Highway 1 to the south has re-opened!
Learn More.

Learn more.

Due to road closures along Highway 1 to our north and south, Esalen is closed through April 11.
Esalen Institute is open! However, Highway 1 to the south is closed — please review the current travel advisory.
past workshop

Sacred Groove: An Ecstatic Dance Ceremony

January 30 – February 1, 2026

Adam Clark

Our ancestors explored spirit-led movement to embody ecstatic states for generations. Whether as a form of celebration, mourning, or prayer, ecstatic dance has long served as sacred medicine to heal the hearts of individuals and communities.

Join us on this sacred land for a transformative weekend of ecstatic dance ceremony — a journey to tap into the body’s ancestral wisdom, alchemize stored emotions, and liberate the spirit. Supported by live music provided by an award-winning ecstatic dance DJ, we’ll surrender to freeform movement, awaken our power, and manifest hope.

Together, we will explore:

  • Ecstatic dance journeys created by a live DJ.
  • Grounding prayers to root into the spirit and awaken ancestral wisdom.
  • Partner games that spark joy, connection, and embodied trust.
  • Mirroring and witnessing practices that deepen attunement and compassion.

DTO, an award-winning producer endorsed by Deepak Chopra, will share his musical gifts as part of the workshop. Blending live instruments, electronic sounds, and ancient mantras, his music creates sacred sonic experiences designed to elevate consciousness.

Let’s cultivate collective empowerment and create a fully inclusive dance community rooted in presence, reverence, and prayer to groove with the divine as an offering of love. No dance experience is required.

Adam Clark

Adam Clark hosts Ecstatic Dance SLO and leads somatic workshops exploring prayer, contact improv, and emotional intelligence. Certified in Dance Movement Psychotherapy, he weaves dance, healing, and spirituality to support liberation, sacred community spaces, and the reclamation of individual and collective oneness.

Full Bio