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.

Curious about what a typical day looks like? Click HERE for a sneak peek! (Subject to change)

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.

If you are a graduate and want to continue your education with our Level 02 Dance Facilitator Training, you can find the application here. Please contact info@dancethemedicine.com if you have any questions.

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 (April 15 - 21, 2026)
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: 1 Online Integration Session
After the in-person retreat, we’ll reconvene for an online Zoom sessions. This session is 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 the class 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, once inside you will find 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 LAND, 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 LAND: This area is a 5–15 minute walk from the dining hall and pool, and is located near the dance space/classroom. Accommodation choices range from camping/camper vans to deluxe domes which feature in-room tubs. Some accommodations have in-room toilets and showers, while others use shared outdoor dry toilets and hot showers. There is a shared kitchen facility.

Both INSIDE THE MAIN BUILDING and ON THE LAND 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. Prices include accommodation, food, all amenities, & supply cost.

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 April 15-21 2026)
✤ 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 • Tue, April 28 2026
→ A check in on how your integration process is going
→ Ask any follow-up questions since the end of your training
→ Get a clear overview of what Level 02 involves & decide if it's the next step for you

✤ 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 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!

Each time we welcome special guests from the DTM team, who have real-world experience and many years in the ecstatic dance scene, to share their unique approach and skills so you can learn directly from the best. Our DTM team includes: 

​

ESTA POLYESTA • Global Ecstatic Dance DJ & Dance Facilitator & Resident DJ @ Ecstatic Dance Goa 

​

FABIO FREDDI  • Founder of Ecstatic Dance Italy & Ecstatic Dance DJ & Facilitator

​

SOPHIE AUBER • Ecstatic Dance Montpellier  & Ecstatic Dance Gathering France Founder 

​

ÉADAOIN NÍ CHALLARÁIN • Open Floor Facilitator  and Co-founder of WILD

"I found the Embodied Facilitator Training at the perfect time (or maybe it found me). I didn't really know what I was getting into but just trusted and followed the inner guidance and it was beyond what I could have imagined. I feel like this training has not only given me the tools I need, but something much deeper and indescribable - I feel like so much more is possible now. I am so grateful to Bernice, all the teachers and organisers, all the work and all the LOVE that was poured into this training. It will continue having a ripple effect in my life and in the world. Thank you!"

→ Sarah, UAE

"Throughout the week, I witnessed and felt transformation in everyone, participants and team alike. Just like every dance, the training itself became a big, beautiful hold, where each of us could shift, unfold, and remember who we are. I return home with a clearer vision, a fuller heart, and a deep sense of belonging. I feel truly part of a global community, and I’m committed to sharing what I’ve learned—with a humble and open heart. And yes, Dance is the Medicine."

→ Felippe • Italy

"I had a wonderful time. I felt held by the team, making it possible to express authentically and experiment without perfection. The team are extremely experienced and dedicated to their practice. It comes from the heart. I loved the content and the opportunity to embody that within the training. All in all, I had a wonderful heartfelt experience where I came away with a deep trust in myself to carry this work forward into the world. Thank you Dance the Medicine."

→Mina • UK

ARRIVAL

On Wednesday April 15th 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 Tuesday April 21st. 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: The nearest airport, offering both domestic and international flights. It is approximately 140 km (88 miles) from the retreat center, or about a 1.5-hour drive.

ARRANGED TRANSPORT We will arrange a mini-bus service departing from Lisbon and returning after the training. There will be pickups at both Lisbon Airport and Oriente Station. If you plan to use this service, we recommend booking flights that land before 13:00 and depart after 20:00. The cost for this transport is €75. You can add this to your booking during checkout. For any questions or additional information, please contact info@dancethemedicine.com.

SELF-TRANSPORT Quinta São José dos Montes is located 150 km north of Lisbon (roughly a 1.5-hour drive). Alternatively, you can reach the retreat center by a combination of train and taxi. The cost is approximately €40 each way (€10 for the train from Lisbon to Tomar and €30 for a taxi). When you register, you’ll be added to a WhatsApp group where you can arrange ride shares or coordinate with others for shared taxis from the train station.

→ 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. CLICK HERE FOR UPCOMING 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 onto the training, you become legally bound by these terms. We offer flexible payments plans, please inquire with info@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)

We begin each day with a Morning Movement practice, using a blend of multi-genre and slower tracks to gently awaken the body. This practice is designed to teach embodiment techniques, and it forms an integral part of the curriculum. It's a time to embody the principles we aim to teach, allowing you to ground yourself in your body to prepare for the day of learning ahead.

You'll enjoy a hearty breakfast to replenish your energy and fuel you for the day ahead. All meals are freshly prepared with organic and locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. Breakfast will be shared with your small group, providing a chance to connect and start the day together.

A 3-hour session divided into three parts: a dance facilitated in the style of one of the 5 Pathways, followed by time for reflection and ending with a small group session to share insights and deepen understanding. 

We keep the midday meal light and healthy to maintain our energy levels (no food comas!) and ensure we're not too full, so we can stay focused and engaged for the rest of the day.

In this 2.5-hour session, we transition from being dance participants to stepping into the role of dance facilitators. We pull back the curtain on the earlier session, making explicit the "why" and "how" behind the practices and activities. You'll also have time to begin working on your module assignment, engaging in discussions with your cohorts and teachers to gain deeper insight and support.

We'll enjoy a robust, nourishing, and delicious dinner to refuel after a day full of learning, all while basking in each other's company and the shared sense of accomplishment as we move closer to our goal of becoming skilled dance facilitators.

Each evening, a different member of the DTM team will lead a facilitation and dance session. One of the key goals of this training is to expose you to a range of facilitators, each bringing their unique experience and approach from various modalities. We recognize that you're dancing a lot during the day, so these evening sessions are completely optional. If you choose to attend, you can participate in what we call the "tiny dance"—a way of being present in the space, observing, and contributing to the energy, while allowing your body to rest if needed.