Moving Mandala Ecstatic Dance Journey: Open Sky
Description
Moving Mandala: Open Sky
Outdoor Summer Sanctuary & Ecstatic Dance Journey
Step out beneath the open sky as Moving Mandala returns for a special summer edition in the heart of Chestnut Hill's beloved Pastorius Park.
As golden light filters through the trees and the evening air begins to cool, we'll gather in one of Philadelphia's most cherished green spaces for an immersive journey of yoga, live music, ecstatic dance, and sound.
The evening begins with a grounding tantric warm-up guided by Elana Stern, accompanied live by percussionist Ian St. Germain, inviting breath, presence, and embodied connection before we enter the dance.
From there, Timmayo the Grateful guides an expansive ecstatic dance journey, joined by live percussion from Michael Blount and Ian, whose rhythms weave organically with the music—creating an immersive dance floor where movement, nature, and community become one.
Throughout the evening, enjoy vibrant superfood smoothies and cacao elixirs from Raw Monje by Monica Bookbinder, nourishing vegan, gluten-free, delectable foods from Intuitive Green Chef Sarah Sunshine, restorative bodywork with Ariel Monroe, face painting and henna by Isabelle Mangoni, and a sacred altar honoring the elements by Ade—thoughtful touches to support an evening of connection, creativity, and care.
As the journey settles, Krystina Vázquez and Elana gently guide us into a restorative live sound bath beneath the evening sky—offering space to integrate, soften, and simply be.
Surrounded by towering trees, birdsong, and the beauty of summer, this family-friendly gathering is an invitation to reconnect—with your body, with nature, and with one another.
No dance experience is necessary. There are no steps to learn and nothing to perform.
Simply arrive as you are, listen to your body, and allow the music to guide you.
🌞 THE THEME
Open Sky is an invitation to exhale.
Summer reminds us to slow down, open our senses, and remember our place within the living world. Beneath the trees and open sky, we gather to celebrate the simple joy of movement, music, nature, and community.
🌿 HOW TO PREPARE
To honor the container and your own blossoming:
Wear vibrant attire that feels comfortable for full-body movement—think bright, expressive, and alive like the glowing summer sun.
Arrive bathed, in clean clothing, and scent-free (no perfume, oils, strong fragrances, or body odor) to respect the space and the sensitivities of others.
Bring water bottle & water, your own cup, and reusable wares to support a low-waste gathering.
Take a moment before arriving to tune into your intention—what within you is ready to be more fully expressed this summer?
🕊️ SACRED AGREEMENTS
Ecstatic dance is a freeform, nonverbal movement journey. The invitation is to dance however your body wants to move. This is a space of freedom, safety, and collective respect.
We welcome you into this summer sanctuary with these sacred agreements:
🍃 Come without agenda
Release expectations and allow the experience to unfold naturally. Arrive open to presence rather than outcome.🕺🏻 Move your own dance
There is no right way to move. Honor your body, trust your rhythm, and allow your dance to unfold naturally.🤫 Let the body speak
Please refrain from talking in the dance space. Let the music, movement, and presence carry the conversation.💧 Substance-free container
We gather in clarity. Alcohol and recreational substances are not part of this experience.👣 Barefoot encouraged
Feel the Earth beneath your feet whenever possible. Supportive footwear is welcome if needed.📵 Phones and cameras away
No cameras, photos, or recording. This is a sacred present-time space where everyone is invited to be fully seen—and fully free.🙏 Consent always
This is a consent-based container. If you wish to dance with someone, offer with presence—a gesture, eye contact, a smile. If they choose not to engage, honor the “no” with grace. A simple bow with hands at heart is a beautiful way to decline or close a dance.💗 Respect every body
Move with awareness, care, and sensitivity for everyone sharing the mandala. If connection isn't reciprocated, gracefully move on, honoring each person's space as we co-create a field of safety, presence, and belonging.🌬️ Non-interference
Allow others their own experience without guidance, correction, interpretation, or interruption.🧘🏽♂️ Self-responsibility
Honor your body, pace yourself, and take space when needed. Stay rooted in your own experience while remaining mindful of the collective.👶 Family-friendly mindfulness
Adults self-regulate, and parents are asked to help children remain mindful of fellow participants and the shared container.👕 Shirts stay on
To support our family-friendly container, shirts remain on for all participants throughout the event.🌎 Care for the Earth
Help us leave the space more beautiful than we found it. Please carry out everything you bring in and honor the land through Leave No Trace practices.🤝 Foster a culture of accountability
If concerns arise, communicate directly and compassionately with those involved whenever appropriate. Rather than gossip, speculation, or rallying others against someone, we encourage honest dialogue, curiosity, and, when needed, facilitated repair.🛠️ Accountability & repair
When appropriate, facilitated repair may be offered after the event to help address conflict or unintended boundary crossings and restore safety, trust, and integrity within the community.🛡️ Zero tolerance for harmful behavior
Harassment, discrimination, aggression, non-consensual touch, sexual misconduct, or other harmful behavior will result in immediate removal without refund.🕊️ Uphold the container
These agreements help create the sanctuary we share together. Anyone unable or unwilling to honor them may be asked to step out of the container or leave the event without refund.
