About Cynthia
Take a minute to get to know me!
The path to finding ecstatic dance
I’ve always loved to dance. I grew up polkaing in the central Texas countryside to the Czech country music, became a German folk dance, and later delved into tango. I continued dancing as my travels took me to many interesting places in the world.
The busy-ness and stress of having a newborn and my mom diagnosed with cancer overwhelmed me in Houston, putting a temporary halt to my dancing. My mom passed away the day before my son turned two. I had also just learned I was 6 weeks pregnant with my 2nd child.
Eight months later, I learned that my firstborn had autism. Resources were scarce and most treatments were not covered by insurance. The stress and trauma of it all sent me spiraling down to a dark place.
A wise therapist told me I need to find something to bring me joy. I realized that I had not danced in years, so I began to look around for some kind of dance where I could dance out my emotions and stress.
I tried Nia, but that felt too controlled. Then I found Sweat Your Prayers, but the schedule didn’t work out. The SYP format was a much better fit, so I knew I was on the right track.
Then I found Dance Evolution, run by Sunshine Sydney Strahan. The first time I went, I felt like I had come home at long last. Amazing music flows, acceptance of any kind of wild movement I was inspired to dance, and wonderful people. I stayed and became a regular attendee.
Dance is a part of being human.
The Path Unfolds Even More
After dancing with Houston Dance Evolution/Ecstatic Dance Houston for a eight years, I wanted to learn to facilitate. I completed the facilitator training and made my debut on Nov 3, 2013. I’ve been facilitating ever since.
After a few years, I was asked to create music flows for retreats. I did a workshop for a local yoga studio’s annual retreat, a dance for Houston’s Compassion Week, an artist’s retreat, a woman’s spiritual retreat, and more. I was impressed with the impact dance had on retreat participants, on their willingness to open to the retreat experience even more deeply.
Along the way I have explored several spiritual and energetic traditions to deepen my skills as a sacred space holder to create a safe container for the transformations that can happen during the dance. When people feel safe, they can allow themselves to feel vulnerable and open themselves up to the process more deeply.
I am also a certified yoga therapist, a certified qi gong instructor with Lotus Nei Gong, and a BARs practitioner with Access Consciousness.
Mission & Vision
My mission is to introduce the practice of ecstatic dance to a broader audience who have never experienced it. When we dance, we step into the present moment, shake loose those stuck places and connect to inspiration. We learn to accept ourselves without judgment. We learn to accept others without judgment. We allow ourselves to open our heart and connect to others without fear or expectation.
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F.A.Q
Where can I find Ecstatic Dance Houston?
Ecstatic Dance Houston dances at the Interchange, an artist community collaboration in Houston’s Third Ward. We dance every Sunday morning from 10:30 – 12:30. To see who’s facilitating, join the Ecstatic Dance Houston FaceBook group.
Someone called you CiCi. Which name do you go by??
I go by several names in the dance community. Cynthia, Compassion, DJ C. Friends call me CiCi. I’ll answer to any of the above.
Do I have to go to a class to learn about how to dance ecstatically?
No! As the facilitator, I create a space where you can tune in, truly feel how your body enjoys moving, and feel safe trying those movements out to various types of music in the curated flow of music. Your body is the teacher.
What if no one in the group has tried ecstatic dance before?
That’s not a problem. I have facilitated dances where I was the only one who had any experience with ecstatic dance. One participant commented that after experiencing dancing this way, she never wanted to dance any other way.
Ecstatic Dance is a safe space for self exploration and zero judgement. As a practitioner of ecstatic dance, I have certain guidelines in place to make sure that your information and your experience are kept safe and confidential.
MY PRACTICE
Home Base
Houston, Texas
Let’s Chat About Your Needs
Click the button to schedule a time to discuss how dance can enhance your event.
Open Hours
Monday – Friday: 10am – 6pm