In response to requests to not have another 'ecstatic' dance on Friday night, we have shifted Franklin's Euphoric Dance to Tuesday nights at OmCulture. The first one will be on Sept 29. To preview the space be sure to come to Drum and Dance on Sept 25 and our Grand Opening Party on Sept 26. Live music with Rafe Pearlman. Omculture.com for details.

OmCulture Grand Opening!

Join us for our grand opening event on Saturday, September 26th! Below are the details for the day, we hope to see you all there to celebrate!

12-3pm Open Play Gym (for kids and grown ups)

6-7pm yoga class taught by Eza King and Laura DeFrietas













7-8pm social time with food and a Lululemon fashion show and trunk sale

8-8:30pm Performances: acro dance, acro yoga and aerial performances

8:30pm-11:00pm Live Music with the Rafe Pearlman Band (suggested $10 donation, but no one will be turned away)

Pictures from the Yoga Event

Post parter/acro yoga savasana.
















Acro Yoga troupe that performed for us.















Acro yoga performance.




















Acro yoga performance.















Group Warrior III.

Group Warrior III.

Yoga Event Saturday 8/22/09

Please join us for our Free Yoga Event on Saturday 8/22/09:

Doors open at 4:00pm

Free 1 1/2 hour yoga class from 4:30-6:00pm featuring teachers Michael Suzerris, Laura DeFreitas and eZa King. Join us for a beautiful intro, 3o minutes of flow and 30 minutes of collaborative yoga.

Michael

Laura
eZa








From 6:00-8:00pm we will provide light snacks, time for mingling and an opportunity to view the space.

At 8:00pm there will be an Acro Yoga performance by Melanie Foust, Jennifer Hill, and Mike Lisitza.

From 8:30-10:00pm join us for live music by the Rafe Pearlman Band!

Tentative Schedule Announced

Daily from 10:00am-12:00pm will be a Pre-School Play Gym featuring movement, dance, music, art and theater. There will be a daily Adult Play Gym from 12:00-3:00pm and Kids’ Programs daily at 3:30-4:30pm and 4:45-5:30pm.

Monday

5:45-7:15PM All Levels Hatha Yoga w/Fran

7:30-9:00PM Partner/Acro Yoga w/eZa & Paul

Tuesday

6:00-7:15PM Wassa w/Lara

7:30-9:00PM African Dance w/Sarah

Wednesday

5:45-7:15PM Hatha Flow w/Laura

7:30-11:00PM Partner Dance TBD

Thursday

5:45-6:45PM Nia w/Barb

7:00-8:30PM Brazilian Dance w/Janelle

Friday

7:30-10:00PM Freestyle Dance w/Franklin

The last Friday of each month will feature a Drum & Dance event from 8:00-11:00pm.

Pictures from our Drum & Dance Event

Pictures from our latest Drum & Dance Event are here!

OmCulture's new sign!














Michael & Maria get ready for the event.














The drum circle begins.














The drum circle.














Post drumming dancing kicks into high gear!














Dance lessons prior to our evening of drumming and dance.














Drumming away!














Our OmKids doing their dancing.














The drum circle.














We look forward to seeing you all this coming Saturday for the last of our pre-opening events, Free Yoga, Saturday, August 22nd 4pm-10pm at OmCulture!

OmCulture in Wallyhood

Check out our welcome in the Wallingford Blog, Wallyhood!
Yogalife News

The Latest Pictures

Check out our fancy new floor design!














Gina Sala leading kirtan at the Ecstatic Dance Event.















The Ecstatic Dance Event on Saturday.

Ecstatic Dance Event Thank You!

Wow! What an amazing opening event!! We lost track at around 120 people. Thanks to Franklin, Maryanne, Gina Sala, Rafe Perlman and band, and all the beautiful people who showed up, supported us and danced the evening away. This was billed as a fund-raiser and we raised almost enough to pay for the stage that was just built. Thank you for your generosity! Next week join us for Drum and Dance.

Dance Night Prep

Ok, we're down to cleaning and decorating for the pre-opening party on Saturday. We start around 10:00 and go till it's ready. Anyone who wants to join us, bring yer cleanin' supplies and let's get down and dirty. If we finish early, there will be time for a shower before the dance! Otherwise iit's dirty dancing... Michael

The latest pictures and remodel update

Speakers are hung and floors are being sanded. We may not have everything else done for the August 8 Ecstatic Dance opening party with Gina Sala and Rafe Pearlman, but we will have great music and a beautiful dance floor!

Here are the latest pics of the space:














OmCulture shot 1 from the outside.















OmCulture shot 2 from the outside.















The demolition continues!















Installing the insulation that was provided by Seattle Energy!















More installation!

Estatic Dance Event next Saturday!

Ecstatic Dance Fundraiser Event

August 8th, 2009

7:30-11:00pm
Suggested donation of $10-$20, all are welcome!

Please join us for live music featuring:

The Rafe Pearlman Band

and special guest Gina Sala.

OmCulture is located at 2210 N. Pacific St. at the corner of 35th and Pacific Ave. near Gasworks Park. Please park in the parking area below the Burke Gilman Trail.

OmCulture Status Update!

