Our bodies seek rhythm. The body wants to overflow in movement. Ecstatic dance is creative movement without reflection, inspired movement in the absence of thought. There is no preparation for ecstatic dance, no choreography, no fancy dance lessons. We all know the basics: how to move our feet, arms, hips, and the rest of our bodies. The hard part is to let go and to allow our bodies to embrace sound and movement. We love ecstatically dancing, and when it’s summer-time better to dance at the park.

During a closing circle, after two sweaty hours of dancing, a first-time ecstatic dancer said, “It’s like my body knows what is right! It knows what to do next!” In amazement and admiration, his words spoke the essence of ecstatic dance: when we allow ourselves to merge with our bodies, to become one with space, time, and music, our bodies creatively express joy in beautiful gestures and movements. The earthiness of our bodies take magnificent figures, which we could not have imagined until that moment. The body speaks…