Finding My Rhythm: What Ecstatic Dance Taught Me About Freedom

For years, I’ve incorporated ecstatic dance into my sacred sexuality practice. Movement has always felt like a gateway to something bigger—something primal, liberating, and deeply healing. But up until recently, I had never actually attended a community ecstatic dance event. I had no idea what I was missing.

One of my favorite venues, the House of Waking Life, holds an ecstatic dance on the first Sunday of each month, but between family responsibilities and my calendar, Sundays are a no-go. Plus, their events sell out so fast, I often missed the window. So when my friend and fellow coach Angela invited me to a Friday night series she was hosting at Gainesville Movement Studio, I said yes without hesitation.

And I was hooked.

What Is Ecstatic Dance, Anyway?

Ecstatic dance is a freeform movement practice rooted in the idea that we can dance ourselves into deeper awareness, presence, and joy. There are no choreography cues, no steps to follow, and no expectations. Just a wide-open space, a curated musical journey, and a shared agreement: move however your body wants to move.

It’s not about looking sexy or cool. It’s not about performing. It’s not even really about “dancing,” in the traditional sense. It’s about presence. Expression. Letting go of the mind and listening to the body.

There are usually just a few key agreements:

• No talking on the dance floor

• No phones or photography

• No substances—ecstatic dance is a sober practice

• Consent is key: you’re welcome to dance alone or with others, but always with mutual, nonverbal agreement

  
  

That last part is especially important—because while sensual energy is welcome and encouraged, it is never pushed onto someone else. And that, to me, is what makes this space so sacred.

It Reminded Me of My First Time at a Kink Club

I know that might sound strange at first, but hear me out.

When I first visited Club Kink Jacksonville, I was blown away—not by the wildness of the scenes, but by the kindness. The communication. The absolute respect for boundaries and consent. Everyone was so open-hearted and authentic. I remember thinking, “Wow. This is what it looks like when people feel safe enough to be fully themselves.”

That’s exactly how I felt during my first community ecstatic dance.

The room felt orgiastic—but in the most wholesome way imaginable. Everyone was fully clothed, mostly dancing solo, yet radiating waves of raw energy, emotion, and release. Bodies pulsed and undulated like they were plugged directly into joy. There was sweat and stomping and spinning and tears and laughter. No one was performing for anyone else. It was just people dropping into their own bodies, their own rhythms, their own truth.

And just like at the kink club, there was this beautiful unspoken agreement: We’re all here to feel something. We’re all here to be free. And we will respect each other’s space while doing it.

It was pure magic.

Why I Love Ecstatic Dance (Especially as a Woman)

Let’s be honest: going to a regular club can be… a lot. The heels. The outfits. The drunk dudes. The noise. The pressure to perform.

Ecstatic dance is the exact opposite.

I show up in my pajamas. I kick off my shoes. I move my body in ways that feel nourishing and electric and sometimes weird. And I get to be done by 9:00 PM. (Truly the dream.)

Because it’s a sober space, I never have to worry about unwanted advances. I can tap into my purest sensual expression—sometimes fiery and wild, sometimes soft and slow—and feel completely safe in doing so.

As an introvert, I also love that I can feel connected to the group energy without needing to make small talk. Just sharing the dance floor with others is enough. That subtle sense of community connection fills me up in ways that words sometimes can’t.

Join Me on the Dance Floor

I’m so excited to announce that I’ll be continuing the Friday night ecstatic dance series at Gainesville Movement Studio, happening on the first and third Friday of every month.

This is just one option among many—there are still other amazing ecstatic dance events happening throughout Gainesville, including at House of Waking Life on the first Sunday of every month; as well as the venue formerly known as Flow Space on the second and fourth Sunday of the month. My hope is simply to offer a consistent Friday night gathering for those who, like me, don’t always have Sundays free but still want to connect through movement.

Whether you’re brand new to ecstatic dance or it’s already part of your practice, you are welcome here.

Come as you are. Dress for comfort, not for show. Move the way your body asks you to move. Feel whatever needs to be felt. And most of all—come home to yourself.