UNWIND & GRIND™
THE OFFICIAL DIVINE BOOTY SHAKING EXPERIENCE
RELEASE YOUR MIND. HAVE FUN. GET FREE IN YOUR BODY.
release-relax-restore- remember
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Rainbow Light Warriors
your guide - Axé
April (Axé) Charmaine [they/she] is an internationally recognized QTBIPOC Artivist, award-winning entrepreneur, and holistic performing arts educator who has impacted over 20,000 souls across a 20+ year career. As the founder and steward of SOL VIDA™, Unwind & Grind™, and The Embodied Revolution™, Axé is a master embodiment guide specializing in a decolonized approach to Embodied Healing Justice.
Their expertise is forged in a rare intersection of spiritual lineage and technical mastery: Axé is a Certified SomaSource® Practitioner, a Satya BIPOC Yoga Graduate (YTT 200), and has completed the Silvestre Technique Intensive and the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Training Group. With a creative legacy that includes choreographing over 40 musicals, Axé’s toolkit is a powerhouse of the African Diaspora—including Hip Hop, West African, and the Symbology of the Orixás—blended with Modern (Horton/Dunham/Limon), 5Rhythms, and Ecstatic Dance.
An award-winning artist, Axé’s work has spanned the globe, leading transformative containers in Brazil, Ghana, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Colombia, France, Spain, New York, and the SF Bay Area. Dedicated to radical personal freedom, healthy sensuality and body reclamation, Axé creates safer, inclusive sanctuaries where leaders and visionaries can move from grind to grace, centering collective healing and authentic expression
Testimonials
"Unwind & Grind truly helped me transmute energy within me that had been stagnant for so long. It gave me the space to allow myself to be witnessed while releasing without the fear of judgment, allowing me to fully feel into how my body was asking to be moved. I’ve never experienced a space like this before. "
-YAISA, PARTICIPANT UNWIND & GRIND
"Axé meets each person “where they are” as an individual, performer and person. Her work is always organic, unique, and beautiful. It is and always has been clear to me that dance is Axé tool to empower."
-LEE NEWCOMB, KENT THEATER DENVER
"Unwind & Grind feels like an awesome sleepover… There aren’t any strangers and that mean girl never gets invited… My hips are alive again. My subconscious has been reminded that my body exists and is meant to move. For mind, body, and soul—I unwind and grind. "
- DR. CAITLIN, PARTICIPANT 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.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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’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 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.
What kind of music will be played?
The soundtrack is designed to empower and help you release! We come from Rave, Hip Hop, and Dance 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 feeling yourself.
Is there a work-exchange option, a Reduced Rate Pass, or another way to lower the entry cost?
We are able to offer a 3 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.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!).
