To work magic is to weave the unseen forces into form; to soar beyond sight; to explore the uncharted dream realm of the hidden reality.
-Starhawk
Use the power of witchcraft to unlock inspiration and potency that already lives within yourself.
YOU are powerful
you ARE powerful
you are POWERFUL
Are you inspired to create something new, but don’t know where to start? Maybe you’re blocked or experiencing the ever-dreaded Blank Page Syndrome?
Or maybe you don't feel like you have the authority to try to create something new, or the ability to create something powerful?
Or maybe you’re new to dancing? Or to dancing with a sword?
Or maybe you don’t feel like you *look* like a dancer, or fit the profile of a dancer - like maybe it’s not ok for you you take up space in a movement art form?
Whatever the case, I have some encouraging news for you:
You are not too new at this - don’t forget that the beginner’s mind is unencumbered of pre-existing habits or rules and so is free and unfettered to experiment, limited only at the level of the sky.
Your body is not too [fill in the blank].
You are allowed to take up space.
Even if you don’t move the way you once did, or you aren’t as bendy as some other dancers- there is deep power in simplicity, of moving slowly, and of stillness.
You are allowed to be beautiful in whatever way beauty means for you.
You are allowed to be feminine.
You are allowed to be masculine.
You are allowed to be both or neither.
You are allowed to blur the lines.
You are allowed to dance with a sword and been seen and be loved and be admired for who you are, right now, today.
You are allowed to - and are able to - create your own deeply potent, valuable, significant magick and share it with the world.
What if I told you that you already are potent, valuable, significant? What if I told you that you already have that magick inside of you?That you *are* able to break through your creative blocks, and go from a place of not knowing to a place of knowing and believing. That you can tap into your innate connection to the elements and create something from nothing - birth something into the world that didn’t exist before. To give yourself permission to be the powerful dancer you already are, and to breathe your own unique magick into a ritual dance that you have created? That is your own? What if you could wrestle with your imposter syndrome and win? What if you did all this and were finally able to give yourself permission to be the fierce, potent, beautiful, magical creature you already are?
There is so much to dancing that you do NOT need to be an acrobat or have extreme flexibility to bring power and intention to your dance. You can absolutely have all of those things, but really all you need to add power and dynamics to your dance is YOU. EVERYTHING else can be modified to fit you where YOU are right now. So you can create a powerful ritual dance that works for YOUR body.
Sword Magick: Transformation takes students through a journey of sword dance technique and experimentation that helps them to find their own pathways and movement, layered with their own intentions, and guides them to create a ritual sword dance that is truly and uniquely their own.
After the series ends, you will have a different, deeper and more powerful relationship with your blade and your dance practice. Not only will you will walk away from this experience with a brand new dance that you created yourself, you will have a deeper understanding of how to create your own movement vocabulary from here on out. You will walk away full of new ideas and strategies that will continue to keep your creative forge ablaze, and help remind you to keep your sword practice alive with magick.
WHAT IT IS:
Sword Magick: Transformation is a 13 week series that moves students through five phases of ritual dance creation:
Phase 1, Steel & Bone (3 weeks): The Element of Earth, the nurturing power of foundation. students delve into technique to get comfortable moving with their swords
Phase 2, Logic & Thought (3 weeks): The Element of Air, the inspiring power of wisdom and strategy. This phase dives into movement creation and experimentation to begin to create their own vocabulary and movement.
Phase 3, Innovation & Dreams (3 weeks): The Element of Water, the power of intuitive emotion. Layering intention and correspondences as well as creating smooth transitions and pathways between the movements that were created in Air.
Phase 4, Cast & Create (3 weeks): The Element of Fire, the power of molding and forging something into shape. Students are guided through the creation of a ritual sword dance that is truly and uniquely their own.
Phase 5, Ritual, Magick, and Celebration (final week): The Element of Spirit, the power of culmination. At the final class, we will have a ritual gathering in honor of Beltane, where all dancers will have the opportunity to share their finished piece if they would like to.
All classes are hybrid, all are recorded (with recordings available until May 28)
DATES:
Sundays 2/4-4/28 - 12:45-2:15pm PST
All classes are hybrid (2/4 and 4/14 are online only)
Online folks will meet on zoom
In person folks will meet at Spring/Fall Studio in Berkeley
All classes will be recorded.
Recordings will be available until 5/28
*Classes are boutique sized to allow for individual feedback and coaching so that every dancer, no matter their level, can be successful*
PRICING:
$650 early bird price expires on 1/28. $750 after that.
8 spaces in person, 5 spaces online.
BIPOC, LGBTQIA, and MENAHT dancers receive a special discount! Just use the discount code STARFIRE to receive $100 off (in addition to the early bird discount). This is in reparation and support of those who have faced (and continue to face) systemic racism, oppression and marginalization, as well as a repayment to those from whose cultures this fusion dance form borrows.
Let’s step out of our regular lives each Sunday afternoon to dive into the unknown and explore together. We will forge (or reforge) our connection to our blades and dance along this crooked path using a carefully designed roadmap that leads to inspiration, magick, joy, love, connection and adventure!
This is for anyone who wants to connect their movement practice to their spiritual practice. For folks who want to connect more with the cycles of the earth and the cosmos. Should be comfortable with witchcraft and the idea of moving in space with a sword. Adventurous beginners welcomed and encouraged.
The idea of ritual dance connects our spirit to our movement practice. This enables you to create dances from a different place in your mind. The concepts taught in this series create a different dynamic that can be used in performance or for private practice and teach that crafting powerful ritual movement is something you can do yourself, for yourself, for and with others.
The mission of Sword Magick is to help people connect to each other, themselves, to their spirit, and to their inner strength. To build each other up so we can create art and beauty for ourselves and each other as a means to recharge, enlighten and inspire. Art is how we process life. Why not do it with witchcraft and a big sword?
PHILOSOPHY:
The definition of Sword Magick (tm) is: A pattern of movement in which a sword is used as an athame in conjunction with dance to build and direct energy and intention toward a specific task or goal.
Definition of Athame (in Sword Magick (tm) terms): A ceremonial blade used to direct energy and draw boundaries. Usually, a sword is seen as an elemental tool of air or of fire, depending on one's system of beliefs.In Sword Magick, the sword is used to represent all five elements:
- The cool rigidity of the metal for Earth
- Wisdom, logic and incisiveness for Air
- Passion and creativity for Fire
- Carving of dreams, expression of emotion and liquid quick movement of Water
- The final spark, the charge of electricity that is Spirit can come only from one place - You. The minute you pick up your sword with intention, You are the final element that brings the magic to life. You, and only you.