Shakti SunFire
Laura Blakeman
Co-founder of The Kaivalya Hoop Dancers and Vesica Sister, Shakti Sunfire was first introduced to the hoop during her gypsy years as a traveling band groupie with the String Cheese Incident, Railroad Earth and more. Her natural attraction to the circle was compounded by what she observed in others to be genuine ‘bliss-states’, an internalization and then alchemization of the rational/logical mind into the subtle body. Her extensive studies in yoga helped her to relate to hooping on a first a mystical, then Universal plane.
Shakti’s first 2 years in the hoop were characterized by community gatherings and musical events. Now in her 3rd year, she has taken a reprieve from large-scale ‘group-think’ events to check in with her expression. Immersed in modern and contemporary dance classes along with Anusara yoga intensives and aerial fabric classes, Shakti has developed a larger vision for this type of Movement Art. A fusion of traditional dance training and circus arts that encourages Ceremony – a deep release and illumination of the energetic body. She believes tapping into this sacred place within is ultimately very healing. As Rumi so eloquently said, “The source is within you And this whole world is springing up from it.”
Shakti has performed around the world and with innumerable bands and DJs. Shakti also has spent time in various schools in Colorado, bringing the Circus Arts into children’s lives – an approach to teaching using metaphor to encourage growth and safe choices for at-risk youth. She is a certified Hatha yoga teacher, enjoys teaching periodic hoop dance workshops and is a writer by trade. When she is not doing these things, she spends her time making Cosmic Fire firehoops, an art that she sees as her way to contribute to the larger community.
Her goal is to contribute to the raising collective consciousness through live performance art, seeking simultaneously to advance and push the standard in hoop dance by training with poi, double staffs, fans, flags and in the aerial arts.
Find her here: *Facebook
You can view videos of her in action on her YouTube channel.
Read about her random life experiences on her blog.
She will be teaching at Hoop Camp.
She performs regularly with Lunar Fire, Future Simple Project, and Big Gigantic. Some of her recent stage experiences include The Mutaytor, The String Cheese Incident, Vibesquad, Zilla, EOTO, Hot Buttered Rum, Elephant Revival, Leftover Salmon, Keller Williams and the WMDs, MC Yogi and countless others.
