“Revital is not only a captivating dancer, expert instructor, and dedicated to practice, but the very way she lives her life is a constant inspiration. ”
Shakti Bhakti is operating under the guidance and support of Clearbright, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to offering in-depth classes, trainings, and experiences that foster deep healing and the genuine awakening of innate wisdom. All of our dance courses, classes, and events are offered on a donation basis.
Odissi is a form of Indian Dance characterized by the ecstatic expression of grace and power. Unifying feminine and masculine energies through fluid movement and rhythmic footwork, Odissi is an exquisite Yogic art.
Revital teaches workshops and retreats Internationally. She offer study courses year around at her home base, the San Francisco bay area.
Movement Medicine, created by Revtial Carroll, is a transformative practice that honors the principles of nature and the profound intelligence inherent in our human body. It's an invitation to embrace our sensuality as a path to holistic well-being.
In Dance, we can express the sacred, the emotional, the sublime. While dancing, we experience the interconnectedness of humans, earth, heaven, and the cosmos. In Dance, we let our body speak where language cannot reach and embody our innate connectedness, the sacredness of being.
Rhythm is at the heart and base of all Classical Indian Dance and Music forms. The mood, flow, and expression - all emerge from the ground of time-cycles.
The main percussion instrument of Odissi Dance is the Pakhawaj, also known as the mridanga. Hindustani (North Indian) classical music uses the tabla and Carnatic (South Indian) classical music, the Pakhawaj. All of these drums are two-headed precision instruments played simultaneously in various ways to produce different kinds of sounds. These sounds are then strung together in sequences to create different rhythm patterns. The vocalizations of the actual sounds produced by the drummer, such as dha, di, naka, thini, dhin, tere, take, gadigane, jhom, dhage, and so on, are called bol.
The bols are combined together to create different rhythm patterns (Taals).
I’ve seen many of my dancers oscillate between exhibiting an inflated sense of confidence, as to say “I got it” only to swing fiercely off the other side of the pendulum, feeling rejected and valueless. We all feel at times “on top of the world” and at other times, in the despair of facing our utmost contractions. These swings are natural and are part of being a living, evolving, shifting, and growing being.
Cultivating awareness of the waves of contraction and expansion, acknowledging these two dynamics at play: one of division, and the other of connection, allows us to release what is no longer serving us and stay present with the complexity of every situation. Finding our sense of humor with it, and nurturing our care, empathy and sincere love to ourselves and to our sisters allow us to embrace jealousy as one strand among many in the fabric of a resilient community.
The goddess, Muse, and her eternal lover, Genius, reside within us. As we tend to their needs and stock the fire of their passion, their love blooms in the fertile soil of our embodied being. Male, Female, both or none, whomever you are, the fruits of your abundant creativity and boundless wisdom are awaiting expression.
The integration of “intellect” and “creativity” into manifesting potential has been a challenging aspect on my journey of self-actualization. I look around and see a world that favors “professionalism”, labels, and narrowing the scope of our research into linear, logical trajectories. Yet, the movement within us swirls in spirals.
Our hands are a source of tremendous power. With such profound dexterity, sensitivity, and utility the human hands may be one of our most defining features as a species. Playing guitar, delivering a baby, knitting a sweater, building a house, wielding a sword, painting intricate figures: through the use of our hands we create and shape the world we live in. Hands can heal, hands can harm. One touch can convey a wide array of thoughts, feelings or intentions. Hands tell the story of our mood or state of mind. When we feel angry, a clenched fist; when anxious, fidgeting fingers. Even plants and animals respond to the subtle nuances of our touch.
When the sweet water becomes saline
Bright light into dark
When life becomes death
Death is in life
Shiva is Shakti and Shakti is Shiva
Blue and red create purple
Woman and man birth life
Black and white encircle infinite possibilities
For the most part, I’ve been deliberately keeping my voice concealed online in regard to political and social justice matters. I find the social media platform overwhelming, somewhat harsh, and unforgiving. Yes, our opinions and views do matter, since they inform our actions, and our actions can do harm (sometimes unintendedly) or do good. I also recognize the tremendous power social media platforms have to amplify ones’ voice and potentially inspire many to think differently, to make a change, to grow and transform.
Yet, a deeper reason I shy away from bold statements online or pouring my heart out in public – is that my views, opinions, and feelings are not fixed, and I don’t always know. Please consider that at any given moment, there are factors we are all simply unaware of and that a huge aspect of why we form certain views and take certain actions has little to do with our “self”, and has much to do with our “programming” – childhood trauma, social conditioning, ancestral values, and so on.
In times of turmoil, in times of peace, in times of hardship, and in times of grace, our body and spirit still yearn to be cared for; self-care is self-love. From time to time, treat yourself to a delicious bath, massage, nature time, and of course, dance! Supporting your health and cultivating your inner radiance prepares you to greet the divine within your body-temple.
Loving ourselves is about listening to our body’s’ whispers (and also its loud shouts!), and engaging our creativity to generate the nectar of pure joy.
I still remember the unfamiliar feeling of ECSTATIC JOY taking me over as soon as I set foot on the dusty ground of Calcutta’s airport, surrounded by unimaginable chaos and shabby ambassador taxis. I was overjoyed by the availability and tangibility of spiritual experience in everyday life. I felt like a sponge submerged in water for the very first time and soaked it all in. I dove deep into the studies of Yoga, Meditation, Buddhism, natural healing, and spiritual arts. One thing led to another, and when I had the chance to catch a glimpse of Odissi Dance, I felt my soul stir. I knew I had to learn this alluring form! I found in it a natural integration of sensuality and spirituality in a way I hadn't conceived of as yet.