Sacred Groove: An Ecstatic Dance Ceremony

Sacred Groove is an ecstatic dance ceremony held over a weekend at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California. It is led by Adam Clark, host of Ecstatic Dance SLO, with live music from the ecstatic dance DJ Jungle Haus and soundscapes from sound healer Gabriel Logan Braun. It suits anyone drawn to freeform, prayerful movement as a way to move stored emotion, connect with others and feel more at home in the body. No dance experience is required.

What to Expect

Ecstatic dance has long been practiced as celebration, mourning and prayer, and this weekend draws on that lineage. The work is built around dance journeys shaped live by the DJ, with Afro rhythms, percussion and sounds from around the world. Between the dances there are grounding prayers to root into the body and awaken ancestral wisdom, partner games that build joy and embodied trust, and mirroring and witnessing practices that deepen attunement and compassion. Gabriel Logan Braun's soundscapes support energetic balance and integration. The intention is an inclusive dance community rooted in presence and reverence.

The weekend follows a clear rhythm:

- Friday: an orientation, How to Drop Into Esalen, from 5:00 to 6:00 pm, then the opening session from 7:15 to 9:30 pm.
- Saturday: a morning ecstatic dance ceremony from 9:30 am to 12:45 pm, and an afternoon movement and integration session from 3:00 to 6:15 pm.
- Sunday: a final ceremony and closing circle from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm.

About Adam Clark

Adam Clark hosts Ecstatic Dance SLO and leads somatic workshops that explore prayer, contact improvisation and emotional intelligence. He is certified in Dance Movement Psychotherapy, and his work weaves dance, healing and spirituality in support of liberation, sacred community spaces and the reclamation of individual and collective oneness.

About Jungle Haus and Gabriel Logan Braun

Jungle Haus is an ecstatic dance DJ who provides the live music for the weekend, weaving Afro rhythms, percussion and worldly sounds. Gabriel Logan Braun is a sound healer who creates soundscapes that welcome energetic balance and integration.

The Setting

Esalen Institute sits on the Big Sur coast and is known for its openness to exploration, its hot springs and its gardens. Meals are included: breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with coffee, tea and snacks. Lodging ranges from shared floor space for guests who bring their own sleeping bag, through bunk rooms and shared rooms, to private queen and king rooms, some with ocean or forest views, as well as yurts and the historic Price House Suite, once the home of Esalen co-founder Dick Price. Some rooms allow an additional guest for a nightly fee.

Access to northern Big Sur has been affected by a Highway 1 travel advisory, with twice-daily Caltrans convoys at 7:00 am and 5:00 pm serving as the only way in and out. Plan your arrival and departure around those times and check current conditions before you travel.

Before You Go

No dance experience is needed, and the weekend welcomes people of all backgrounds. You can attend with lodging on-site or off-site, or with an individual day pass. The on-site package includes the workshop, housing, meals, access to the hot springs and campus features, and the classes on Esalen's open schedule. Healing arts sessions such as Esalen massage, specialty coffee, tea and bar purchases, and bookstore items are extra. Guests in the sleeping bag option bring their own bedding. A scholarship application is available for those who need it.