Sacred Dance of the Heart
An Annual Sacred Dance Immersion with Miriam Peretz, Alper Akçay & Many special musical guests
June 27 - July 4 - Yalova- Turkey
In the Sacred Circle we will join our hearts in dance, song, breath and prayer to receive deep healing for our full being. Journeying through embodied prayers and intentions we will embrace dance as movement medicine for the heart. This will be the seventh year Miriam Peretz & Alper Akçtay come together to offer this transformational journey. Together they will weave their knowledge and practices rooted in sacred dance forms, Sufi ritual and whirling, Alevi Bektashi Sema dances, and traditional Central Asian dances.
LOCATION
Mutlu Baba Cultural Center Dergah, Gokcedere (Yalova,) Turkey
July 4-8- Sacred Sites Tour, Konya, Cappadocia, Haçi Bektaś
Finally the rough itinerary is up!!
July 4th- Depart Yalova (by minibus) 2:00 pm- Arrive Cappadocia 9:00 pm- Dinner at Koan Akademi
Accommodations in Cappadocia- https://www.koanakademi.com/
July 5th- Tour Sacred Sites & Nature reserves of Cappadocia (including Goreme Open Air Museum, Rose Valley,
Nightime concert of Tumata ensemble at a special music festival.)
July 6th- Visit the village of Haci Bektas, sacred sites & take a 4 hour workshop with a group of Bektashi Semah dancers.
July 7th- Travel to Konya to visit the sacred makam of Pir Mevlana Jellaladin Rumi, Shams i Tabriz and Atesh Baz Veli.
July 8th- Tour complete- airport or train drop off, goodbyes!
*Cost of tour $500. This includes all transportation until Konya, lodging 4 nights (rooms shared with two per room, private optional,) arrival dinner, all breakfasts, and dance workshops, activities.
*Email Miriam if you are interested in joining the sacred sites tour- miriampdance@gmail.com
PAYMENT
$1300. Early Bird / $1450 Late Bird (extended to May 20!!!!)
(Includes 7 day immersion (6+ hours a day) and 3 delicious healthy vegetarian meals a day & tea & snacks.
*$250 non-refundable deposit to register, and balance due by May 15th for early bird.
*Accommodations are a separate fee!! There are limited free accommodations in the dergah for those that are on a tight budget and don’t mind sleeping in a dorm style of room.
*Discounts available for students attending Earth, Sand & Sea in Crete, Greece & for repeating students (from previous years.)
* Limited work-trade & scholarship options
*Places are limited so early registration is advised!
Accommodations: (prices based off last year, changes in price are possible.)
Uğur Termal Residence 5 star hotel:
4 room suite (for 5-6 people) $240 -Shared breakdown-
$85. per night/master bedroom (1 queen bed & private bathroom)
$45. per night/single bedroom (1 single bed)
$40 per night/double bedroom (2 single beds- 2 people)
$50 per night/private living room (2 sofa beds- 1 or 2 people)
2+1 room (for 4 people) $200 - Shared breakdown-
$85. per night/master bedroom (1 queen bed & private bathroom)
$35. per night/double bedroom (2 single beds)
$45. per night/living room (sofa bed)
1+1 room (for 2 people) $150/night - $90 per night/master bedroom (1 queen bed )
$60 per night/living room (sofa bed)
This hotel features a beautiful hamam (separate women’s/mens) with healing thermal waters, steamroom & spa treatments
Kapri Motel:
Double rooms $52. per room-$26.00 per night/per person
Room for four people $78. per room- $19.50 per night/per person
For students who are doing work-trade or anyone financially challenged there are free dorm style accommodations in the dergah. Spaces are limited and priority given to work-exchange students. (separate women/men rooms)
TO REGISTER
To register please download and fill out the registration form (at the top of page) send to info@miriamdance.com and pay the non-refundable deposit.
ABOUT
An Annual Sacred Dance Immersion with Miriam Peretz & Alper Akçay held at the Mutlu Baba Cultural Center Dergah, Gokcedere one hour from Istanbul in the beautiful nature surroundings of Yalova. The area is a quiet village setting that has beautiful hiking, and natural healing hot springs. Each day will journey through heart centric practices layered with Sufi ritual, sacred circle dances, whirling, ecstatic dancing, frame drum circles, singing, chanting and prayer.
During the course of the week we will be graced with many special guest musicians including Neyzen Amir Shahsar, singer Seljuk Yilmaz, and many more!!
Each day will journey through heart centric practices layered with Sufi ritual including whirling, ecstatic dancing, frame drum circles, singing, chanting and creative process.
Video Samples!
