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Want to learn more about Dance In The Wild?

Learn more about our captivating presenters

Odai Affotey | African Drumming

Born in Ghana, Odai has spent more than 30 years sharing the traditions of West African drumming, dance and culture around the world. A gifted performer, teacher and cultural ambassador, he is known for his infectious energy, powerful rhythms and engaging workshops.

Join Odai at Dance in the Wild and experience the joy, connection and spirit of African music and movement. 🌿✨

Jo Woods | Open Floor Dance & Festival Producer

o Woods (they/them) is a catalytic force of nature - a senior Open Floor Movement Teacher with a decade of teaching & DJ experience, an Open Floor mentor, and an Art in Motion supervisor based in Melbourne, Australia.

Jo weaves over 25 years of rich meditation practice into every conscious dance class and workshop they lead.

With a wild spirit, a playful sense of humor, and exquisitely crafted soundscapes, Jo creates transformative spaces where bodies can move freely, hearts can open, and creativity can flow.

They are the beating heart of Dance in the Hills (Olinda), the visionary behind 'Dance in the Wild' (Gembrook), and a regular guest facilitator at Conscious Dance events in Melbourne.

Along the way, Jo has produced and taught bold Gender Bender, Creative Disruption, and Mindful Movement workshops across Australia & Aotearoa (NZ).

Morning Yoga with Lucy Lawes

More guide than teacher, Lucy weaves experiences of breath, movement, and mindful play that invite people home to themselves. Drawing on Yoga, Zenthai Shiatsu, Ayurveda, Taoism, and Traditional Chinese Medicine, their offerings cultivate presence, curiosity, embodied awareness, and deep connection.
With a love of nature, community, and the wisdom of the body, they create spaces where people can slow down, move with intention, and remember their belonging—to themselves, to each other, and to the living world.

David Juriansz | 5Rhythms We welcome David back to Dance In The Wild!

David took a winding path – juggling jobs as an editor, health professional, project manager, songwriter, community musician, performer and facilitator and when he became a father, he supported Meredith’s path as a 5Rhythms teacher.

In 2011, the call to teach came and he was part of the last training group to work with Gabrielle Roth, a decade after Meredith.

Since that time he has transformed the weekly class Meredith started into the ‘Tsunami Wave’ – a deep catalytic journey at times hosting over 150 dancers. His humour, storytelling, and passion for the embodiment of the 5Rhythms, engages both newcomers and long-term dancers.

Aladdin Jones & Jo Woods | Dharma Dance

Discover the meeting place of stillness and movement in this unique collaboration with Jo Woods and Aladdin Jones. Dharma Dance weaves together Zen mindfulness, guided sitting and walking meditation, and the liberating practice of Open Floor dance, creating a deeply embodied journey of presence, awareness and authentic expression.

Drawing on decades of experience in movement, mindfulness and somatic practice, Jo and Aladdin invite you to slow down, listen deeply and awaken to the wisdom of both body and mind. No previous dance or meditation experience is needed

Stacie Piper | Welcome to Country

Stacie Piper is a Wurundjeri and Dja Dja Wurrung woman, artist, curator and cultural consultant based in Melbourne. Passionate about sharing and celebrating Indigenous art and culture, her work honours the richness of Aboriginal culture and fosters a deeper understanding of its enduring significance.

Stacie will open the festival with her Friday night Welcome to Country

Anna Davies | Mindfulness

Anna has been practising and guiding mindfulness and meditation for over 15 years. Originally incorporating these practices into her work as a psychologist, she soon saw the profound benefits they offered her clients and began sharing them through workshops, courses and regular classes.
With a deep personal practice and extensive training, Anna creates spaces that invite grounding, presence, peace and a deeper connection to self. She has trained with the Gawler Foundation, Dr Craig Hassed of Monash University, and through a year-long training with Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield.
Anna is also a psychologist, yoga teacher and mother of two.

TaKeTiNa DANCE FUSION

Charlotte Roberts and Justin Holland are facilitators, artists and teachers working at the intersection of rhythm, voice, movement, somatic practice and co-creative group process.

Charlotte is a certified Tamalpa Life/Art Practitioner®, TaKeTiNa Rhythm Process® facilitator, ISMETA-registered Somatic Movement Educator/Therapist and VIT-registered teacher. She is the creator of The Musical Body, which she shares through workshops, retreats and camps. A vocal artist and mama, Charlotte curates musical exchanges from her home and The Singing Shack in the Macedon Ranges, and loves playing surdo for TaKeTiNa events and recording music.

Justin completed three years of TaKeTiNa teacher training with its founder, Reinhard Flatischler. He is also a qualified yoga teacher and has practised yoga and Contact Improvisation for more than 20 years. Originally trained in dance and theatre, Justin has worked with companies including Snuff Puppets, Legs On The Wall, Back to Back Theatre, Bird On A Wire, La Soirée and Polyglot Theatre.

Together, Charlotte and Justin bring a rich blend of rhythm, voice, movement and embodied practice to their work, creating spaces for exploration, play and collective experience.

More about: www.taketina.com.au

Chris Mazraany | Morning Yoga

Chris has been practicing yoga since 2018 using its tools for self-regulation and for living a more disciplined and intentional life. Since 2020, Chris has been teaching across many studios and has a background in tantric hatha, vinyasa, yin yoga, and meditation. Chris is also a certified sound healing practitioner offering group sound baths.

Chris aims to make everyone feel welcomed and empowered with the tools of self-awareness and self-regulation. Presently, you can find Chris teaching regularly at Ananda Yoga Belgrave, Om Som, and Pure Hot Yoga Bayswater. In his spare time, Chris loves to hike, sip chai, play music, read, and spend time with his family.

Ned Nicolson | Contact Improvisation

CI offers incredibly rich ground for delving into the sensing, responding body, and questioning how sensing, moving bodies might listen and relate to each other and their environment.

Learning how to physically harness the energy generated by gravity's effect on the physical mass of our bodies, how to dance with and ride it rather than controlling it, is a life long investigation and a profoundly empowering line of enquiry. Having trained for three years in Madrid 2022-2025 with the marvellous Cristiane Bullousa and Diana Bonilla and completing a professional education program with Tejido Conectivo contemporary dance in 2024/5, Ned has facilitated CI workshops in Madrid, Edinburgh and at Confest 2026 and currently teaches in the Surf Coast and occasionally Melbourne.

Forest Country Screening & Q&A with Lewi Haskins and Warburton Environment

Nic Fox and Lewi Haskins bring two creative and complementary perspectives to the fight for Victoria’s forests. Nic is a forest campaigner and President of Warburton Environment, working across community organising, advocacy and public education to protect forests and wildlife. Lewi is the filmmaker behind Forest Country, using film and storytelling to bring the beauty, complexity and urgency of forest protection to wider audiences. Together, they explore how activism can take many forms — including art, film, storytelling and collective action.