Aloha –

On behalf of the ecstatic dance community on Kaua’i, I’m asking for support to help finance the large up-front expenses involved in starting a new container from the roots up.

Ecstatic dance is a movement meditation that takes you on a healing journey to remember who you are truly. Anyone who loves ecstatic dances has experienced the profoundly life changing impacts and recognizes that, like any mediation, regular practice is the most supportive element to transformation.

Since COVID, Kaua’i hasn’t had consistent weekly dance. But it’s finally here! We had the first dance on November 19th 2023, nine months after Kaua’i guided me to leave Big Island to organize this container. The venue we rent is directly linked up with a local non-profit. This ensures that the proceeds of this ecstatic dance return to the Hawaiian community in an honorable way that benefits the 'aina and locals.

From the beginning, I've created this ecstatic dance container with clear intentions, strong roots. I'm calling on friends, family, community members, and lovers of e-dance to help me water and nourish this creation as it grows and blossoms.

This fundraiser’s minimum goal is $1800, which we need by December 31st to purchase a 11’x7’ shed. This is of the upmost urgency because our current (and very convenient/free) storage option will no longer be available at the end of the year.

The other $3,200 is to pay off the sound system and to purchase another 400sq/ft of puzzle pads to cover the concrete floor.

Your financial donation would fund much more than these physical items. Your donation would help give Kaua’i commUNITY a reliable, accepting, uplifting, and healing space to remember that one’s unique essence is the gift itself, the wellspring of ecstasy.

There is a beautiful expression in Hawaiian: laulima. It translates to “many hands” and points to the necessity of cooperation and group effort to bring a goal to fruition.

That’s how the birthing of ecstatic dance came to be…many hands volunteering during the laborious 3-hour set up, turning the blank canvas of a pavilion into a gorgeous dance container.

Many hands guiding me to learn the dos and don’ts of facilitating this movement practice.

Many hands working at the venue to build out the 75-acre county land into an agricultural hub and integral community gathering space.

And many, many hands of facilitators, organizers, musicians, and dancers that have kept the spirit of this movement “church” thriving all across the world.

If you have financial abundance to share, your contribution would be greatly appreciated by all the people that will ever sweat, spin, swirl, and swell with joy at our ecstatic dances.

Laulima!

We are so beyond blessed to host dances at this venue. To honor and align with their vision, we support local farmers/gardeners by hosting them at no cost to sell their goods. We also have a post-dance potluck that encourages people to use what's growing in their neighborhoods to share as a dish.

It’s also worth noting that meeting our financial goal would help us to get to the point where we can host live DJs. As of now, many DJs have donated their pre-recorded sets to support this dance in its early stages since we don’t have funds to pay live artists.

I intend to use any additional donations beyond our goal to invest in a center for kids to enjoy during dance.

The vision is bigger than this dance. I’m developing a sustainable trade model to get dancers to participate in the venue's volunteer days (as well as other local non-profits) to help feed the community.

I also have a vision to host free lectures after the potluck. The goal is for the lectures to be a hub of learning and expansion guided by experts in their respective fields. We want to bring awareness to issues in the community and explore ways to resolve them practically.

This dance is in its earliest stages and is as precious as a newborn. It is organically growing and breathing and has a life of its own. As mother of this child, I fully intend to call on the many hands of my tribe to support me to nurture and protect the purity of these early stages. This container needs your support, family.

And if you don’t have the means to donate, sharing on your social media would be greatly appreciated!

Visit our website to see how you can enjoy this dance when you're on island!

Follow us on Instagram to keep a pulse on this dance!