Beginner’s Whirling Workshop & Jam
December 6th | Siler City
A half-day workshop that dives into Ziya Azazi’s Dervish in Progress whirling technique.
Time & Location
December 6th, 10 AM – 1 PM
Heartward Sanctuary
2196 Tom Stevens Rd, Siler City, NC 27344, USA
About Ziya Azazi Workshop
Overview
In June, Heartward Sanctuary hosted internationally-renowned dancer-whirler-choreographer extraordinaire, Ziya Azazi, for a 5-day whirling retreat. (You can read more about him at his website, here, and view one of his performances, here).
Whirling itself throws us into an alternate reality, inducing sensations that are totally distinct from our everyday experience: blurred vision, disrupted balance, the sensation of sound looping, altered breathing capacities, increased pressure on one’s extremities, disorientation in every sense…
These phenomena have fascinated people for centuries, and have also been intentionally deployed in sacred ritual and recreation alike. Whatever the context, this unique embodiment practice heightens physical, emotional, and cognitive awareness in its practitioners – and through this heightened presence, it inherently connects us to the More Than, as well.
Thus, you can imagine how deeply transformative Ziya’s workshop was for each of us! In addition to the potency of the form, Ziya himself is a true master at taking people to their personal edges, and then into the beyond. Since the workshop, a group of us have gathered once a month for whirling jams. These have allowed us to continue honing our personal practice, as well as maintaining the connections and bondedness that comes from simultaneously accessing heightened, altered states of awareness.
In the spirit of expanding, and strengthening, sweetening, enhancing, our whirling community, we will be offering a mini-workshop on Saturday, December 6th.
This workshop will be taught by Alexis Dumain, a longtime participant in the Heartward Sanctuary community, who initially connected with Ziya and encouraged him to come to North Carolina to teach a workshop. Since June, Alexis has begun a 2-year immersive journey to study Ziya’s technique and hone her skills as a performer and teacher. She is elated to put these new skills, ideas, and methods to work in this movement community that she calls home.
Itinerary
In the morning (~10-1), we will host a 3-hour workshop for anyone with an interest in whirling and a desire to participate in whirling jams at Heartward Sanctuary, who did NOT participate in Ziya’s Dervish in Progress (June) workshop.
After a break for lunch, we will host a whirling jam (~2-5) for these participants, as well as those of us who have Dervish in Progress experience.
What to Bring
Coming Soon
Parking
Along the right side of the driveway. Then, walk towards the barn and turn left towards the house. For those who park at the end of the driveway, we are trying to reserve these close spaces for elders and those with little ones. You can walk to either side of the house to find ritual center. Limited parking at the Sanctuary House for pre-approved persons.
Bathrooms
Composting toilets available in the barn and flushable toilets available in the Sanctuary House.
Important Notes About Registration
To ensure ample space, we are capping the morning workshop to 15 participants.
With the understanding that whirling is a diverse and varied practice, and that there may be many experienced whirlers in our midst, we are still asking those individuals who have not taken Ziya’s DIP workshop to participate in the morning workshop, in order to participate in the afternoon – and future – jams. This is for several reasons:
- Whirling varies based on its context. Even within the vast world of Sufism, there are dramatic differences between the controlled sema of the Mevlevi and the Rifa’i. Ziya’s method is nonreligious, eclectic, and thus, at times, especially provocative. Crying, screaming, vomiting, frenzied movement, all of it, is acceptable and encouraged. This can be jarring for first-timers/those who have not experienced this before. We want everyone to feel empowered to be with, and witness this expression, on their own.
- Relatedly, this practice can transport practitioners to some raw, vulnerable, and sometimes, even scary places. Because the jam is a space for everyone to explore their own solo practices (i.e., no one will be facilitating or monitoring participants’ reactions), it is important that everyone be empowered to, as Ziya says, “only swim the distance you can swim back.”
- Dervish in Progress (DIP) is also a method that employs very specific terminology and techniques to whirl effectively and safely. To create a cohesive and safe container for all, we want everyone to be on the same page about how to regulate their bodies, energy, and emotions.
Beginner’s Whirling Workshop & Jam
Registration is for the morning workshop and following jam. The workshop is limited to 15 participants, but the jam is open to many more. If you are already familiar with whirling and just want to come to the jam, registration is not required, though a $20 contribution is welcome.