Dana Cafe: BODY RHYTHM GODDESS : A Dance Ritual for the Body and Soul with Kris Freewoman

Dana Cafe is a monthly gathering in Oakland California offering transformational teachings at no cost to participants. Each month on 1st Sunday Dana Cafe invites different social change educators, teachers and facilitators from various arts and healing traditions to lead a session. Our monthly classes are offered for Dana (give as you able and inspired) and there is no set fee to attend.

We are delighted to welcome Kris Freewoman and Larissa Montfort to the next Dana Cafe session October 4th! Kris will be leading us through Body Rhythm Goddess™, a fusion of African dance, active healing movements and dynamic stretching. It re-connects the body to its natural state of well being that is abundant with health and vitality. This movement increases stamina and energy, strengthens the legs and core muscles and is fun and exhilarating for every fitness level. No experience necessary! So…. forget about perfection and REACH for delight… go barefoot...DANCE freely…. BREATHE deeply … and CELEBRATE your divine sacredness everyday! Larissa will be offering live drumming to accompany this dance ritual.

Much of the Dana raised during the October session will be offered to Mabiba Baegne - who is raising funds to go back home to the Congo - Mabiba has served hundreds of people all over the world in West African Dance and Drumming - and Kris is dedicating this session towards helping her return home.

About Kris Freewoman:
Kris is the founder and producer of the Rhythm Workout Program. This program has inspired instructors in the U.S., Europe, Japan and Canada to teach an African dance fitness class. She has produced four drumming CDs, two Rhythm Workout Instructor Training DVDs and Body Rhythm Goddess DVD. Kris currently lives in the East Bay and works at Title Nine sports and fitness wear for women. She will soon be teaching her specialty class; Rhythmic Core, a core strengthening class to World Beat rhythms. She will soon be teaching in the East Bay. If you are interested, please contact her at: krisfreewoman8 [at] gmail.com

About Larissa Montfort:
Larissa Montfort has been exploring her passion for West African, Congolese, and Afro-Cuban rhythms since 1995 with many teachers, traveling to Guinea, West Africa to study dance with Youssouf Koumbassa and Yamousa Souma and djembe and dunun with Amadou Camara and Lamine Dibo Camara. Larissa continues to apprentice with her primary mentor, Afia Walking Tree. She performs with Afia Walking Tree’s Spirit Drumz ensemble as well as with Mamayah, a Sonoma County-based women’s West African drum ensemble. Larissa assisted Ubaka Hill at Michfest where she helped teach and direct the Drumsong Orchestra. In her own words Larissa shares: “Drumming allows me to express my joy, strength, and freedom, while serving the spirit of the music, the dance, and the empowerment of women.”

Attached painting by Carmen B. Costello
http://www.carmenbcostello.com/#!

********************************

Dana Cafe is held at Temescal Art Center
511 48th St. @ Telegraph Ave. Oakland
5:45pm-7:30pm

This gathering is offered for dana (give as you are able and inspired)
Dress comfortably and bring a water bottle

Public Transportation
MacArthur BART Station
AC Bus lines 1, 1R, 12, and 57

http://www.facebook.com/groups/danacafe/
http://www.facebook.com/DanaCafe