Celtic Calendar Conscious Dance events
The Celtic Calendar divides the year into eight seasonal cycles, known as sabbats and The Turning of The Wheel of the Year, which are in tune with nature's rhythms marking significant solar events. Festivals signify the Solstice, Equinox and their midpoints.
Each festival holds a unique essence, and there is often an association with planting, harvests, trees, and folklore. Our dances will centre around each themed sabbat and we will honour some of the traditions associated with each festival.
Conscious Dance at The Retreat in the New Forest
We have the opportunity of having a fire at The Retreat at the walled garden, and you are welcome to socialise there after our dance.
Imbolc (Start of Spring) - Saturday, 1 Febrary 2025, The Retreat in the New Forest, 7pm to10pm (meditation, conscious dance, fire ceremony and socialising afterwards around the fire)
Ostara (Spring Equinox) - Friday, 21 March 2025, The Retreat in the New Forest, 7pm to 10pm
Beltane (Gaelic May Day, Festival Beginning of Summer) - Friday, 2 May 2025, The Retreat in the New Forest, 7pm to 10pm
Litha (Summer Solstice) - Saturday, 21 June 2025, Branksome Chine Beach 7am to 9am
Lughnasadh (Harvest Festival/First harvest of grain) - Friday, 1 August 2025, The Retreat in the New Forest, 7pm to 10pm
Mabon (Autumn Equinox/Second harvest of fruit and vegetables) - Sunday, 21 September 2025, The Retreat in the New Forest, 5pm to 8:30pm
Samhain (Beginning of Winter/Halloween) - Saturday, 1 November 2025, The Retreat in the New Forest, 7pm to 10pm
Yule (Winter Solstice) - Sunday, 21 December 2025, The Retreat in the New Forest, 5pm to 7:30pm
You can listen to DJ SunFire's Samhain/Dai de los Muertos playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1Oer08czMQkhYzDjIoJ8wR?si=MCPML9_fSZqclA4BumTkKQ
Please note that this page is under construction. More information to follow shortly.
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Imbolc - Awakening of Spring
Join SunFire Dance for Imbolc, our first 'Celtic Calendar' Conscious Dance at The Retreat on Saturday, 1 February at 7-10pm. You are invited to socialise with us around the fire after our event.
Imbolc is a festival of light, which celebrates the awakenings of spring after the long, dark winter. Imbolc is a traditional festival that is midway between Yule and Ostara. This is a wonderful opportunity to dance and gather in community around the fire celebrating new growth, manifestations and new life.
The event begins with an opening circle and meditation, followed by our conscious dance session with silent revolution headsets in the Centre Studio, where you are welcome to dance as wildly or mildly as you wish to. We then gather around the fire for a ceremony, sharing reflections and a closing circle.
Conscious Dance is an embodied practice of movement and free flowing dance that integrates emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing. We embark on a movement journey allowing moments of gentle flow, natural rhythm, release, elation, stillness and reflection. Our dancefloor is a conversation free zone, which helps to immerse you in the process. When we move, we can quiet the mind and innately embody the rhythm of the music, freeing our selves and opening us to new perspectives. There are no steps to follow, just your own feet and your own heartbeat moving spontaneously to an eclectic array of music. There will be moments of guided meditation and others where you can deep dive into the music.
What to bring: a water bottle, loose clothing you can move in, layers are a sensible idea as you will get warm when you dance, a warm coat for outside. You are welcome to share a poem or song that has significance to you for the festival of Imbolc. You may also bring an offering for the fire or a natural token for our altar.
Please contact Judez for more information on info@sunfiredance.com.
Ostara - Spring Equinox
Ostara is on the Spring Equinox and is one of the eight sabbats of the Wheel of the Year, which takes place in March. This festival is named after the Germanic goddess, Eostre. It is often associated with dawn and fertility, new growth, flowers blossoming, eggs, hares and the promise of new life. This is a time of renewal, growth and light.
Join SunFire Dance at The Retreat to celebrate the turning of the wheel at our Celtic Calendar Conscious Dance, Ostara, on Friday, 21 March, where we will meditate on the significance of this festival and season in our lives, dance as wildly or mildly as you wish to an eclectic mix of music and gather around the fire for a ceremony. release, poetry and song.
The event begins with an opening circle and meditation, followed by our conscious dance session with silent revolution headsets in the Centre Studio, where you are welcome to dance as wildly or mildly as you wish to. We then gather around the fire for a ceremony, sharing reflections and a closing circle. Socialise afterwards. Bring your musical instruments for a jamming session around the fire.
Conscious Dance is an embodied practice of movement and free flowing dance that integrates emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing. We embark on a movement journey allowing moments of gentle flow, natural rhythm, release, playfulness, elation, stillness and reflection. When we move, we can quiet the mind and innately embody the rhythm of the music, freeing our selves and opening us to new perspectives. There are no steps to follow, just your own feet and your own heartbeat moving spontaneously to an eccletic array of music. There will be moments of guided meditation and others where you can deep dive into the music.
What to bring: a water bottle, loose clothing you can move in, layers are a sensible idea as you will get warm when you dance, a warm coat for outside. You are welcome to share a poem or song that has significance to you for the festival of Ostara. You may also bring an offering for the fire or a natural token for our altar, and musical instruments.
Please contact Judez for more information on info@sunfiredance.com.
Beltane - May Day Festival
Beltane is synonymous with dancing round the Maypole and celebrates the joys of Spring and abundance of the coming Summer. Fire is a significant part of this festival and rituals involving walking around the fire and prayers of protection over animals and people were lifted up.
