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Long Exhales
the wellness arts of Nathan Fallou
meet Nathan
Son of a paramedic turned yoga teacher, godson of Prince, Senegalese-hearted, and...
His offerings
Not only musical ice baths...
in clients' words
Unfiltered... plus photos
Nathan Fallou
Nathan is a seasoned wellness arts facilitator, who has had the privilege to hold safe, joyous, and sacred space for over a thousand clients. His methods of team building, breathwork, cold therapy, trance dance, and sound healing are creatively, musically, and originally conceived— as an embodied result of his own personal wellness practices, organically born and cultivated in the liminal magic space between cultural dimensions as well as between conventional disciplines. He has adapted these offerings and more for children. Nathan is also a certified practitioner of ethically sourced Kambo sacred indigenous medicine, and ceremony guide for several sacred plant medicines.Whether as a festival founder, artistic director, musical performer, workshop leader, trauma-informed ceremony holder, plant medicine practitioner, or DJ, Nathan gives thanks for the sacred privilege to hold space for safety, release & transformation, human connection, and celebrate community.
recent interviews
InNairobi web magazine, February 2025
The Search for Wellness with Puja Samani YouTube podcast, February 2025
background
Nathan came into self-cultivation thru 2 decades of breathing, healing, growing and creating with the rhythms, drums, dance, grace— and much more only expressible in Wolof language— of Senegalese culture. In Dakar, he was the adoptive son and final collaborator of UNESCO ‘Living Human Treasure’ godfather of Sabar medicine drumming Doudou Ndiaye Rose, founding director of Deggi Daaj International Festival of Drums & Dance, DaKemistry Orchestra of transdisciplinary improvisation systems, and co-founder of the city’s first modern yoga studio, Prism Yoga. While covid restrictions destroyed what he built in Dakar, Marrakech has remained his 2nd home since 2+ decades, where he collaborates co-creating wellness retreats and performs with the Gnawa brotherhood.Beyond the continent, during summer breaks in Europe, he is also the founder and director of Demonshaker, a 6-drumset circle orchestra offering western audiences a demystified experience of healing trance.In Dar es Salaam he is the founder of the Serebuka Orchestra. In Mexico during covid, Tanzania since 2023, Morocco since 2024, and presently in Kenya, he has seeded a culture of Music-centric Breathwork + Ice Bath ceremonies.He holds a Master’s in Orchestral Conducting and Non-Western Percussion from the Conservatory of Amsterdam, and a diploma in African Trance Dance from L’Ecole des Sables in Senegal. The Baltic Sea of Estonia was his cold therapy teacher in the winter of 2008. A son of a paramedic turned yoga teacher, godson of Prince (the music star), lifelong surfer and musician, he’s also passionate about singing, group improvisation games, intentional brotherhood, and The Four Agreements.
writing
Music in Africa web magazine: Doudou Ndiaye Rose's Final Collaborator
offerings
Ceremonies• Music-centric Breathwork + Ice Bath
• African Trance Music Breathwork, + aromatherapy
• Dance Prayers "ecstatic" dance
• Egyptian Sufi Zikr trance dance
• Sound Healing: crystal singing bowls, buffalo drum, Native American flute, voice
• Sacred plant and indigenous medicines: Hapé, Sananga, psilocybin, ethically sourced Kambo
• Shaking meditation, in the tradition of, directly taught by, Balinese shaman Ratu BagusWorkshops & Team Building• Ice Bath Karaoke
• Music-centric Breathwork + Ice Bath (as team building)
• Temporary Utopia connection games
• Group improvisation systems, for musicians and dancers
• Eurhythmics & The HakaCircles• Men’s
• Singing
• Ho’oponoponoGuided brief drop-ins, bespoke• Ice bath
• Breathwork / nervous system regulation / aromatherapyAll available at your private location, most available for kids
Holistic Music Performances• Demonshaker — a 6-drumset circle orchestra offering audiences a demystified experience of healing trance. Locally curated drummers, workshop + performance• Temporary Utopia Orchestra — a 12-person transdisciplinary creative laboratory of group improvisation systems, languages, and games, celebrating community. Locally curated participants, workshop + performance• The music of Robert Ashley — Nathan was one of the final collaborators of this enigmatic visionary composer,
initiated in his singular vocal performance practice as a solo performer and/or workshop holder• DJ — parties or ceremonies, art galleries or rooftop sundowners, always bespoke, always a joy
experience shares
Click the slideshow to read in your own rhythm [13 slides]Source:
Google Form offered to participants of breathwork and ice bath ceremonies.
