Living Arts Dancewave

An inclusive space for people to move freely and express themselves creatively.

Living Arts Dancewave

An inclusive space for people to move freely and express themselves creatively.

Our 90-minute dances follow a gentle wave pattern inspired by the Five Rhythms—beginning slowly, rising into energetic peaks, and returning to quiet stillness. Each session is an invitation into improvised, intuitive movement, letting your body lead without choreography or expectation.

The music is curated by a different set weaver each week, ranging from live mixing to thoughtfully crafted playlists, giving every dance its own unique flavor and atmosphere.

We encourage you to honor your body by moving at the pace and in the ways that feel right for you, and to honor others by practicing ongoing, enthusiastic consent in all interactions.

Our space welcomes every BODY – all ages, races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, and all levels of physical or dance ability. We invite you to read more about our Braver Spaces policy here.

Upcoming Dancewaves

Dance

Music

Art

Community

Sunday Dancewave

Every Sunday (with few exceptions) at 410 W. Geer St. - Durham, NC

Sunday Dancewave

Every Sunday (with few exceptions) at 410 W. Geer St. - Durham, NC

Here's a recent set: listen and follow the artists!

Sunday Dancewave

Every Sunday (with few exceptions) at 410 W. Geer St. - Durham, NC

What to expect during a Dancewave

Sunday Schedule & Flow

10:10 a.m. – 11:11 a.m. Song Circle (only on the first Sunday of the month)

You’re invited to join us in song as we honor the sacred life we share. Feel free to bring a song for the group to sing together—instruments welcome but not required.

11:11 a.m. Pre-Dance Practice Space (optional)

Join us for a lightly facilitated space to explore free-form, improvised movement. Through somatic and improvisational practices—accompanied by live music—we deepen body awareness, trust, and connection. It’s an especially supportive session for those new to the Living Arts Dancewave.

You’re also welcome to follow your own ritual or movement practice within the shared space.

11:45 a.m. Opening Circle (optional but encouraged if it’s your first visit)

Together we’ll gather to open the practice and go over guidelines. You can read about our Dancewave Guidelines here.

12 p.m. Living Arts Dancewave, ~ 90 minute

Our sets are a 90-minute guided movement journey led by a rotating crew of setlist curators who weave thoughtfully crafted playlists (and occasional live mixes). Each session follows the energetic arc of a wave—beginning gently, rising into expressive peaks, and settling back into quiet stillness. There is no choreography or expectation; dancers are invited into improvised, intuitive movement, allowing the body to lead.

Our Dancewaves are themed in alignment with the Seasonal Ousia Wheel, attuning each gathering to the rhythms and qualities of nature: Insight (winter), Cleanse (spring), Nourish (summer), and Transform (fall). This seasonal framework helps ground the movement experience in the larger patterns of the natural world.

Each set follows Gabrielle Roth’s Five Rhythms—Flowing, Staccato, Chaos, Lyrical, and Stillness—moving through five sections of approximately 20, 20, 10, 20, and 20 minutes. Together, these rhythms create a full-bodied wave that supports expression, release, connection, and rest.

You can view a visual representation of our Dancewave format here.

1:30 p.m. Closing Circle (optional but encouraged if it’s your first visit)

Friday Schedule & Flow

7:00 pm ~ Doors open + arrival

You’re welcome to spend the first thirty minutes of arrival time to settle in, following your own ritual or movement practice within the shared space.

7:30 pm ~ Opening Circle (optional but encouraged if it’s your first visit)

Together we’ll gather to open the practice and go over guidelines. You can read about our Dancewave Guidelines here.

7:30-9:00 pm ~ Living Arts Dancewave, 80/90 minutes

Our sets are a guided movement journey led by a rotating crew of setlist curators who weave thoughtfully crafted playlists (and occasional live mixes). Each session follows the energetic arc of a wave—beginning gently, rising into expressive peaks, and settling back into quiet stillness. There is no choreography or expectation; dancers are invited into improvised, intuitive movement, allowing the body to lead.

You can view a visual representation of our Dancewave format here.

9:00-9:30 pm ~ Closing Circle (optional but encouraged if it’s your first visit)

Registration

Our registration link is here. Pre-registering is the easiest option, but you’re also welcome to pay with cash when you arrive.

$20 is the suggested contribution amount, which helps us cover our space and facilitator costs. If you want to contribute more, you can use one of the add-on or tip options at checkout. If you need subsidized pricing, please use one of these discount code options at checkout:

DANCE5 for $5 off
DANCE10 for $10 off

At our Living Arts Dancewaves, no one is ever turned away for lack of funds. Your contributions help us keep this programming going—thank you for supporting the community.

If you are interested in volunteering in exchange for a free dance, please reach out to booking@livingartscollective.com

Guidelines & Agreements

Living Arts Collective offers a shared experience and a shared place for spontaneous, free-form movement. What each of us brings to this shared place affects everyone, and we co-create this experience together with:

Awareness of others and ourselves

Permission from others and ourselves

Participation through movement and presence

We practice moving in healthy community by:

Arriving free from strong fragrances, including perfumes, oils, and body odors.

Maintaining a nonverbal dance space (though sounds are encouraged).

Encouraging a substance-free space.

Respecting the physical space and bodies of others through mindful awareness and the practice of ongoing consent.

Checking our assumptions about others (identity, gender, intentions).

Dancing in bare feet, socks or supportive footwear.

Creating a Phone and Camera-Free Environment – (Please make sure that phones are turned off in the dance space. We kindly ask that you refrain from taking photos or recording videos.)

Space, Layout & Offerings

Seasonal Altar

You are invited to bring an offering to the shared altar co-built to honor and reflect the Seasons and Natures Cycles.

Care to Share Table

You are invited to bring something of value that you may no longer need and and take home something that you’d enjoy.

Sprung Dancefloor

Built by the hands of our very own community, our dancefloor in downtown Durham is sprung, meaning that it absorbs shocks and feels better on the body. Floors are swept before dance to encourage all vertical levels of dance. Dancers are required to leave shoes at the door.

Accessibility

At the 410 W Geer St. location, there are double doors that accommodate wheelchairs, as well as gender-neutral restrooms and accessible bathroom options. While masks are not required, masking is welcomed, and all participants are asked to stay home if they are feeling ill.