What exactly is ecstatic dance?

The short answer

Ecstatic dance is a gathering where people dance however they want to a continuous musical journey. There are no steps to learn, no teacher at the front and no partner required. You move the way your body wants to move, for as long as you want, and rest whenever you need.

Most dances share a few simple agreements: no talking on the dance floor, no alcohol or substances, no phones or photos on the floor, and asking before you dance with or touch anyone.

What makes it different from a club or a dance class

A dance class teaches you moves. A club comes with drinks, small talk and people watching each other. Ecstatic dance has neither. The room is sober and quiet except for the music, so the only thing to pay attention to is how you feel.

That's why people describe it as part exercise, part meditation and part community. Some dance hard and sweat. Some barely move. Both are doing it right.

How a dance usually flows

It usually opens with a circle to welcome everyone and go over the agreements. Then the music begins slowly, builds to a high-energy peak and eases back down into stillness. Many dances close with another circle, and some, like ours, end with tea and conversation.

Where it came from

Free-form, trance-like dancing is very old and shows up in cultures around the world. The modern version took shape in the 1970s with Gabrielle Roth's 5Rhythms movement practice. The name "Ecstatic Dance" as a regular community gathering grew out of Hawaii in the early 2000s and spread from there. Today there are ecstatic dance communities in cities and towns around the world.

Is it spiritual?

It can be, but it doesn't have to be. Some people come for a sense of connection or prayer, some for exercise, some to let off stress. Nobody asks you to believe anything. "Ecstatic" here just means getting out of your head and into your body.

Who is it for?

Anyone who moves when they hear music. All ages, bodies and experience levels are welcome, and lots of people come on their own the first time. If you think you "can't dance," you're exactly who this is for: there's nothing to get wrong.