Dear Southwest Leather Dance of Souls Participant,
On behalf of the Southwest Leather Conference, Butchmanns Inc., and the Executive Planning Committee we wish to welcome you to this very special 10th annual Dance of Souls planned for Sunday, January 22, 2012. For those of you who have participated in this event in the past, this is shaping up to be an even more remarkable afternoon of ecstatic expression.
This event was inspired by the work of Fakir Musafar, who from its roots as a 3,000-year-old Savite Hindu practice honoring their archetypes (deities), introduced the Ball Dance and Energy Pull to our Western culture in community group rituals beginning in 1998. Fakir’s first Ball Dance took place in 1987, and his first Ball Dancer was Cléo Dubois.
For a historical perspective on SWLC’s “Dance of the Souls” please read “Spirit + Flesh – The Energy*Flesh*Hook Pull" .
Event Description
The Dance of Souls is a closing ritual and ecstatic dance held at the end of the conference on Sunday afternoon. The Dance is about people bringing their focus and energies together for good intention. This modern primitive celebration is uniquely created through the energies of the voluntary participants present within a scaffolding of cross-cultural spiritual traditions that involve temporary piercing, drumming, chanting and dancing. The ritual will be a closed private ceremony offering all Dance of Souls attendees the opportunity to participate in a variety of roles including pierced dancer, non-pierced dancer, drummer, etc. All activities are voluntary and there is no requirement to be pierced.
Participants
Pierced Dancers
Participants will have the opportunity to be pierced by the piercer of their choice. We suggest you go where you feel called to go in the moment. Our piercers are trained to offer you a smooth experience with minimal pain. Together, both of you can decide how many and the locations of the piercings you wish to receive.
Hooks- 12 gauge steel hooks are placed in the upper chest or upper back. Dancers with hooks may chose to be tethered together in a large “energy pull” circle of other dancers, join with a smaller group or pair with another single person, dance freely, or they may simply choose to be tethered to a stationary post. Any one or all of these activities can help you achieve an altered state.
Ball / Bells- Ball Dancers may receive temporary piercings with 18g needles. Monofilament is then threaded through the pierced skin and the participant may adorn their body with bells or other decorations of their choosing. When dancing, the balls/bells tug on the flesh in a rhythmic manner and support transition to an altered state. Participants are encouraged to bring their own balls/bells or other body adornments, i.e. feathers, shells, medicine bags, lucky charms, etc. as these items will not be provided at the event. For best results, we recommend 8 to 12 bells/balls, and that the items be about an ounce (the weight of an egg or a lime, traditionally used in the Hindu Thaipusam festival). Dancers with balls/bells are free to dance about the ceremony and are not tethered to other dancers.
Non-Pierced Participants
Every Dance of Souls attendee is a participant in the ritual whether you choose to be pierced or not, but any additional participation is voluntary. Non-pierced participants are integral to the success of the Dance and we encourage you to make an active contribution. Participation can be achieved by simply being present and holding space for the dancers or piercees, by engaging the pierced dancers, or by providing spiritual support with prayers or chanting. All participants pierced or not are welcome to accompany the professional drummers with their own instruments. Drums, rattles, flutes and zills are common.
Event Timeline (subject to change)
8:00 to 9:30 AM – Leather Tribal Revival! Celebrate the Dance of Souls Day with a joyful gathering of leather folk in celebration of all of our spiritual practices - Hindu / Jewish / Christian / Druid / Buddhist / Islamic – whatever! Bring it on! During this highly charged spiritual service, we will hold a special blessing ritual for all Dance of Souls participants.
10:00 AM – Dance of Souls Check-In begins during the Sunday Brunch. Participants will have until 1:00 PM to check-in for the Dance. All participants will be required to wear a specially-colored wristband for entrance to the Dance.
1:00 PM - Sage smudging will be offered and the celebration begins! An opening ritual will formally mark the beginning of the Dance Of Souls followed by drumming and piercing.
7:30 PM - Approximate end time All participants will again be called back to take part in a Closing Ritual. As the event ends in the early evening, all participants should make accommodation and travel plans accordingly. Piercings will be removed and cleaned on site by our trained piercers. Please do not return to your hotel room with piercings still intact.
7:30 PM – A brief closing ceremony in the courtyard, open to all conference attendees, will provide a spiritual conclusion for the entire weekend.
7:30 – 9:00 PM – Join us for a hearty buffet dinner after the Dance Of Souls. Pre-purchase is strongly recommended as this dinner usually sells out, and on-site tickets may not be available.
Fees and Additional Information
Participation is limited. Ball Dancers are encouraged to bring their own bells or other body adornments, i.e. feathers, shells, medicine bags, lucky charms, etc.
Dance of Souls Fees:
$35 for all participants
Registration for the Dance is available as an optional event item through our online registration link. Pending availability, additional registrations for Dance of Souls may be available on site. If you have any further questions regarding the ceremony, contact Lauren
What To Wear
We suggest that you wear loose-fitting clothes. During the Dance itself you may want to wear a colorful sarong, pareo, lava-lava, or a belly dance skirt. Some dancers have enjoyed adding facemask and/or body paint. Nudity inside the Dance space is also fine, but please bring a public-suitable covering in case you have to leave the space for any reason.
What To Bring
- A small towel or cloth to sit on if you are nude. Please DO NOT use hotel towels and blankets.
- Those dancing with piercings need to bring weights (1 ounce to 3.5 ounces each) in the form of bells* or balls with wire hangers, or fruit (such as limes) with wire hangers like the ones for Christmas tree ornaments (you may decide just before dancing how many of these you want to wear), or other such talismans or adornments.
- A bottle of water or juice, although some refreshments left over from the Hospitality Suite will be available as well
- A personal after-care blanket. Please DO NOT use hotel towels and blankets.
- Drums and percussion items (tambourines, bells, rattles, etc.)
- Masks or other costume items
- Body or face paint
- Items for the Dance Altar (see next section below)
- A bag in which to place all of your personal effects during the dance. A “bag check” service will be available in order to keep the floor free of obstacles. Gratuities for bag check appreciated.
Optional Altar
There will be a non-denominational altar for all Dance participants on which you can place items with a personal or spiritual meaning for the duration of the ceremony. This altar has been adorned with pictures of beloved community members, or fetishes or images representing Pagan / Hindu / Jewish / Christian / Druid / Buddhist / Islamic / or other personal beliefs. You are welcome to bring something for the altar that is sacred to you or your loved ones. Please respect others’ sacred items by touching only your own belongings.
Bag Check Service
This year, we are happy to provide a complimentary bag-check service for participants so that you can keep all of your personal effects together and out of the way of the dance floor space. Gratuities for bag check appreciated. **SWLC assumes no liability for items placed or left in bag check area.
Allergies
The Piercing Team is proud to announce that this year we are completely Latex-Free! All gloves, band-aids, 1st Aid products, and even the tape used to secure the floor coverings are all safe for those with latex allergies.
Iodine may be used to cleanse the skin before piercing. If you are allergic to shellfish or iodine, please let your piercer know. We have alternatives available.
Sage cleansing will be available outside the building before the ritual begins.
NO Cell Phones or Photography!
CELL PHONES and PHOTOGRAPHY are prohibited in the Dance area. This will be strictly enforced and violators will be asked to leave the dance space.
NOTE: For liability purposes, you must be registered for the conference in order to attend and / or participate in the Dance of Souls.
Southwest Leather Conference, PO Box 12440, Tempe AZ 85284
