Zouktopia 2025
Date & Time
Fri, 04 Jul, 2025 at 02:00 pm to Mon, 07 Jul, 2025 at 12:00 pm
UTC-07:00Location
Leviathan Studio | Shearwater, BC
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Details
Leviathan Studio is a visionary dance space on Lasqueti Island, featuring a sprung dance floor built inside a stunning dome, surrounded by forest on an off-grid island.We invite you to join us for a zouk marathon focussed on enhancing personal growth and dance connections in a warm, intimate atmosphere from ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ญ๐ก-๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐๐ (option to come as early as Wed, July 2nd for camping). We will have a crew by Thursday evening for the pre-party!
Breakdown of dates:
July 2nd: Optional camping / sunbathing
July 3: Thursday night = Official Pre-Party
July 4-7: Fri, Sat, Sunday nights = heart of Zouktopia!
๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฌ:
โ Dance on a sprung floor (built on tires for a slight bounce, creating a light and freeing sensation).
โ Deepen friendships and connect with natureโsunbathe by the pond, swim in the ocean, and hike through the forest.
โ Enjoy incredible food, cooked on a wood stove, with fresh ingredients: kale from the garden, locally raised chicken, locally caught salmon, and wild venison hunted by Mark (the owner) with a crossbow.
โ Participate in workshops on compassionate communication and consent, with open slots for attendees to contribute their own expertise
โ Appreciate an intimate dance experience with a max of 30 attendees (15 leads & 15 follows)
๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ & ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ:
The owner charges $100 CAD per night, which includes:
โ Abundant meals (3 per day, plus snacks, coffee, and teas). Most ingredients are organic and locally sourced. We will eat like medieval royalty!
โ Accommodation: Best to bring a tent! (It's also possible to sleep inside the studio on available older mattresses or your own mat; just know that there are some bats*). If sleeping in the studio, youโll need to wait until dancing ends (around 3โ4 AM) or use earplugs while people are still dancing.
โ Amenities: Well-tended outhouses, sinks with well-water for hand washing and tooth brushing, filtered well water for drinking, and a rustic outdoor shower.
โ Workshops & dancing: This is a peer-led gatheringโanyone can propose a workshop, and weโll dance late into the night. If you know ahead of time that youโd like to lead a session, please let us know so we can make sure to accommodate you in the schedule .
๐๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข ๐๐ฌ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ง๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐๐ซ (5โ8 hour journey):
1. Ferry from Vancouver to Nanaimo: $20 per passenger, and $100ish for a standard sized car each-way
2. Bus: $30 each-way from Nanaimo to French Creek.
3. Foot-Passenger Ferry from French Creek to Lasqueti: $11.25 each-way (you can park your car at the French Creek marina for $5/day).
4. Pickup from Lasqueti ferry dock to Leviathan (coordinated by us).
*note that however you travel, you will need to be able to carry your things on and off the foot-passenger ferry
**Ferries run from French Creek to Lasqueti Island at 9:30am, 2:30pm, and 5:30pm. The crossing takes about 50 minutes. Ferries depart Lasqueti on Monday at 8am, 11am, and 4pm
๐๐จ๐ญ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ:
- Foot Passenger: Ferry-Bus-Ferry: ~$61.25 CAD (each way)
- Passenger + Vehicle: ~$101.25 CAD (each way + parking at French Creek if needed)
- 4 people Carpooling from Vancouver round-trip: Approx $110/person total ($200 for car, $40 Nanaimo Ferries, $22.50 for Lasqueti Ferries... plus gas).
๐๐ฏ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ & ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง:
- You can attend for 3โ5 days.
- Main event: Friday, July 4th to Monday brunch (arrive on either afternoon ferry).
- Thursday, July 3rd is the pre-party (arrive on either afternoon ferry, orientation and dancing after dinner)
- It's possible to arrive Wednesday afternoon to settle in
๐ ๐๐๐ฌ:
๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐จ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง & ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ
๐ Leviathan is rusticโindoor spaces have old mattresses, but bringing a tent is the best way to ensure your own sleeping space. Hammocks work well too! (If you cannot bring a tent but want one, we may be able to help)
๐ฟ Facilities: Artistic outhouses (cleaned regularly and stocked with toilet paper), an outdoor shower (pond water), and sinks with fresh well-water for hand washing, tooth-brushing, and drinking (there is also filtered well-water for drinking, plus hot water for tea anytime).
โ Dishes and cutlery are provided!
๐ฅ Leviathan has a max capacity of 30 attendees (15 leads & 15 follows) so be sure to get your spot soon!
๐๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฉ๐ฌ, ๐๐๐ฌ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ:
๐ถ This is a peer-led experienceโ for music, we will play our favourite zouk set lists or anyone is welcome to volunteer to DJ. Attendees are also welcome to lead small workshops or skill exchanges.
๐ Best suited for dancers comfortable with the fundamentals of zouk: viradinha, lateral, simple turn, soltinho, abertura, bonus/boomerang, elastico/raul, yo-yo and common variations.
๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐๐ฌ:
โ No flush toiletsโonly well-maintained outhouses
โ There are some resident bats* (see note at bottom of description)
โก Solar-powered electricityโenough for phone charging, but no high-power devices (e.g., hairdryers)
๐ Internet is available at a bar/restaurant, a 20-minute walk away
๐ Lasqueti is remoteโthe nearest hospital is far away
๐ The owner of Leviathan asks that you sign a liability waiver upon arrival
โ This is for those who love "glamping" and adventure!
๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฌ:
๐ฝ First meal: Dinner on arrival day (or lunch if you arrive early!)
๐ฝ Last meal: Lunch on departure day
โ Bring shoes appropriate for trails and also sandals, bug spray (although there aren't too many mosquitoes), bathing suit, dance shoes, layers in case we get cool evenings, and cash in case you need anything from the store or cookie-stand
๐ Leviathan website: https://leviathan.lasqueti.ca
๐ Ferry schedule: https://westernpacificmarine.com/routes/lasqueti-island/
๐ฅ See the dance space in action: YouTube video
๐ FB Event Page: Here!
โจ Join us for a zouk adventure of a lifetime! โจ
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ง๐?
๐ Sign up here! https://forms.gle/UoP2i96A8UjC2oqK7
*As mentioned, there are bats on the property. The owner has lived there for many years and hosts events every summer. There has never been an issue. That being said, here's some statistics on bats in Canada for anyone who has any concerns. If you have any further questions about this, feel free to reach out to Nick:
https://www.cwhc-rcsf.ca/docs/fact_sheets/Bats%20and%20Rabies%202020-02-20.pdf
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/rabies/surveillance.html