Ecstatic Dance & Cacao

An evening of movement, music, cacao, connection & community in the heart of Exeter ✨ Ecstatic Dance SW Dance Freely. Live Fully. Ecstatic Dance SW is a space to come home to yourself through movement, music and community. Our evening begins with ceremonial cacao - a gentle invitation to arrive, open the heart, and settle into the body. We then journey into the dance, led by a live DJ set, guided by world music that flows across genres. A space to move freely, release and reconnect with your most alive self. After the dance, we’ll gather over herbal teas and community connection to softly land together. What is Ecstatic Dance? Ecstatic dance is a free-form movement practice where you are invited to move however feels natural for you. There are no steps to follow and no pressure to dance in any particular way. It can feel like a meditation, a celebration, an emotional release - a chance to get out of the mind and into the body. People come to ecstatic dance to: • Release stress & stagnant energy • Feel more free, grounded & alive • Connect with community • Connect with their body • Express emotions through movement What to Expect ✨ Opening circle 🍫 Ceremonial cacao 🎶 Ecstatic dance journey with live DJ set 🌀 Safe, welcoming atmosphere 🍛 Nourishing curry included 🤍 Time to connect & integrate afterwards Dance Guidelines To help create a warm, safe and immersive space for everyone, we invite you to move through the evening with a few shared intentions: • Alcohol- and drug-free space, with ceremonial cacao to support presence, openness and connection. • Talk-free dance floor - letting music and movement become the language. • Barefoot or soft shoes preferred to keep the space grounded and clean. • Respect for boundaries, consent and personal space at all times. • Phone-free zone - be present, here and now. • Move however feels good for you! Event Details 📍 The Mint Methodist Church Fore St, Exeter, EX4 3AT Friday 23rd October Friday 20th November Friday 11th Decemebt 7pm – 9pm (arrive from 6:45pm) Spaces are limited, so booking is recommended. About Your Hosts Ecstatic Dance SW is lovingly created and held by Elissia and Shaun. The pair first met five years ago during a Yin Yoga Teacher Training, but it was their shared love of sober dance, conscious community and music-led healing spaces that truly brought them together. What began as friendship gradually unfolded into love, with ecstatic dance becoming a meaningful part of both of their journeys. Elissia grew up in Cornwall and Shaun grew up in Lyme Regis. Although they both spent the last 10 years living in London, the South West has always remained home in their hearts. Over the years, ecstatic dance became a regular source of release, connection, joy and medicine for them both - spaces where they could move freely, reconnect with themselves and celebrate life beyond alcohol and traditional nightlife culture. Now it feels deeply special for them to be bringing these experiences, along with their love of music and cacao, back to the South West and building community together through movement, music and community. Their intention with Ecstatic Dance SW is to create welcoming spaces where people can come exactly as they are - to dance, release, connect, feel, celebrate and fully embrace the beauty, aliveness and the full-spectrum of being human.