This is a recording of the music of the 'Warmup' section of the 2 hour journey we enjoyed at Ecstatic Dance in Williams, Oregon, on October 8, 2017.  Between the Warmup, and the Program (Part 2), we had an opening circle in which we connected with words about the guidelines which create the Ecstatic Dance container, and a beautiful Invocation song by a community member.

It's Fall season in southern Oregon. The tiny Town of Williams, which normally consists of very private rural farmers suddenly is awash with migrant farm workers. Young and old, they come from near and far, and they love to dance. 
It's been freezing every night for a week, and fortunately the air isn't thick with smoke from the nearby forest fires. 
It’s night time, as the venue is booked in the mornings of the 2nd Sundays.  It’s a special Ecstatic Dance, when we get to dance in the night time energy.
As the first couple songs play, community members arrive and greet each other with huge smiles and bigger hugs.  For some of us, it’s been a while since we’ve seen each other.  For others, only a week.  Still, we immediately start filling the room with LOVE.
Playing one song into another, choosing each in the moment, we co-created the journey.  Myself as the Musical Facilitator did the technical work, but I feel that the energy we brought together was the true guide.
The recordings are for us to revisit the moments we had at Ecstatic Dance, and for those who weren’t there to potentially tap into the energy we shared.
This was, at this point, the most fun I’ve had at Ecstatic Dance… ever.  Thank you to everyone who participated.

Recorded Live October 8, 2017, Williams, Oregon
*Tracklist is on Album Art of Part 2*

Never Give Up

Ecstatic Dance @ Williams Oregon (Never Give Up Part 1) - October 2017

Sky Makai is one the facilitators of the original Ecstatic Dance on Hawai'i Island. 
A dancer at heart, Sky joined Ecstatic Dance at Kalani Honua in the early days when Ecstatic Dance was only a handful of people and unheard of -  except as a concept in Gabrielle Roth’s seminal book: Maps to Ecstasy 
Sky began providing opening music with Ecstatic Dance’s founder, Max Fathom.  Later, Sky took part in the original Ecstatic Dance Facilitator workshops, becoming one of Kalani Ecstatic Dance's core team of facilitators.   

Staying true to the roots of Ecstatic Dance, Sky's sets observe a distinguishable arc.  These musical journeys pay homage to Gabrielle Roth's influential practice of observing and moving through a “Wave” of musical selections.  The practice involves considering how waves are inherent in all of nature; our life cycles, our relationships, and in our most intimate moments.
Sky’s musical journeys are designed to reach intense and energetic ecstasy while also encouraging introspection and emotional release.
We love Sky’s passion and dedication to our Ritual Community Movement Journey, his dedication to personal growth, and his love of helping others.

Today, Sky is a steward and resident Facilitator of Ecstatic Dance at Kalani Honua, having previously been co-founder of Ecstatic Dance at Honoka’a as well as Ecstatic Dance in Williams, Oregon.

In an effort to preserve the history this worldwide phenomenon, Sky created on an unofficial Ecstatic Dance Facilitator Guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MeU3X6Gz3BIXrEFEfFpmZJhrO0GsWDOL4hWMPdYT6IY/mobilebasic

Ecstatic Dance @ Williams Oregon (Never Give Up Part 1) - October 2017

Sky Makai - Ecstatic Dance Music