New judgement-free space in Port Douglas

Ecstatic dance

Jamie Jansen

Journalist

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The ecstatic dance classes take place every Monday at the Port Douglas Community Hall. Image: supplied

Moving freely without any judgement, no need to follow specific steps and letting the music take you.

Alexia Zilan fell in love with the beauty of Port Douglas and the open-heartedness of the community.

When she settled down in our seaside town over a year ago she decided she wanted to be part of sharing an ecstatic dance experience with the Port Douglas community.

Together with a team she organises classes every week at the Port Douglas Community Hall.

“Ecstatic dance is a global movement and we're excited to bring it to Port Douglas,” Ms Zilan said. “We have a team who are experienced in combining art, culture and music with events.

“This free form of dancing is about connecting with yourself and to music in a safe and no judgement space. It is a way for communities to connect and express in unique forms of movement, we honour ourselves, each other and country through free-form expression

“You don’t have to be a ‘good’ dancer to participate, it is more about being present in the body. We provide a space for people to drop out of their mind and into their body.

Benefits

According to Ms Zilan ecstatic dance brings you a lot of benefits.

“It’s so much fun and it raises our energy levels,” she said. “The more energy we have, the more vibrancy we have to live and enjoy life.

“It is great for our physical, mental and emotional health, which is super important after these last few years.

“It helps take our minds off the everyday and tune into the present. We can move how the body wants to move and find that beautiful and effortless state of flow. Plus it’s great exercise and it doesn’t even feel like you’re working out.

“Through this form of dance I have found flow, connection to myself and others and higher levels of consciousness. It helped me grow in my heart and release judgement. You have to give it a try to see what it can do for you.”

Addition to the community

Ms Zilan said their vision is to provide a healthier, alcohol free alternative for the community.

“Port Douglas is the perfect place to do this. It is a small and kind-hearted community, in a paradisiacal location with many beautiful areas to congregate and gather.

“So far people have really enjoyed it and gained a lot from the ecstatic dances and meditations we’ve held. The energy people have afterwards is amazing. We’ve had people really connect to the music, the rhythms and to themselves.

“We’ve created an open no-judgement space where all are welcome. It’s amazing to see people expressing themselves so freely. It’s so beautiful when people lay down after the music and place their hands on their hearts and soak up the experience.

“We will continue running ecstatic dance and expanding the community in Port Douglas. We also plan to introduce live music and fire circles.”

You can attend ecstatic dance on Monday nights in the Port Douglas Community Hall. Join the ‘Port Douglas Ecstatic Dance’ Facebook Group for details and updates

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