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In the Trance Dance Facilitator Training you can learn how to safely and wisely facilitate a Trance Dance.
7 day retreat program
6 online sessions
& certification
You will:
Experience Trance Dance profoundly
Learn about the Spirituality of the Body & Trance
Learn about Psychology & Mysticism
Learn about Processes of Healing & Growth
Go on a Journey of Healing & Transformation
These two modules can only be taken together – a requirement for obtaining the Trance Movement™ Facilitator Certificate.
Central throughout this program, is your personal growth. This is an intense, full and rich program, offering a lot of experience and the chance to explore, transform and deeply heal.
There are homework assignments between the first and a second module, before we complete the process together at the certification.
When you can safely surrender to the dance, and allow yourself to be moved from the wisdom and true nature of your body, moments of insights, growth and healing can occur naturally and spontaneously. You learn about different kinds of safety, and how to create a safe environment that facilitates such a process.
In addition to in-depth experience with trance dancing, you will get acquainted with similar forms of trance- and bodywork and universal and contemporary rituals. You will also learn about the brain, neural networks, and other mechanics, to gain some perspective and understanding about these practices.
Breath is a powerful tool to balance and enhance the flow of lifeforce within you. In many spiritual traditions breathing techniques play an important role. We will explore different types of breathing, and you will learn how to utilize breathwork in your praxis as a facilitator.
In most of our trance dances, the dancers are blindfolded for one to one and a half hours, creating space for surrender, inspiration and transformation. In this training you will explore the effects of darkness in depth, and learn about the important role of darkness and sensory deprivation in shamanic praxis.
The essence of shamanic work, as a spiritual expert, is to move through trance states, to improve their quality of life, and that of others in their community. All cultures on the planet have some form of shamanic practice within their roots. You will learn about the essence behind these skills, and how they contribute to growth and healing.
Sound and music are the vehicle the dancer uses to induce trance, and direct the journey. Rhythms and melodies take the dancer on a journey full of inspiration and adventure. You will learn about the effects of music on the brain, and get the chance to experience and experiment with organic sounds, from simple instruments, as well as contemporary technology.
During trance journeys we often spontaneously connect to ancestors, guides, teachers and healers in the dream world we travel through. Like little children, this comes quite naturally to us, as these energies often present themselves in typical earthly forms, such as animals. You will learn more about this, and have the chance to cultivate a relationship with a personal guide.
You will learn about soul-loss, and soul-retrieval. We all suffer from different forms of ‘soul loss’, a shamanic term that means that we have disconnected from essential parts of ourselves to survive traumatic moments in our lives. In a trance dance we can reconnect to those lost parts so deeply, that something original, more authentic, more essential, can resurface.
In this training we provide a context in which science and spirituality meet. You will learn about psychology and quantum physics, and about shamanism and mysticism, at the same time, looking at how and where these worlds meet.
During the first module you will stay at the cosy retreat called Wellspring
located in the beautiful South Eifel Nature Park. Wellspring is surrounded by forests and streams that are fulll of wildlife.
There are different optins, with different prices, to choose from. You can stay in a single or 2p/3p room (all options depending on availability)
We serve healthy and vegetarian meals, mostly organic. Coffee, tea and refreshments during the breaks are included.
Aernoudt Knecht has over 20 years of experiece in the fields of psychology (MSc, Radboud University), meditation, trance- and somatic therapies and coaching, and is internationally renowned for his work in teaching and facilitating trance dance.
“With the Trance Dance Facilitator Training we share a wealth of knowledge, and decades of professional experience, in an experiential and theoretical framework on the psychological, somatical and spiritual aspects of trance dancing.”
7-Day Retreat:
August 11-17, 2025
6 Online Sessions: 19:00 – 21:00
November 4
November 24
November 25
December 9
December 11
December 16
The first module is an immersive, in-person experience at Wellspring in Nature Park South Eifel, including accommodation and meals. After that, we offer online follow-up sessions to reconnect, discuss assignments, ask questions, and deepen your facilitation practice. This second module, held online, focuses on refining your skills through guided practice, shared assignments, and mentorship; leading you toward certification and connection with a global community of facilitators.
Prices include all teaching hours, materials, book/reader, personal coaching, and certification at the end. Includes participation, accommodation and meals during the 7 day retreat (module 1) and participation in all the online sessions (module 2).
Shared Room: €2250
Single Room: €2925
We offer you a 200 euro discount when paid in full before May 11, 2025.
Shared Room: €2050
Single Room: $2725
If you want to participate in the upcoming training, please fill out the sign-up-form below, and we will send you everything you need to know.
In addition to the first two basic modules, there are various Master Classes, for people who have completed the basic training (modules 1 + 2), to deepen your experience and understanding. Some of these programs are also open to others, depending on their background and experience.
Some examples:
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