
Control / Modul Kollektiv (Kruse & Nuernberg Remix)
Hit the Road Jack (Extended Mix) / Throttle
The Buzz feat. Mataya + Young Tapz / Hermitude
HyperParadise / Hermitude (Flume Remix)
Red Lights / Esacpism Refuge
Honour / Nanobyte
Step Wrong / Ash Walker feat. Sage (Escapism Refuge Remix)
Outro - live improvised prayers (Rara on flute, guitar, vocals + loops)

Dance Temple Victoria May 21 2017

Hear more at http://www.raraavismusic.com

Tour tickets there too!

Playlist:
Intro - live improvised prayers (Rara on flute, guitar, vocals + loops)
Womanspirit
DA Harmonics / Daniel Waples & Alexei Levin
Missing Things / Kyson
Lyrebird / Natureboy Flako
Tabla Solo 4 / Drumspyder
Kuku / Natureboy Flako
Afterhours (feat. Diplo & Nina Sky) / Diplo, Nina, Sky, TroyBoi
Aymo feat. Talib Kweli / Balkan Bump, Gramatik
Baiana / CloZee
Bring The Funk Back / Big Gigantic, The Geek x Vrv
Baba / Randomized Coffee
Miracle D’Hwange (Armen Miran Remix) / Amentia
Hear Dat / Icekream, TroyBoi
Your Love / Mark Knight
La Jungla (Bongotrack Remix) / Ricardo Carrasco
Myth Of The Cave (Desert Dwellers Remix) / Deya Dova
Suenos de la Selva (AtYya Remix) / Porangui
Kuku / Flako
Collected Downtempo Vol. 3 / Kaya Project
Galacturfing / East Forest
Kol Galgal / Tina Malia
Om Namo Narmadev / Tina Malia
Outro - live improvised prayers (Rara on flute, guitar, vocals + loops)

Dance Temple 10.15.17

This song I created on the spot when my partner left me, most of my music equipment was stolen, and I couldn't afford to pay my rent.

Classic sob story - but what came through when I faced my anger about it all was really sweet and devotional. 

Grateful to life for knocking me down, and building me back up ever stronger.

Full Of You

I opened up to Source in the moment and sang this in honor of a friend on the dance floor who was sitting with his new lover.  Their connection was so tender, sacred and sweet that God decided to capture it through these chords and words that came together spontaneously.

I ended with some flute prayers...

May all who suffer find freedom...

The Freedom of Devotion

Sweet Christmas time dance @ Beaver Point Hall on my magic home island of Salt Spring.

Dance Temple Salt Spring 12.28.17

This is the first ever recording I've made with my beloved wood flute.  It was gifted to me by flute maker Dennis Hawk - a dear friend, yogi and wonderful musician himself.

I've never had an instrument that I understood so deeply the moment I began playing it.  My love for it runs deep...

Rites Of Passage

This was a lovely collaboration with Vancouver based teacher Sjanie McInnis, who has not only mastered the art of teaching Yin yoga, but also has a background in sound healing and music.

We flowed super well together and this is the result!

100% improvised yoga flow music, created on the spot with live instruments, backed by soundscapes and beats from my laptop.

Improvised Yoga Music with Sjanie McInnis

Rara Avis with Sjanie McInnis: Yin Flow

An amazing set at the 8 Wheels Church in San Francisco, thanks SO much to the SF E-dance community for coming together and making this such a special experience!

Track List:
Opening - Live flute & ambient music by Rara Avis
Kinna Sohna - Cheb I Sabbah
Agua Nescente - Porangui
La Oscuridad (Lagartijeando Remix)- Chico Mann & Captain Planet
El Nogal de las Pampas (Chancha Vía Circuito Remix)- Lagartijeando
Be water my friend - Intiche feat Klin Klop
Jinku - Njishe - El Buho Remix
Sun Drops - VOLO
Aasatoma (Original Mix) - Centaurus A
Funky Nawari (Drumspyder's Midnight Snack Wrap Up) - Drumspyder
Rhythm By Rhythm (Original Mix) - Koka Mass Jazz
Alex Guesta - Kayamba vs Magalenha (Tribal Bootleg)
From Jamaica to Brasil // Original Mix
House Party - Captain Cuts, The Knocks // (Oliver Disco Mixx)
Zonderling - Tunnel Vision (Don Diablo Extended Edit)
Dom Dolla - Take It (Extended Mix)
Martina Camargo, Tom Staar - Me Sueno feat. Martina Camargo (Extended Mix)
Live chant by Rara Avis
Emanating (Hakuu Remix) - AtYyA
Inverse (Original Mix) - ARtroniks
Beauty in Errors (Mellow Edit) - COMA
TIncture - Feral Fauna
Journey Among Worlds - Niklas Paschburg
Live sound healing + prayers - Rara avis

Ecstatic Dance SF 01-2019

Ecstatic Dance San Francisco 01-2019

Volume 3 - Dec 31st

After 20 years of dreaming, I finally decided to take my yoga teacher training, and I did it with my partner Naomi Jason, and one of my favorite teachers, Shiva Rea.  

