Rites of Dance VALHALLA // A Viking Festival (GC)
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THE EXPERIENCE
***Rescheduled to Saturday 5 September due to the ongoing wet weather and ground conditions earlier this year.
Welcome to Valhalla.
For the sixth year, we gather once again to bring this world to life.
What started as a small themed experiment has slowly grown into the biggest night on the Rites of Dance calendar, with people travelling from all over and beyond to be part of it.
A lot of what shaped Valhalla came from the old worlds of Northern Europe... Norse mythology, Celtic traditions, pagan ceremony, tribal lore, music, storytelling, and the way entire communities once gathered close to the land, the elements, and each other.
That influence runs through the whole night, but this isn’t about throwing on a costume for a few photos or just turning up for a themed party, people actually immerse themselves in it.
By late afternoon, the field starts filling, outfits start appearing, friends reconnect, strangers start talking, and you can feel the whole atmosphere slowly starting to build.
As the sun starts to drop, ceremony opens the space.
From there, the night moves through live performances, fire, live drumming, Nordic and tribal soundscapes, and a full dance journey where somewhere along the way the crowd stops feeling like a crowd and starts feeling like a tribe.
Some come for the music. Some come for the mythology. Some come because a mate brought them once and now they don’t miss it.
However people find their way here, by the end of the night most understand why Valhalla has become what it has.
---
SCHEDULE
4:30PM
• Gates Open
• Afternoon DJ Set (SAHAJA RIA)
6:00PM
• Opening Ceremony (MARK SANKHARA, NIENKE, GARETH COHEN)
• Fire Performance (BRAD BARNETT)
7:00PM
• Dance Journey (DJ MARK SANKHARA & DRUMMER GARETH COHEN)
9:30PM
• Closing Performance (NIENKE BERGHUIS)
10:00PM
• Closing Ceremony
---
FOOD
GC Munch
(*not included in ticket price)
---
WHAT IS RITES OF DANCE?
Rites of Dance is a sober, intentional dance floor for people who love music, movement and real experience.
It brings the energy and sound system culture of a club into a completely sober environment, with a lot more space for people to actually be themselves and get into the dance.
There’s no right way to do it and nobody needs to know how to dance. You can come in and just let the night unfold however it does.
Every event is different. Sometimes it’s light and playful, sometimes it goes into much deeper or more challenging places, and usually there’s a bit of everything in there.
People come for all sorts of reasons, whether that’s to move some stress, reconnect with themselves, have a proper dance, or just spend a few hours around other people without feeling like they need to be anything in particular.
Rites of Dance isn’t a workshop, a ceremony or a night club - it’s a space that sits somewhere in between, and over time it becomes something you build a relationship with.
---
ABOUT THE MUSIC
Music has always been the backbone of Rites of Dance and carries the night from beginning to end.
The sound moves through many places over the course of an evening. You’ll hear everything from bass-heavy electronic music, drum and bass, trap, techno and house, through to more spacious, atmospheric and downtempo moments.
Sometimes the unexpected finds its way in too – an old favourite, a forgotten classic, or something nobody saw coming.
The sets are built like a long arc rather than a playlist. Energy rises and falls, things get heavier, then lighter, you’re invited into intensity, and then back out again - the intention isn’t to keep you in one state, but to let you move through many.
On some special nights, guest musicians or live elements may join in and add another layer to the experience. These are occasional and intentional, rather than a fixed part of every event.
At its core, the music is there to support your own process, not to distract you from it.
---
MEET THE TEAM
MARK SANKHARA – CREATOR & DJ
Mark Saṅkhāra is the creator of Rites of Dance and has been DJing for close to two decades across clubs, parties, festivals, weddings and conscious dance events in Australia and New Zealand.
For the past eight years, Mark has been actively involved in building the conscious dance scene on the Gold Coast, with Rites of Dance becoming a regular and well-established part of the community since its beginnings over five years ago.
His sets move through bass-heavy electronic music, tribal and world-influenced sounds, techno, house, drum and bass, downtempo and plenty of unexpected turns along the way. Rather than sticking to one genre, Mark builds long-form musical journeys designed to move through different energies and emotional landscapes over the course of a night.
With a Diploma in Audio Engineering and more than 20 years as a guitarist and musician, sound has been a central part of his life for a long time. Rites of Dance brings that together with his love of movement, community and creating spaces where people can properly let go and get into the experience.
