Description
Dancing without Disclaimers
August's Dance Experiment
Start Your Day on a Positive Note and Let the Energy of the Morning Set the Tone for Your Entire Month! Not sure how to meditate? Don't dance? We'll introduce you to both and are confident that after a month you won't ever want to stop!
About Our Experiment:
Our dance experiment started in January and it has taken on a life of its own. Each morning, we start our day at 6:30 a.m. PDT with a 10-15 meditation and then 20 minutes of free-form dance.
We'll meet every day for virtual dance parties. To keep you motivated, Anastasia and our Joy Facilitators (Amanda, Bonnie, Courtney, Marie and Molly) will create playlists and send them to the group ahead of time so that you can practice at a time that works best for you. There may also be dance tutorials to help you along your dance journey.
Are you ready for your dance awakening!
The 10-minute guided mediations are designed to help reconnect you with the present moment while the dance is designed to help raise your energy and create a sense of community. There is no right or wrong way to dance or experience the dance experiment.
No experience needed and it's not required to keep your camera on during the Meditation or the Dance.
About the Benefits of Meditation:
Meditation can bring long-lasting benefits into our everyday lives. It can help lower our stress levels, improve our focus, increase self-awareness, reduce negative emotions, increase patience, tolerance, imagination and creativity. Who wouldn't want that?
About the Benefits of Dance:
Dancing? Well, it's just plain fun and will have you feeling amazing -- all week long. Don't believe us? Join us and find out for yourself.
What Else Should You Expect:
- A Fun Musical Workout
- Heavy Breathing
- Shuffles
- Lots of fun, a few good laughs
- A fun playlist
About Our Instructors
We prefer to call them Joy Facilitators:
Anastasia Allison: The founder of Kula Cloth, will be one of your dance instructors for this class. What started as a joke has turned into an all out dance experiment. Anastasia started dancing on January 1st, 2021 and hasn't stopped. If you are a math person, you'll know that she currently has a whole lot of days of dance experience (I'll let you do the math).
She started by performing, 'random spastic' movements... and has since morphed into a dance style that she likes to call, 'interpretive alpine shuffling'. She has danced extensively on asphalt, hardwood floors, laminate floors, grass, gravel, a floating dock, concrete, in Home Depot, on Washington State Ferries and most recently a cell phone tower platform somewhere near Granite Falls. What started as a joke has truly transformed her life in the most beautiful way... and she's genuinely thrilled to share that energy with you.
Anastasia will be our Wednesday and Friday Joy Facilitator
Bonnie Ackerman: Bonnie will be dancing her way into our hearts all the way from North Central New Jersey (if you’re from Jersey you’ll know why that is important – the rest of us will have to Google it). She has been a certified Kula Dance groupie since July. However, she insists that her days of awkward dance moves go back much further. For this reason alone we knew she’d be the perfect Joy Facilitator… but when we found out that she loves people and she loves to make them smile… AND has a passion for dancing and leading groups… That cinched the deal.
Bonnie will be our Sunday Joy Facilitator
Amanda Lemay: Amanda was the first Joy Facilitator to fill Anastasia’s gold dance shoes. She lives full time in her self-converted ambulance and is currently traveling the southern US. She says , “It doesn’t matter what our dancing looks like, the point is just to feel and move. Our emotions are energy and moving our bodies is critical to processing and releasing those emotions. It’s all about flow baby!"
Amanda will be our Monday Joy Facilitator.
Molly Moore: Molly will be dancing from her home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania but wishes she was still dancing from the Cranberry Wilderness where she spent time shuffling on beds of pine needles that were easy on her knees. Since becoming a Kula Joy Facilitator, she knows that her life (and resume) are now complete. What more could there be in life and who wouldn't want to facilitate joy. She sees THIS as a way that she can do THAT while achieving fame and fortune (to reinvest in more kula cloths).
Molly is happy to be part of a community of people who are experiencing joy together! And she is grateful to be a part of this. Two months ago, she NEVER would have danced so free-spiritedly and uninhibited in front of other people (or herself) and she says it. feels. terrific.
Molly will be our Tuesday Joy Facilitator
Marie DeJournette: Once upon a time, Marie had grand dreams of being a movie star… but it didn’t work out so, she applied for the next best thing: Kula Joy Facilitator! And here she is! Dreams come true folks! Marie was inspired to do this because she loves the live dance sessions and wanted to do her part to see them continue.
Marie will be our Thursday Joy Facilitator
Courtney Lake: Courtney is a friend that will be dancing with us all the way from Toronto, Canada. She was hand-picked by Anastasia to continue the Dance Experiment while the Kula Founder was off setting unicycle speed records in the Utah Salt Flats.
Courtney will be our Saturday Joy Facilitator
Our Joy Facilitators collectively have very little dance experience but lots of love for spreading joy through dance. They are ready to show you what it takes to get out of your head, over yourself and into a high vibrational state of pure dancing joy. Come dance with us!
THE FINE PRINT BUT DEFINITELY NOT A DISCLAIMER: Dancing can be addictive. Please consult your primary care physician before starting this or any other dance regimen. Side affects may include: laughter, excessive smiling, sweating, joy and occasional muscle cramps. Individual results may vary.
A SPECIAL NOTE: If you do suffer any of the above side effects, meditation may help.
