guide
what is ecstatic dance?
a freeform dance, movement and music journey. it combines meditation, (self-) connection, self-love, embodiment and community. no steps to learn, no style to master - you move how you feel.
get out of your mind and into your body
in an ecstatic dance, the hosts and DJs guide us through different phases - a welcome & explanation, a slow grounding, a rising energy phase, an ecstatic peak, then a wind-down and finally stillness. plus a closing.
you move (or don’t), feel, smile, cry, jump, sing, scream...or just meditate, observing what’s happening inside of you. you decide; your body knows best what she or he needs.
just one dance of 90 minutes per week can drastically change someone’s (mental) health & life!
the journey of an ecstatic dance
it starts slow and grounding, builds and rises, reaches an ecstatic peak where you can really let go, then comes back down to stillness - a shavasana rest on the floor. one continuous journey, guided by music and sometimes a few words from the host.
- 1groundingarriving in the body
- 2riseenergy building
- 3ecstasy / peakthe release, the freak-out
- 4descentcoming down
- 5shavasanarest on the floor
sober, barefoot, eyes closed
ecstatic dance has a few simple agreements. the better you adhere to these, the more powerful your experience of self-connection.
- barefoot - it grounds you more than shoes or socks.
- phone on “do not disturb” - it’s a distraction - regard this as 90 minutes of therapy or meditation.
- no talking to others - talking to yourself is welcome.
- no alcohol or drugs - we want to welcome all your feelings, as they are.
- eyes closed - turn your attention inward, and let no one watching become no one to perform for.
what it can do
for years I only felt comfortable dancing with alcohol; and thus was never really present. back then in mexico, a friend convinced me to try ecstatic dancing and wow, the first minutes felt soooo weird and awkward. to be honest, that was a representation of my life: I was not free, I felt pressure to “perform” and I cared way too much what other people think of me.
“until I closed my eyes and allowed myself to feel and to not care what other people think of me. tears came, sadness, joy, anger...so many emotions.”
- Max, founder of WeDancethat’s why WeDance exists: to make ecstatic dance possible from anywhere - online and live, every sunday.
questions people ask about ecstatic dance
I can’t really dance. is this for me?
yes. this isn’t about dancing well, or dancing at all. you can sway, walk, shake, jump, sit on the floor, or lie down. your body knows what it needs - the only job is to let it move how it wants and get out of your own head.
what dance style do I dance?
there is no specific dance style. the hosts and djs will explain that in the beginning. but in general: you move how you feel. sometimes you might not move at all and just breathe, sometimes you might feel to move slowly, sometimes faster. it’s your journey and there are no dance styles. you can do anything.
what actually happens in a dance?
one continuous ~90-minute journey, guided by music and sometimes a few words from the host. it starts slow and grounding, builds and rises, reaches an ecstatic peak where you can really let go, then comes back down to stillness - a shavasana rest on the floor. no alcohol, no drugs. just you, sober and awake in your body.
what if strong emotions come up?
they’re welcome. people laugh, cry, shake, release. that’s not a side effect - it’s often the whole gift. whatever moves through you - joy, sadness, anger, relief - you’re allowed to feel it here. (this is a space for release, not a substitute for therapy or medical care.)
more guides: online ecstatic dance · ecstatic dance at home · or back to WeDance