Do you want to become an Embodied Dance Facilitator?
Learn the art of embodiment and develop somatically based skills to confidently guide others into a deeper connection with 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, in large part, due to the somatic skills of an embodied facilitator. Whether called a "Ceremony Leader," "Space Holder," or "Dance Facilitator," the role is the same: guide dancers, in an embodied way, into a dance journey, stay present with them throughout, and help guide them back out by grounding and integrating the experience.

Join us for an immersive 7-day experience at Quinta São José dos Montes, set on 20 hectares overlooking Albufeira de Castelo do Bode. This intensive training will focus on facilitation through the lens of DTM’s 5 Pathways framework, designed to simplify the creation of conscious dance exercises and classes, while inspiring new ideas and concepts. It's a journey of self-embodiment where you'll refine your facilitation skills, learn proven somatic tools, and deepen your ability to lead transformative dance experiences. In this fun and supportive environment, you'll not only enhance your skills, but also connect with a diverse community of dancers, DJs, psychologists, yoga teachers, and breathwork instructors, all eager to weave embodiment and somatic techniques into their work.

Why take the DTM Dance Facilitator Training?
This training is a journey of self-embodiment and skill development, designed to help you step confidently into the role of a dance facilitator. In our vibrant learning community, you’ll integrate proven somatic tools and embodiment techniques with your existing skill set, all in an atmosphere of fun, support, and collaboration. Your team will include facilitators from diverse modalities and backgrounds—whether you’re a dancer, DJ, psychologist, yoga teacher, breathwork instructor, or wellness professional, you’ll leave with the tools to guide transformative dance experiences. Our goal is for you to feel confident incorporating dance into your offerings in a way that liberates and connects people through movement.

This Training is ideal for...

• Passionate dancers eager to deepen their involvement in conscious/ecstatic dance.
• Conscious/ecstatic dance event organizers seeking to enhance participants' experiences.
• Conscious/ecstatic DJs who want to facilitate their own DJ sets.
• Therapists & psychologists looking to integrate movement-based practices with clients.
• Leaders & professionals who want to confidently guide others through dance.
• Wellness professionals looking to deepen their connection to embodiment & dance.
• Experienced dance facilitators seeking to expand their skills & find fresh inspiration.

If the above does not describe you or your situation but you want to train with DTM as a Dance Facilitator consider either our Self-Led Dance Facilitator Training or our Online Dance Facilitator Training

Full Program Details

Our In-Person Dance Facilitator Training offers a well-structured, immersive experience in three distinct phases:

1. Pre-Training: 3 Modules
Start with 8+ hours of pre-recorded content designed to lay a solid foundation in facilitation theory. Each module is paired with assignments from the course manual, which we’ll review together during the in-person training.

2. In-Person Immersion: Tomar, Portugal (May 19–25, 2025)
For 7 days and 6 nights, we’ll immerse ourselves in the 5 Pathways framework. Each pathway will first be experienced from the perspective of a dancer, followed by in-depth discussions and teachings about the techniques used and the reasoning behind them. This '5 Pathways Intensive' is the core of the training, where you'll learn experientially and expand your skills in a dynamic, hands-on, and supportive environment.

3. Post-Training: 2 Online Sessions
After the in-person retreat, we’ll reconvene for two online Zoom sessions. These sessions are designed to help you integrate the training, provide additional teachings, and continue your personal growth. This space will also serve as a support hub for ongoing discussions, questions, and assignments. Recordings of all classes will be provided for future reference.

In 2012, Quinta São José dos Montes Farm was transformed into a retreat center focused on ecological travel. Though modest from the road, the venue offers breathtaking views of the grounds and surrounding mountains. The beauty of this region can be fully appreciated from the pool and dining areas, where we’ll share delicious vegetarian meals. Just a 10-minute walk away, Castelo do Bode Lake provides a perfect spot for swimming. The retreat center is located 120 km from Lisbon, 190 km from Porto, and 15 km from the center of Tomar.

The food at Quinta São José is organic (whenever possible), fresh, unprocessed, and lovingly prepared on-site using locally sourced ingredients. All meals will be vegetarian. If you have any dietary restrictions or allergies, please inform us when booking.