We trained for 3 weeks at Blue Spirit in Nosara, Costa Rica.

I've been making music for Shiva for almost 20 years, and this was by far the most intimate and rewarding journey of collaboration. 

Enjoy the vibes!  You can hear Shiva teaching in the background, so this is for practice, probably not best for use in class.  I hope to translate these into studio releases this spring :)

Improvised Yoga Music

Improvised Yoga Music w/ Shiva Rea YTT Costa Rica, Dec 31 2018

Volume 2 - Dec 30th

After 20 years of dreaming, I finally decided to take my yoga teacher training, and I did it with my partner Naomi Jason, and one of my favorite teachers, Shiva Rea.  

We trained for 3 weeks at Blue Spirit in Nosara, Costa Rica.

I've been making music for Shiva for almost 20 years, and this was by far the most intimate and rewarding journey of collaboration. 

Enjoy the vibes!  You can hear Shiva teaching in the background, so this is for practice, probably not best for use in class.  I hope to translate these into studio releases this spring :)

Improvised Yoga Music w/ Shiva Rea YTT Costa Rica, Dec 30 2018

Volume 1 - Dec 29th

After 20 years of dreaming, I finally decided to take my yoga teacher training, and I did it with my partner Naomi Jason, and one of my favorite teachers, Shiva Rea.  

We trained for 3 weeks at Blue Spirit in Nosara, Costa Rica.

I've been making music for Shiva for almost 20 years, and this was by far the most intimate and rewarding journey of collaboration. 

Enjoy the vibes!  You can hear Shiva teaching in the background, so this is for practice, probably not best for use in class.  I hope to translate these into studio releases this spring :)

Improvised Yoga Music w/ Shiva Rea YTT Costa Rica, Dec 29 2018

Live + DJ set from Salt Spring... it was a cold night but the souls gathered in number to celebrate their right to dance and pray.  Freedom :)

Song List: 
Arcolris - Porangui
Subterranean Deep - Inlakesh
Erzulie (Phantom Remix) - Makyo
Rise - Yaima
Souba Souba (Bluetech Mix)
Parma Panorama  - Sunmonx
Confidence of Equals - Isaac Chambers
Here in the Now - Temple Step & DJ Lo Qi Remix - Murray Kayle
La Descarria feat. Miss Bolivia (Uji Remix) - Corina Lawrence
Sun Drops - VOLO
Hands Up (Raise Your Fist) feat. Leo Napier (Original Mix) - The Funk Hunters
Be Svendsen - Henri Texier - Le piroguier (Be Svendsen edit)
Gatluak (Hyenah Beat Version) - Nyaruach
Fire In My Soul (Tom Staar Extended Mix) - Gab Rhome
Tincture - Feral Fauna
Journey Among Worlds - Niklas Paschburg

Dance Temple Salt Spring 02 2019

An improvised hatha yoga music flow by Rara Avis, in collaboration with Vancouver BC based yoga instructor Meghan Currie.

Rara Avis w Meghan Currie Hatha Flow 2

DT Victoria Feb 2020

Known in the music world as Rara Avis (n. latin for Rare Bird), Alex is a dedicated master of his craft with over 20 years experience in live performance and music production with a core focus on where the electronic underground, yoga and ecstatic dance movements collide. 

He is also CEO and Co-Founder of YogiTunes.com, a world wide streaming and download service that focuses on delivering top quality sound tracks for yoga and other wellness activities.

He has been in long time collaboration with Craig Kohland and Amani Friend on the Shamans Dream and Desert Dwellers/Liquid Bloom projects respectively. Together they created one of the most widely used contemporary yoga music libraries ever. Rara is also CEO and Founder of Yogi Tunes, an world wide online music service that provides top quality DJ driven soundtracks for yoga and other wellness activities.

Rara’s live sets are a mixture of guitar, vocals, and dj techniques that combine pre-produced original studio music with live electronic elements to create a truly original, shamanic, heart felt transmission of music for embodiment. Styles range across a multitude of genres including Ambient, Downtempo, World groove, African, Middle Eastern, East Indian, Tribal, Funk, House, and Hip Hop. Whether it be in a yoga class, on an ecstatic dance floor or at a festival – Rara’s sounds are guaranteed to take you on a journey of blissful re-entry into the soul.

RaraAvisMusic

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