Learn the ancient practice of meditative whirling known as Sufi dance or Sema (Sama in Iranian). You will learn the techniques of whirling, but Sema is not about reproducing a certain form or aesthetic. Rather, the technique serves as a vehicle for inner journeying. Sema means spiritual listening. Together we’ll create a sacred space in which we can safely listen to and share our true selves and experience oneness with the Divine.

Each class consists of some explanation of the theory and technique, exercises, practice whirling, and sharing and discussion of what you experienced and felt.

Each class is $25 ($20 if you register in advance).
https://crsny.org/index.php/ongoing-classes/

Please remember to wear comfortable clothing like yoga pants or leggings and T shirts (no tube tops or short pants/skirts, solid colors are recommended, avoiding prints and shiny material which might distract the eye while whirling) and wear socks or soft soled shoes. If you have a whirling skirt, please feel free to bring it.

Please avoid eating a large meal for two hours before class.

Whirling commonly induces dizziness or nausea. Over time, through whirling, we learn to trust ourselves to go off balance, to be dizzy, to surrender control. We empty our minds of all thoughts of the individual self as we give ourselves over to prayer and connect with a greater power, the still center within, around which we turn. Into this emptiness floods a divine fullness, which sometimes gives rise to a state known as “mystical intoxication,” a reflection of knowing and experiencing that you and I and the Divine are One.

ABOUT SUFI DANCE ARTIST LÄLE SAYOKO

Läle Sayoko lives to embody and transmit the voice of spirit through music and dance. As CRS resident Sufi Dance instructor, choreographer, performing artist, and musical curator, she loves to welcome people into this holy practice to explore and share their own divinity. She intermittently tours internationally with BELLA GAIA, a live concert blending music, dance, technology, and NASA satellite imagery inspired by the experience of astronauts viewing the earth from space. “Sublime” — Village Voice.

One of the founding members of Japan’s famous SAMANYOLU professional belly dance group in Tokyo, Läle went on to a long solo career performing throughout the northeastern USA and touring with United Kingdom’s Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers on over a 100 city tour encompassing the U.K., as well as Turkey’s Baba Zula. About six years ago, she was forced to retire to support her young daughter through a life-threatening medical crisis. Several years later she discovered that she could whirl as a form of prayer to support her daughter and began studying Sufi Dance with Paris-based Sufi Artist Rana Gorgani. In April 2018 Gorgani awarded her the International Sufi Dance Certification Of Cid UNESCO, granting her authority to teach Gorgani’s method of Sufi Dance training.

She currently teaches Sufi Dance classes at CRS every first Thursday of the month (2nd Thur. in Jan 2020) from 7 – 8:30 pm and leads the CRS Healing Circles + Whirling Prayer that take place every third Thursday of the month from 7:15 – 9 pm. 

https://facebook.com/lale.sayoko