To protect the safety of the container, anyone who does not honor these guidelines may be asked to leave without a refund. Thank you for upholding the integrity of the dance.
💃🏽 THE INVITATION
Come breathe.
Come move what longs to be freely expressed.
Come celebrate the vitality and joy of summer.
Step beneath the open sky.
Step onto the Earth.
Step into the mandala.
And let the dance carry you home.
💫 The Journey
Your evening unfolds as a ceremonial arc:
- 6:00 pm
Arrive & Settle
Arrive early to connect and mingle over vibrant fruit smoothies and cacao elixirs by Raw Monje and nourishing vegan, gluten-free, delectable foods and refreshing fruit drinks from Intuitive Green Chef Sarah Sunshine. Soften the body with bodywork by licensed massage therapist Ariel Monroe, supporting you in opening and preparing for the journey ahead. And adorn yourself with face painting and henna by Isabelle Mangoni—another way to express your vibrant self.
- 6:30 pm
Opening Circle
We gather in the mandala—breath, presence, and intention weaving us into a shared field under the Open Sky.
Warm-Up + Ecstatic Dance Journey
We begin with a grounding tantric warm-up guided by Elana Stern—founder of Tantra Collective—accompanied live by instrumentation by Ian St. Germain. Together, they invite you to arrive fully, awaken the senses, and settle into the rhythm of breath, body, and the natural world. From there, the journey opens into an expansive ecstatic dance led by Timmayo the Grateful, with live percussists Michael Blount and Ian throughout the DJ set. Rooted in rhythm and guided by the energy of the evening, the music carries us through waves of grounding, playfulness, expression, and release. Dance with the Earth beneath your feet and the open sky above. Let the music move through you, the trees become your cathedral, and the evening remind you what it feels like to be fully alive.
Sound Bath & Closing
We gently descend into a restorative sound bath of live music by Krystina Krystina Vázquez and guided meditation by Elana allowing the energy of the dance to soften, settle, and integrate. A space to receive, restore, and root into the fullness of what has opened held by the Earth beneath us.
The dance journey is amplified by an RCF sound system by Vortexual, a sacred altar by Ade, and warm welcome by Veronica Carpenter, with support from Matthew Golben and Jason Hsu—bringing the mandala to life through sound, artistry, service, and prayer.
🔥 Lineup
Elana Stern, Host & Facilitator
Elana Stern is a devoted guide in Tantra Yoga, walking the path of love and supporting individuals, couples, and groups in cultivating sacred connection, embodied presence, and lasting transformation. She was drawn to meditation as a teenager, studied Eastern Philosophy and Religion academically, trained with celebrity fitness icons in NYC, and earned Yoga Teacher certifications in both Vinyasa Yoga (Cindy Lee lineage) and Restorative Yoga. Her foundation is further enriched by training in Tibetan Buddhist, Transcendental, Vipassana, Mindfulness, and Sonic Meditation modalities, as well as Pranayama breathwork and Reiki techniques. Her journey expanded through advanced certification with Yoga Chitta—a Black-owned yoga school serving the BIPOC community-where she mentors yoga teacher trainees. After a life-altering kundalini awakening opened the portal to deeper energetic and tantric realms, she became a certified facilitator of Tao Tantra Arts (Mantak Chia and Osho lineages) and a graduate of the International School of Temple Arts (ISTA). With a vision for evolving consciousness in Philadelphia, Elana founded the Tantra Collective—producing monthly offerings for embodied spiritual connection—and ONE LOVE HUB, the city's co-created community for conscious events. With decades of practice in movement, meditation, and energy healing, Elana's teaching bridges the physical and the spiritual. She invites you into a deeper relationship with your body, your breath, your heart, and each other—where love becomes the path home to your divine nature.