The event begins with an opening circle and meditation, followed by our conscious dance session with silent revolution headsets in the Centre Studio, where you are welcome to dance as wildly or mildly as you wish to. We then gather around the fire for a ceremony, sharing reflections and a closing circle. Socialise afterwards. Bring your musical instruments for a jamming session around the fire.
Conscious Dance is an embodied practice of movement and free flowing dance that integrates emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing. We embark on a movement journey allowing moments of gentle flow, natural rhythm, release, playfulness, elation, stillness and reflection. When we move, we can quiet the mind and innately embody the rhythm of the music, freeing our selves and opening us to new perspectives. There are no steps to follow, just your own feet and your own heartbeat moving spontaneously to an eccletic array of music. There will be moments of guided meditation and others where you can deep dive into the music.
What to bring: a water bottle, loose clothing you can move in, layers are a sensible idea as you will get warm when you dance, a warm coat for outside. You are welcome to share a poem or song that has significance to you for the festival of Beltane. You may also bring an offering for the fire or a natural token for our altar, musical instruments.
Please contact Judez for more information on info@sunfiredance.com.
Litha - Summer Solstice
Join us on the Beach at Sunrise to Welcome in the Dawn on Lisha on the Summer Solstice - the longest day and shortest night.
We will begin with a meditation and a conscious dance wave, celebrating the light of the day and the light within us all.
Headphones allow for an immersive experience.
Lughnasadh - First Harvest Festival
The event begins with an opening circle and meditation, followed by our conscious dance session with silent revolution headsets in the Centre Studio, where you are welcome to dance as wildly or mildly as you wish to. We then gather around the fire for a ceremony, sharing reflections and a closing circle. Socialise afterwards. Bring your musical instruments for a jamming session around the fire.
Conscious Dance is an embodied practice of movement and free flowing dance that integrates emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing. We embark on a movement journey allowing moments of gentle flow, natural rhythm, release, playfulness, elation, stillness and reflection. When we move, we can quiet the mind and innately embody the rhythm of the music, freeing our selves and opening us to new perspectives. There are no steps to follow, just your own feet and your own heartbeat moving spontaneously to an eccletic array of music. There will be moments of guided meditation and others where you can deep dive into the music.
What to bring: a water bottle, loose clothing you can move in, layers are a sensible idea as you will get warm when you dance, a warm coat for outside. You are welcome to share a poem or song that has significance to you for the festival of Lughnasadh. You may also bring an offering for the fire or a natural token for our altar, musical instruments.
Please contact Judez for more information on info@sunfiredance.com.
Mabon - Second Harvest Festival
The event begins with an opening circle and meditation, followed by our conscious dance session with silent revolution headsets in the Centre Studio, where you are welcome to dance as wildly or mildly as you wish to. We then gather around the fire for a ceremony, sharing reflections and a closing circle. Socialise afterwards. Bring your musical instruments for a jamming session around the fire.
Conscious Dance is an embodied practice of movement and free flowing dance that integrates emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing. We embark on a movement journey allowing moments of gentle flow, natural rhythm, release, playfulness, elation, stillness and reflection. When we move, we can quiet the mind and innately embody the rhythm of the music, freeing our selves and opening us to new perspectives. There are no steps to follow, just your own feet and your own heartbeat moving spontaneously to an eccletic array of music. There will be moments of guided meditation and others where you can deep dive into the music.
What to bring: a water bottle, loose clothing you can move in, layers are a sensible idea as you will get warm when you dance, a warm coat for outside. You are welcome to share a poem or song that has significance to you for the festival of Mabon. You may also bring an offering for the fire or a natural token for our altar, musical instruments.
Please contact Judez for more information on info@sunfiredance.com.
Samhain - First Day of Winter
SunFire Dance is a conscious dance session that invites you to dance as gently or as wildly as you wish on this special Samhain conscious dance. We move between the worlds of life and death. Our dance floor is a sacred space for you to surrender in your dance. Dance your grief, dance your loss, dance your pain and release it on the dance floor. Dance your remembrance, dance your longing, dance your hope, dance your broken heart out. The floor is yours. We honour our ancestors who have gone before us. Death is something that we will all experience and share this as a community, coming together these hallowed nights when the veil is thin between spirit world and the living.
Samhain is an ancient Gaelic festival believed to have Celtic origins and where great gatherings were held and where the portals to the otherworld were open. It is celebrated on the 1 November and marks the end of the harvest season and the descent into the dark winter months.
This is a sober gathering of our dance community. Everyone is welcome. Whether you have experience in conscious dance or are completely new to the practice, you are very welcome. Our intention is that you can release any stressful emotions, let go of worries and loose yourself in the music and the dance. Dance freely in this transformative practice, and receive the blessings of the dance.
Yule - Winter Solstice
Join Sunfire Dance for a nourishing Yule Conscious Dance journey, sacred Cacao and Fire Ceremony.
Yule is a time of giving and we focus on all the gifts that you offer the world. We gather on the first day of Yuletide, on the Winter solstice, which is the longest night and shortest day and marks the beginning of the returning light.
We begin with a movement meditation, sacred cacao, dance wave in the Centre Studio at The Retreat, sacred sound circle, sharing and gather around the fire after our dance for a Yuletide fire ceremony.
Conscious Dance is an embodied practice of movement and free flowing dance that integrates emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing. We embark on a movement journey allowing moments of gentle flow, natural rhythm, release, elation, stillness and reflection. When we move, we can quiet the mind and innately embody the rhythm of the music, freeing ourselves and opening us to new perspectives.
Please note that this is a sober event. Please arrive sober and remain so for the event.
Please bring a water bottle, Wear comfortable clothes, layer are a sensible option for this time of year, warm socks, your Winter coat for outside, a shawl or small blanket and mat to sit on.