What Is Ecstatic Dance? A Beginner’s Guide
A sometimes forgotten real truth is that you don’t need to be a dancer to dance. You don’t need rhythm, a playlist, or even a mirror. You just need enough space to move in a way that feels real and for the space to be safe enough to let it happen.
That’s where ecstatic dance comes in, especially in this autumn season. There’s just something powerful about gathering in community to move your body freely without rules or expectations or any sense of competition.
If you’ve been curious about ecstatic dance but unsure where to begin, this guide is for you.
We’ll walk through what it is (and isn’t), what to expect, and how to join us for a dance this November.
What Is Ecstatic Dance?
Ecstatic dance is a freeform movement practice. There is no choreography, no steps to follow, and no performance. It’s simply about listening to the music, to your body and whatever’s moving through you at any given moment.
Some guests use it as a way to release tension or stress while others dance to reconnect with themselves, letting their minds rest while their bodies lead. The music flows in waves, rising and falling in energy, guiding you into rhythm without needing words or instructions.
There are a few shared agreements that often shape a space where ecstatic dance takes place.
It’s an alcohol-free and substance-free experience
It’s a phone-free zone so you can be fully present and undistracted.
It’s judgment-free, and every body is welcome
This isn’t a party, nor a performance, but a practice of presence, expression, and embodiment.
Why Try Ecstatic Dance at my vitae?
Autumn can be a disorienting season for the body and the mind. The daylight changes, bringing darkness far too early, our nervous systems shift, and the world starts pulling us indoors to avoid certain weather and extremes in such.
Ecstatic dance offers a way to stay connected to the body even as the external world becomes colder and quieter. It’s a chance to move what’s become stagnant, feel what’s been stored, and to return to yourself through breaths and gentle musical beats.
What to Expect
On Sunday, November 23, we’re hosting for Ecstatic Dance Oakville, a New Moon Kickoff guided by Jesse Buck, aka DJ Cacaoboy. The experience will unfold in three parts:
Opening circle and guided intention setting
A live DJ ecstatic dance journey that builds and releases in waves
Closing sound meditation for integration and landing
Jesse’s sets weave global grooves from stillness to uplift and back again. You don’t need to know what to do, your body will.
What Should I Wear or Bring?
Yourself, exactly as you are
Comfortable clothing that allows you to move freely
Water for hydration
Optional: A journal, if personal reflection feels supportive after
Who Is It For?
Anyone. Truly. If you're feeling disconnected, overwhelmed, full of stuck energy, emotionally stuck, curious, quiet, burnt out, or just craving movement that isn’t exercise, this is for you.
You don’t have to dance in the centre. You don’t have to dance at all. Lying on the floor and listening counts. Swaying counts. Sitting still for half the set and then letting go counts.
Ecstatic dance meets you where you are. It doesn’t care how you look. It cares how you feel.
Event Details
Ecstatic Dance Oakville – New Moon Kickoff with Jesse Buck
Sunday, November 23rd, 2025
12:30 PM - 3:30 PM.
📍 my vitae, 1155 North Service Rd. West, Unit 15, Oakville, ON - Get Directions
🎟 $25 Early Bird, $30 General Admission - Get Tickets Here
Reading this after November 23rd? Check out our upcoming events here.