Artist: Sacred Spirit
Song: Dela Dela
Album: Sacred Spirits II: More Chants and Dances of the Native Americans
Time: 4:42
Genre: global, Native American
BPM: 123
Category: climb
Available: Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music
If you experienced the early Spinning® conferences in the late 1990s and early 2000s, you know that something special was happening in those rooms.
These weren’t typical cycling classes. They were passionate mind-body experiences, fueled by extraordinary music, powerful storytelling, and presenters from around the world who each brought their own perspective on how music could transform a ride.
Johnny G, the creator of the Spinning program, had an especially deep and inspirational relationship with music. From him, I learned to listen for the emotional power of a song. His repertoire included global, trance, downtempo, and club tracks that were far more than a good beat. They could be emotional, powerful, mesmerizing. Yes, they had a beat that helped you turn the pedals, but the music could also take you somewhere.
Johnny intertwined his love of music with his passion for martial arts and cycling, and that combination was at the heart of the original mind-body philosophy of Spinning.
And he wasn’t alone.
Many of the early master instructors from around the world, including Josh Taylor, Francesco Sivieri, Clemente Habiague, Luciana Marcial-Vincion, Mike Michaels, Al Amado, Martin Timmerman, Sarah Morelli, and so many others, brought their own deep connection to music into their sessions. Every conference seemed to introduce me to another artist, another sound, another way of using music to tell a story on the bike.
I don’t remember exactly who introduced me to Sacred Spirit, but I know I first heard music like this at a Spinning conference in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It may very well have been a Johnny G session.
And I’m glad I still have it in my musical toolbox.
I don’t use “Dela Dela” often anymore, but when the moment is right, it can be incredibly powerful. If your purpose is to transcend the bike, tell a story, explore the music and culture of Native Americans, or invite your riders into a deeper mind-body connection, this is a song worth knowing.
It’s one of those close your eyes, breathe deeply, and just climb songs.
Turn the lights down low. Let the music fill the room. Give your riders a little space to go inward. No elaborate choreography. No complicated coaching. Just the bike, the climb, the music, and the experience.
Those kinds of rides aren’t confined to the early days of Spinning. They are still possible today. Sometimes, all it takes is the right song and a coach who understands how to let the music do some of the work.
And if you like “Dela Dela,” explore the rest of Sacred Spirits II. There are some beautiful pieces on this album that can take your riders somewhere far beyond the four walls of the studio.
Here at ICA, we have three weekly music posts, each with its own musical personality. Monday Mainstream Music (MMM) highlights newer mainstream pop and rock, Friday Favorites (FF) covers anything and everything that can light up your cycling studio, and Wednesday Timeless Classics (WTC) uncovers the musical gems that helped shape the early days of the Spinning® program.
If you’re a longtime instructor who remembers when the music was an integral part of the experience, and you still love that deeper musical and mind-body connection, Wednesday Timeless Classics is a resource you’ll want to explore.
We have well over 200 WTC songs in the ICA archives, from global and trance to rock, electronic, ambient, downtempo, and other unforgettable tracks from those early years. Some may bring back memories. Others may be completely new to you. All are there to inspire you to dig deeper into your music and create those immersive, meaningful experiences that are still possible on the bike today.
There’s a lot of musical history waiting for you at ICA. Come explore Wednesday Timeless Classics.