All names/emails available upon request.
slideshow - breath & ice
Click the slideshow to choose your own rhythm
For hundreds more testimonials (written and video reels), you may visit @longexhales on Instagram, in the highlights, under Clients
Demonshaker is a 6-drumset circle orchestra offering western audiences a demystified experience of healing trance, thru physicality of sound and circularity of rhythm. For it, Nathan created a gestural conducting language which favors invitation and choice, rather than command and control. A shamanic sculpting of supremely charged flow states. Demonshaker is a sonic purification and celebration of release & community. The creation process takes the form of a 1 week workshop with locally curated professional drummers resulting in a performance. It been hosted numerous times in Berlin and Lisbon, and also in Oaxaca, Mexico and Sofia, Bulgaria.
Oaxaca, Mexico for PRISMA Forum 2009
Lisbon, Portugal for UNESCO World Dance Day 2012
Berlin, Germany debut of Demonshaker 2008
Temporary Utopia Orchestra is the umbrella name of a project which takes on its own life and identity in each creative community where it happens. For it, Nathan collaborates with a local curator who invites 12 creative performers— any mix of instruments/voices, of any skill level, stylistic background or performative artistic discipline. Nathan then leads the ensemble thru a 3-5 day workshop process, culminating in a performance. The workshop-rehearsal process is a thoroughly fun, mind-expanding, and comfort-zone-stretching learning and integration of powerful group improvisation tools and systems for fostering human connection and creating meaningful original music and/or theater in real time. When we take the stage, the language is prepared, but the content is a surprise to us all. It is fundamentally a celebration of a creative community, which the audience witnesses with empathy and laughter, much akin to watching sports.
BackgroundFascinated by the potential synergies of creative social alchemy, Nathan has been exploring and developing group improvisation systems and games since his teens. He created the award winning Cobra Ensemble Cincinnati in 1998— concurrent to his bachelor studies in orchestral conducting— specializing in renderings of MacArthur “genius” Grant composer John Zorn’s notorious game-piece Cobra. This resulted in Zorn inviting Nathan to NYC to play in Cobra under his direction.In Holland during his masters, Nathan created the ensemble Collision Palace, which enjoyed collaborations with composers such as Pauline Oliveros, premiered a graphic score by Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth, performed with Fred Frith in the Holland Festival, and won the praise of Frederic Rzewski for “best capturing the spirit” of his iconic protest score Coming Together. With this ensemble, Nathan also began the research process of translating the Cobra system into dance. During this time he was invited to workshop and direct his style of Cobra at festivals in Barcelona, Darmstadt, Ostrava, and Lisbon.In 2010, Nathan led the first weeklong Organizing Desire workshop for dancers and musicians— a full translation of Cobra into dance— at the world’s largest international dance festival, ImPulsTanz in Vienna.The first performance of Cobra on the African continent was directed by Nathan in Dakar, Senegal with his DaKemistry Orchestra at the Institut Francais in June of 2013.Nathan has also invented his own transdisciplinary group improvisation system, Circle Opera.
