✤ Learn the art of embodiment and develop somatic skills to confidently guide others deeper into their bodies, experiences, and communities through the transformative power of dance.

Have you ever attended a conscious dance event and wondered how such a powerful and cohesive feeling of community is created? This potent group field is due, in large part, to the somatic skills of an embodied facilitator. This role is called by many names: "Ceremony Leader'', "Space Holder" or "Dance Facilitator". Regardless of the name, the role is the same: guide dancers, in an embodied way, into a dance journey, stay present with them throughout, and guide them back out again by grounding and integrating the experience.

Our Dance Facilitator Training is a journey to find self-embodiment and bolster your inherent facilitation skills, allowing you to confidently step into the role of a trusted facilitator. In doing so, you pave the way for others to fully surrender to movement, reaping its liberating, healing, and connective effects. Within our vibrant learning community, you'll marry your existing skills with proven somatic tools in an atmosphere of fun, friendship, and support. You’ll join a diverse cohort of peers—from dancers to DJs, psychologists, yoga teachers, breathwork instructors, and facilitators of all kinds–all keen on integrating embodiment and somatic techniques into their professions.

✤ Is our Online Dance Facilitator Training for you?

→ Are you a passionate dancer yearning to become more involved in the conscious dance scene? 

→ Do you possess mad leadership skills, but seek the embodiment training you need to confidently hold space and guide using dance?

→ Perhaps you're a seasoned dance facilitator looking to diversify your skills, be inspired, and find new opportunities?
→ Are you in the wellness or movement profession, eager to deepen your connection with dance and embodiment?
→ Or are you a psychologist or therapist curious about integrating movement-based practices into your sessions?

→ Have you been running conscious dance events like Ecstatic Dance and feel the need to enhance the overall experience for your dancers?

→ Or do you host events, eager to boost your facilitation skills to capture that distinct feeling of containment for which Ecstatic Dance is celebrated?

If the answer is YES to any of these questions, then join the DTM Dance Facilitator Training. You’ll learn to combine your own unique skill set with potent facilitation techniques and somatic tools designed to get people into their bodies, create transformative experiences, and build a sense of community and belonging.

✤ What to Expect at our Online Dance Facilitator Training?
Our thoughtfully crafted 11-module training will take place on Wednesdays, where we’ll come together via Zoom for 11 interactive sessions starting March 6th until June 5th, 2024. We’ll divide our 3-hour sessions between lectures on the day's topic, dance and movement practices, small group discussions, interviews with special guests and exercises, while making sure there is time for Q&A.

You'll receive a 200+ page printable manual and workbook, rich with practical and theoretical knowledge, alongside spaces for your insights and those of your peers. Each module offers a homework task to enhance your understanding. Finish the course with the confidence to facilitate numerous dances, knowing that you will have the manual to return to for inspiration for years to come.

✤ Times 

→ Central European Time (UTC+1) 18:00-21:00 (Madrid, Paris)

→ Western European Time (UTC+0) 17:00-20:00 (London, Lisbon)

→ Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5) 12:00-15:00 (New York, Toronto)

→ Pacific Standard Time (UTC-8) 9:00-12:00 (LA, Vancouver)

All sessions will be recorded and released within 48 hours to allow you to catch up on any missed sessions and stay on track with content and assignments.

This Live Training format is for you if...

→ You seek a vibrant learning cohort and future colleagues

→ You thrive when learning within a group setting

→ Your schedule is aligned with our live training hours

→ You value interaction with both instructors and fellow students

Step fully and confidently into your facilitator role and become part of a global family of passionate facilitators using dance, embodiment, and somatic techniques to foster connection and healing. 

To effectively guide embodiment practices and somatic explorations requires expertise and understanding. Our curriculum, drawing from years of combined dance facilitation experiences—both successes and setbacks—is organised into 11 engaging modules. Merging theory with live demonstrations and hands-on practice, we’ll help you combine your skills with fresh ideas to craft unique facilitations, ceremonies or exercises. We include time for dancing, Q&A, exploring common challenges, while connecting with other facilitators from around the globe in a collective learning journey.

✤ Module 01 • EMBODIMENT (06 Mar)

→ Explore the science of dance/movement and its intersection with the body-mind connection 

→ Learn why dance and music are so effective at creating meaningful community experiences and how to harness this potential

→ Uncover your unique leadership skill-set and create a plan to incorporate somatic methods and embodiment techniques.

