Trancedance Newsletter

Trance-Dance Newsletter
April 2020

you want to receive our newsletter?
name:
email:

Content

•	Announcement: Corona/Covid-19
•	Foreword: M A S K

•	Event: Masked Trancedance

•	Photographic Art: Chris Rainier

•	Music: David & Steve Gordon

•	Kalendar: Coming season

Announcements

English language

For many years we have published our newsletter in different languages, seperately. We made the decision that, from now on, there will be just one Trance-Dance Newsletter, in English.

SARS-CoV2 / COVID-19 / Corona

Because of the lock-down, and the inability of our participants to move around in Europe, we need to move around some dates for our upcoming events, like the Trancedance Facilitator Training.

These are the new dates, we hope it works out for those interested:

Module 1 ~ Dancer ~ September 7-13, 2020
Module 2 ~ Facilitator ~ January 7-10, 2021
MasterClass ~ Mask ~ August 6-9, 2020
MasterClass ~ Darkness ~ December 16-20, 2020

In the mean time, ... let's make the best of it, enjoy the good sides of the lock-down, and stay healthy!

~ foreword ~
by Aernoudt Knecht

M A S K

There’s a theatrical side to shamanism that is often misunderstood. Many people think that, since it is theatre, it’s not real… and don’t notice what IS happening. In an authentic shamanic performance the shaman is in a (posession) trance, ánd induces a trance state in the audience. This is a process that transforms energy, and affects áll involved.

I was fortunate to witness live performances of masked trance dances from many parts of the world, African, Balinese, .... and one of the most memorable was a traditional dance from West-Java, the Topeng Cirebon. It was a wonderful experience, with beautiful music and costumes, and the dancers were extraordinarily refined in their movements. I enjoying it very much, but this was just the beginning.

From the moment the dancers put on their masks, they suddenly transformed into enchanted beings. I was blown away! These were no ordinary humans anymore, but magical beings, being moved by a celestial music... or so it seemed. The trance could be felt in the room, as its magic streched outward, towards the audience.

Masked dancing, and the various trance-states that come with it, is fascinating, and can be a strong catalyst for transformation and healing. There is a lot of power in creating your own ritual mask and dancing it to life! I have wanted to offer masked trancedancing, as a practice, for some time now. This year that dream becomes a reality when I will facilitate a special new workshop, this summer. Please join us, in this years' MasterClass Masked Trancedance.

~ upcoming event ~

'Masked Trancedance'

MasterClass ~ August 6-9, 2020

Originally, a shaman wore a sacred costume during trance-work. This practice has slowly disappeared in many peoples, but in some sacred rituals they still continue to wear a mask, headdress or blindfold.

Breath of Life

Masked dancing, and the various trance-states that come with it, is fascinating, and can be a strong catalyst for transformation and healing. During this 4-day workshop you will intentionally bring a part of yourself to life, either to cultivate this force within you, or to make it visible and let go.

Creation and Trandformation
You will create your mask from your inner personal inspiration, with your hands, and breathe life into it by dancing. This way your mask becomes a trance-inducing channel for power.

Info & Registration: English - German - Dutch

~ book ~

Chris Rainier ~ MASK

As a photographer, Chris Rainier decided that he wanted to follow the trail of traditional masks around the world. And he did.

His journey brought him to many exotic places and cultures. He encounterd Buthanese monks, Mongolian shamans, and many other traditional mask wearing traditions across six continents. Many of these masks are used in dances, initiations, healing rituals, weddings, ... and itäs purpose is, in general, to connect with the spirit world.

Next to exotic cultures, Chris also found examples of ritual masks closer to home, in the Alpes of Austria for example. Every year, around the festival of Saint Nicholas, his counetrpart, the awesome Krampus, is brought to life; half-man-half-demon.

Now we can enjoy the more than 130 portraits he made on his journeys. His book Mask brings them all together.

"I'm trying to relay to the viewer a sense of spirit and sacredness, of what the masks and their roles are all about ... there have been moments when I've put down my camera and danced around the fire."

Gallery of Photographs:
trance-dance.net/art/mask-by-chris-rainier/

~ music ~

David & Steve Gordon ~ Drum Cargo

The album Sacred Earth Drums from Sequoia Records has been in my collection for many years. This album is known by many people who like ‘native american’ music. I love those soft drums and flutes, which help to ground and open my heart. Some songs have more tempo, and I sometimes play them during my dances, but in general it is music to dream away quietly.

A short search on the Internet taught me that the Gordon brothers have released an impressive list of albums, with many different sounds:

Misty Forest Morning, 1982
Peaceful Evening, 1982
Radiant Sea, 1983
Beside the Laughing River, 1984
Still Waters, Clear Sky, 1984
Astral Journey, 1985
Celetsial Suite, 1986
Garden of Serenity, 1987
Oneness, 1988
Music of the Tarot, 1993
Sacred Earth Drums, 1994
Sacred Spirit Drums, 1996
Garden of Serenity II, 1997
Ancient Power (Steve Gordon and Deborah Martin), 1998
Drum Medicine, 1999

Drum Prayer (Steve Gordon), 2002
Sacred Drum Visions, 2002
Heart of Peace, 2003
Garden of Serenity III, 2004
Pillow Music, 2005
Soothing Sanctuary, 2006
Shaman's Vision Journey, 2007
Earth Drum - The 25th Anniversary Collection, Vol. 1, 2008
Yoga Planet, 2008
Drum Cargo, 2009
Sound Peace - The 25th Anniversary Collection, Vol. 2, 2009
Nirvana Groove, 2009
Meditation Drum, 2009
Gratitude, 2010

For trance dancing, their work only became interesting from 1994, when they included the native American drum and flute in the album Sacred Earth Drums. This became the best-selling new age album of 1994 and 1995. The albums Sacred Spirit Drums and Drum Medicine continue on this success. Drum Medicine became the best-selling new age record of 1999, maintaining a top five position for 5 years. Over the years, David and Steve founded a second label, Sequoia Groove, which released the Buddha Lounge series, among others, and collaborated with many world music artists, including TYA.

Most interesting about trance dancing is their series of 4 albums called Drum Cargo: Rhythms Of Fire, Rhythms Of Water, Rhythms Of Wind and Rhythms Of Earth. These are albums with spunk and a strong groove, the music is very danceable, and you can play along with it.

Info & tracks:
Trance-dance.net/music/david-steve-gordon/