Nathan is the artistic director and conductor of the ensemble, but to my eyes he is much more a performer himself. His way of gathering the band members’ energy and redistributing it back with specific signals and movements has more to do with dance, martial arts, or even shamanism… This is not free or even interpretive improvisation— the visceral clarity and physicality of his directing almost seem to declare war on the well-run territory of improv sans language, which is not to say that he does not balance such command with moments of making himself fluid or invisible, trusting players’ own commands, letting the music just breathe, or even sharing laughter.He brought John Zorn's Cobra as it should be but rarely is— not as a demonstration of a game system (which is admittedly completely entertaining and engaging in itself) or a representation of its legendary creator, but fully present and recognizing the immediate unique chemistry and latent interactive potential of 13 diverse individuals assembled on the stage in front of him, and using Cobra as a language through which their creative energies flow, collide, synergize and grow exponentially.And there is a certain social alchemy at work here too in the way he brings these people together, in that these are all first-class musical personalities well-known from different respective scenes in Holland (including guests from Paris and New York) who otherwise might never be found in the same room together. It is from the beginning a highly combustible presentation of personal comfort zones shared, stretched, resculpted, or sometimes simply violated until their respective borders are transcended into a collective creative ecstasy. This presentation was framed and drawn into harmony by Fuhr's way, upon entering the space, of establishing terms in non-verbal communication with audience and his ensemble alike, palms together just below present eyes, with the grace and selfless air reminiscent of an Indian classical musician— a balancing yin to the red-hot yang energy of the performance itself.— Francisco Gonzalez
Vlucht Magazine, Amsterdam 2004
Dakar, Senegal
Dakar, Senegal
Dakar, Senegal
Dakar, Senegal
Dakar, Senegal
Berlin, Germany
Berlin, Germany
Zurich, Switzerland as curator of the Robert Ashley Festival, with the composer, 2006
" The conductor and vocal artist Nathan Fuhr was the one responsible for the highlights of the festival evenings. His intimacy to Ashley’s music was revealed in the stunningly many-voiced solo Yes, But Is It Edible? and the suggestive She Was A Visitor. Continuing with the theme of language and its musical exploration, Tap Dancing In The Sand was the central piece of the following day’s concert. In this well over 20-minute piece, the speech rhythm of the speaker is picked up by the instruments and compacted into an elaborately patterned sound-tapestry, which was brought into full hypnotic effect by Amsterdam's MAE Ensemble under Fuhr's physical and vocal direction. "— "Language and Ritual", Neue Züricher Zeitung, April 2006
Dear Nathan,Thanks again for your incomparable help in Zurich. I couldn't and wouldn't have done it without you. I must admit that the "retrospective" occasion is getting to be sort of a chore, in spite of the amazing preparation that you put into it, last time in Holland as well.I guess the accumulated knowledge of how those pieces are to be played is being accumulated in you. Probably the fervor will die down in the near future, only to be resumed briefly when I am no longer available. So, you might be asked to do it again. There is nothing immediately in the future, but I'm sure something will come up.Your "Tap Dancing..." gets better all the time. You can take more liberties as you feel it, if the occasion arises again. You have a wonderful sense of what can be done with English.Thanks again.