✤ Module 02 • CONTAINMENT (13 Mar)

→ Explore the role of facilitator; from the moment they walk into a venue until they walk back out again 

→ Move from the theoretical into the practical; discussing what is necessary to contain the spiritual, physical, emotional, and intellectual dance space in real life, tangible ways

→ No-nonsense methods to deal with the everyday joys and struggles which are common in conscious dances(e.g. how to encourage people to remain non-verbal)

✤ Module 03 • HOMEBASE (20 Mar)

→ Explore the foundational role of facilitation, which is to hold a reverent opening and closing, while steering the collective experience during the dance journey.

→ Tangible skills to stay grounded and present even when things don’t go as planned.

→ Practical ways to prepare your facilitation ideas and create timelines 

✤ Module 04 • BODY EXPLORATION (27 Mar)

→ Introduction to DTM's 5 Pathways

→ Diving into Body Exploration, the most straightforward of the pathways

→ Ways to explicitly draw attention to body parts, movements, sensations, and impulses. AKA "getting dancers into the body".

✤ Module 05 • PSYCHO-SOMATIC EXPLORATION (03 Apr)

→ Explore the second pathway, integrating body and mind by embodying emotions and key themes through dance.

→ Using shared human experiences to encourage connection, coherence, and community

→ Linking emotions to sensations, postures and movements—the foundation of embodiment

✤ Module 06 • VISUALISATION (24 Apr)

→ Tapping into the realm of imagination to move beyond time, space, and abilities
→ Visualization techniques that encourage dancers to translate their visions into expressive physical movement → Facilitation that ignites imagination, while leaving the perfect amount of space for dancer to fill in the blanks 

✤ Module 07 • SOCIAL ACTIVATION (17 Apr)

→ Explore social activation, its vital role in collective action and the universal need for human connection

→ The comfortable and uncomfortable aspects of social activation, acknowledging the need for both in a healthy community.

→ Facilitators as community leaders to encourage non-political community action

✤ Module 08 • RITUALISATION (10 Apr)

→ Demystifying the base meaning of the word "ritual" and applying it to the act of facilitation
→ Using gestures, words, actions, and/or objects within sequences to create meaningful experiences and connection between community members
→ Getting real, and learning to ritualize without religious, dogma or cultural appropriation

✤ Module 09 • INTEGRATION 01 (01 May)

→ Review past concepts with discussion and Q&A for integration

→ Extra foundational principles and frequently asked questions

→ Brainstorming facilitation ideas a group

✤ Two Session Break (08 & 15 May)

→ Time to go out into the world and get some facilitation experience

✤ Module 10 • INTEGRATION 02 (22 May)

→ Return after some time away to discuss progress and share stories

→ SPECIAL GUESTS! We'll provide a panel of seasoned dance facilitators to share insights and stories

→ Enhance your facilitation skills by filling in the gaps and addressing unexplored topics 

✤ A one session break (29 May)

✤ Module 11 • ONWARD — Graduation (05 June)

→ Final tips and words of wisdom

→ Chance to ask any unanswered questions 

→ Graduation ritual and certification as DTM facilitators.♡

✤ BERNICE RAABIS • Founder of Dance The Medicine

Having begun humbly in the Kootenay Mountains of Western Canada, Bernice is now a respected mentor for Conscious Dance Leaders across the globe. Her journey started with hosting Dance Church for over ten years, where she harnessed her expertise from training in various disciplines, including Soul Motion, Movement Based Expressive Therapy (The Life Art Process), and Relational Somatic Therapy. These were brought together to nurture her local multi-generational dance community, which flourished and surpassed even her most ambitious expectations. 

In 2016, she stretched her wings co-founding Ecstatic Dance International, facilitating successful leadership trainings in the US, the Netherlands, Guatemala, and Portugal. Driven to incorporate DJ and dance facilitation skills into available trainings, she used the name of her unique practice, and founded Dance The Medicine, a collective of accomplished conscious dance professionals determined to infect the world with dance.  

While Bernice loves DJing and creating transformative events, her deepest fulfilment comes from facilitating deep somatic processes using a combination of dance, art, and ritual; to help dancers find freedom through connection to self, community and humanity. 

