THE OFFICIAL DIVINE BOOTY SHAKING EXPERIENCE 

RELEASE YOUR MIND. HAVE FUN. GET FREE IN YOUR BODY.

UNWIND & GRIND

You don’t need to hide from your feelings, emotions, or body anymore.

You want to move your body and feel connected to spirit.

You crave it.

But for those on the path to liberation, the outside world often tells us that our full, sacred expression is too much, too loud, or unsafe.

And as a result, you can feel inhibited, stuck because you haven’t found a space where you can be all of you without worrying about whose watching, or if you’re doing it right.

Unwind & Grind is a dance gathering to embody liberation in your mind, body, and spirit.

This is a space for culturally rooted movement seekers and dance lovers who want to shake it and shimmy in the light.

You are ready because:

  • You long to move your body in new ways, finding both form and  freedom in your dance.

    You crave a sacred space to move beyond performance and technique—a place to simply dance without inhibition or judgment.

  • You feel stuck or disconnected in your body.

    Something holds you back from expressing yourself fully, creating a tension between your desire for liberation and your physical reality. You are ready to embody.

  • You seek reliable embodiment guidance.

    You are an emerging or seasoned dancer who is ready to move beyond learned technique and performance to access a more visceral, uninhibited form of expression. You know there's a powerful emotional and somatic layer to unlock, but you are wary of spaces that leave you ungrounded. You need training that keeps your expressive work integrated and rooted.

  • You are ready to claim your sacred sensuality through dance.

    You desire to release the trauma, the limiting stories, and the emotional weight imposed by unwelcome gazes and unsafe spaces. We affirm that dance is a necessary, non-vulgar gateway to the senses. Here, the shaking and circular movement of the hips is honored as a crucial element of wellness, drawing from vital ancestral wisdom for shaking out stuck emotions.

The problem isn’t your ability. You are actually a bonafide power house.

You are attempting to express yourself radically and freely in a world that’s set up to create a lot of blocks, pain, and obstacles to knowing and being your true self consistently.

We See the Resistance. We Hold the Container.

You might be avoiding spaces like this because:

  • You worry about the cultural safety of the space.

    You are concerned about the integrity of the room, how your expression will be received, and you're not sure who else is going to be in the container. You need a vetted, trustworthy, and non-performative space to simply let go.

  • You feel you need a crutch to be brave, and we honor that vulnerability.

    You may feel like you need substance or a close friend to gather the courage to show up. In this space, we invite you to commit to showing up solely for yourself, fully present. This container is intentionally designed for your focused, internal journey, allowing for the true, uninterrupted expression that happens when the container is sacred and undistracted. Let this dance be for you—this is a dance for you.

  • You know the price of freedom is dropping your ego, and the surrender can feel terrifying.

    Your mind, consumed by hyper-awareness, overthinking, and perfectionism, resists letting your body and heart lead. You fear surrendering that mental grip to the visceral, integrated movement that is required for your embodied liberation.

So you don’t get the chance to know what it’s like to dance in a space that accepts you for all that you are..

Every identity marker, every life cycle, every ability, every age, every life style, every single way that makes you different..

It’s easy to hold back and say no, when you’re not sure if you and all of who are will be safe.

TESTIMONY

“Unwind & Grind feels like an awesome sleepover.  All my friends are there (even if they are friends I just met).  There aren’t any strangers and that mean girl never gets invited. 

I dance like a maniac cause the host of this party happens to be an amazing dancer with one of the best ipods around.  Lil Wayne perfectly follows Zap Mama and the song after that is my new favorite that I’ve never heard before. 

The dances aren’t complicated but they are complex.  My body recognizes the meaning.  I feel like I have been here before.  Centuries, maybe millennia ago, when women gathered to dance – to celebrate, to mourn, to release, to relish in the power of these incredible bodies.

When it’s over, I don’t want to leave. We linger, catching up, giggling, occasionally sharing chocolate or wine – looking to keep the endorphins flowing. 

For the rest of the weekend, I find myself sneaking in a shimmy here, a grind there.  Standing in line at Whole Foods I start humming a random tune and might just bust a move or two.   My hips are alive again. 