Thanks Steve Bell -- awesome painter and yogi. Banged out the entire interior of OmCulture on one of the hottest weekends ever. Started with insulation today and will start prepping floors on Wednesday under Serge's direction. Getting ready for Rafe Pearlman on Saturday August 8 -- sliding scale fund-raiser dinner and dance party. Come boogey with us and chip in to refinish the floors. Omculture.com for details.

Looks like Laura DeFreitas will be part of the Omculture line-up. We're looking at Wednesday evening either a 5:45 to 7:00 all levels or a 7:00 to 8:30 full-on hatha flow class. I' love to get some feedback if anyone has an opinion.

Pictures of the Space

The demolition crew hard at work. We couldn't have done it without our amazing team!

Tons of natural light with great views of the lake!

View of the main space, there is so much room for dance and movement!

Look at the lovely arched ceilings!

The demolition process continues. We are tearing out a fair amount of the existing structure and recycling all of the building materials we can.

Upcoming Pre-Opening Events

• 8/8 Ecstatic Dance event
• 7:30-11:00pm, suggested donation $10-$20
• This event is a fundraiser to celebrate the opening of Seattle's newest dance, yoga, music and children's space, OmCulture. Please join us for dance and live music featuring:
• The Rafe Pearlman Band
• and special guest Gina Sala
• No one turned away for lack of funds and all are welcome to come dance with us!
• 
  
• 8/15 Afternoon Drum Symposium and Drum & Dance
• This event celebrates beloved old and exciting new elements of Seattle's drum & dance community (see details below). Suggested donation $10-$20, no one turned away for lack of funds.
  
  SCHEDULE:
  6:00 Doors open, Swap Meet & Silent Auction begin
  7:00 Drum circle
  8:00 Dance class led by Lara McIntosh of Wassa Dance with live music
  8:30 Dancing continues with Banda ZaBoombala, followed by the Fremont All-Stars with special guest
  10:30 Drum circle till closing at 11:00
  
  ABOUT LET'S DRUM & DANCE
  The format of drum circle, then dance class, then open dance to local bands, ending with another drum circle is a proven winner. With something for everyone, the LD&D drew hundreds of joyful drummers and dancers,
  creating a friendly community vibe and family-friendly scene. Now it's back!
  
  ABOUT THE SWAP MEET & AUCTION
  Liberate your unused drums and hand percussion from their dark closet corners, and help them find a new home with eager hands to play them! If you have a drum that deserves more hands-on attention than you give it these days, here's your chance to give it a new life. And if you're looking for a drum to buy, you might find a treasure here!
  
  This Swap Meet & Auction is being organized by the all-volunteer Seattle World Percussion Society (SWPS) to benefit the World Rhythm Festival. You can participate in 4 ways:
  
  1. Donate your drum or hand percussion for the Silent Auction -- proceeds go to support SWPS and the 2010 World Rhythm Festival.
  2. Sell your drum during the Swap Meet portion of the program, and give 20% of the sale price to SWPS.
  3. Donate your instrument(s) to a children's drumming program that SWPS has partnered with for this event.
  4. Shop for drums and hand percussion!
• 
  
• 8/22 Yoga Event
• Join us for free yoga, food, and live music! The event will run from 4:00pm to 10:00pm and is free of charge and open to all.
• 4:00pm: doors open (arrive early and please bring a mat!)
• 4:30-6:00pm: 1.5 hour class taught by several of our OmCulture yoga teachers
• 6:00-8:00pm: mingle with local yogis, check out the space and enjoy light snacks
• 8:00-10:00pm: live music and dancing
  
• 8/29 Gardens Everywhere Bike Parade

Come join us for a day of clothing optional revelry through some of the funnest locations in North Seattle. We'll be biking from gardens to markets to painted intersections and more. Learn neighborhood gardening tips and locations, and of course we'll assist in any important projects we see along the way. Celebrate gardens in Seattle! Join the fun! Meet up at 11am, ride starts at 1 pm.

For more information and in-depth details of the ride visit the Gardens Everywhere Bike Parade website.

Cleaning and Prep, Volunteers needed!

This week we are cleaning out the space and prepping for paint by the weekend. Could use some volunteers! Anyone have time to help out? We need the strong guys at the beginning of the week to move some lumber around and the detail people Wed through Friday to mask windows and trim -- some ladder climbing will be involved. Please contact me directly here or at 206-406-6133. Thanks!!

Demolition and Energy Efficency Update

Puget Sound Energy just gave me a grant to help pay for insulating OmCulture. How marvelous to live in a progressive city that walks the walk when it comes to reducing carbon output. Thanks to Gus Takala, the energy auditor and to the City of Seattle for seeing the light!! By the way, they will do this for your home as well -- give them a call!

Thanks also to Eric Albright, the hardworking boyfriend of my daughter Michelle. He needed some work short term, so he is helping us to clean up piles of wood that we are recycling, rather than buying new. It's been hard work on these very hot days, but he always says. 'no sweat.' I have work for another month or so, but if anyone has long term job opportunities, let me know.

Demolition Update

Demolition of the previous structures in the space is almost done -- Thank you Frankin!! The space is huge! We have floor plans, thanks Martin, and City of Seattle may help us to get the building insulated! Jenny is working on a beautiful permaculture based exterior.