Quinta São José dos Montes offers a variety of accommodations, divided into two main areas on the property: INSIDE THE MAIN BUILDING, close to the pool and dining areas, and ON THE FARM, which is nearer to the classroom and dance space. When choosing your accommodation, please consider the following:

INSIDE THE MAIN BUILDING: All accommodations here have indoor bathroom facilities and a shared heating/cooling system. You’ll be close to the dining hall and pool, but will need to walk 5–15 minutes on an easy path to reach the dance space and classroom. Most of these rooms (excluding dorms) offer access to a shared kitchen with a fridge. Accommodation options range from dormitory rooms to private full apartments.

ON THE FARM: This area is a 5–15 minute walk from the dining hall and pool, and is located near the dance space/classroom. The farm is kept mostly natural, with minimal lighting. Accommodation choices range from camping to deluxe domes, some of which feature in-room tubs. Some accommodations have in-room toilets and showers, while others use shared outdoor dry toilets and hot showers. Some domes also have kitchen facilities.

Both INSIDE THE MAIN BUILDING and ON THE FARM offer a variety of accommodation options, ranging from plush to basic. The main difference is that the Main Building provides a more communal indoor experience, while the Farm offers a more nature-based experience. The most important considerations are your comfort with walking at night and your tolerance for noise (the farm accommodations are very quiet).

Further details of each accommodation type are provided below. Upon registration for the training, you can select your preferred lodging as an "add-on," and the accommodation cost will be added at checkout.

PRE-RECORDED TRAINING MODULES (takes at your own pace)

✤ Module 01 • EMBODIMENT

→ 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

→ 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, 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 

→ 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 

7-DAY IN-PERSON TRAINING  (in Tomar, Portugal May 19–25, 2025)
✤ Module 04 • BODY EXPLORATION

→ 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

→ 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

→ 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 space for dancers to fill in the blanks 

✤ Module 07 • SOCIAL ACTIVATION

→ 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

→ 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 

→ Integrate learnings from the six days in Tomar

→ Review in-person experience, extract foundational principles, and receive post-training assignment  

→ Graduation ceremony

POST-TRAINING SESSIONS (Online via Zoom)

✤ Module 10 • INTEGRATION 02 (May 28th)

→ Review assignment, discuss implementations, and Q&A

→ SPECIAL GUESTS! A panel of seasoned dance facilitators share insights and stories

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

✤ Module 11 • ONWARD (June 11)

→ Update and expand knowledge bases and Q&A

→ Final tips and words of wisdom

→ A final ritual to mark the end of our shared journey... or until we meet again in Level 02.

✤ 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. 

✤ 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.

✤ SOPHIE AUBER • DJ Mentor & Founder of Ecstatic Dance Montpellier  

Meet Sophie, a DJ, Ecstatic Dance and Movement of Life facilitator, Yoga teacher, and Self-love coach who is passionate about the art of movement and music. As the founder of Ecstatic Dance Montpellier and Ocytocine (an outdoor silent disco Ecstatic Dance), she's been serving up captivating musical journeys that make the soul dance for several years. 

Having completed all three DTM trainings (Leadership, DJ, and Dance Facilitator), Sophie is one of DTM’s first triple graduates. She joined us with over 15 years of experience in the healing arts, empowering others to unlock their innate potential through dance, embodiment, and mindfulness.  

She inspires individuals to root themselves in their own lives, bravely embody authenticity, journey into unexplored dimensions of their being, love themselves unabashedly, and re-ignite the thrill of being authentic.

✤ ÉADAOIN NÍ CHALLARÁIN • Dance Facilitator & Conscious DJ

Éadaoin, hailing from the scenic West coast of Ireland, ventured into the realm of DTM, driven by her passion for dance and a desire to enhance the musical experience for dancers in her Open Floor classes, a venture she embarked on in 2017. This journey not only met her initial aspirations but unfolded into much more. Being a part of DTM has enveloped her in an incredibly supportive community, sparking continual inspiration to delve deeper into the art of DJing and nurturing conscious dance spaces, fuelling cycles of learning, loving, and growth

.

