Tirgan: A Solstice Rite of Renewal
An immersive weekend of dance performance with video art, whirling workshop & sound healing
@Electric Lodge in Venice, CA
Located at 1416 Electric Ave.
Gather for the Summer Solstice at the zenith of light for an immersive weekend of dance performance with video art, whirling workshop, sound healing, and community dialogue rooted in Iranian mystical and artistic traditions. Through a sacred journey of movement, visual storytelling, sharing, and sound, we will explore grief, renewal, resilience, and deeper purpose — illuminating the path, nourishing the spirit, and offering healing connection in these turbulent times.
The weekend features dancer/choreographer Banafsheh Sayyad, video artist Shaghayegh Cyrous, sound healer Shila Ommi, and mythologist Maryam Sayyad, with an original soundtrack and DJ set.
This project is made possible by in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.
Saturday, June 20
FREE Admission | Donations Welcome | RSVP Required
An Evening of Performance, Visual Storytelling, Spiritual Insight & Open Dance for Freedom
7:30 – 9:30pm PT
At the Summer Solstice, the sun reaches its highest point and the Earth is bathed in its greatest abundance of light. It is also a sacred turning… the moment when darkness quietly begins its return, reminding us that light and dark are interwoven in the dance of life.
We come together on this night to honor both the beauty and heartbreak of our times. Inspired by Tirgan, the ancient Iranian festival that celebrates the sacred waters of renewal — where grief is cleansed, life is restored, and a new dawn begins to rise. This gathering offers a space to transform sorrow into prayer, longing into devotion, and separation into connection, resilience, and hope.
Rooted in the rich mystical and artistic traditions of Iran, the evening will begin with a talk by mythologist Maryam Sayyad, PhD, followed by a multimedia performance by Banafsheh and video artist Shaghayegh Cyrous, creating a tapestry of sacred movement, imagery, and intention dedicated to the people of Iran and all those working courageously on behalf of freedom, dignity, and human flourishing.
Banafsheh will then offer a talk and reading inspired by her acclaimed book, Dance of Oneness: Embody Love & Luminosity to Transform Your Life, and open the space for community dialogue and interaction.
Following the reading, you will be invited into a free-style dance journey, offering space to release any heavy emotions and replenish yourself with the vital energy, clarity, and resilience needed to meet the challenges of our times.
Books will be available for purchase, and Banafsheh will be honored to sign copies.
This is an evening for anyone longing for renewal, belonging, inspiration, and authentic connection. A chance to gather in community, nourish the heart, and remember that even in difficult times, light continues to live within us and between us.
Sunday, June 21
A FREE Sacred Dance Workshop – Limited Space!
Donations Welcome | RSVP Required
Whirling & Gong Journey: The Spiral of Light
with Banafsheh Sayyad & Shila Ommi
4 – 6:30pm PT
Be suffused with the expansive energy of the Solstice light through the sacred art of whirling with Banafsheh, a moving meditation that has guided seekers into stillness, ecstasy, and union for centuries, followed.
It is especially auspicious to whirl at this time when light is at its zenith and the body becomes a vessel for receiving and transmitting light. You will learn the foundations of whirling, turning with grace and ease, discovering the still point within movement, and the profound sense of unity that emerges when body, heart, and spirit move as one.
Guided by Banafsheh’s feminine approach, this transformative practice cultivates joy, presence, clarity, and a deep connection with the luminous intelligence that animates all of life.
Following the whirling practice, a sharing circle will bring us together in community dialogue and interaction, offering space to reflect, integrate, and connect through the wisdom of our shared experience.
The journey will conclude with a soothing, healing gong immersion led by Shila Ommi, inviting you to rest, receive, and integrate the experience through waves of sacred sound.
Benefits of this Workshop
Find yourself in the dance of creation, activating presence and spiritual guidance
Awaken stability, belonging, and harmony within the interconnected web of life.
Learn a feminine approach to whirling that feels safe and prevents dizziness.
Discover the hidden power of stillness in motion and connect with the Divine.
Dance Experience & Preparation
Mixed Levels: All are welcome.
Dress in comfortable attire. White attire is recommended but not required.
Don't eat a heavy meal one hour of our workshop.
Bring socks or soft soled dance shoes for whirling.
Bring a water bottle.
Bring a soft yoga mat to lie on and a small pillow for under your head
Bring a meditation cushion to sit on
A blanket and head pillow are suggested
An eye mask is suggested
Get Your Copy of the Dance of Oneness Book!
Embody Love and Luminosity to Transform Your Life
Discover how spiritual embodiment through sacred dance leads to healing, transformation, joyful liberation, and living a more vibrant, aligned, and abundant life with this empowering, interactive guide to embodied spirituality.
What Experts in Transformation & Healing Say About The Dance of Oneness Modality for Healing & Transformation:
In this sacred dance workshop and gong journey, you'll discover:
About Banafsheh
Banafsheh Sayyad, MFA, Choreography and MA, Chinese Medicine, is a master sacred dancer, choreographer, and visionary teacher of spiritual embodiment whose life’s work is devoted to helping people activate greater health, awareness, and resilience through conscious movement.
Internationally acclaimed for her pioneering fusion of spirituality and sensuality, she is the founder of Dance of Oneness®, a Divine Feminine lineage of healing and transformation uniting Sufi whirling, Persian dance, flamenco, mysticism, and Taoist wisdom.
Her forthcoming book, Dance of Oneness (St. Martin’s Essentials, March 2026), invites readers to rediscover the body as a portal to presence, vitality, and joy. Drawing from her own awakening through dance that transmuted the pain of exile from Iran, Banafsheh weaves Rumi’s poetry, feminine mysticism, and embodied healing into a radiant call to live as a channel of love and light. Born in Iran to legendary filmmaker Parviz Sayyad, she defied cultural taboos to create a feminine expression of Sufi whirling, transforming dance into a pathway of liberation, divine communion, and activism.
Through her non-profit Dance of Oneness and her transformative teachings at centers such as Esalen, Kripalu, Omega, and Hollyhock, Banafsheh has inspired thousands across the world to awaken, embody love, and dance the divine into being.
