Events
In these circle dance gatherings, no dance experience is needed (just basic mobility and coordination), as the dances are simple to moderately easy, and the dance steps repetitive. This allows the dance to dance us!
Honoring the Earth Through the Ancient Languages of Drumming and Dance
Sunday, October 20th, 10:00am to 4:00pm, Sparks, MD
Katy Gaughan, drum circle facilitator extraordinaire, and I are thrilled to be offering this inspiring event once again with Well for the Journey, a day of retreat to intentionally honor the Earth with drumming and dance.
The flow of our time together will be a gentle exchange of music and motion followed by quiet reflection, as we connect to the rhythms of the Earth, ourselves, and each other. Drumming is an ancient technology now understood in new ways. The heartbeat lives in all of us and invites us to entrain to something bigger than ourselves. Sacred circle dances are an ancient practice of honoring and embodying the cycles of the seasons, creating community with all life through movement.
These ancient practices were the primary languages of human expression, born out of the Earth. They are needed now in these challenging times and help us honor this amazing planet we call home. Drum and dance with us to ground into the energy of the Earth, as we allow the ancestors and Mother Earth to guide us with sacred understanding.
Come join us at the beautiful Hudson Barn on Delight Farm in Sparks, MD. No drumming or dance experience or skills is needed. Drums will be provided, or you are welcome to bring your own.
Cost: Early bird rate of $90 ends Sept. 16, $100 after that.
For more information and to register, please click here!
Deep in Autumn, Whispers of Winter: A Sacred Circle Dance Gathering for Women
Saturday, December 7, 1:30-3:30pm
College Park Arts Exchange, 4711 Knox Rd, College Park, MD 20740
Fall is a season that shines with beauty and abundance. The leaves astonish us with their breathtaking colors. It’s a time of pumpkins and apples, the smell of fire from a neighbor’s chimney. We naturally move toward deeper reflection in this season. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fall is the time to look at our lives and see what truly nourishes us and our community, and what gets in the way of our thriving; to let go of what no longer serves to make way for the new. Fall is also an active season! Life picks up the pace. This is where we will reflect on the coming gifts of Winter, the season of stillness and deep listening. Together, we will dance wonderful dances honoring these seasonal reflections and gifts!
The circle dancing at College Park Arts Exchange takes place in an Old Parish House built in 1817! There is plenty of street parking. You will need to come into the house to get a parking pass to place in your car. I also recommend shoes with some cushion, as the historic floor is a hard surface. This event is free and there is no need for registration. Donations are greatly appreciated! Click here for more information!
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Retreat on the Goddess/Saint Brigid: A Flame on the Threshold -- The Light of Brigid in Dark Times
January 31 - February 2, 2025
Wellspring Conference Center, Germantown, MD
This will be our third Brigid retreat! Details coming!
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Deep Winter, Whispers of Spring: A Sacred Circle Dance Gathering for Women
Dates TBD
"Winter teaches us that the only way to fully enjoy the powers of the season is to surrender to it and learn from what it has to offer us. In winter the earth lies fallow; nature appears frozen and dead. In this deep stillness of nature, winter calls us to look into our depths, to reconnect to our inner being, to befriend the darkness within us and around us. In winter—like the seeds that are beginning their metamorphosis and starting to manifest their destiny in the deep recesses of the earth—all of our energies are being called to examine the depths of our being.” ~ Jason Elias, Five Element Healing
In this gathering, we will dance to honor the gifts of winter, the season of rest and renewal, a time to go within and listen gently and deeply to the questions and desires we hold for our lives; to listen to our inner guidance that will shape our visions and actions for spring. We will cultivate the energies of joy, creativity and inspiration to water the seeds for spring that are growing quietly from within.
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Honoring the Gifts of Spring: A Sacred Circle Dance Gathering for Women
Dates TBD
We are a sacred part of spring, witnesses to her unfolding beauty and to our own unfolding. Women have danced to honor spring since human time began, and when we dance we join the circle of grandmothers who initiated these dances and passed them on to future generations. We will move through dances that celebrate spring's gifts—dances that honor beauty, abundance, connection, inspiration and joy; dances that ground us into the Earth in this busy time of year.
We will dance, as well, to honor the transition from winter to spring, the dance between stillness, restlessness and action. Rooting into the ground as we rise up, dancing ancient energy patterns to wonderful music from Eastern Europe, the Balkans and more, we will dance to cultivate the mindfulness needed to move forward into spring with clarity, creativity, peace and joy.
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Honoring the Gifts of Summer: A Sacred Circle Dance Gathering for Women
Dates TBD
In this gathering, we will dance to honor the gifts of Summer, the active season of joy, the season of the heart. We will dance, too, to honor the arrival of Late Summer, a season that sits between the fullness of summer and the beginning of autumn. We will dance between the energies of joy and abundance, and the need to center and find peace. We will reflect on the beautiful and abundant living earth and what is nourishing in our lives.
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Honoring Late Summer, Preparing for Fall: A Sacred Circle Dance Gathering for Women
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Earth is the element associated with the season known as late summer. As we move from the more yang/outward energy of summer toward the more yin/inward energy of fall, the Earth provides us with the nourishment and grounding we need to help with this seasonal transition. In this circle dance gathering, we will dance to honor Earth’s abundance, generosity, and support. As the fall equinox nears, we’ll explore the dance between being and doing in an often busy season, and acknowledge the need to let go of that which no longer serves us to create space for the new.
Well for the Journey is a more intimate setting, with a maximum of 9 participants for this gathering. Click here to learn more and register!
This is my first time bringing circle dance to the College Park Arts Exchange! Click here to learn more! This event is free and there is no need for registration. Donations are greatly appreciated!
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Additional Workshop Information…
Dress in comfortable clothing and bring water to hydrate.
Depending on the location, I recommend dancing in bare feet, socks, or soft soled shoes, so you can feel your feet on the ground, but all shoes are welcome!
In case of inclement weather, please check this website on the day of the workshop for cancellation confirmation.