ecstatic danceSoul Motion®: Tenderness at the Heart of the Dance
Soul Motion is a formless dance practice that integrates conscious movement, body-based inquiry, and natural stillness into a process of embodied exploration. Led by Zuza and Scott Engler, this six-day workshop at Esalen Institute invites participants to reclaim the body in motion as a gateway to deeper presence and understanding. The practice weaves together passionate full-bodied movement, mindful inner work, art-making, and periods of quiet rest. Participants move alone, in pairs and small groups, and collectively, sometimes indoors and sometimes in the landscapes of Big Sur. The week emphasizes how movement becomes a doorway to authentic relating, to one's inner life, and to the mysterious dimensions of existence. Through varied music and silence, through dance and meditation, through paired exploration and group witness, participants cultivate skills for stress reduction, resilience, and genuine presence. The workshop proves especially valuable for those in healing professions seeking to deepen their capacity to hold space for others.