Our dances last about an hour and a half; the mix usually plays for about an hour. Dances are bookended by community circles which provide an opportunity to hear about our fellow dancers, their intentions for the evening, and their experiences during the dance. You are free to come and go as you desire throughout the dance - however, please enter and leave the space with as little distraction as possible.

Each dance has a scheduled facilitator to call circles, introduce the dance, and ensure that the space is cleared out on time. The facilitator is also available to help with any concerns or questions you might have. This could range from logistical inquiries to issues regarding the safety of the dance space. Please do not hesitate to approach them for support.

The mix is provided by a volunteer from our community; if you are interested in providing a mix, please contact the coordinator, listed at the end of these guidelines.

We request a $5-10 contribution per person. No one will be excluded for inability to pay. That said, Ecstatic Dance is entirely funded by donation; if you enjoy the space, please give what you can.

While everyone in our community is expected to do their part in maintaining safety during our practice, please note that you are participating in ecstatic dance at your own risk. Please take responsibility for yourself, your actions, and your boundaries. Any questions or concerns regarding safety can be addressed with dance facilitators and can be escalated to the coordinators as necessary (please see coordinator contact at the end of our guidelines).

The ecstatic dance community will not tolerate sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, discrimination based on body shape or size, or other forms of oppression. If you are unable to act accordingly, you are not welcome and will be asked to leave.

Sexual harassment refers to any form of unwelcome sexual attention, whether verbal or physical, and is strictly prohibited in the ecstatic dance space. Please respect that many people come to ecstatic dance because it offers an alternative dance space where they can dance freely without being sexualized or objectified. The witnessing of other dancers is welcomed but must be respectful and mindful--staring or leering will result in your leaving the space immediately.

Ecstatic dance is not a space to look for dates or hook-ups. Dance is a physical activity and has the potential to create sexual or sensual energy in your body. This is a natural feeling, and a potentially wonderful one for you, but we ask that you not act on or express this energy while in this space.

All other forms of harassment are likewise not tolerated in this space and community. Behaviors that violate another person's physical, emotional, and/or psychological safety are unwelcomed and will result in a ban from this space with additional escalation as needed.

If you have received unwelcome sexual attention or any other forms of harassment, please speak with one of the ecstatic dance facilitators, another member of the community who you trust, or send us a message via Facebook message.

We request that you come to dance with the mental and physical clarity that will allow you to be as present, aware, and safe as possible within our communal space and practice. An inability to maintain physical safety and respect will result in us asking you to leave the space - this includes cases of impairment due to substance intoxication.

Ecstatic Dance is intended to provide a space where all people can safely explore the movement of their body. While this would ideally mean that all dancers can move when and however they feel called, it is important to recognize space restrictions and the experience of others in the space.

Certain activities which take up large amounts of space should be practiced with extreme caution or avoided altogether. These include but are not limited to:

• Cartwheels and other acrobatics
• Sliding or rolling
• Loose limbs i.e. kicking, punching the air
• Flow toys (hoops, poi, staves, etc)
• Partner dancing and contact improvisation (discussed below)

Please remember that just because you feel comfortable doing something does not mean that other dancers will feel safe with it. Everyone has their own perceptions of bodily safety, and our goal is to provide a safe space for all dancers. If a large movement you are planning will take you near another dancer, consider how your movement might affect them and consider a smaller and/or safer movement.

Some dancers at ecstatic dance choose to participate in partner dancing or contact improvisation, dancing with two or more participants at a time. These multi-person dances provide a wonderful opportunity to explore non-verbal communication with a partner or partners, but also bring up concerns regarding safety and inclusivity.

Note: If you are new to contact improvisation and wish to try it out, we request that you attend at least one of the jams with the Madison Contact Improvisation group before practicing contact at ecstatic dance. These jams are smaller, slower, and feature guidance in the fundamentals of contact improvisation, which will provide you with a baseline of information on safety and respect while in contact with others.

If you would like to participate in contact improvisation or other forms of partner dancing in this space, please be aware of the following:

• Always request, and wait to receive, consent when approaching another person(s). The most direct way is to hold out your hand and wait for them to engage. Obtain consent for every dance - a person who danced with you in the past may not wish to engage right now.
• Dancing with a partner introduces many more uncertainties and potential dangers to the participants and those around them. It is harder to maintain full body awareness when dancing with another person than when dancing alone.
• While you may feel comfortable dancing in close proximity to others, other dancers may not feel the same.
• Partnered dances generally take up more space than solo dances, and can be more intimidating to be around because of this. Engaging in contact improvisation in the middle of the dance floor can create an intimidating atmosphere that pushes other dancers to the edges. If you are participating in contact improvisation, consider moving to the edges of the dance floor and look for open areas.

Note: You always have the right to decline a person's request to dance with you or to end a partnered dance that you are involved in at any time, for any reason. If someone approaches you in the hopes of dancing and you are not interested, you may physically decline their offer by clasping your hands together in a "thank you" (but no thanks) gesture, turning or moving away, and/or bowing. You may verbally decline their offer if you feel it is necessary.

While minors may participate in this space, parents and guardians are encouraged to consider the age, maturity level, and self/other/bodily awareness of the minor prior to entering the dance space. All minors must be accompanied by a parent or other adult guardian throughout the entirety of the dance. Please note that our dances are spaces where adults are welcomed to freely and safely explore movement and expression, and that dancers are not expected to censor their expression based on the presence of minors.