2019- Here
2015- Here
Miriam Peretz is a lifelong dance instructor, performer, and visionary devoted to creating transformational experiences for her students and audiences worldwide. Her unique dance format, Nava Dance is rooted in intentional movement and ritual to awaken the highest potential of self individually and communally. Miriam draws deep inspiration from Central Asian themes and aesthetics, as well as from the practice of devotional whirling. Each session she offers is a journey through the physical, spiritual and emotional realms of being, and a call to open one’s hearts to others and to the universe. The dance sanctuary, (in this case the “dergah”) is a place to move, sweat, sway, breath, love, pray and embrace personal empowerment as well as a deep sense of humility.
Alper Akçay is a Sacred - Ritual Dancer, Performer, Body Therapist and Medicinal Movement Instructor from Istanbul, Turkey. Alper offers heart centric workshops in movement healing practices, Anatolian-Central Asian Sacred Dances, meditative and circle dances for peace. Recently he has become a Middle Eastern dance leader on Dances of Universal Peace. He is also a member of Unesco International Dance Council CID. Alper is walking on the path of Sufism and Tasavvuf (Islamic mysticism) and has been practicing Mevlevi Sema and Alevi – Bektashi Semah for the past fifteen years. For more information-www.alperakcay.com
Schedule (details subject to some changes)
June 27th- late afternoon arrival (we will formally begin with opening rituals and dinner at 6:00 pm and continue into music and dancing until 10:00 pm)
June 28th
8:30-9:45- Breakfast
10:00-1:00- Morning movement session with Miriam / Music Immersion specialty track
1:00-Lunch 3:30-4:30- Frame drumming with Faysal
5:00-7:00- Movement session with Alper 7:00- Dinner
8:30-10:00- Musical offerings, whirling, singing, poetry, prayer & improvisations
June 29th
8:30-9:45- Breakfast
10:00-1:00- Morning movement session with Miriam / Music Immersion specialty track
1:00-Lunch 3:30-4:30- Frame drumming with Faysal
5:00-7:00- Shamanic Healing dance with Alper
7:00- Dinner
8:30-10:00- Musical offerings, whirling, singing, poetry, prayer & improvisations
June 30th
8:30-9:45- Breakfast
10:00-1:00- Turning Towards the Heart session with Miriam & Alper (introduction to Mevlevi whirling rituals) / Music immersion
1:00-Lunch 3:30-4:30- Frame drumming with Faysal
5:00-7:00- Alevi Bektashi dances with Miriam & Alper
7:00- Dinner 8:00- Tea & Sohbet with Miriam, Alper & friends
July 1st
8:30-9:45- Breakfast
10:00-1:00- Morning movement session with Miriam & Alper
1:00-Lunch
3:00-5:00- Nature Immersion- Alevi Bektashi dances with Miriam & Alper Hamam night, Dinner out!
July 2nd
8:30-9:45- Breakfast
10:00-1:00- Morning movement session with Miriam & Alper
1:00-Lunch 3:30-4:30- Frame drumming with Faysal
5:00-7:00- Alevi Bektashi Sema dances with Alper & Miriam 7:00- Dinner 8:00- Free floor whirling, poetry, zikr
July 3rd
8:30-9:45- Breakfast
10:00-12:00- Morning movement session with Miriam & Alper 12:30- Lunch
2:30- 4:30- Nature Immersion- Singing, Drumming & Dance 4:30- Hamam time & Dinner out 9:00- Fire rituals & cake
July 4th
8:30-9:30- Breakfast
9:30-12:30- Closing Circle Rituals
Travel
*One month prior to the immersion a google doc. will be offered for everyone to post arrival/departure times to help students to find other friends traveling at similar times to connect and travel together.
Arriving to Yalova from Istanbul:
For students flying into the Istanbul International Airport its closest to travel to Yenikapi (ferry station.) For those flying into Sabiha airport its closer to travel by the Pendik (ferry station.) It is best to take a taxi which can be around $35. The ferry tickets are not expensive however need to be purchased in advance during the busy Summer time (around $5.) It is about one hour travel to Yalova. https://www.ido.com.tr/ (There is an English option in the top right corner.)
Once one arrives to Yalova there is a mini bus to arrive at the Dergah or the motel/motel. The bus station is just next to the ferry station. It is about a 45 minute ride up the mountain, and is a beautiful scenic route! Make sure to take the minibus to Gokcedere/Termal. Tell or show the driver you need to go to Uger hotel. The bus stop is close by and then there is a short walk straight up the main road which will lead to the motel/hotel and then the dergah. The address is very close to the Mutlu Baba dergah- Gökçedere Mah. Okul Cad. Mutlu Sk. No:2/A
