EDKW Presents: Ecstatic Dance in the Park ~ Featuring Auroboros

For the first time, on Saturday August 9th, we’re taking the Dance floor Outside! We’ve chosen a super spacious location in Waterloo park offering virtually unlimited space for movement and play, and we're bringing our carefully held and intentional container with us. Expect all of our core elements to be present—a guided warm-up, comfy lounge space, a closing sound bath—as well as some cherries on top: a flow arts performance, a live painter, and our featured DJ, AUROBOROS weaving his uniquely organic textures of live acoustic drumming into our electronic groove.

We’re so excited to be back, and can’t wait to revel in the gift of dance with you again; and all the more wonderful to be dancing with the breeze, among trees, and through wide-open spaces.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

✨Ecstatic Dance DJ Set with Live Percussion

✨Outdoor Dance Floor, Grass underfoot, and Skies Overhead

✨High Quality Sound System

✨Guided Warm-Up

✨Flow Arts Performance

✨Lounge Area and Shade Structures

✨Live-Artist Showcase

✨Closing Sound Bath

✨DANCERS of All Levels of Experience DANCING–and Learning to Thrive in Community with Open Hearts and Open Minds while we’re at it.

✨INTRODUCING OUR DJ: AURABOROS

What happens when a lifelong metal drummer discovers multi-genre DJing? Musical snakes eating their own tails is what.

Launched in late 2024, Auraboros (aka Chris Taylor) has already found solid footing in Canada’s conscious dance scene, with appearances at Chocolate Groove, Daybreaker, Alternity, Floorplay, a resident DJ slot at Ecstatic Dance Toronto, and summer festival sets including Bumi Fest, Anahata, Sonic Springs and Toronto Tantra Fest.

Juggling both live drumming and DJ mixing at once, his sets take you far from where they begin, through wide-ranging tempos and genres to land you somewhere different yet familiar, just like his own life’s journey.

Auraboros is here,.. and there, and back again.

✨OPENING WARM-UP:

Leading our opening warm-up, REVA WILD will be facilitating our transition from the everyday into a more relaxed, receptive, grounded space—allowing us to more freely engage with the offering of Ecstatic Dance.

Reva is an international facilitator and relationship coach that has been a part of the dance and transformative arts communities in Kitchener and Toronto for the past 12 years. With an academic background in relationship and trauma studies as well as professional training in dance, embodiment, sound healing, tantra and authentic relating forms, her work is inherently relational and invites participants into their full capacity to be with life and liberate their deep aliveness. You can always find her front and center, absolutely wild on the dance floor.

✨SOUND BATH and HEALING

Offered by CHELSI RODRIGUES & TYLER GRAHAM, who will be supporting our grounding and integration at the close of our dance.

Chelsi is a sound bath Practitioner who has been offering sound healing ceremonies for over 2 years now. She hosts mostly woman's events but has offered her wellness services in many diverse settings and events. She loves holistic wellness, especially sound and movement. Her passion lies in bringing people together and sharing her tools with the communities she enters.

Tyler has been a sound bath practitioner for four years. He’s had experience all over Southern Ontario and Internationally, working with his wife in diverse environments. They love to share their love of music and sound baths in all communities that are open to receiving.

✨LIVE PAINTING and ARTIST SHOWCASE

Featuring ROB SLACK, curator and creator of this month’s aesthetic blessing.

Rob creates vibrant textured imager in oil paints, often incorporating 3-D elements. His works focus on psychological and spiritual realms in a surreal fashion, bringing thought provoking imagery to life before your eyes.

✨ALTAR and ART INSTALLATION

Lovingly crafted by TANYA WILLIAMS and NATHAN CARTWRIGHT.

✨FLOW ARTS PERFORMANCE and AFTER HOURS DJ SET

AMY ZHOU will be illuminating the first half of the evening with swirling, glowing vortices of light, reappearing soon after as CHINESE CHARCUTERIE to lead us into its darks…

Amy is a Toronto-based DJ and the founder of Reading Rave, a grassroots event celebrating books, beats, and community. She first discovered bass music during a time of chronic pain—and found that deep, resonant frequencies offered unexpected relief, grounding her body and freeing her spirit. As a flow artist, she moves with sound, using rhythm as both expression and medicine. Her sets explore rich, bass-heavy soundscapes that invite connection, release, and play. Guided by sunshine, community, and curiosity, she crafts dance floors that feel like home.

THIS ECSTATIC DANCES IS

Alcohol-Free

And is Non-Conversational (on the Dance Floor)

THE SCHEDULE IS:

5:30 - 6:00 pm | Doors Open and Pre-Dance Social

6:00 - 6:10 pm | Opening Circle

6:10 - 6:30 pm | Guided Warm-up

6:30 - 8:45 pm | DANCE

8:45 - 9:00 pm | Sound Bath & Integration

9:00- 9:15 pm | Closing Circle

9:15 - Late | After-Party and Socializing

TICKETS:

$15 - Early Bird

$20 - Advance General Admission

$25 - General Admission @ the door

If finances are tight and cost creates a barrier to attending, please contact us.

WHERE IT’S AT:

Waterloo Park 🌳☀️🌻

Exact location and Parking info will be shared with ticket holders via Eventbrite the day before the event.

PLEASE BRING a water bottle, sunscreen, a hat, and loose clothing that allows you to move freely.

SEE YOU THERE!!!

Also check out other Arts events in Waterloo, Festivals in Waterloo, Health & Wellness events in Waterloo.