Music, Movement, Medicine
Welcome to Ecstatic Dance Matlock & Ecstatic Dance Derby
Two communities, one shared love of music, movement and connection.Step into a dance journey that wakes you up from the inside out. No steps to learn. No expectations. Just freedom, music, movement - a place to release, recharge, shift energies and reconnect with your body.We dance every other Sunday in the beautiful Florence Nightingale Memorial Hall in Holloway, Matlock surrounded by Derbyshire’s stunning, magical landscape. This unique setting gives your mind the chance to rest while your body opens, releases and leads the way.As of October 2026 we are now dancing in Derby too!Ecstatic Dance Derby is the sister community to Ecstatic Dance Matlock, bringing the same freeform, conscious dance journey to Derby.The two communities are connected by the same intention: to create welcoming spaces where we can move freely, connect with ourselves and each other, and let the music take us wherever we need to go.Whether you dance in Matlock, Derby, or both, you’re part of the same wider dance family.
About Lynsey
I'm the founder and facilitator of Ecstatic Dance Matlock which began in January 2026 and I DJ under the name DJ Sun Gem.As DJ Sun Gem I weave together music from across the world to create immersive dance journeys and facilitate a welcoming space where you can let go, express yourself and connect, without judgement, without moves to follow and without needing any dance experience.Ecstatic dance has been a great teacher and healer for me, for me it is about freedom, connection and coming home to yourself.I'm excited to be bringing the same heart and ethos of Ecstatic Dance Matlock to Derby from October 2026, alongside Rachel. Two communities, connected by the same love of music, movement, freedom and authentic connection.I also facilitate dances in collaboration with Rachel and another wonderful soul, Sami as the Dance of the Dream Weavers. Together we weave music, movement, song and creativity to create magical dance journeys.Looking for something a little different for a celebration? I also offer private ecstatic dance experiences for birthdays, hen and stag celebrations, retreats, gatherings and other special occasions, creating a unique, joyful and memorable way to celebrate together through music and movement.
About Rachel
I’m Rachel or Raquelita (this name was given to me in Nicaragua)! Co-founder of Dance of the Dream Weavers, Ecstatic Dance Derby, The Land Conscious Dance and founder of New Earth Healing, a community which offers spaces for healing together through somatic and embodiment practices and women's circles.I’ve spent the best part of ten years, living in Australia, Nicaragua and traveling in Asia, New Zealand and Latin America - immersing myself in different landscapes, communities, traditions and ways of living.
These learnings and my own spiritual exploration are deeply embedded in the way that I hold space and facilitate dances.I create dance journeys that allow you to explore a deeper connection with your body, move with the full range of emotions and become totally one with the music.For me, dance is essential for our wellbeing and I believe Ecstatic Dance helps to uplift us all - way beyond the dance floor!I’m so honored and excited to be collaborating with like-minded souls, like Lynsey and bring this wonderful practice to those who feel the call.
EVENTS AND BOOKING
ECSTATIC DANCE JOURNEY
ECSTATIC DANCE JOURNEY
Sunday 29th November
5 - 8 pmDREAM WEAVERS COLLABORATION ECSTATIC DANCE JOURNEYAlderwasley Village Hall, Belper, DE56 2RB
ECSTATIC DANCE JOURNEY
ECSTATIC DANCE JOURNEY
ECSTATIC DANCE JOURNEY
NEW YEAR'S DAY ECSTATIC DANCE JOURNEYDance your way into 2027!
What is Ecstatic Dance?
Ecstatic Dance is medicine for the body, heart and spirit.It’s a freeform, barefoot, sober dance journey where you’re invited to move exactly as you feel — no steps, no performance, no judgment, no pressure to be anything other than yourself.In Ecstatic Dance, we explore movement as a form of healing. You might:- Feel joyful and expansive
- Move through frustration, sadness, resistance, or release
- Find yourself flowing, shaking, stretching, or resting
- Move through many different emotions during the same dance.
- Everything is welcome. There is no right or wrong way to dance.
What to expect
- We begin with a meditation. This helps shift from daily life and into the dance space and encourages presence and a calming of the nervous system.- We dance with wireless headphones. It can help dancers drop into their bodies faster. People often describe the experience as being deeply immersive.- We go on a journey through various styles of music from across the world. This takes us on a wave of energies from slow and spacious, flowing, building into tribal rhythms, electronic and ecstatic peaks, then settling back down into deep calm and stillness.- Integrate - where we take time to connect after the dance in a circle with the option to share. This is a beautiful way to finish, reconnecting the group energy and helping the transition back to everyday awareness.
Our dance guidelines
The following guidelines help ensure we hold the space as a community and create a trusting, safe environment.
No talking on the dance floor. This helps everyone drop into their body, their breath and the music.
Barefoot dancing is encouraged. This helps you feel grounded, supports natural movement and lets you sense the floor beneath you. Socks are fine if preferred.
Sober space. Ecstatic Dance is a conscious space so we dance without alcohol or drugs.
This is screen free time! Mobile phones are on silent and away. No photography or filming are permitted during the dance.
You do you. All movement is welcome - big, small, wild, still, eyes open or closed. All are invited to respect themselves and others’ expressions through dance without judgment.