The closing circle is a time for dancers to share about their ecstatic dance experience, including emotions, thoughts, perspectives, and feelings that may have come or are coming up in the present moment. Sharing can be a vulnerable experience–please hold a respectful space of listening and give your full attention to the person who is sharing.

For those who are sharing, please be mindful of the length and content of your shares. Please try to keep shares brief and seek to find a balance in what feels appropriate to share within a large group setting.

The Madison Ecstatic Dance Community Facebook group is intended as a connection and community space that is specific to the ecstatic dances held by the Madison Ecstatic Dance Community. We support sharing events related to dance and community on the group's page, including other ecstatic dances! To keep these shares relevant and accessible to our community, please review the clarifications below.

Postable:

• Dance-related events within or near the Madison area (may include music events, concerts, and festivals)
• Free or low-cost dance events
• Posts about dance, movement, music or other related topics

Not Postable:

• High-cost events
• Events outside of the immediate Madison vicinity
• Exclusive events not open to the entire community

All posts are subject to review and removal per the categories above and at admin discretion. If you believe your post was removed erroneously, please contact an admin.

To schedule a mix, please look at the ecstatic dance schedule and provide David Royce Wagner with the date(s) that you would like to make a mix for (FB message to https://www.facebook.com/david.r.wagner.16)

Note: When interest is high in offering and scheduling playlists for our dances, we ask that you either wait to provide additional mixes (if you have mixes already on the schedule) or remain flexible in letting others take one of your slots--this enables more folks to become involved in providing the music for our practice.

Please consider the following guidelines for providing a mix for the group:

• Lists that build and descend over time (like an energetic bell curve) can assist dancers in transitioning into and out of the practice - while not necessary, this structure is appreciated
• Please refrain from using songs with an overabundance of profanity or obscenity
• Please use caution when including songs that may be triggering for other dancers. Songs including the following are not allowed:
  • Extreme sexual content
  • Racial slurs and other language of oppression
  • Explicitly violent language
  • Demeaning language
• Mixes should last approximately one (1) hour and not more than 65 minutes
• Please ensure that you have a mix prepared and ready for your assigned dance - if you are unsure of which date you are mix-making for, please refer to the schedule
• Bring a device (and any requisite adaptors) on which to play your mix. If you do not have an appropriate device, please contact the facilitator well ahead of time for proper arrangements

Those who would like to sign up to facilitate dances should indicate interest through connecting with David Royce Wagner via sending a message to: https://www.facebook.com/david.r.wagner.16.

Facilitators are responsible for the following - please discuss the role in length with David and/or another organizer prior to facilitating your first dance. Reach out to one of the organizers for any questions or clarifications.

• Coordinate with the evening's mix-maker to ensure that you have access to the playlist
• Please arrive to the dance space 15 minutes early to ensure the space is ready for the evening's dance. Readiness includes the following:
  • Ensuring that there are no objects or obstructions in the space that may pose a safety hazard
  • Ensuring that the lights in the room are set appropriately
  • Setting out the donation basket, scarves basket, and setting up additional lights (such as electric candles)
  • Setting up fans in the space before the dance starts, as appropriate (especially in the warmer months!)
• Welcoming and orienting dancers (especially new folks) to the space
• Starting the opening circle at 7:30 pm
  • Note - please do not incorporate opening activities/experiences that will delay the dance start time
  • Especially if there are new dancers in the space, provide an overview of the following:
    • Generally, what is ecstatic dance (free-form movement in community, approx 1 hour as well as opening and closing/sharing circle)
    • Respect the safety of yourself and others and be mindful of your body/movements
    • Location of bathroom and water fountains
    • Note that if dancers have questions/concerns during the dance, they may approach you at any time
    • Note that there is a first aid kit available as needed
    • Note the $5-10 suggested donation
  • Offer dancers the opportunity to share their name, pronouns, and an intention for their dance if they have one - the facilitator may start the share
• Begin the dance by starting the playlist and adjusting/dimming the lighting
  • Close doors into dance space
  • Adjust volume and lighting as appropriate throughout the dance - the sound should be loud enough to feel immersive
  • Turn on floor and/or ceiling fans as appropriate
• Maintain awareness of potential safety concerns throughout the dance and address concerns as needed
  • Any dancer that exhibits unsafe behaviors should be notified to adjust their behaviors - those that are unable or unwilling to adhere to safe behavior will be asked to leave the space
  • Children should be accompanied and monitored by their parent or guardian for their safety - notify parents or guardians if the need for more attentive monitoring or care arises
• Once the playlist has ended:
  • Allow dancers some time for stillness/silence before turning on the lights
  • Turn off sound system
  • Turn on lights when appropriate and gather closing circle
• Provide dancers an opportunity to share about their dance experience
• Provide dancers an opportunity to share information about relevant community events
• If desired, you may offer to close the circle with a brief, voluntary activity/experience (less than 1 minute)
• Remind dancers that they must vacate the space by 9:00 pm sharp on Thursdays - gently encourage dancers to vacate as needed so that employees of Wil-Mar may attend to their duties and return home
• Collect and store donations
• Place all items back in storage

Facebook Group Page: https://www.facebook.com/madisonecstaticdance

Madison Ecstatic Dance Coordinators:

• Rassamee Kahrs: https://www.facebook.com/rassameek
• Susannah Michaels: https://www.facebook.com/susannah.michaels
• David Royce Wagner: https://www.facebook.com/david.r.wagner.16
• Zachary Seaborne