My subconscious has been subtly reminded that my body exists and it is meant to move.  For mind, for body, for soul – I  unwind and grind.” Dr. Caitlin, Naturopathic Doctor

Your Dance Steward

April Axé Charmaine 

World Renowned, Award-Winning, Holistic Dance Educator & Artivist. Serving Over 20K Worldwide

Today, it looks like I’m traveling all over the world, leading dances, going on retreats, writing a book, and living a life of pure freedom.

For a long time… I fought being my whole self. I’ve had visions of filling dance floors, giving people the space to express themselves fully, audaciously, and to the beat… And…I got caught up–in toxic relationships, oppressive systems, comparison syndrome and self-doubt.

As a survivor, I’m someone who has had quite the journey embracing healthy sensuality and relationships.

As someone of mixed heritage, who grew up with a white mother, an absentee Black father– I didn’t know who I was, culturally. I had to claim my Blackness, my Queerness, and my multidimensionality on my own, and all of that came with a body that definitely didn’t fit into a typical Ballet world, filled with white bodies who seemed “perfect.”

As I began to follow my intuition and explored multiple movement modalities across the world, I started to feel the power of myself.

Dance allowed me to transmute trauma, connect to the spirit world, my ancestors, release my emotions and ultimately land me in a space of embodied truth.

I steward this space so that you too can experience the power of movement as medicine. Unwind & Grind is a sacred space to help you remember who you are, to feel like a fully capable dancer, and tap into the magic and light of life. 

As we celebrate the 20th year of Unwind and Grind, we’re ready to bring U & G into more spaces to provide  gateways to healing, transformation, and create new energy within yourself. This dance is a renewal and a remembrance, every single time and I am right there with you, moving it through the beats.

THE CONTAINER

Unwind and Grind (U & G)

PART I

THE INVOCATION

A moment to set intentions, call in the spirit, and connect to create a space where you can move without any inhibition.

PART II

THE WARM UP

This gives you the chance to unravel your body and brain, feel the power and energy of the rainbow healing light that is SOL VIDA (Sun LIfe), and get connected to yourself and the Divine.

part iii

THE MOVES

Learn a powerful fusion of form and freedom of SOL VIDA MOVES to help you claim new, audacious movements that set your body all the way free. Through layered and meaningful choreography that serves as a gateway to radical self-expression, you’ll build an Afro-Fusion dance vocabulary that leaves you feeling like a capable, confident dancer who can move with vivacity, connection, and personal flair. It is a unique invitation to try new movements with the permission to make them entirely yours, creating a room so deeply connected that every step becomes a celebration of your essence.

PART IV

GET FREE

Allow your body to move in any way that feels soothing and good. Take the new moves you learned, tap into the 5 Elements (Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Spirit) and or simply move your body in any way that feels good to you, knowing that you cannot get it wrong–make it weird, make it soft, slow, let it be bold. 

part v

HEART CIRCLE

This moment is for processing life and the awakenings that surface after the transformative dance. Whether it's a casual connection over a snack or a facilitated conversation, this time is designed for you to be truly seen, gaining catharsis and inspiration to integrate the dance into your life.

TESTIMONY

“Their ability to guide a group of women to get into their bodies and out of their heads is brilliant.  She connects with such love and authenticity, and she creates a space where is it not only safe to explore movement, but it is natural and primal--she is able to somehow grasp the deep chords of femininity and sensuality and strike them beautifully, waking up something that has for so long, been lost in modern women.” Heidi Whitehead, Hustle & Flow Retreat Leader

Think of it as an investment in your self-care and movement training.

If you are an emerging or seasoned dancer looking for a permission-filled space to move beyond external critique, reconnecting to the sacred, primal source of your deep, personal movement calling, U & G is the place for you!

Ready to Move?

WHY UNWIND & GRIND?!

You are not just going to a typical dance studio class or ecstatic dance experience.

You are entering a space that values embodied consent and social justice on the dance floor.

A place where movement seekers of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds have a safer and braver space to transmute and transform all of the challenges we’re dealing with that can take you into ancestral and spiritual remembrance through a multidimensional embodiment experience.

A space that celebrates and preserves African Diasporic culture and traditions and gives you permission to be all of you.

A space that gets you high on life, naturally and reminds you, that YOU ARE A DANCER!

BENEFITS OF U & G

  • Activate your inner dancer, inner child, and your wild and wise one.

