[News Release] – Ekata Training Center and Urban Retreat is getting ready for its inaugural Summer Kickoff Celebration from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on May 17 and 18, featuring Spider-Man live shows on Saturday, program demonstrations, prizes and more, at the center’s new, expanded location at 27831 Smyth Dr. Ekata will also be offering attendees to the free event a special summer membership of two months for $99.

The celebration is also a grand opening for Ekata’s new location. Founded in Valencia in 2006, the training center this year moved to a nearly 11,000-square-foot facility – a radical change from their previous space on Cinema Drive. The celebration weekend will include more than $10,000 in raffle prizes, plus samples from food vendors including KIND Bar, Perfect Bar, KindKreme, Harmless Harvest, That’s It and Dragon Herbs. The first 300 attendees will receive free Spider-Man T-shirts.

The weekend will also be a fundraiser for the nonprofit WiSH Education Foundation, which helps fund programs that go beyond what taxpayer dollars fund for the William S. Hart Union High School District. During the May 17 festivities, kids will be able to get their picture taken with Spider-Man, with all proceeds going to the WiSH Foundation.

“We see this as really a win-win weekend for the community,” said JoAnn Wabisca, who founded Ekata with her husband, Ed Monaghan. “It’s something fun for families with kids who go crazy for Spider-Man, and it’s also a chance for us to introduce ourselves to those in the community who might not be aware of all Ekata offers.”

With an East-meets-West philosophy, Ekata (Sanskrit for “oneness”) combines Western sports science and an alternative to the traditional fitness club model. Ekata merges Eastern tradition, martial arts training and Intelligent, scientific training designed to promote long-term wellness – mental and physical, with programs for both children and adults. Ekata’s new facility includes state-of-the-art equipment, three main classroom and training areas, a teen study area, childcare room, treatment and meditation rooms, and locker and shower rooms.

Attendees to the Summer Kickoff Celebration will not only have a chance to tour the center, but will also be able to learn about Ekata in a hands-on way, with free classes for kids and adults, free chair massages, samples from Ekata’s juice bar, plus workshops and performance demonstrations.

Ekata founders Ed Monaghan and JoAnn Wabisca

As part of their fitness program, Ekata offers combat choreography; the Alexander Technique, which teaches proper posture, balance and alignment; Conceptual Movement, incorporating dance and gymnastics; and hip-hop dance. The center offers personal training packages, and members also have access to an off-site sports performance lab as part of Ekata’s partnership with Dr. Chris Powers, head of the biokineseology program at the University of Southern California.

True to Ekata’s dedication to “exert, heal, rejuvenate,” the center also offers a full program of sports and Swedish massage, acupuncture and physical therapy. The center also features a full juice bar and nutritional coaching.

Ekata Training Center and Urban Retreat is located at 27831 Smyth Dr. For more information, call (661) 505-8191 or visit www.ekata.net.