CONNECT >>> https://www.instagram.com/mark_sankhara/
CONNECT >>> https://www.instagram.com/ritesofdance/
---
GARETH COHEN AKA DRUMMINGAZ – LIVE PERCUSSION
Gareth Cohen, a South African drumming virtuoso, boasts over two decades of global experience.
From heavy metal kits to djembe rhythms, his music transcends boundaries, uniting cultures worldwide.
Gareth, affectionately calling music “Mother Music,” believes in its ability to cultivate unity, peace, and love in any space.
Witness his transformative beats on stage and embrace the undeniable truth — in music, unity prevails.
CONNECT >>> https://www.instagram.com/drummingazz/
---
NIENKE BERGHUIS – OPENING/CLOSING PERFORMER
Nienke gives voice to the sound of silence, merging the natural, celestial, and ancestral realms through her ethereal music.
A multi-faceted singer-songwriter, producer, sound therapist, and drum circle facilitator, Nienke weaves music, mantra, movement, and meditation into transformative experiences.
In 2024, she released REMEMBER, a collection of songs born from an intimate journey with the womb, inspiring deep inner reflection.
With soaring vocals, sacred mantras, world instruments, and primal rhythms, she invites us to reconnect with our essence.
Her gentle yet powerful presence, open heart, and soul-stirring music resonates deeply, leaving a lasting impression that uplifts and nourishes all who experience her artistry.
Remember your inner song. Let music guide you home.
Social Media >>> https://www.instagram.com/nienkesound/?hl=en
Website >>> www.nienkeberghuis.com
Spotify >>> https://t.ly/erFk7
YouTube >>> YouTube.com/nienkeberghuis
---
SAHAJA RIA – OPENING DJ
Sahaja RIA is a genre-fluid DJ with over two decades behind the decks and an incurable obsession with discovering music that moves people.
Blending organic house, Afro rhythms, roots, bass music, disco, funk and soulful grooves, her sets are intuitive, playful and impossible to box in. Known for reading a room with uncanny precision, she weaves together unexpected sounds, deep rhythms and feminine energy to create dance floors that feel equal parts liberation, connection and mischief.
She doesn't follow trends. She follows the feeling.
CONNECT >>> https://soundcloud.com/sahaja_dj/
CONNECT >>> https://www.instagram.com/sahaja_dj_/
---
BRAD THE FIREBENDER – FIRE PERFORMER
Brad the Firebender is a fire performer who creates highly immersive fire experiences for events, retreats, weddings, birthdays, and transformational spaces.
Having travelled throughout Australia, Bali, and Japan sharing this medicine, his work blends fire performance, storytelling, and ritual to create powerful opening and closing ceremonies that leave a lasting impact on audiences.
CONNECT >>> https://www.instagram.com/bradthefirebender/
---
IMPORTANT INFO / WHAT TO BRING
You’re in for a big night and it’s good to be prepared.
Please bring:
• Drinking water
• Sweat towel
• Light, comfortable clothes and something warm to wear as the night cools
• Cash/card for purchases
• Cushion/pillow to sit on
• Yoga mat/something to lie on for the sound integration
*No previous experience needed
---
TICKETS
Children under 12 attend free with a parent or guardian.
Youth – $20 (Ages 13–17)
Super Early Bird – $35 (24 hours)
Early Release – $42 (30 tickets)
Second Release – $52 (50 tickets)
Final Release – $62 (60 tickets)
General Admission – $69
Door – $79
Bring A Mate Pass (2 Tickets) — $99
Viking Tribe Pass (4 Tickets) — $188
All ticket tiers grant full access to the entire Valhalla experience.
Earlier releases simply reward those who commit sooner.
If finances are genuinely tight, feel free to reach out. We want this space to remain accessible to the community.
There is also an option to donate further if you're feeling abundant.
---
REFUNDS
Tickets are non-refundable for change of mind. If you can no longer attend, you're welcome to on-sell or gift your ticket, or keep the value as credit towards a future Rites of Dance event (valid for 6 months).
In the event that Valhalla needs to be postponed due to unsafe or unsuitable weather conditions, all tickets will automatically transfer to the rescheduled date. If you're genuinely unable to attend the new date, please reach out and we'll organise a refund.
---
ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO COUNTRY
We acknowledge that this gathering takes place on the traditional lands of the Kombumerri people of the Yugambeh Language Region.
We pay our respects to their Elders past, present, and emerging, and honour their deep and ongoing connection to this land, its waters, and its stories.