BobI would write more, except that I came home to a fierce amount of e-mail that I am struggling with. The ride home, though uneventful, was unusually tiring. I guess I have just been in too many airplanes. Very best.— Robert Ashley, April 2006
Performing Yellow Man with Heart with Wings
Performing The Backyard
Performing The Wolfman
The Zikr is traditionally a Sufi trance ceremony of prayer, which often transpires as a full night ritual, and has different geographical manifestations as per the richness of Sufi cultures. The Egyptian Zikr takes the form of an ecstatic repetitive dance, on the breath...Driven by specific music which guides a natural rhythm of breathing, the breath then invites the body into a continuous torso-swing-like movement for one hour, in gradual acceleration… The body movement remaining throughout a free and natural consequence of the breath and music.This is both an active meditation and a different way of partying… Focused inward in prayer… or eyes wide open and sharing joy... A multitude of Me's surrendered to the We.Note: A traditional Egyptian Zikr takes place over the whole night. Where we stop after 1 hour and come down, they would take a break over tea and shisha and begin again... gradually progressing into the trance: three steps up, one step down, three steps up, one step down... so to speak. What is offered here is not an authentic Zikr, but rather just a potent taste.People of any age and condition are welcome to participate and choose their own comfortable degree of physical intensity, as engagement of the breath holds priority over the physical movement.Nathan has participated in many Egyptian Zikrs in Cairo and Holland, and was given by Sabri Saad el Hamus in 2005 the blessing and music to lead it himself outside of traditional settings, with encouragement to explore his own cultural recontextualization of the practice." A feeling of lightness and lucidity stayed with me for almost a week— thank you ! "“ When you called 10 minutes, I didn't know if that meant 10 minutes had passed or 10 minutes were left ! ” ( The Zikr lasts 1 hour )
Dance Prayers is a deeper dimension of dance. It was conceived as a response to frequent invitations to DJ for Ecstatic Dance sessions... yet not resonating with the "spiritual techno" music of that scene, nor the familiar patterns it keeps the body moving in. Dance Prayers is therefore free of 1-dimensional electronic beats, while respecting the same values of a safe, sober, non verbal dance space where all forms of engagement with the music are welcome without judgement. It is a curated and live-DJd journey of sublime celebratory African and Sufi trance musics which carry their own inherent wisdom, communicating directly to the body, breath, and soul. Musics made by spirit-ware rather than software. Nathan has a personal embodied connection to these music medicines since 2+ decades and gives thanks for the privilege to share them and pay it forward.
Nathan's primary cold therapy method of Music-centric Breathwork + Ice Bath Ceremony focuses on the single goal of relaxation response of the nervous system while in the ice, guided breath-by-breath. Rather than the 1-dimensional focus on duration primarily, found in conventional ice bath culture. This is in order to access full-spectrum beyond-physical health benefits as well, including mental health transformation and the potential of trauma release from the body. In his method bespoke music support is also integral, as only you know the soundtrack, sound healing, affirmations, or silence to best synergize with your intentions. Accordingly, there is also an emphasis on the safe space of smaller ceremony groups and personalized guidance. The circle holds space for each other with absolute compassion and zero judgement... with participant intentions ranging from BJJ fight preparation and muscle recovery, to grief processing and chasing healthy dopamine. Wholesome community connection is a central value, and groups often flow to dinner together afterwards.His secondary cold therapy method of Ice Bath Karaoke is also rooted in this intention, however thru singing as the focus to wholesomely move the breath and send the essential signal of relaxation response to the nervous system.For both sessions, a preparation guidance PDF of mindset and physical approach is sent upon RSVP. Integration guidance and support is provided following the experience.
slideshow - breath & ice
Click the slideshow to choose your own rhythm
Nathan's method of African Trance Music Breathwork is a paying forward of his own practice, of over 2 decades immersive experience in the somatic demystification of the healing trance music and dance ceremony traditions of the Gnawa in Morocco, Sabar in Senegal, and Sufi Zikr in Egypt. Sacred musics which invite the breath to dance, thru their circularity of rhythm and physicality of sound. It is also rooted in the lifelong influence of pranayama breathing practices from his yoga teacher mother.In Nathan's words: I was being requested by collaborators in Europe to ''make something" to offer from Africa. Which didn't resonate with me, as my calling on the continent was a personal healing and growth journey, absolutely not to commodify or extract. The requests continued over the years, and I generally disregarded them. In a Vipassana meditation retreat, on day 6, most unexpectedly, it came to me... I will pay forward my breathwork practice.The breathwork ceremony is an active meditation journey of deep release, driven by musics which communicate directly to the body, breath, and soul. Trauma informed, and supported by immaculate quality essential oils, palo santo, white sage, and big love. A preparation guidance PDF of mindset and physical approach is sent upon RSVP. Integration guidance and support is provided afterwards.
