EVENT | Yoga Boogie; Solstice Shake Down

Yoga Boogie; Solstice Shake Down
Friday, December 21st 8pm 
$15 advanced | $20 door 

Although it's the end of the world as we know it, let it all begin at Shakti House for an event like no other -- Yoga Boogie! This two hour blast of meditation-in-motion, pranayama, asana, and trance dance will guide you into the wise and powerful arms of these ancient truths. You are invited to allow world beats, psychedelic rhythms, and electronic grooves to unleash your hunger to move and to make your tribal spirit flourish!

Pre-registration at http://shaktihousepdx.com/

DANCE | Nothing Is Something - #1 The Bench

DANCE | DO try this at home!

TED | The LXD: In the Internet age, dance evolves ...

The LXD (the Legion of Extraordinary Dancers) electrify the TED2010 stage with an emerging global street-dance culture, revved up by the Internet. In a preview of Jon Chu’s upcoming Web series, this astonishing troupe show off their superpowers.

The LXD (the Legion of Extraordinary Dancers) are building an interactive web series that represents the next evolution of dance.

EVENT | Yoga Groove : July 22, 2012

Yoga Groove; discover what moves you

The hunger to move ecstatically is within all of us. Invite this potential energy to flourish with "Yoga Groove," a two hour blast of meditation in motion, pranayama, asana, and trance dance! Allow world beats, psychedelic rhythms, and electronic grooves to free your body and guide you into the arms of this ancient wisdom.

Unleash the tribal rhythm of your spirit!

Sunday, July 22 | 7 - 9pm
Yoga on Yamhill
124 SW Yamhill St | Portland, OR
www.yogaonyamhill.com

This is a donation based event. Suggested $15 - 25.
Please come no matter what you can afford.
ALL are welcome!

Roger McKeever is an inspirational teacher, artist, and spiritual activist. He is known for demonstrating the transformational power of yoga, breath, movement and dance. Roger is playful, intuitive and grounded. He invites you to experience your innermost desires, follow your curiosity and indulge your sense of wonder as you attend to your body’s natural rhythms. As a spiritual activist, Roger guides us to the persistent call from within to make more art and make more love.

Visit Roger at www.sacredtremor.com

THE SPANDANANDA SHOW | Rut or Groove?

The Spandananda Show : Episode 6 : Rut or Groove?

Is your potential energy stuck in third gear? Move from a rut to a groove with these five vivacious and contemplative exercises! With a refreshed state of mind, body, or outerwear, you'll be saying "so long" to your blue funk!

1. GET OUTSIDE Getting outside instantly changes your perspective, especially if you have been inside for a lengthy time.   Dress up in your favorite outfit, and walk around the block if you only have a few minutes, or allow yourself more time by going to your nearby park to people watch, sky gaze, or journal.  Be an explorer with how you walk, letting your need for a variation of movement be the impetus that gives you the freedom to do this even with people around.  A slow, contemplative stroll?  A fast, energetic skip?  Try it backwards!  Is it an investigation into the children’s fortress?  Twirling round and round?   Let me tell you how much fun this is!  So, if it’s raining, bring an umbrella!  If it’s not raining, bring an umbrella!  Where do you sit?  At a bench, or on the Earth?  In lotus pose or lying down, fully relaxed?  Listen for your needs, and also be sure to take a risk and try something new!  And remember, you’re outside, so breathe in that fresh air!    2. CREATE ART We all have art supplies, we just may not think of them as such.  Be creative, and use what you have.  Even if you just have magazines, scissors, glue, crayons or markers, there are an infinite number of ways you could use them to create a piece of art that reflects where you are in this moment.  What we’re going after is helping you to make sense of what you’re going through in a way that is outside of your head.  Do something you love, or try something you are totally unfamiliar with.  Perfection is not the goal of this exercise.  What you create may be abstract, or not fully understood by you, and that is the beauty of it!  Do it just for you and keep it private, send it to a friend, or post it on Facebook! 3. MOVE YOUR BODY Ah yes…I really do mean it…DANCE!  Many people have a fear of dancing, when in all honesty, there is nothing more authentic than someone giving themselves permission to move their body in any such way that feels real.  We all have our “home moves” those movements that we feel comfortable with and will do if asked to dance, but I encourage you to vary the way your body typically functions through life, which is a dance in and of itself!  Choose some music:  one song, two songs, a whole playlist, or put your itunes on shuffle and come what may!  Shake, swivel, undulate, spin, bust a move!  A fast thrash, a slow riff,  a waltz or a polka…anything is possible! 4. DRESS UP All of us have costume elements that we pull out once a year for Halloween. Dressing up is not just for a holiday!    Elevate your spirit of fun and frivolity by painting your face, putting on a mish-mash of colors and textures, and do a  photo shoot!  If you are really adventurous, do the shoot with a friend on the street, to fearlessly bring more creativity to yourself and anyone you come in contact with! Talk about a mood changer!  Having a mask or goggles can really allow for further freedom, as no one knows who you are!  Be safe and respectful of course, and interact!  5. MEDITATE Take the time to create a lovely space, which could easily consist of one or more of the following: a shawl, cushion, yoga mat, a candle.  Clear your mind and sit in viparita karani  or lie in savasana.  Just be with your mind still, or pay attention to the thoughts and sensations as they come and go.  Keep experiencing!

