Sacred Dance of the Heart
An Annual Sacred Dance Immersion with Miriam Peretz, Alper Akçay & Many special musical guests
July 14 - July 21 - Yenice Vadi- 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 ninth year Miriam Peretz & Alper Akçay 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, many rooted in Shamanic wisdom traditions. Several special guest live musicians will accompany the immersion, including percussionist Faysal Maćit who will offer daily frame drum classes. This year the immersion will be held in a new location, Yenice Vadi, a beautiful and quiet setting surrounded by nature. We will explore movement sessions in nature, bringing the dances back to their roots, as well as take a special day trip to the nearby beautiful beach.
LOCATION
Yenice Vadi- https://yenicevadi.com/
PAYMENT
Immersion only price- $1100. Early Bird (before April 1) / $1250. Late Bird (April 1)
*Price includes day long trip to the beach & a sacred cold water pool
*Accommodations must be chosen from Yenice Vadi & paid separately. View accommodations options - HERE
*Accommodation prices include 3 delicious healthy vegetarian meals a day and tea & snacks throughout the day.
*$250 non-refundable deposit to register, and balance due by May 15th.
*Discounts available for repeating students of previous years & students attending multiple immersions.
*Places are limited so early registration is advised!
*Limited work-exchange positions available
TO REGISTER
1. To register please fill out the registration form and pay the non-refundable deposit.
2. Choose accommodations (see below)
Miriam & Alper
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. Miriam has been walking on the Sufi path of love for the past 15 years.
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)
July 14th- mid-late afternoon arrival
6:00- Opening Circle 7:00- Dinner 8:30- Meshk
July 15th
8:30-9:45- Breakfast
10:00-1:00- Morning movement session with Miriam
1:00-Lunch 3:30-4:30- Frame drumming with Faysal
5:00-7:00- Alevi Bektashi Sema with Alper 7:00- Dinner
8:30-10:00- Musical offerings, whirling, singing, poetry, prayer & improvisations
July 16th
8:30-9:45- Breakfast
10:00-12:30- Morning movement session with Miriam
1:00-Lunch 3:30-4:30- Frame drumming with Faysal
5:00-7:30- Baksi dance- Shamanic Healing dance with Alper
7:30- Dinner
9:00-10:30- Musical offerings, whirling, singing, poetry, prayer & improvisations
July 17th
8:30-9:45- Breakfast
10:00-12:30- Turning Towards the Heart session with Miriam (introduction to Mevlevi whirling rituals)
1:00-Lunch 3:30-4:30- Frame drumming with Faysal
5:00-7:30- Symbology in the Mevlevi tradition with Alper & Whirling with live music
7:00- Dinner 8:00- Tea & Sohbet with Miriam, Alper & friends
July 18th
8:30-9:45- Breakfast
10:00-1:00- Morning movement session with Miriam & Alper
1:00-Lunch
3:30-4:30- Frame drumming & Singing circle outdoors 4:30-6:30- Nature Immersion- Sacred circle dances with Miriam & Dances of Universal Peace with Alper 7:00- Dinner FREE NIGHT
July 19th
8:30-9:45- Breakfast
10:00- Depart for Beach trip!!
-Dancing, singing & drumming sessions will be woven throughout the day in nature. Lunches will be packed.
9:00 pm- Dinner- (Return to Yenice Vadi)
July 20th
8:30-9:45- Breakfast
10:00-12:30- Morning movement session with Miriam & Alper 1:00- Lunch
3:30- 6:30- Nature Immersion- Singing, Drumming & Dances in Nature 7:00- Dinner 9:00- Fire rituals, music, free whirling
July 21st
8:30-9:30- Breakfast 9:30-12:30- Closing Circle Rituals
*Optional second trip to beach, and extra night at Yenice Vadi*
*Very special live musical concert of traditional Turkish music from the Yawanawa tribe July 13th for those that want to attend
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.