Recent client experience shares
Temporary Utopia sessions are a deeper approach to team building, a creative laboratory of connection games and we-sciences offering playful, poetic, limbic ways of engaging and remixing the We. From dynamic spatial movement games, to small circle explorations through pulse and gesture, to full circle improvisation tools. Each game is designed to the present group dynamics, to spark joy, expand creativity, access flow state, cultivate meaningful non-verbal connections, and transcend the Me’s into the We.
Nathan directing The Haka with 160 children
at the International School of Dakar, 2010
slideshow - sound healing
Click the slideshow to choose your own rhythm
Kambo is a beautiful sacred medicine of indigenous peptide therapy. The big guns of detox— body, mind, and soul. Warrior archetype medicine. It’s been part of my health practice since 2012. My certification is from the visionary and masterful Neal Henegar, widely respected as the “Indiana Jones of frog medicine”. His training curriculum brought this sacred medicine beyond the Amazonian mystic, by working with it thru the lenses of modern allopathic, Ayurvedic, and Chinese medicines— a truly holistic approach. The blessing and privilege to pay it forward remains, thru Neal, absolutely mindful of integrity in relations with the indigenous stewards of this medicine tradition, and ethical and sustainable principles of sourcing the medicine in Peru.The sacred plant medicines of sananga and hapé are offered optionally before the Kambo. Bespoke musical support is offered in the forms of live medicine drumming, crystal singing bowls, Native American flute, singing… or whatever soundtrack you feel from Spotify. We set aside 3 hours for the ceremony. Before confirming a ceremony, I will do a medical intake to clear you of any contraindications, and provide you with preparation guidance. Integration guidance and support is provided following the ceremony.If you are seeking health solutions outside of the conventional paradigms, respect, bless. I can humbly and wholeheartedly recommend establishing a relationship with this sacred medicine intelligence. Please take your time to research Kambo, and arrive at your own organic sense of “Yes this calls me”. Do feel free to reach out to me if you feel that call, yet hesitate due to concern regarding a specific health condition.To spare you the Google algorithms which generally pimp for big pharma, here are some good places to start exploring:Instagram pages—
@kambofrogdetox_
@medicinefrogkambo
@kambomoves
@kambohub
@kambopractitionercollective
@rivercitykambo
@planetkamboAn excellent Facebook group resource—
Kambo Frog Community - Kind and Helpful Q&AA comprehensive site—
Kambo Peptides ExplainedA rich article and YouTube discussion—
The Science of Kambo
Solo and small group circle hapé ceremoniesThe sacred plant medicine of hapé is also worth sitting with on it's own. It is offered as an ally to assist one’s practice of nervous system regulation, of dropping-in to presence, alignment, and authenticity with a clear mind, calm breath, and open heart. It also supports cord-cutting and the sending of energies back to source. Immediate relief from mental density and anxiety. From this grounded and centered place, one may reconnect with intuition… and take a major decision, receive downloads, pray, begin an active or passive meditation, or simply speak their truth.After optional palo santo smudge cleansing, the medicine is lovingly served by Nathan Fallou, who has been in communion with this plant intelligence since 2012, and offers a wide variety of immaculate quality feminine and masculine hapé blends to select from. He works with a curved bone tepi (serving pipe) to have access to the full spectrum between gentle and powerful, depending on the needs of the receiver. Upon serving the medicine, Nathan guides the medicine energy with hands-on haptic integration support, breath guidance, and sound healing and/or singing.For first timers, it is helpful to be on an empty stomach, and without alcohol in your system. Karibuni to PM with any questions or for more infos.
Bespoke psilocybin sacred medicine journeysFor private individuals and groups. Please reach out.
slideshow - hapé & Kambo
Click the slideshow to choose your own rhythm
Enough about me, I'd love to hear how I may be of service to youI'm grateful for your interest, and happy to receive any questions or inquires, or to schedule a call