Embodied Rhythm - The art and influence of live musicianship in Ecstatic Dance
(last edited: 2023)
author(s): Mikko Neuvonen
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In the year 2000 Hawaii gave birth to a novel culture called Ecstatic Dance, which seamlessly intertwines free-form movement, community connection, and the enriching qualities inherent to dance and embodied movement. Participants are encouraged to forge a deep bond with their bodies and emotions, synced with the pulsations of music and rhythm. Ecstatic Dance promotes personal expression, improvisation, and introspective journeys over fixed routines or choreography. It serves as a nexus for personal exploration and communal bonding.
Ecstatic Dance is currently most often led by DJ’s, and as a rare live musician I will write about my experiences and insights about how I cultivate my musicianship in the context of Ecstatic Dance.
Despite its rising global prominence, modern Ecstatic Dance remains an underrepresented phenomenon in Finland, largely absent from academic discourse and media coverage. Neither the national nor local government has acknowledged its potential benefits as a subsidised recreational activity. Its very name might deter potential enthusiasts, with the term "ecstatic" occasionally associated with drug use, while Ecstatic Dance in principle is a substance free activity.
Ecstatic Dance, in its present incarnation, is still blossoming in Finland, having made its debut in 2014. I was first introduced to it around 2015. Since 2018, my involvement has been consistent, and today, I can safely claim to be one of Finland's most experienced Ecstatic Dance DJs, performers and facilitators. I have followed the scene for years and know it intimately.