A Few Dance Experiment Testimonials
From Rikki in Scandinavia
"I had an accident the first week of 2022 and it left me with a heavy concussion and some mental bruises (I will remember to wear my helmet when biking in the city from now on). I haven't been able to go back to work and I couldn't really exercise (I climb a lot) the way I usually do. I could go for walks but then what felt like a somewhat random event from Kula's truly, Anastasia and the team behind, became the highlight of the days - some pretty dark days in between.
It's been this pile of joy inviting me in every day keeping my spirit up and a great way to follow my own process. From sitting down dancing to now being on my feet - hell even a little bit of jumping!! Yeah.
I'm based in Copenhagen in Denmark, so while most of you were dancing the morning away, I had the whole day to look forward to dancing with you in the afternoon. It's been such a lovely experience to be a part of - because that is what I feel we all are, A PART OF IT. That's so special and I promise you energy like that can travel continents. I've felt it all the way over here.
I thank you for that and how this wonderful experiment has been there in much needed times."
From Tracy B
Dancing every day, to quite probably music I would NEVER choose, has been the most joy-filled thing I have done for myself in 2022! DANCE ON!!
From Becca
"Would it sounds ridiculous to say this month has been life changing? Like most of us, I suck at New Years resolutions. This year, I decided to set a few fun New Year’s GOALS. To hike 250 miles of new trail, to take a shelter dog for an outing each week, and the Dance Experiment. My only rule going into it was that I had to show up. There have been days I’ve just stood and watched (because how does she move her feet like that 🤔) and days I’ve only danced part of each song (because holy crap, dancing is exhausting 😅). Then Covid came to my house last week and I was so bummed to miss a few days of actually dancing, because watching didn’t satiate me. I do not know how to dance, but now I think about dancing constantly! It’s fun, it feels good, and the camaraderie of the zoom room can’t be beat! "
From Roxanna M
"I had a DEXA bone scan in December 2021, just as a maintenance screen since I had not had one in over 35 years. The results showed osteoporosis in my lumbar spine, osteopenia in my upper femur. Though this is not unusual for a woman at 70, it was a heads up to me that my usual exercise might need some tweaking.
In January of 2022, I signed on for the Dance Experiment, knowing I love to dance and don’t get much opportunity (with Covid always around) AND dancing is weight bearing exercise. I also began strength training a couple times a week, and cut way back on caffeine. Results……..
- I love my early mornings, now, because dancing around energizes me for the rest of the day. That energy stays with me and I am more motivated to get out and walk/run too. I feel like I have gotten my life back every day.
- The meditation at the start of each dance session is a HUGE plus!!
- I see an acupuncturist for health maintenance around once a month. I always had one or more “pulses” that were weak when I would arrive at the office there. But since I have been dancing regularly, my acupuncturist is amazed… my pulses are all strong as they should be. She says its like my body has awakened.
- I sleep much better. Just going to bed earlier did not always help. I have consistent good sleep now.
Let the good times roll. I am looking forward to another month! Peace and happy feet!"
From Sherry
"Before January, I only occasionally danced while doing random things - now my cats think I've lost my mind because I'm doing it at random times. I think they are just jealous. It may be a problem when our office opens back up - my coworkers may start questioning my sanity. Or maybe they will dance too!
The Kula Dance Experiment has been such an awesome experience - I've found dance creeping up at random times bringing joy and light into my day. The live sessions are so much fun (even though I've not been brave enough to turn on the mic or camera - one day?) - there is just something freeing about knowing others are out there dancing wildly and randomly just for joy of movement.
Kula Dance like no one is watching
Like no one can see
Because the joy it creates
Will radiate out
and bring you all the Creepy Victorian Kitties
Ok...that was bad. But I hope it gave you a chuckle. Lol."
From Samantha R.
"This has honestly been one of the hardest starts to a year that I’ve had in a while. Having the consistency of a group of incredible people to dance along with and just share incredible serenity and pure joy was an absolute godsend. It really helped reduce my anxiety to a more manageable level, by giving me a more productive outlet. The coupling of dancing in meditation has really struck a chord, and it’s been really incredible. This has even inspired me to sign up for an adult tap dance class in my community! So excited to keep joy in every single day, no matter where, when, or under what circumstances. Just dance!"
From Jennifer W.
This dance experiment has been a both fun and grounding extravaganza of music, movement, and meditation - plus community! Anastasia is a wonderful free being who has shared her sparkling presence with all of us and has brought a lot of joyful moments into my life this month. Looking forward to more!
From Marie DJ
"I'm completely surprised by how excited I am for every dance zoom. And how sad I am when I miss a live session because of my standing appointment with my trainer at the gym. I have actually changed the appointment a couple of times just so I could dance with this group. The energy is palpable, the connection substantial and the joy I feel dancing with everyone is something I don't want to give up. "
From Regina.
"Dancing with the Kulaverse Dance Experiment group is a happy way to start the day with fun, laughter and moving to the beat. The playlists are super fun and I love getting to know more songs. I am inspired to make dancing a daily habit and am excited to continue the Kulaverse Dance Experiment."
From Stephanie B.
Two tap dancers walk into a bar they look at the floor and comment on how beautiful it is one tap dancer looks at the other and says “I’d tap that”
What can I say? Dancing Without Disclaimers has truly been a game changer -it has been so much fun and it really has brought a tremendous amount of joy to my days and it permeates all I do. I now irritate my friends on the regular by breaking out in spontaneous dance!