Groove Paradise Mission
To create joyful, vibrant, memorable dance experiences.
To offer ways for groups to celebrate, explore, and connect.
To show how dance can be ecstatic, healthful, and meaningful.
To encourage people to feel radiant, whole, and alive while moving or dancing.
To design transformational soulful experiences integrating movement and self-reflection.
Holistic Experience
Groove Paradise values synaesthetic magic. We create a feast for the senses with sights, sounds, scents, and textures leading to transformative and spiritual experiences. We value connecting as a group, making meaning, and sharing deeply in an atmosphere of openness, curiosity, and celebration.
World Citizenship
Groove Paradise values cross-cultural understanding. We love sharing music and dance from the world's rich cultural and spiritual traditions. We also support global disaster relief efforts, to make a real difference in the world. Our vision is a world where everyone can access joy, a true Paradise. We channel our celebratory energy into concrete global changes, moving us closer and closer to Peace on Earth.
Optimum Health
Groove Paradise values events that are nutritive and nourishing for body and soul. We specialize in substance-free, smoke- free, alcohol-free events and look for healthful alternatives. We create atmospheres that encourage vitality, natural euphoria, and life enhancement.
Client Satisfaction
Groove Paradise values timeliness, communication, accountability, flexibility and respect. As our client, you are our top priority. We bring you the benefit of our expertise, with more than 10 years in the business, and work with you to make your event meaningful, smooth, and fun.
BIO: DJ ROOT
Growing up in Montreal and Boston, DJ Root learned the rhythmic passion of dancing from his mother and the sublime exuberance of music from his father. He began spinning his spunky beats in high school and thrilling dancefloors throughout the northeast. At Oberlin College he studied ethnomusicology, modern dance, and comparative religion, inspired by the earthy celebrations of indigenous peoples all over the world.
In 1996 Root found the Dance New England community and has earned a reputation in Boston, New York, Montreal, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boulder, Hawaii, New Zealand, and his hometown of Northampton, MA, where dancers have exulted to his groove. A global traveler, performer, and certified JourneyDance Teacher, Root leads jubilant Sunday mornings at Dance Spirit, honoring music and movement from many of the world's spiritual traditions. He is also a resident DJ for Dance Spree in Northampton and Dance Freedom in Cambridge, MA, with large followings who come to boogie down to his infectious grooves.
In 2003 he began hosting "The Melting Point," a contemporary world music radio show focusing on melodic global electronica at 91.1 FM WMUA, online at www.wmua.org. An events producer, Root has collaborated with a team of talented designers to host three successful Groove Paradise fundraisers for global disaster relief efforts. In the spring of 2005 he was the Performing Arts Director for the Better World Festival, booking and scheduling live acts for 6 outdoor stages. In 2007 he expects to work with Tufts University, the Kripalu Center, the Tantric Shamanism Institute, and to begin a new radio show "The Bumpy Rumpus" for progressive groove euphoria and funky breaks.
RESUMÉ: DJ ROOT
(3.2007) Instructor, JourneyDance Class. Tantric Shamanism Institute Retreat, Tulum, MEXICO.
(2.2007) Production Director & DJ. Senior Banquet. Cummings Veterinary School of Tufts University, Marlborough, MA USA
(1.2007) Production Director & DJ. Groove Paradise & JourneyDance. Kripalu Center, Lenox, MA USA.
(12.2006) Production Director & DJ. Barefoot Boogie. New York, NY USA.
(12.2006) DJ & Instructor, Dance Your Prayers/JourneyDance Class. Watertown, MA USA.
(11.2006) DJ. UMass Graduate Student Union Salsa Dance. Amherst, MA USA.
(11.2006) DJ. 24th International Contact Jam. Montreal, QC CANADA.
(10.2006) Instructor. JourneyDance Level One Teacher Training. Plainfield, MA USA.
(8.2006) Instructor, Dance Your Prayers Class. Dance New England Summer Camp. Poland Spring, ME USA.
(7.2006) Instructor. Dance Express DJ Training Seminar. Brattleboro, VT USA.
(5.2006) DJ. Oliver-Dunleavy wedding. Hartford, CT USA.
(4.2006) Instructor, Gospel & Groove class. Dance New England Boston weekend. Lincoln, MA USA.
(3.2006) DJ. Dance Jam & Groove Garden. Berkeley & Fairfax, CA USA.
(2.2006) Instructor. JourneyDance Kripalu weeklong workshop. Lenox, MA USA.
(11.2005) Instructor, Dance your Prayers Class. Dance New England New Paltz weekend. Kingston, NY USA.
(6.2005) Performing Arts Director. Better World Festival. Northampton, MA USA.
(5.2005) Production Director. Groove Temple 2. Holyoke, MA USA.
(4.2005) DJ. Hampshire County Business leadership Institute. Northampton, MA USA.
(2.2005) Production Director. Groove Temple. Holyoke, MA USA.
(1.2005) DJ. Bijnagte-Cuthbertson wedding. Minneapolis, MN USA.
(6.2004) DJ. Earth Family Festival. Belchertown, MA USA.
(3.2004) Production Director. Groove Paradise. Shelburne Falls, MA USA.
(5.2002) DJ. Dance Home. Boulder, CO USA.
(4.2002) Instructor. Contact Improv Seminar. Hollywood, CA USA.
(4.2002) DJ. Barefoot Boogie. Sebastopol, CA USA.
(3.2002) DJ. Harbin Hot Springs Resort. Middletown, CA USA.
(3.2002) DJ. Dance Jam. Mountain View, CA USA.
(2.2002) DJ. TranscenDance. Kealakekua, Big Island, HI USA.
(1.2002) Instructor. Contact Improv Seminar. Palo Alto, CA USA.
(1.2002) DJ. Barefoot Boogie. San Francisco, CA USA.
(6.2001) DJ. Northern California Dance Collective Summer Camp. Dunlap, CA USA.
Groove Paradise has supported these Global Disaster Relief Efforts.
Climate Care. Carbon dioxide offsets: efficient Patsari stoves, rural Mexico. March 2007
Outreach International. earthquake, Yogyakarta Indonesia. July 2006
Kashmir International Relief Fund. earthquake, Kashmir. October 2005
Helps International. mudslides, Guatemala. October 2005
New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund. hurricanes, Louisiana. September 2005
Nonviolence International. earthquake, Aceh Indonesia. January 2005
Sarvodaya. tsunami, Sri Lanka. December 2004
Via Campesina. tsunami, Indonesia. December 2004