Timmayo the Grateful, Ecstatic Dance DJ
Timmayo the Grateful is a Philly native and a true wizard of his craft—an artist who feels most at home guiding dance-floor journeys that dissolve boundaries and awaken the soul. Rooted in Philly’s hip-hop and house scenes, he grew up immersed in movement culture: battling with breakdance and house crews, practicing in parks, teaching kids to dance as a way to keep them inspired and off the streets, and contributing to events alongside local legends like King Britt, members of The Roots, and other underground pioneers. His path has since carried him far and wide—from didgeridoo ceremonies with Aboriginal elders in the Outback to studying sound with maestros in Peru’s Sacred Valley, to curating ecstatic dance events on Lake Atitlán. First introduced to ecstatic dance more than ten years ago in the Bay Area, he has been a devoted practitioner and facilitator ever since, helping create and DJ Ecstatic Dance Puerto Rico and producing pop-up dances throughout Guatemala. A multi-instrumentalist, skydiver, massage therapist, and occasional yoga teacher, Timmayo brings a lifetime of movement, mysticism, and musical exploration to every set. He’s studied with artists such as Mose, Yemanjo, Captain Planet, and Scott Nice, continually evolving his sound as the digital landscape shifts. As Master of Ceremonies, he seamlessly weaves global textures and rhythmic worlds—entrancing dancers into flow states where dreams feel tangible and magic moves through the room. Arrive for the warm-up to fully sync into the experience. This is a journey you won’t want to miss.
Michael Blount, Percussionist
Michael Blount ("Brotha Mike") was raised in North Philadelphia by community-active pastors. He developed an early passion for service and leadership while serving as a church drummer and children's leader, using rhythm as the core of his work to create safe spaces. This foundation propelled him into a career of strategic Afrocentric community service, starting with drum classes in a library basement that quickly scaled into after-school programs, eventually leading joyful rhythmic performances for crowds up to 20,000 at major festivals. Now the East Coast Branch Manager for the international rhythmic mindfulness company RhythmetriX, Brotha Mike integrates sociological sciences and practical psychology with his craft, upholding the principles and cultural torch passed down by his Philadelphia elders. He embodies the spirit of Sankofa, recognizing ancestral wisdom as the essential platform for the community's future.
Ian St. Germain, Percussionist
Ian St. Germain (SaintlySoundz) is an intuitive drummer, rhythmist, and sound healer whose work invites connection, presence, and transformation through rhythm. A member of the Percussion Pyrets drum circle collective, the CauseChaos Feral performance duo, and resident Rhythm Man for Divine Rebellion, he also founded The Rhythm of Men's Hearts, a space dedicated to healing, authentic expression, and patriarchal deprogramming. For Moving Mandala, Ian will weave live percussion into the dance journey, deepening our connection to the primal pulse of the Earth and one another.
Krystina Vázquez, Vocalist & Crystal Bowls
Krystina Vázquez weaves a meditative musical journey of somatic healing and self-discovery. Drawing from a deep connection of the music as medicine and guiding listeners into a space of healing at the core. Her sound bath integrates soothing vibrations from quartz crystal singing bowls, vocal harmony through a loop station, some percussion instruments, and an overall ethereal experience, blending both beauty and magic.
Intuitive Green Chef Sarah Sunshine, Plant-Based Nourishment
Sarah Sunshine is a Certified Health and Wellness Coach, chef, and former owner of the first all-organic cafés in Eastern Pennsylvania, which she opened in 2014. Her culinary journey began in the world of five-star restaurants, wine, international travel, and diverse food cultures, eventually leading her toward a deeper understanding of food as medicine, sustainable living, and the healing power of whole, organic ingredients. Inspired by the slow food movement and her own transformative health journey, Sarah is passionate about creating food that is nourishing, pleasurable, creative, and anything but boring. Today, Sarah brings more than 15 years of experience in health, wellness, and organic food to her work as The Intuitive Green Chef. She creates from a deep reverence for Mother Earth, with a focus on seasonal ingredients, local sourcing, zero-to-low-waste living, growing food, and cooking in community. Through her cooking, health coaching, retreats, and small events, Sarah shares her belief that nourishing ourselves and caring for the planet can be joyful, delicious, and deeply connected.
Raw Monje by Monica Bookbinder, Organic Smoothies
Monica (Monje) Bookbinder is the founder of Raw Monje, a wellness brand rooted in intentional living, nourishment, and holistic healing. After navigating chronic illness, dietary restrictions, and Lyme disease, she transformed her healing journey into a business centered on organic, plant-based ritual drink blends, hosting smoothie and chocolate truffle classes, and creating community experiences that inspire everyday wellness and intentional living. Monica is also a Feng Shui practitioner and the founder of Blooming Home Feng Shui. She believes wellness begins with what we consume, who we surround ourselves with, and the spaces we inhabit. Through her work, she helps people create homes and workspaces that support balance, abundance, and well-being. Through Raw Monje and Blooming Home Feng Shui, she empowers others to nourish themselves from the inside out and cultivate lives filled with intention, beauty, peace, and purpose.
