PREVIEW: Finding Healing Through Dance with the SEED Summer Tour
05/31 @ Christ Church Troy United Methodist
“In a world where so many people feel overwhelmed or disconnected, movement can be medicine. We want people to leave feeling freer, lighter, and more alive”
This summer, discover connection, revitalization, and inner peace with SEED (Soul Expansion Embodiment Dance). SEED is designed to be an immersive experience; it is a curated journey for healing, movement, and a nervous system release in a judgment-free space.
“SEED is medicine for the soul,” say co-founders Justyna “Isha” Kostek and Alicia Ascevich in a joint comment. “The benefits are incredible: nervous system regulation, emotional release, increased confidence, embodiment, creativity, stress reduction, deeper self-awareness, community connection, and even physical benefits like mobility and improved mood.”
In response to the growing community demand, SEED’s summer tour is traveling to four stops in Upstate New York, starting on May 31 at Christ Church Troy United Methodist in Troy. The group will also visit Stable Gate Winery in Castleton-on-Hudson on June 28, the Unitarian Universalist Society of Oneonta on July 18, and Creative Jam in Lake George on August 28.
The music and dance program focuses on a movement experience designed to inspire attendees to seek healing within themselves. Kostek and Ascevich, who describe themselves as a collaborative ‘power couple,’ explain, “We want to bring a joyous, fun, safe dance experience to new communities that will be educational and healing.”
“We are looking forward to connecting with diverse bodies of people for a fun experience unlike any other,” they continue. “We are especially excited to witness people open up, reconnect to themselves and each other, and experience the power of movement, music, education, and community.”
Photo by Don Rittner
Kostek, founder of Fire Horse Healing, will lead the event with ecstatic DJ sets. Throughout, massage therapist and wellness practitioner Ascevich will provide somatic guidance and embodied prompts.
“There is no right or wrong way to move,” they comment. “SEED invites people to reconnect with their bodies, emotions, and authentic expression.”
Unlike traditional dance spaces, Ecstatic Dance is a free-form movement practice where people are invited to move naturally, without choreography, cellphones, a dance partner, talking on the dance floor, substances, or performance pressure.
“You don’t have to be a dancer at all— you just have to come as you are!” they encourage.
SEED began by focusing on these core principles of Ecstatic Dance, rooted in Kostek’s years of experience as a dance facilitator, but it expanded as Ascevich began to provide an educational and somatic component. While SEED offers guided prompts, the benefits of both free-form dancing and guided ecstatic dancing are similar. It freely exists as many things simultaneously: dance, meditation, and a community gathering.
SEED is also family-friendly and welcoming to all ages, including children. This provides a special opportunity for the individuals of any age to gather with their families in a safe and inclusive environment.
“In a world where so many people feel overwhelmed or disconnected, movement can be medicine. We want people to leave feeling freer, lighter, and more alive,” says Kostek.
Participants can attend individual events or purchase the SEED Summer Tour Pass, offering access to all four dances for $69 plus fees. For tickets and more information, visit https://shorturl.at/7Z5C1.