When it comes to creating a playlist for one of my sacred dance party events I’ve noticed a few things.

The music you sing to in the car isn’t necessarily the “right” music for the sacred dance party.

The music you have sex to, also isn’t necessarily the “right” music for the sacred dance party.

The music that gets you moving and dancing in your own private oasis, ALSO isn’t necessarily the “right” music for the sacred dance party.

The music selection process I go through for one of my sacred dance sessions is a deep, thoughtful, intuitive, and time consuming process. But it’s totally worth it when I see all the women losing themselves on the dance floor as they are taken on an inner journey towards deeper healing, embodiment, transformation and growth.

So how exactly do I create the playlist for one of my sacred dance parties? What’s really involved and how long does it really take?

Today I’m sharing with you my creative process.  This process will no doubt evolve as I plan more of them, but for now here are the six phases I go through to bring you nothing but the best when it comes to the music at one my sacred dance events.

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Phase 1 :: THE PLAN

This phase is the easiest and the quickest.  There are 4 key components that I consider in the planning phase:

// the intention

// the theme

// the overall vibe

// the timeframe & structure

For this upcoming Sacred Dance Party (Love Sex Desire EMBODIED), I have one very clear intention and that is for every single woman to free themselves and come alive.  The theme is love sex desire (hence the name of the event) and the overall vibe is fun, sacred and sexy.

When the Sacred Dance session is part of an event or a retreat, this information is usually given to me by the Host/Event Coordinator.

For example, at the Radical Self Love party event, the brief simply stated that the dance session be “fun and high energy” and “be an opportunity to embody what they learnt from the panel discussion and connect with each other”.  Meanwhile, at the Wellness Warrior Spring Retreat 2013, the brief simply stated that the dance session be “fun” and “an opportunity to break the ice and really connect everyone”.

As for the timeframe and structure, whilst I have a very loose framework, this is customised for each event.  With that said, every session will always begin with a body check-in and grounding, and finish with a meditation.

Phases 2 :: THE MUSIC

Now that I have a plan and a framework to work with it’s time for the music.

The first place I turn to when it comes to choosing music is my Sacred Dance Inspiration playlist on spotify (how awesome is spotify!?!).  Currently there’s over 30 hours worth of music on there that’s been accumulating these past two months.

What’s the criteria for making the “inspiration playlist”?

The song must move me in some way, be it physically or emotionally.  It might be a new song I hear on the radio or while I’m out and about.  Or it might be an old favourite that brings back great memories. Either way, when I hear it I instantly know in my body that this would be a great sacred dance party track.

As for choosing songs from this epic vault of inspiration for the actual Sacred Dance Party playlist?

There’s no real formula (yet).  For now, I seem to be start with choosing either the “opening and closing” tracks or the “high energy” tracks.  Then I fill in the gaps.

This phase involves me listening and dancing to a lot of music. If I’m really diggin’ what I’m hearing and feeling then the track makes it onto my spreadsheet. My spreadsheet is where I keep the outline/structure of the dance session and note all the details of the tracks such as song title, artist, vibe, purpose, possible key teachings and the length of each track.

Time consuming? Hell yes!
Worth every minute? Hell yes!

Here it is my mission to get a solid playlist together within the time allocated for the session.

This process calls for me to be ruthless.  It’s painful.  Anytime a song gets axed, I feel like I’m losing a limb.

What warrants a song getting axed?

A few things.

Maybe it’s too long. Maybe the vibe is off. Maybe the lyrics aren’t doing it for me. Maybe it doesn’t “fit” anywhere. Maybe it doesn’t “flow”. Maybe it wasn’t as good as another similar track (they’re the hardest to axe!)

As for the songs that don’t make the cut, they get moved into the “maybe list” on the same spreadsheet.  I don’t give up on them just yet.

Phase 3 :: THE TEST

When I feel like I have a pretty solid playlist I dance it out from start to finish.  But not as the one who is leading the guided dance session. Instead, I dance it out as if I am one of the participants on the dance floor who is being guided. I need to experience it from her point of view.

My only purpose here is to surrender to the music and let it move me.

I listen.
I feel.
I notice.

I notice when I’m exhausted and could really do with a break.

I notice when I’m getting bored and need a boost of energy.

I notice when I feel really sad or really happy or really angry or really turned on.

I notice when I’m craving more connection, more laughter, more attitude, more stillness.

Again, my only purpose here is to surrender to the music and let it move me.

Phase 4 :: THE TWEAK

This phase is better known as the “dissect and analyse”.

I reflect on what I discovered in the test phase.
I make notes on my spreadsheet.
And then I get to work as I hone in on each segment until I perfect it.

Again, I spend a lot of time (hours, days and weeks!) listening and dancing to lots of different tracks.  But this time I’m more intentional as I’m looking for a very specific track to fulfil a very specific purpose.

I repeat Phase 3 & 4 until playlist is finalised. And by finalised I mean I am certain about every.single.track.

(There have been times I thought I was done with the playlist only to discover a new track that moved me so much I just had to add it to the playlist.  But this one song can change the entire feel or flow of the playlist.  So when I’m really really really done with the playlist, which is usually 7-14 days out from the event, I avoid listening to new music otherwise I can get stuck here in Phase 3 & 4 forever.)

Phase 5 :: MASTERY

Once the playlist is finalised it’s all about mastery now. For me this means knowing every single track as intimately as possible.

I need my body to feel how long each track is.
I need my body to feel how each track progresses.
I need my body to feel all the highs and all the lows.

Two weeks out from the event, I will listen to this playlist every single day (especially if it’s a brand new playlist). Sometimes I hone in on a track or two.  Other times, I just listen to the whole playlist from start to finish.

It’s also important for me that I dance it out fully at least 5 times. Instead of seeing myself as a participate like I do in the testing phase, I dance it out as the leader, the teacher, the guide. Here is where I polish my cueing, my timing, my language, the dynamics and the teachings.

Phase 6 :: THE DELIVERY

Once I hit play on the night of the dance party, I surrender it all. Whilst I’ve prepared as fully as I possibly can, I’m open to the magic of co-creation that transpires when there’s a room full of women losing themselves to dance.

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Like I said in the beginning, this process will no doubt evolve.  It may not always take me so long to put a playlist together but for now I love the intimacy of this process and I know how powerful and beneficial this process is for those that are blessed to bathe in the magic of it.

 

Brisbane, see you on the dance floor VERY SOON!!

Click here for tickets.