Simplicity

Zoukland @ The Oak Grove, June 2025

The Zoukland prior to this one, which I titled "Sweet Heat Hurricane," was a milestone for me, hitting a new level of competency as a Zouk DJ after integrating months of feedback and trial and error. This set felt like a continuation of the same new path and new bar I set with "Sweet Heat Hurricane," hence this month's title, "Second Wind." If you liked the last one, you're likely to like this one as well!

Zoukland - “Second Wind” (Brazilian Zouk Closing DJ Set, 6/21/25)

I had 45 minutes to make an impression, so that's what I did. This is a lovely event, so it's great to be playing for it now! I'll be back next month. This is the new combination of the events formerly known as SwingOut! and Westie House Party.

SwingOut! House Party - "Making an Impression" (West Coast Swing DJ Set, 7/19/25)

Melt 8/8/25 (Fusion Dance DJ Set)

From my post just before playing the event:

Tomorrow I return to play again for one of my favorite fusion dances! Nestled in the immaculate vibes of the Berkeley Alembic, Alchemy of Fusion is just as fantastic for beginners as it is also a playground for the experienced. Entry includes tea service, access to lovely lounge areas, and a class on "turning together" by David Kaminsky.

As fate would have it, I'm once again paired with Mark Carpenter as our second DJ! Last time we worked together, our sets complimented each other amazingly well, so this should be something special!

While I often play completely freestyle at fusion dances, this time I'll be playing off a curated shortlist with a few particular themes inspired by some of my favorite experiences at Alchemy. Flavor notes will include: deep, dreamy, worldly, sensual, intrigue, and immersion with nature. I love so much about this list that the hardest part will be deciding what not to play!

Schedule:

7:30 - Class with David Kaminsky
8:30 - DJ Quintessence 
10:00 - DJ Mark Carpenter

Alchemy of Fusion - "It Takes Two in the Jungle" (Fusion Dance DJ Set, 8/15/25)

Here it is, my first live mixed West Coast Swing set! Live mixing is very rare in WCS, so I find it awesome that SwingOut! House Party is giving it a platform by dedicating the final hour to live mixing. I came in swinging with this one, and the crowd kept eating up the energy I was dishing out so I kept giving them more of it. The smiles and nods were making my night! Proud of this one, and it feels like a proof of concept for how cool this format can be.

SwingOut! House Party - "Forbidden Freshness" (Mixed West Coast Swing DJ Set, 8/16/25)

Opening DJ set
Omniverse @ The Oak Grove, June 2025

Omniverse - “The Oak Groove” (Brazilian Zouk Opening DJ Set, 8/23/25)

SoundCloud early release in honor of Halloween month. This track will be released on all platforms on 10/24/25.

Em, 75 BPM

House of Horrors

This was a diverse "all-arounder" Zouk set where I flowed with the crowd. The overall energetics of it felt very in the middle, and I also played in the middle of the night between two other DJs, hence the title.

Omniverse - "Meet Me in the Middle" (Brazilian Zouk Middle Slot DJ Set, 9/27/25)

Come, be haunted by this set, my Zouk Journey debut!

Zouk Journey at Space 550 - "Spook Rhymes with Zouk" (Brazilian Zouk Closing DJ Set, 10/3/25)

DJ Quintessence (Lexi Battle, she/her) is one of the most diverse and musically nuanced acts you’ll find performing today. In addition to being a lead DJ and organizer of the “Ecstaturday” Ecstatic Dance in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, she is also a resident DJ in partnership with The Omni Movement, a progressive partner dance studio located in Oakland. You’ll most commonly find her playing for Fusion Dance, Brazilian Zouk, or West Coast Swing around the Bay Area, though she also holds passion for her unique take on club-style EDM. As a highly multidisciplinary DJ and music producer, she brings lessons and influences from each of the music scenes she’s involved with into all of the others, giving her a unique perspective that allows her to hybridize the elements that work from the different scenes and let them inform each other.


Quintessence is a master of the intentional dance journey. She begins with tempos and rhythms designed to warm the body up while the melodic content creates emotional depth and intrigue that set the stage for what’s to come. Each stage successively builds on what we’ve experienced in the last, taking us somewhere new that still feels part of the same story. The crescendos and climaxes interplay with periods of moderate rest and reflection to create a series of waves through various energies and moods. Finally, we come to the sentimental landing and closing stages where we can integrate what we’ve experienced as the journey nears its end, perhaps indulging in one final burst of joy or artistic expression before sending us off to what’s next.


As a dancer herself whose life has been transformed by the practice, Quintessence always plays for the party she wants to be at. Her work often defies genre, weaving through a great many of them throughout the journey in delightfully surprising ways. As she’s a multidisciplinarian with extremely broad taste, you’ll never get the same experience with DJ Quintessence twice. She’ll make you move, make you melt, take you to places beyond words, and leave you wanting more.


DJ Quintessence has shared a stage with acts such as DJ Kakah, Tzoul, Fab, Dhroovy, Mark Carpenter, Exuberance, Intrepid, Ji, Kurama, and Andrew Roth. She can be found on Instagram, SoundCloud, Spotify, and all other major music platforms.

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https://www.facebook.com/groups/ecstaturdaydancecommunity

https://www.theomnimovement.org/

May the Spirit of Dance lift you up on the Wings of Freedom 🕊

New tracks tagged #Partner Dance