Ariel Monroe, Chair Massage
Ariel Monroe is a licensed massage therapist and holistic wellness practitioner devoted to helping people navigate life's transitions with greater ease, presence, and well-being. Drawing from massage therapy, sound healing, Reiki, and other mind-body practices, she supports deep relaxation, renewal, and embodied balance. Throughout Sacred Tides, Ariel will be offering restorative chair massage sessions, inviting participants to pause, receive, and reconnect with themselves.
❓ FAQs
- What is ecstatic dance?
Ecstatic dance is a freeform, nonverbal movement journey. The invitation is to dance however your body wants to move. Please see the Sacred Agreements above for the essence of the practice.
- Do I need prior dance experience?
Not at all. This dance journey is about embodiment, sovereignty, authentic movement, and freedom of expression. No experience is needed—just an open heart and a willingness to honor the container.
- What kind of people attend?
This is an inclusive space for a diverse, conscious community of humans of all genders, orientations, and backgrounds. Singles, couples, families, and friends gather here with a shared desire for movement, presence, and authentic expression.
- Can I come alone or with a partner?
Come solo, with friends, or with a partner. This is a sovereign journey into your own body, held by the support of community.
- Is there an age restriction?
Moving Mandala is a family-friendly gathering, and all ages are welcome. Tickets are required for participants ages 9 and up. Children ages 8 and under attend free with a registered adult. Adults attending with children are asked to help them move mindfully within the shared dance space and honor sacred guidelines. All participants are invited to self-regulate and move with awareness, respect, and care for the collective experience.
- What should I wear and bring?
Wear comfortable clothing that allows for free movement. You're invited to celebrate the vibrancy of summer with colorful attire.
Expect to be barefoot (unless supportive footwear is needed).
Bring a water bottle & water to stay hydrated.
Bring an outdoor blanket or mat for the sound bath and integration.
Bring your own cup and reusable wares to help support a low-waste gathering.
- How should I prepare?
Arrive freshly showered and scent-free—no perfumes, colognes, essential oils, scented products, or strong body odor—to honor sensitivities and support nervous system comfort for all.
- Is it important to arrive on time?
Yes! Doors open at 6pm, and Opening Circle begins at 6:30pm. The warm-up and dance set are part of a continuous journey, and we invite you to experience it from the start.
- Is alcohol or intoxicants allowed?
No. This is a sober event. The invitation is to be clear, present, and attuned in body, mind, and spirit.
- Will there be food and drinks at the dance?
Yes! Arrive early to enjoy vibrant superfood fruit smoothies and cacao elixirs from Raw Monje, and nourishing vegan, gluten-free, delectable foods and refreshing alcohol-free drinks from Intuitive Green Chef Sarah Sunshine. All offerings are available for purchase and lovingly crafted with wholesome, organic, vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free ingredients to nourish body, heart, and spirit.
To support a low-waste gathering, we warmly encourage you to bring your own cup and reusable wares.
- Is parking available?
There is ample unrestricted street parking throughout the neighborhood. Rideshare, SEPTA, or bicycling are encouraged, if you're inclined.
- Can I buy a ticket at the door with cash?
Advance registration is strongly recommended, as our events often sell out, and pre-registration allows us to prepare with care and welcome you in with ease.
Please note that all ticket sales are completed online to ensure waiver and guidelines agreements are properly acknowledged.
- Why must tickets be purchased online, even upon arrival?
All tickets must be completed online—including at the door—so each participant can review and acknowledge the event waiver and sacred agreements before entering the container.
This process helps us uphold the integrity, safety, and shared understanding of the experience for everyone present. We’re also not equipped to process cash payments onsite, so if space is available upon arrival, registration can be completed easily from your mobile device.
- Why do you ask for my contact information?
Your name, email, and mobile number help us send important event details and maintain a safe, intentional space. Incomplete or inaccurate registrations may be canceled.
- Is there a reduced ticket price if I arrive late?
No. Moving Mandala is designed as one continuous, intentional journey—from opening circle through ritual, warmup, dance, and closing integration. Because your ticket supports the full container and experience as a whole, the full event rate applies regardless of arrival time.
We strongly encourage arriving on time to receive the complete arc of the evening and fully enter the shared field from the beginning.
- What is the refund policy?
Tickets are non-refundable. Anyone asked to leave for violating sacred agreements will not receive a refund.
- What happens if it rains?
In the case of light passing showers, we will remain outdoors whenever possible. In the event of severe weather, participants will be notified via SMS of the new date and location.
- What is the COVID protocol?
Masks are optional. Please arrive in good health, wash your hands upon entry, and stay home if you’re unwell. Your care supports the well-being of all.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