  • Create peace in your mind, heart and body.

  • Channel your unexpressed emotions into understanding, clarity, and inspiration.

  • Connect to yourself in such a way that creates immense gratitude and joy.

  • Discover embodied confidence that ripples into your world and daily life.

  • Connect to a beautiful rainbow community of movers and shakers who add value, light and understanding to your life.

  • Gain a renewed activation of your sensuality expressed in divinity, wholeness, and audacity.

  • Get a work out, a chance to sweat, and feel actual shifts in your body.

Your embodied liberation begins the moment you say yes and show up.

TESTIMONY

"I just wanted to say thank you so much for the beautiful experience. That was my first time doing any sort of ecstatic dance, my first introduction into 5 Rhythms, and I loved it so much!

I normally get pretty nervous with choreographed things; sometimes, if they move too fast and I can’t keep up visually, it feels hard. But your facilitation was so, so perfect. It was so perfect and light and sweet and fun and energetic, and it was such a great and beautiful release for me.

I’m so grateful for your kindness, your love, your heart. Your facilitation style feels so accessible.

I’m really excited to invite all my friends with different needs to your events because it feels so inclusive and beautiful.

Thank you for all you do. Thank you for creating such a fabulous space."

- Amber, Pole Dancer & Comedian

READY TO UNWIND & GRIND?!

There is no other experience like this on the planet. 

TESTIMONY

“Axé brought me back up and showed me what dance is really about. If it wasn't for the passionate, kind loving  Axé, I wouldn't have ever danced again. She taught me to love dance on a completely different level and taught me that dance is something I need in my life."

-Keely, High School Student

FAQ'S

I'm feeling intimidated to come. Is this a judgment-free zone?

Absolutely! Unwind and Grind is a radically inclusive space for all levels of experience and comfort, and encourages you to come as you are. We understand that many people feel inhibited by the unwelcome gazes rooted in patriarchy and racial oppression. That is why we are committed to somatic abolition and offer affinity-based spaces—to foster a sense of shared experience and safety, ensuring you are surrounded by a community who understand this journey, making liberation on the dance floor possible.

What does "come as you are" mean?

We mean it literally! Wear whatever makes you feel comfortable and confident to move your body. Some people like to wear their favorite dance outfit; some people come in their sweats. You don’t have to dress up, you can, but the most important thing is that you wear something that allows you to move freely in your body.

Dress like you're attending a movement workshop where you expect to sweat and may want to remove layers. Jeans are not recommended. When possible, we dance with bare feet.

What kind of music will be played?

The soundtrack is designed to empower and help you release! We come from Rave, Hip Hop, and House Music Culture. It's an enlivening experience with a soundtrack of House, Drum n Bass, Hip Hop, Soul, Indie, 80s, Pop remixes, and downtempo ambient sounds and more to keep you moving to the bass and beats.

Accessibility questions

Please refer to each personal invitation for access resources and want to expect at each venue.

What’s your substance policy?

Unwind & Grind (U & G) works best when we are all on the same vibe, allowing for a shared, deep experience of healing and presence.

We know many seek substances for uninhibited expression, but we encourage you to allow the movement itself to be your medicine. We ask that you arrive in a state where you are fully present, aware, and connected to your body.

Alcohol is strongly discouraged because it fundamentally shifts the collective energy to a vibe more suitable for a club, which distracts from the intention of this sacred, embodied work. While we realize some individuals may use plant allies like cannabis as a personal gateway, we trust you to honor the intention of the container by ensuring your use supports your full awareness and connection to the present moment.

Please also refer to individual invitations which will have explicit asks.

 Is there a work-exchange option, a Reduced Rate Pass, or another way to lower the entry cost?

We are able to offer a couple of work-exchange spots per dance. To be considered, you must apply at least one week in advance and be available for support 1 hour before and 1 hour after the dance.

If you don't secure a work-exchange spot, we offer a 50% Reduced Rate Pass for financial accessibility. We also encourage you to contribute to the community container by bringing a snack/treat/non-alcoholic beverage to share (gluten and dairy-free options are especially welcome!).

Do you want to partner and bring U & G to your community

We love to partner with transformative leaders worldwide. Set up a Let's Connect call with our founder to discuss the possibilites.

Let's Connect