VITALITY/force

About Martha Graham, Agnes de Mille said: ‘I was bewildered and worried that my entire scale of values was untrustworthy. ... I confessed that I had a burning desire to be excellent, but no faith that I could be. Martha said to me, very quietly,’

‘There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique...

And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. ... No artist is pleased. [There is] no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.’

from The Life and Work of Martha Graham

BLOW/pony

I'm sitting in a coffeeshop on West Burnside St. in Portland, Oregon.  It's simply called The Coffeeshop Northwest.  I ordered a coffee in a ceramic mug, and was told that the beans are roasted here.  I asked the about the baguette sandwiches wrapped in wax paper and tied with a string.  Come to find out every part of the sandwich is local from the bread to the meat.  That's typical of Portland.  People are interested in local and sustainable foods and services, but without the snobbery and self-righeousness you might expect.  In fact, people here are downright friendly and laid back.  Maybe it's the rain although in the week that I've been here it's been more sunny than rainy.

Our 2nd night in Portland my friend took us out to a once-a-month event called Blow Pony.  I still haven't figured out where the name comes from.  It's not from the various implications you might associate with such a name.  Instead the mission statement reads:

Created due to a callout in our queer community for unity and a place where all our sisters, brothers, others and allies felt safe, welcomed and loved.  We've been riding strong since 2007!

Our concerns are earth liberation, animal liberation, queer liberation, women's liberation, trans liberation, indigenous peoples liberation and searching the dumpsters for more trash!!

There's a big sign at the entrance making it known that if you are racist, homophobic, sexist, or just generally do not like hard-partyin' weirdos, this is not the party for you.  And they mean it.  Not long after we arrived the DJ announced that "This is a queer party. It's not okay to be rude.  This is a safe space for everyone."

The music spanned every dance genre imaginable and everyone was dancing and having a blast.  People were jumping around and what was most impressive is that people were smiling and laughing.  Could this really be true?  People having a good time and being friendly to each other?  After a couple hours of dancing the DJ stopped the music for an announcement:

I was just near the bathroom and heard someone make a nasty comment about someone.  This is a safe space for everyone to be accepted and expressed.  If you want to be nasty go somewhere else.  We won't tolerate your nastiness here.

That was followed by an uproar of applause and acclamation!  The music and merriment continued.

Kindness, laughter and smiles are contagious.  Be as generous as you can with these qualities.  When enough people are self-expressed, passionate and kind the world will follow.  Be part of this movement to throw your arms open as wide as possible in acceptance.  Join this movement to awaken joy, generosity and kindness.  Practice daily.  There's no better time to start than right now.

YOGA/playshop

The Yoga Playshop; Discover what moves you

Easton Mountain | Greenwich, NY

January 13 - 15, 2012

Explore your creative side through yoga, movement, art, and play. In this yoga playshop you will:

-- Explore yoga, movement and art in a community of gay men

-- Discover the ins and outs of basic yoga postures

-- Play with movement sequences to stretch your body and open your heart

-- Create visual art that grows out of your experience of your body

-- Experience an ecstatic trance dance that will leave you vibrating with joy

-- Explore breathing techniques to calm the mind, energize your body and ignite your spirit

-- Be inspired by a wide range of music and poetry

This workshop is for everyone. You need no prior yoga experience.

ANIMATED/dance

SPIRIT/dance

Last week was Gay Spirit Camp at Easton Mountain. It's a week of workshops, events and activities to awaken the spirit. It's a group of about 60 men who come together for connection, camaraderie and co-mingling. I must say that it's just an all around darn good time. One of the facilitators asked me to co-direct a workshop/event called "Gay Spirit Dance." 12 men showed up the first day not really even knowing what they were showing up for. Courage was the word that came to mind on that first day. It was 12 men of various ages, shapes and abilities. We got together everyday for 4 days, 2 hours per day, and co-created a choreographed dance, which was full of intention, bravery, self-expression and communal decision making. Getting 12 gay men to co-choreograph a 6 minute dance to be performed in front of 60 people was no small task, mind you. But the experience was wildly fun and deeply satisfying. In the end we performed the dance, which was received with standing ovation. I am so grateful for this experience.

STARRY/night

RW+/boom

Sunday night I hosted a dance party in The Temple at Easton Mountain. I spent the day creating a magical space with big help from my friends here Michael, Marshall and Wayne. I set up the star machine and disco ball. We created a beautiful Moroccan style lounge in the back with draped chiffon fabric, big cushions, candles and slow blinking colored lights. There were candles all around the room with more blinking lights on the altar. I set up a DJ booth and played DJ all evening. A lot of people showed up and we danced our asses off!! At some point I slowed the music down and everyone cozied up on the cushions in a big puppy pile. It was fun to DJ for a puppy pile! A first.

SETTING/up

Setting up for tonight's event: Red, White + BOOM!! This dance party is sure to rock the house down! Woo Hoo.