Submerge is a dance journey into the present moment.

At one level, Submerge is a crazy fun, bass fired party. People sweating, jamming, traveling on curated, complex beats. But Submerge is more than a party. It is a carefully held container for presence, authenticity, safety and community.

Submerge draws inspiration from transformative movement lineages - not only from the 5Rhythms through Ecstatic Dance, but also from the 90's Raves and all the way to the biggest years of Burning Man and events like Lightning in a Bottle and High Vibes. These events all shared a common thread of a presence and community also foundational to Submerge. We are creating a contemporary, welcoming space for both longtime dancers familar to traveling into the music - and also people who are completely new to this experience. You do not need any background, language, or "scene" to belong here. Just bring your body, your awareness, and a willingness to listen - inward and out.

People come to dance hard. Or sometimes to soften. Or come to just be present. And the invitation is - go deep.

Because modern life pulls us away from ourselves.

Many of us are trained toward performance: how we look, how we seem, what others think, what we are supposed to be doing. We live in distraction, comparison, and noise. Over time, that can leave us disconnected from our bodies, our feelings, and our own inner knowing.

Submerge exists to offer another pattern.

Here, through music, movement, and a respectful shared container, people can let go of self-consciousness, reconnect with what is real, and practice a more embodied, authentic way of being. Sometimes that feels like joy. Sometimes grief. Sometimes play, relief, confidence, or simply being more alive.

We believe spaces like this matter because what people practice on the dance floor can begin to shape how they move through life: less performance for others, more trust in one's own inner truth.

Submerge helps create Freedom - because the container is clear.

Simple agreements help people go deep safely.

• Show Up Clear - able to track yourself and others.
• No phones or recording on the dance floor.
• NO Talking on the Dance Floor - minimal whispering at the edges is ok. Please take conversations outside (easy to do).
• Respect boundaries, consent, and each person's process. Unless it's clearly HELL YES ... it's a No.
• No perfumes or Body Odor - yes - we do ask people who have strong scents to leave on rare occasion. This is a matter of respecting the space of others.
• A possible intention? Let Go and Allow.

We pair strong musical journeys with a strong and safe social container. The result is a space where people can submerge beneath habit and image, and discover what wants to move when judgment falls away.

Submerge is community-supported, soon to be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Artists, volunteers, and organizers all help hold the experience. This is part of the practice too: not just receiving the space, but helping create it.

Submerge gathers regularly in Santa Cruz - but we're looking to grow the community to new locations!

We encourage people to arrive on time, settle in, and enter the space with intention. This is not just a drop-in dance floor. It is a container that deepens when people come ready to listen, move, and submerge together. If at all possible, please also stay through the end of the event and joing the closing circle. This end of the event is when people can share what they experienced and what they are grateful for - for the community to connect, to witness and to close what is a deep journey for many.

Staying through the end supports what Submerge is all about.

Check the current schedule for upcoming dates, tickets, and ways to get involved.