Diversity in Ecstatic Dance: Focus Group

Since our founding in 2018, inclusivity has been one of our core values. We openly welcome everyone, regardless of ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation or identity. Three years later, we cannot ignore the fact that our dancefloor is overwhelmingly white. This focus group is an attempt to promote diversity and help us be proactively more inclusive. On Sept 12, we are opening a lovingly held and consciously facilitated space to discuss diversity on our dance floor. We invite friends from within and beyond our Ecstatic Dance community to gather with us after our SUN•DAY dance to witness and be witnessed in story, reflection and dialogue, as we begin together to name how the destructive dynamics of white supremacy and class privilege have shown up in our beautiful microcosm of the world, and what we can all own (and do) to change this. As a form of gratitude to participants, a light lunch (vegan sandwich & drink) will be provided to ticketholders. Who will be facilitating? This will be a 90-minute facilitated group dialogue, led by Josiane Smith, a mixed Arab/Jewish heritage woman and supported Richard Batts (co-founder of Ecstatic Dance UK), who have been leaning into this conversation together over the past few months (and individually for years). We wish to offer this space for others in order to create much needed change. About the dialogue We will be prompting a discussion on what it feels like to be in spaces where most people are different to us (namely, in white dominant spaces). We will also be reflecting on the cultural associations around music selection, and about what friends and family from our different communities think of our practice of Ecstatic Dance. These discussions will be carefully mixed by ethnicity at first in order to cultivate artful listening and sharing. After this, groups will be invited to separate for a short while into non-white and white groups, in order to allow for co-regulation and safety, and the potential for deeper processing around some of what came up. Who we expect to come Some prior experience of conscious and/or Ecstatic Dance spaces, while not necessary, will make some of the guiding questions easier to answer. Please do share this link and invite others but note that we are keeping a careful eye on the representation of this discussion. This means that some folks who identify as white may be asked to give up their space to ensure we have the right balance. What to expect To learn of the expectations and tone we are setting for ourselves and for you, please take a moment to ground in these two pieces. Both will be read on the day: 1. A Movement Chaplain, a poem by Mickey Scott Bey Jones https://www.wnccumc.org/files/websites/www/brave+space.pdf 2. Circle Session structure by two environmentalist feminists, Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson & Dr. Katharine Wilkinson https://www.allwecansave.earth/session-1 Please note you don't need to attend the dance beforehand in order to participate. However, if you wish to dance with us, you can get your ticket here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ecstatic-dance-uk-sunday-open-air-tickets-111553290896 Thank you for your time and presence in this crucial time of change. It is appreciated and respected beyond words ♥ From our hearts to yours, Josiane, Richard, Renée & the EDUK team