***Rescheduled to Saturday 5 September due to the ongoing wet weather and ground conditions earlier this year.
Welcome to Valhalla.
For the sixth year, we gather once again to bring this world to life.
What started as a small themed experiment has slowly grown into the biggest night on the Rites of Dance calendar, with people travelling from all over and beyond to be part of it.
A lot of what shaped Valhalla came from the old worlds of Northern Europe... Norse mythology, Celtic traditions, pagan ceremony, tribal lore, music, storytelling, and the way entire communities once gathered close to the land, the elements, and each other.
That influence runs through the whole night, but this isn’t about throwing on a costume for a few photos or just turning up for a themed party, people actually immerse themselves in it.
By late afternoon, the field starts filling, outfits start appearing, friends reconnect, strangers start talking, and you can feel the whole atmosphere slowly starting to build.
As the sun starts to drop, ceremony opens the space.
From there, the night moves through live performances, fire, live drumming, Nordic and tribal soundscapes, and a full dance journey where somewhere along the way the crowd stops feeling like a crowd and starts feeling like a tribe.
Some come for the music. Some come for the mythology. Some come because a mate brought them once and now they don’t miss it.
However people find their way here, by the end of the night most understand why Valhalla has become what it has.
---
SCHEDULE
4:30PM
• Gates Open
• Afternoon DJ Set (SAHAJA RIA)
6:00PM
• Opening Ceremony (MARK SANKHARA, NIENKE, GARETH COHEN)
• Fire Performance (BRAD BARNETT)
7:00PM
• Dance Journey (DJ MARK SANKHARA & DRUMMER GARETH COHEN)
9:30PM
• Closing Performance (NIENKE BERGHUIS)
10:00PM
• Closing Ceremony
---
FOOD
GC Munch
(*not included in ticket price)
---
WHAT IS RITES OF DANCE?
Rites of Dance is a sober, intentional dance floor for people who love music, movement and real experience.
It brings the energy and sound system culture of a club into a completely sober environment, with a lot more space for people to actually be themselves and get into the dance.
There’s no right way to do it and nobody needs to know how to dance. You can come in and just let the night unfold however it does.
Every event is different. Sometimes it’s light and playful, sometimes it goes into much deeper or more challenging places, and usually there’s a bit of everything in there.
People come for all sorts of reasons, whether that’s to move some stress, reconnect with themselves, have a proper dance, or just spend a few hours around other people without feeling like they need to be anything in particular.
Rites of Dance isn’t a workshop, a ceremony or a night club - it’s a space that sits somewhere in between, and over time it becomes something you build a relationship with.
---
ABOUT THE MUSIC
Music has always been the backbone of Rites of Dance and carries the night from beginning to end.
The sound moves through many places over the course of an evening. You’ll hear everything from bass-heavy electronic music, drum and bass, trap, techno and house, through to more spacious, atmospheric and downtempo moments.
Sometimes the unexpected finds its way in too – an old favourite, a forgotten classic, or something nobody saw coming.
The sets are built like a long arc rather than a playlist. Energy rises and falls, things get heavier, then lighter, you’re invited into intensity, and then back out again - the intention isn’t to keep you in one state, but to let you move through many.
On some special nights, guest musicians or live elements may join in and add another layer to the experience. These are occasional and intentional, rather than a fixed part of every event.
At its core, the music is there to support your own process, not to distract you from it.
---
MEET THE TEAM
MARK SANKHARA – CREATOR & DJ
Mark Saṅkhāra is the creator of Rites of Dance and has been DJing for close to two decades across clubs, parties, festivals, weddings and conscious dance events in Australia and New Zealand.
For the past eight years, Mark has been actively involved in building the conscious dance scene on the Gold Coast, with Rites of Dance becoming a regular and well-established part of the community since its beginnings over five years ago.
His sets move through bass-heavy electronic music, tribal and world-influenced sounds, techno, house, drum and bass, downtempo and plenty of unexpected turns along the way. Rather than sticking to one genre, Mark builds long-form musical journeys designed to move through different energies and emotional landscapes over the course of a night.
With a Diploma in Audio Engineering and more than 20 years as a guitarist and musician, sound has been a central part of his life for a long time. Rites of Dance brings that together with his love of movement, community and creating spaces where people can properly let go and get into the experience.
CONNECT >>> https://www.instagram.com/mark_sankhara/
CONNECT >>> https://www.instagram.com/ritesofdance/
---
GARETH COHEN AKA DRUMMINGAZ – LIVE PERCUSSION
Gareth Cohen, a South African drumming virtuoso, boasts over two decades of global experience.
