Dance The Medicine – Conscious Dance Retreat in Tomar, Portugal

Come retreat with us. We call it an Immersion because that is exactly what you'll do: allow the outside world to fall away and become fully immersed in dance, community, and a unique group-field experience facilitated in the way only the DTM Team can.

The idea is simple: a group of people comes together with the intention to dance, focused on a central theme. We each bring our own medicine — our circumstances, desires, struggles, hopes, and curiosity — and dance with it all in relation to that theme. We dive deep into the group field created by a unique constellation of dancing humans and attuned facilitators, trusting the magic that unfolds.

Each Immersion retreat is facilitated by Bernice and other members of the DTM Team. We will dance at least twice each day to impeccably curated music that is DJed live. We will also engage in non-dance practices and processes, each shaped by the specific team, location, and theme. While the Immersion format and method remain consistent, the combination of theme, place, and practices shifts — making this a living practice dancers can return to again and again to reconnect to themselves, their dancing family, and whatever infinite source they credit with their existence.

This is a conscious free-form dance practice (often called Ecstatic Dance). There is no choreography or steps to learn. You do not need to identify as a dancer to join us. Each DTM Immersion follows a similar rhythm and includes a theme that shapes the experience; however, it is the group field — the shared creation of those who show up — that ultimately generates the transformative power of each Immersion. It will not be the same without you.

This retreat will be capped at 40 participants to keep it well-contained and intimate.

This Immersion's Unique Theme: Lineage

We will gather in the mountains of central Portugal at a potent time — a moment that marks the final harvest celebration and the midpoint of autumn, just six short weeks before the darkest night of the year.

Across cultures, this season is one of honouring ancestors. It is said to be a liminal time when the veils are thin, when contact with those who have passed and those yet to join us is most active. We will work with the themes of honouring those who have gone before us and calling in those we wish to walk alongside into the future.

This immersion is for everyone, as we are all part of the great lineage of the human race. Let us come together and dance with intentionality — saying goodbye to the past and hello to the best future we can conjure.

For this retreat, we ask you to bring two talismans: one representing your past lineage, and another symbolising your hopes for the lineage of us all moving forward.

We will dance both indoors and outdoors, in the daytime and into the evening, as humans have done for millennia.

What's Included

5 Days of Dance & Live DJed Music: We begin each day with dance, a practice we call Morning Movement, and return to dance again throughout the day at different times and in different spaces — indoors and outdoors — guided by the rhythm of the retreat. All dances are accompanied by impeccably curated live DJ sets.

Professional Facilitation: We will offer both dance-based and non-dance-based sessions, each relating to the theme and the evolving arc of the immersion. Non-dance-based sessions may include meditation, group process work, nature immersion, creative processes, and more. Every session is held by experienced facilitators, creating a thoughtful and supportive environment where you can meet your edges, awaken your creativity, and discover new parts of yourself.

4 Nights Accommodation & Healthy, Nutritious Meals: The cost of the retreat includes accommodation and 12 shared meals. We choose venues that value whole, nourishing food, using local and organic ingredients whenever possible. Meals will be vegetarian, with vegan options available, as well as accommodations for special dietary requirements. Upgrades for double and private accommodation will be available for those who prefer them.

Community Living: We offer this immersion as an opportunity to dance with the broader conscious dance community. Whether you have trained with us before, are considering it in the future, or are just discovering Dance The Medicine, you are welcome.

Immersion Pricing

The Immersion all inclusive price: €895. A 100 CA$ (Canadian dollars) deposit is required to book, and we offer flexible payment plans. This price includes dorm or camping accommodation, food, access to all amenities. Upgrades to a double/private room are available for an additional cost.

Early registration: €795 — available until 31st August 2026 (60 days before start date).

After booking and paying your deposit, our student liaison will assist you in selecting accommodation. For any questions prior to booking, please email info@dancethemedicine.com.

The Location

Quinta São José dos Montes is a retreat centre in central Portugal, surrounded by mountains and just a short walk from Castelo do Bode Lake. The venue offers fresh, locally sourced vegetarian meals and a range of accommodation options, from cosy rooms in the main building to nature-immersed domes, yurts and camping on the land.

Your Facilitators

BERNICE RAABIS — Founder of Dance The Medicine: Bernice is on a mission to spread conscious dance communities across the globe. In 2011, she founded Dance Church, a long-running and wildly successful conscious dance in the vibrant mountain town of Nelson, BC, Canada. In 2019, she set out to gather an epic team of conscious dance professionals, and the Dance The Medicine Team was born. Bernice is a certified Soul Motion facilitator, a student of the Tamalpa Institute, and a relational somatic therapist.

ALEX SEVILLA — ED Madrid & Co Teacher at DTM DJ School: After more than two decades behind the decks as a club DJ, Alex stumbled upon conscious dance — and everything changed. He left his career as a computer engineer to become a conscious dance entrepreneur, whose full time work is in facilitating, DJing and organising conscious dance for DTM, Ecstatic Dance and the 5Rhythms.

TETÉ ARBUÉS MOREIRA — Systemic Dance & Somatic Experiencing®: Tété is a sensitive, empathic soul who loves to dance, create, and care; an artist, the mother of three sons, and a therapist. A citizen of the world, born in Portugal. Her main tools are Systemic Consciousness (Family Constellations), integrated with a somatic approach (Somatic Experiencing®) and shamanic practices. She conducts conscious dance experiences within Systemic Dance, supporting deep reconnection with the body and personal/family history.

Retreat Terms & Conditions

The full price of the retreat is €895 (or €795 with early-registration). A 100 CA$ non-refundable deposit is required to secure your place. All deposits are non-refundable if cancellation is on your side. Once you make the deposit, our team will contact you within 48 hours to confirm your enrollment and set up the payment plan for your remaining balance. Full payment is due 15 days before the training starts.

Schedule (Example — exact timing may shift)

Day 1 – Welcome (3:00 PM – 10:30 PM): Make your way to Quinta São José dos Montes. On arrival, check in with the team, settle into your accommodation, and explore the grounds. Come together to meet the team and fellow retreatants, share the first full dance, enjoy the first meal together in the dining tent, and close the evening with practical information and an introduction to your small group.

Day 2 – Inward (9:00 AM – 9:30 PM): Begin with morning movement and dance, followed by breakfast. Move into the second full dance session, then meet in small groups to share and reflect. After a midday meal, enjoy free time to wander to the lake, journal, meditate, or integrate. Later, gather for a non-dance-based session involving art, nature, or a somatic experience, followed by dinner. The day ends with a gentle group check-in.

Day 3 – Outward (9:00 AM – 10:30 PM): Start with morning movement and breakfast. The morning unfolds with a nature-based session before a midday meal. The afternoon begins in small groups, then opens into free time to enjoy the lake or rest. Gather for dinner in the dining tent, then close the day with the third full dance session at the heart of the immersion.