Partying

Please join us for happy hour and board games at the Grape Escape wine bar in Gaithersburg. Feel free to bring your own food to pair with their nice selection of wine and beer. You can’t beat this cozy little place for fun on a Tuesday night! We'll have a couple games but please **feel free to bring a game of your own!** Come for the beverages, the games, the conversation, meeting new people, or all of the above. We'll be at the big tables in the middle of the venue. Look for GRASP table flyers and Eli's GRASP shirt. We can't wait to see you there!

Yummy Bowl serves Mongolian BBQ, sushi, and ramen. Mongolian BBQ is a stir-fry style of cuisine where you place a selection of raw noodles/rice, vegetables, fruit, and protein in to a bowl along with your choice of sauces and the dish is cooked for you on a large, round grill while you wait. Every bowl is delicious and you are the chef so the selection gets better every time! Expect entrees in the range of $17 plus tax and beverage. This is a great opportunity to meet others who are new as well as those who have been around a while! Look for GRASP table flyers and Eli's GRASP shirt to easily find the group. We can't wait to see you there!

This is a great opportunity to meet others who are new as well as those who have been around a while! Taco Bamba is a unique taqueria chain which offers a different menu at every one of its 10 locations. Offering traditional Mexican fare with a very hip and unique twist, Taco Bamba is sure to delight! If you're into adult beverages, they offer a very nice selection of those as well. Check out their [complete menu here](https://www.tacobamba.com/menus/#gaithersburg-menu). Expect entrees in the $10-15 range. Look for GRASP table flyers and Eli's GRASP shirt (see pics) to easily find the group. We can't wait to see you there!

NOTE: You MUST sign up and pay via our website to reserve your spot (https://flyingbuddhastudio.com/#Events). Simply responding yes to attend via Meetup does not hold your spot. Thank you for your understanding! Ecstatic dance is an exceptional wellness practice exploring free expression through movement in a substance-free, facilitated, and inclusive environment. In ecstatic dance, there are no set steps or structures, you move however you feel moved to move. The goal is to get out of our heads and get in touch with our bodies, emotions, and the collective. The dance is constructed as a wave where the music starts out slowly and gradually increases in pace and intensity before coming down to resting. This structure facilitates easing into movement, building to an ecstatic state, and gradually releasing. Everyone can choose how they want to express themselves long as they don’t interfere with others’ self expression. In ecstatic dance, we co-create a safe space where everyone is free to be their authentic selves. The result is mental clarity, emotional freedom, and physical embodiment. The benefits of ecstatic dance include: * Stress and tension relief * Mindfulness and relaxation * Somatic healing * Self-expression * Exercise and play * Community and connection No experience necessary! We will provide instructions and ease you into the practice. The event begins with an opening circle where we get to know each other and share intentions, followed by an hour and fifteen minute playlist, and a closing circle to share reflections. We will spend time before and after the dance connecting in community. During the dance there is no talking. This helps us to connect with our bodies and each other nonverbally. The result is often a trance-like and ecstatic experience. 6:45 Doors open 7:00 Opening circle 7:30 Dance 8:45 Closing circle 9:00 Depart **An Inclusive Space:** All ages, genders, sexual orientation, and abilities welcome. **Music:** A mix of new age, worldbeat, tribal, EDM, arranged in a dance wave, from slow to fast to slow. It is typically 50% non-lyrical. **What to bring:** Water bottle, short sleeve, loose clothing, expect to get sweaty! Yoga mat (optional). No alcohol or food is provided and please don’t bring any. **Cost of workshop:** $30 **Sign up:** https://flyingbuddhastudio.com/#Events **About the Facilitator** Clara Fang is the founder of Green Tara Consulting, a consulting firm that specializes in belonging, equity, and inclusion. She is an experienced facilitator of ecstatic dance, Buddhist meditation, and authentic relating. She lives in Germantown, MD. Not familiar with ecstatic dance? Try these links: * [High production value with attractive people](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTnRHkMChbI) * [What it looks like more realistically](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqe_AoQb3Q0) * [Sober dance meetups emphasize consent and free movement ‘without judgement’](https://www.metrotimes.com/music/sober-dance-meetups-emphasize-consent-and-free-movement-without-judgment-in-detroit-and-ann-arbor-33593404?fbclid=IwAR3j_2Bxmq9EWghDl4i5sj1eSvO6txragpWVc7rpeSmvgbr5zz_x7-_2DNA) (Detroit Metro Times) * [I was skeptical about ecstatic dance](https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/greentara/dance) (New York Times) * [Can ecstatic dance improve your health? ](https://health.usnews.com/wellness/articles/2018-05-24/what-is-ecstatic-dance-and-can-it-improve-your-health)(US News and World Report)

Per Collective: Ooooh party people. LISTEN UP: we're doing something fun yet again. It's the only way we know how! On Friday Jan 23 Collective is holding a "Dark of Night" event at Rai's Rendezvous. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN!?!?!? Come in black - your fanciest, your most emo, your most badass black leather...it ALL goes. And we're pulling a bunch of older Collective songs out of the shadows and putting them back on stage for ONE NIGHT ONLY. We can't wait to see you!

Collective's Winter White Party is BACK! Due to extremely popular demand, Collective is bringing it back again this January to help us get through the doldrums of January. Mark your calendars NOW! Collective rocks the best of the 80s, 90s, 2000s and today covering rock, pop, pop punk, alt and country hits. Voted "Best Local Band" 2022 & 2024 by readers of Arlington Magazine. FYI: Ned's charges a cover starting at 9. The band goes on at 9:30

Y’all are invited to a boot-stompin’, toe-tappin’ country line dancing night with Social Sips & Bites. We’re bringing together good music, a lively dance floor, and even better company for a night full of classic country vibes. The night kicks off with a line-dancing lesson, so no experience is needed. Whether it’s your first two-step or you already know a few classics, you’ll be guided through the moves before the open dancing begins. After that, it’s all about country hits, cold drinks, and enjoying the rhythm together. Come learn the steps, feel the country vibes, and dance the night away with Social Sips & Bites.