From heavy metal kits to djembe rhythms, his music transcends boundaries, uniting cultures worldwide.
Gareth, affectionately calling music “Mother Music,” believes in its ability to cultivate unity, peace, and love in any space.
Witness his transformative beats on stage and embrace the undeniable truth — in music, unity prevails.
CONNECT >>> https://www.instagram.com/drummingazz/
---
NIENKE BERGHUIS – OPENING/CLOSING PERFORMER
Nienke gives voice to the sound of silence, merging the natural, celestial, and ancestral realms through her ethereal music.
A multi-faceted singer-songwriter, producer, sound therapist, and drum circle facilitator, Nienke weaves music, mantra, movement, and meditation into transformative experiences.
In 2024, she released REMEMBER, a collection of songs born from an intimate journey with the womb, inspiring deep inner reflection.
With soaring vocals, sacred mantras, world instruments, and primal rhythms, she invites us to reconnect with our essence.
Her gentle yet powerful presence, open heart, and soul-stirring music resonates deeply, leaving a lasting impression that uplifts and nourishes all who experience her artistry.
Remember your inner song. Let music guide you home.
Social Media >>> https://www.instagram.com/nienkesound/?hl=en
Website >>> www.nienkeberghuis.com
Spotify >>> https://t.ly/erFk7
YouTube >>> YouTube.com/nienkeberghuis
---
SAHAJA RIA – OPENING DJ
Sahaja RIA is a genre-fluid DJ with over two decades behind the decks and an incurable obsession with discovering music that moves people.
Blending organic house, Afro rhythms, roots, bass music, disco, funk and soulful grooves, her sets are intuitive, playful and impossible to box in. Known for reading a room with uncanny precision, she weaves together unexpected sounds, deep rhythms and feminine energy to create dance floors that feel equal parts liberation, connection and mischief.
She doesn't follow trends. She follows the feeling.
CONNECT >>> https://soundcloud.com/sahaja_dj/
CONNECT >>> https://www.instagram.com/sahaja_dj_/
---
BRAD THE FIREBENDER – FIRE PERFORMER
Brad the Firebender is a fire performer who creates highly immersive fire experiences for events, retreats, weddings, birthdays, and transformational spaces.
Having travelled throughout Australia, Bali, and Japan sharing this medicine, his work blends fire performance, storytelling, and ritual to create powerful opening and closing ceremonies that leave a lasting impact on audiences.
CONNECT >>> https://www.instagram.com/bradthefirebender/
---
IMPORTANT INFO / WHAT TO BRING
You’re in for a big night and it’s good to be prepared.
Please bring:
• Drinking water
• Sweat towel
• Light, comfortable clothes and something warm to wear as the night cools
• Cash/card for purchases
• Cushion/pillow to sit on
• Yoga mat/something to lie on for the sound integration
*No previous experience needed
---
TICKETS
Children under 12 attend free with a parent or guardian.
Youth – $20 (Ages 13–17)
Super Early Bird – $35 (24 hours)
Early Release – $42 (30 tickets)
Second Release – $52 (50 tickets)
Final Release – $62 (60 tickets)
General Admission – $69
Door – $79
Bring A Mate Pass (2 Tickets) — $99
Viking Tribe Pass (4 Tickets) — $188
All ticket tiers grant full access to the entire Valhalla experience.
Earlier releases simply reward those who commit sooner.
If finances are genuinely tight, feel free to reach out. We want this space to remain accessible to the community.
There is also an option to donate further if you're feeling abundant.
---
REFUNDS
Tickets are non-refundable for change of mind. If you can no longer attend, you're welcome to on-sell or gift your ticket, or keep the value as credit towards a future Rites of Dance event (valid for 6 months).
In the event that Valhalla needs to be postponed due to unsafe or unsuitable weather conditions, all tickets will automatically transfer to the rescheduled date. If you're genuinely unable to attend the new date, please reach out and we'll organise a refund.
---
ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO COUNTRY
We acknowledge that this gathering takes place on the traditional lands of the Kombumerri people of the Yugambeh Language Region.
We pay our respects to their Elders past, present, and emerging, and honour their deep and ongoing connection to this land, its waters, and its stories.
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Where is it happening?
Mudgeeraba Show Grounds, 14 Worongary Rd, Worongary QLD 4213, Australia, Merrimac
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
Host or PublisherRites of Dance