Her journey as a movement junkie began at the dawn of the millennium, propelling her to explore various corners of the globe in pursuit of her passion. Her exploration included engaging with 5 Rhythms under the guidance of Gabrielle Roth and Caitriona Nic Ghiollaphadraig, Open Floor with Andrea Juhan among others, Amerta with Suprapto, Move into Life with Sandra Reeve, Ecstatic Dance with Bernice Raabis, and more. These experiences have been her source of medicine, joy, and motivation.

Éadaoin is thrilled to welcome DTM to Ireland, knowing it will not only further ignite the conscious dance community within the country but also attract those from abroad, inspired by the training. She believes Ireland's enchanting landscape plays its own tune, compelling everyone to dance. "The Land sings here...you can't help but dance.” She foresees the transformative impact DTM will have on the dance community. It’s going to be a great time and amazing training experience!

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

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!

✤ 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

"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

ARRIVAL

On Monday, May 19th please arrive after 3pm but before 5pm to allow time to check in, explore the grounds and settle in before we begin. 

DEPARTURE

The retreat ends on Sunday, May 25th. Following a final nourishing lunch together we will depart from Tomar.

ADDRESS

Quinta São José dos Montes

Estrada Municipal 

530-1 nº 134, 2300-087 

Tomar

Google Maps

CONTACT

(+351) 917 935 392

CLOSEST AIRPORTS

Lisbon airport: This is the nearest airport and offers both domestic and international flights. It's about 88 miles from the retreat centre, or approximately 1.30 hour drive.

TRANSPORT 

→ I'm coming from abroad. Do I need a visa to enter Portugal? 

Mostly likely you will not.  But to be sure, check with your own government and check your specific requirements. 

→ Can I come on my own?
Absolutely! Most of our participants actually come on their own, and many do not know anyone else who is coming. This training is inclusive, and we strive to create a culture of belonging. The program is designed to facilitate connections between one another with ice-breakers, group exercises and a daily sharing circle in small groups.

→ Will I receive a certification?
Yes! Those taking the training live via Zoom or in person will be certified as completing our Level 01 Dance Facilitator Training and receive a certificate upon request.  While we offer a Level 02 and 03 these are continuing education opportunities and you have no need to complete them to be certified. 

→ Will this training cover DJing?
We speak about music in nearly every module as it is an intrinsic part of dance facilitation but this is NOT a DJ Training, and we won't cover any of the technical aspects of DJ-ing. We do offer Conscious/Ecstatic DJ Training for both beginner and Intermediate students. CHECK HERE FOR OUR CURRENT DJ TRAININGS

→ What's your cancellation & refund policy? In case of cancellation from your side, we don't offer any refunds, regardless of the reason. We require a minimum of 15 sign-ups to go ahead with in-person events. We will issue you a full refund if we do not hit this number. Please make sure to insure any travel ticket as DTM can not be responsible for cancellation fees on travel. 

→ If I can no longer make it, can I transfer my booking to someone?

If you transfer your booking to someone else, there's a €50 admin fee. If the training is full, and you want us to sell your spot, we'll keep your deposit and refund the balance only if we find a full-paying replacement. 

→ What are the payment requirements and do you have payment plans?

A non-refundable deposit is required to book and secure your place. Balance due 15 days before the retreat starts. Please carefully read our Retreat Terms & Conditions as by booking on our retreat, you become legally bound by these terms. We offer flexible payments plans, please inquire with karen@dancethemedicine.com

→ 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

WHAT TO BRING

→ Your manual! plus the same pens and markers you used in the pre-modules

→ Headlamp or head torch to walk around at night

→ Clothing suitable for dancing (we’ll dance numerous times a day, both inside and outside)

→ Other Clothing, Including layers as it can get cold at night! (Especially for those in ON THE FARM accommodation)

→ Shoes suitable for walking on natural ground in a rural setting → Bring layers, 

→ Swimsuit for the pool and the lake

→ Comfortable and appropriate outdoor shoes to walk/dance outside (lots of nature to explore)

→ Dress up for a fun night; not fancy, just fun. Bring something if you enjoy dressing up.

→ Towel for the pool and lake

→ Toiletries (only natural, biodegradable products please)

→ Talisman (or sacred item) for the community altar

→ Ear plugs (if sharing accommodation)