Shake it off at Big Heart Dance Camp 7

April 30, 2015 · 0 Comments

The best way to shake off your stress and celebrate your humanity is through dance – and that is exactly what the organizer of Big Heart Dance Camp is trying to facilitate.
The 7th Annual Big Heart Dance Camp takes place from Wednesday, June 24th through Sunday, June 28th at the Unicamp Retreat Centre in Honeywood.
Event organizer, Ayrlie MacEachern, says “Join us for a blast of creative conscious community. See yourself dancing on the grass; hear yourself singing around the campfire; feel yourself sharing a meal of nourishing food and rich conversation; delight yourself watching children dance, while you sit and chat with an elder; express yourself finding new and juicy ways to move, create, play and be; give yourself the gift of living in creative, conscious community; and be yourself at Big Heart Dance Camp!”
Participants of all-ages, and all-abilities are welcome to come for the full 5-days or just for the weekend.
For those staying overnight, there is ample lodging and land for camping. There are dorms and cottages for those more comfortable on a bed.
Workshops have been planned by 25 facilitators, all whom stay on site to take in the full experience themselves.
“Our guides are instructing one minute, and learning beside you in a separate workshop the next!” said MacEachern.
Workshops include: Making Space; Dance At The Boundary; A User’s Guide to Being Human; Making Connections – Multi-Dimensional Growth through Dance; Funky Folk; Building Mindfulness into Everyday Living; Dancing for Abundance; Sing Your Bliss; and Drumming in Community.
No previous training or experience necessary, “just a willingness to play and connect through rhythm”.
MacEachern was so pleased with the “fabulous response” to the Dufferin Dance Weekend, organized by Dufferin Dance Network, in January, that she is hoping for full support from the local dancing community this June – but you don’t need to be a dancer to take part. There are a number of workshops that are not dance focused and plenty of other activities to get involved in.
MacEachern, a dancer herself, is also an artist-facilitator and an expressive arts therapist.
“I teach weekly dance and yoga classes in rural communities,” she told the Free Press. “For 19 years, I have been facilitating creativity-based experiences for all ages – in schools, on weekend retreats, in day-long workshops, camps and classes.
“My passion is to hold safe and supportive spaces where people of all ages come together to co-create and grow. I aspire to contribute to an inclusive, dynamic and peace-full world where the real juice comes from blending the diversity of age, geography, culture and creative medium.”
On the inspiration behind Big Heart Dance Camp, MacEachern said, “What inspires me is witnessing people’s creativity in action: the bubbling up of possibility, the emotional connection with themselves and each other through the medium, a tangible sense of joy and peace.”
MacEachern is hoping to see some new faces, and lots of returning dancers at BH7.
“Singles, couples and families, we welcome you all to join us for our annual Big Heart Dance Camp,” said MacEachern. “You can expect boogies, jams and workshops: contact improv, sacred circle, healing arts, different paths of yoga, Dance Our Way Home, Journey Dance, drumming, meditation and more.”
And if you haven’t tried something like this before, “We welcome you to experience embodying your full creative self in a safe, supportive and playful environment,” said MacEachern.
Unicamp, the home of BH7, features beautiful hiking trails, forest, and an inviting swimming pond.
“Nurtured and infused by the spirited land of Unicamp, we strive for peace and joy by being together creatively and consciously,” MacEachern said on the choice of venue.
“Meals are eaten in community, and are lovingly and mindfully prepared by our kitchen team,” said MacEachern, who adds that the food, created simply from sustainable, locally sourced ingredients where possible, is always a highlight for people!
Big Heart Dance Camp – Early Bird pricing:
• Full Camp – Wednesday, June 24th to Sunday, June 28th: Adult $385 (regular fee is $455); Youth (6 to 17) $209; Child (5 and under) free.
• Weekend Camp – Friday, June 26th to Sunday, June 28th: Adult $285 (regular fee is $355); Youth (6 to 17 yrs) $145; Child (5 and under) free.
Bursaries and payment plans are available. Unlimited workshops. Fees include all meals, lodging, workshops, and art supplies.
“We invite you to join us in growing our creative, conscious community as we blossom into our 7th year,” said MacEachern, full of excitement. “We are a bunch of creative earthlings, dancers, musicians, healers, and helpers, that come together to create a space full of ease, playfulness, beauty, freedom, and full self-expression!”
For more information about Unicamp Retreat Centre in Honeywood, visit www.unicampofontario.ca. To register for Big Heart Dance Camp, or for more information, contact Ayrlie MacEachern at bigheartdancecamp@gmail.com or ‘Like’ them on Facebook.