✤ ALEX SEVILLA • Resident DJ @ Ecstatic Dance Madrid & Co-teacher @ DTM DJ School

After more than two decades behind the decks as club DJ, Alex stumbled upon conscious dance. This encounter reshaped not only his personal life but also his profession. He soon traded in his career as a computer engineer to become a conscious dance entrepreneur, sharing his passion for dance, music, and consciousness with the world. Stepping into his new life, to become a resident DJ at Templo del Baile, a monthly conscious club in his hometown Madrid, regularly attended by over 200 dancers. Two years later, an invitation to play Ecstatic Dance Madrid, enabled him to take his sets to the next level.

During the pandemic, it became Alex’ mission to help the worldwide Ecstatic Dance community by navigating the technical challenges of live-streaming dance and music events as we all struggled to fulfil our need to dance during lockdown. Post-restrictions, he facilitated in-person dancing again by offering donation-based sessions in the streets of Spain, giving birth to a monthly gathering known as La Plaga del Baile (The Plague of Dance) In May 2020, Dance The Medicine recognized Alex’ talent and generous nature recruiting him as a teacher and tech guru during their first Ecstatic DJ Conference. He has been with us ever since, lucky DTM!

✤ ESTA POLYESTA • Co-teacher @ DTM, Global Ecstatic Dance DJ & Dance Facilitator, Event Organizer & Resident DJ @ Ecstatic Dance Amsterdam & Ecstatic Dance Goa 

Introducing Esta, your globe-trotting full time professional DJ and ceremony leader from Amsterdam. While she found her passion for music and dance early in life, she waited until 2005 to share her talent with the world. Nearly two decades later, Esta is celebrated for her significant influence on global beats, world music, and Ecstatic Dance, extending her reach from Russia to Thailand, USA to India, and beyond. Her playful facilitation and adventurous sets invite expression, connection, and joy have enchanted crowds worldwide. 

Esta's expertise isn't confined to the decks; Her versatile skill set includes ritual design, music production, and Trance Dance facilitation. She showed her entrepreneurial prowess by pioneering Ecstatic Dance at Odessa and co-organising both Ecstatic Dance Amsterdam and Ecstatic Dance Ruigoord. She further shapes the Ecstatic Dance scene by offering 1-on-1 mentorship of emerging DJs and conscious leaders and teaching in several DTM trainings.

Esta's collaboration with DTM stretches back to the very first live DJ Training when she was hired as DJ Coach after Bernice stumbled across her play on a pirate ship. As one of DTM's first team members, she's been instrumental in shaping its identity as professional, fun, and supportive, and remains a crucial team member until this day.

✤ FABIO FREDDI (DJRonin) • Leadership Coach, Ecstatic Dance DJ & Facilitator & Founder of Ecstatic Dance Italy 

Fabio, aka DJRonin, began his DJ journey at just age 16, rising quickly to become a turntablist in national and international scratch competitions, even making it as a world finalist at the DMC London 2004. He spent a decade producing music for prominent Italian hip hop artists, gaining professional DJing experience and recognition.

In 2010, an existential crisis sparked an awakening, prompting Fabio to see music not merely as entertainment but as a potent healing and transformative force. This led him on a self-discovery path, diving deep into rhythm, transpersonal psychology, and shamanism. He trained in various traditions across Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia, eventually discovering Ecstatic Dance in 2012.

Integrating his passion for DJing with his newly found spiritual insights, Fabio developed a unique approach to fostering transformation and awareness through music and dance. His journey with DTM began in 2018, deepening his knowledge of conscious dance and leading to the establishment of Ecstatic Dance Italy a year later.

Since 2020, Fabio has served as a DTM coach, helping individuals worldwide blend their intuitive power with technical DJing skills, emphasizing the transformative potential of music. His unique blend of spiritual insight, musical talent, and psychological understanding underpin his effective mentoring and inspiring approach.

✤ IONA MCNIEL • DJ, Authentic Relating Facilitator, Event Organizer & Founder of Ecstatic Playground London
In her passionate journey to foster authentic and embodied connections between people,  Iona has sculpted a vibrant path steeped in dance and community engagement. This path became intertwined with dance more significantly in 2018 when she participated in the Ecstatic DJ Training in Portugal, followed by the Online Dance Facilitator Training. Her belief in the transformative power of dance, not only as a tool for self-development, but also community building, solidified during her Dance Movement Psychotherapy studies at Goldsmiths University.

