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When Jared Dietz tried ecstatic dance for the first time at Ithaca Community School of Music and Arts, he struggled to follow everyone else’s attitude of moving without caring how they looked.

“I (was) being what other people might want me to be or trying to dance in a way that other people might approve of,” Dietz said.

Since then, Dietz has fully embraced this dance style and formed Syracuse Ecstatic Dance in September, the first group to host monthly ecstatic dance events in Syracuse. The group hosted two evening events at the McCarthy Mercantile on Oct. 9 and Nov. 13 and plans to host another on Dec. 11.

While its freeform nature makes it hard to define, ecstatic dance is where a DJ plays a curated music setlist and participants dance however they want, without any judgment. Dance groups have the freedom to change the guidelines, setup and rules as they please.

“It’s one of those unique things that are more wordless,” Dietz said. “I could give like 200,000 words, but I don’t think that they would capture the meaning.”

As a DJ, Dietz guides participants through the opening and closing circles, which happen before and after the actual dancing. Circles in Syracuse Ecstatic Dance contain different ground rules, breathing exercises, meditation and reflection.

At its core, the dancing is built around three principles, according to Ecstatic Dance Group, a nonprofit that helps connect people with local ecstatic dance groups. First, no shoes are worn to promote dancers’ connection to the ground. Silence on the dance floor is also a priority, as participants use non-verbal communication throughout. Lastly, technology isn’t permitted and all dancers must be sober.

Jessie Jean Vassallo, who co-founded Dance Sanctuary, Ithaca’s weekly ecstatic dance group, said these rules combine to create a “container” where people can safely and freely express themselves.

“It’s a two-hour break of being off our phones and being connected to everyone,” Vassallo said. “It’s being present and in the now versus TikTok, where you’re kind of putting on a show, and you’re doing it for views.”

Mikey Bergman, a friend of Dietz who was involved with ecstatic dance groups in Ithaca before helping him with the Syracuse group, said the lack of conversation can be startling for newcomers but is ultimately rewarding.

“It’s a big one because it helps people get out of their head, (be) more in (their) heart and there’s no language you have to interpret,” Bergman said.

Ecstatic dance groups want to ensure their members’ trust is never broken, so it’s rare for photos or videos to be taken on the dance floor; The Daily Orange had to request permission to allow a camera during the Nov. 13 event. While it may seem a bit extreme to outsiders, Jill Butler, one of 15 attendees at the event, said it contributes to an environment that encourages everyone to let their guard down.

“You can just dance any way you want, and it’s very accepted,” Butler said. “There’s something for everybody. It’s a safe place.”

While the “ecstatic” part of the name implies a happy experience, many participants experience different emotions while dancing, including sadness, anger and joy. Once during a past event, Dietz moved so intensely that he broke his foot while stomping on the ground.

Dietz laughs it off now. While he said nobody should ever get that extreme when dancing, ecstatic dance can trigger profound internal growth.

“(It’s) a space where they can reach a new level of confidence and communication that some people seek with alcohol and drugs,” Dietz said of ecstatic dance. “It comes from an authentic and pointed intention to uncover deep layers of their own true nature.”

Published on November 19, 2024 at 10:19 pm