During the pandemic, Iona's creativity combined with her resilience led her to host a series of online dance events and from the confines of kitchens, bedrooms, and gardens, people globally found comfort in her uplifting tunes and vivacious personality. Her vibrant sessions, ranging from Morning Gloryville's popular sober raves to 'Pop-up boogie' parties, even earned her a spot on a BBC News segment discussing her notable Madonna zoom party.

As the world gradually embraced normalcy, Iona founded Ecstatic Playground, a lively conscious dance event renowned for its playful twists and authentic connections. As a beloved facilitator of Ecstatic Dance, Authentic Relating, and Embodied Games, she now conducts a range of workshops at esteemed festivals like Wilderness. Moreover, she contributes her nick for creating connection and spreading joy through dance as a special guest at the DTM Dance Facilitator Training.

"This training is for the big visionaries, event organisers, and executives of dance programs out there. It takes you through step by step how to create an Ecstatic Dance event. The best part is, you’re surrounded by super rad people who truly believe in the vision as much as you do, and who feel alive in sharing that vision. I feel absolutely honoured to be a part of this amazing group of dancers, organisers, and beautiful human beings. Showing up with my whole heart, it changed me, and I feel like I’ve grown a lot."

→ Carol Boccaccio • Canada

"Dance the Medicine prepared me with the tools to grow as an Ecstatic Dance leader and warrior! The container held, even online, was potent and full of space to explore the building blocks for the foundation of my dance. It was an honour to be a part of this community of conscious dance leaders. I now feel fully equipped to go out and infect my communities with the medicine of Dance!

→ Elissa Eskridge • Costa Rica

"This online training has come at the right time, just when I felt the call to share the awesomeness of conscious dance with my people, after such a crazy year. I am amazed by the connections I have made during this training and the quality of its content, which was more than I expected."

→ Dounia Acef - Morocco

"Bernice, Renée and the DTM team are a knowledgeable, grounded and experienced group of teachers. They REALLY care about their students, and it's obvious when you experience the quality of the production and information they share. They attract a huge variety of students and the opportunity to network during the course is high."

→ Rafaél Suvaii • Canada

"Through powerful visualization exercises, sharing of invaluable wisdom and experience, and creation of a supportive community, I now have the confidence and knowledge to go out there in the world and make an impact through dance. This training was everything and more that I needed!"

→ Lien Kabelka • Belgium

"The leadership in this training was outstanding. The content was very well-thought-out, relevant and rich. It filled in a lot of questions I've long held around how to do a great job leading conscious dance, but also provided examples of many different approaches. I loved connecting with people from all over who are passionate about the same thing as me."

→ Sarah Hall • USA

"Renée and Bernice - you two are the leaders we need right now. Thank you for this amazing opportunity!”
→ Nadine Guldimann • Switzerland

→ Will I receive a certification?  Only those taking the training live via Zoom will be certified and receive a certificate. We do not certify those who take the course self-paced, as we have no way of knowing whether they have completed the course and homework. If this is an issue for you, please contact us, so we can discuss it.

→ Will this training cover DJing?
We have one module dedicated exclusively to music (what music is appropriate for conscious dance events? What structure is used to create a conscious dance musical journey? Etc.), but it is NOT a DJ Training, and we won't cover any of the technical aspects of DJ-ing. We do offer Online DJ Training for both beginner and Intermediate students. If you prefer to learn DJ skills, join us for our IN-PERSON INTERMEDIATE DJ TRAINING, ONLINE ECSTATIC DJ TRAINING, ONLINE BEGINNER ECSTATIC DJ TRAINING, or ONLINE INTERMEDIATE ECSTATIC DJ TRAINING.  

→ For how long will the recordings be available? 

The videos will be uploaded online and available for a period of 9 months from the day the training begins.

→ I'm not sure which path is right for me. Can you please advise me? 

Absolutely! Simply send us a message here on WeTravel or email us at info@dancethemedicine.com

→ Are there any software requirements for the training? 

No, neither the live training nor self-led have any software requirements. Please note, for the live training you are required to have a high-speed internet connection.

→ What's your cancellation & refund policy? In case of cancellation from your side, we don't offer any refunds, regardless of the reason.