Dancing Body brings joy of movement to a permaculture farm in Wales

A new immersive dance festival is coming to a farm in Wales this summer — blending ten styles of movement with the sweaty abandon of a club night.

Dancing Body is the newest offering in the British festival calendar: a three-day celebration of movement whose organisers refused to accept that dance belongs either in bars and clubs or classes in neon-lit mirrored studios.

Unlike many dance retreats, Dancing Body is open to everyone — from seasoned shakers to complete beginners — and offers a mix of workshops, parties and wellness experiences with no pressure to perform.

By day, the festival will host a lineup of teachers leading participatory workshops in a rich mix of styles including forró, swing, belly dancing, zouk, afro dance, voguing, contact improvisation, 5Rhythms and ecstatic dance — open to all, with no experience necessary.

In the evenings the rural venue will transform into a club-style night out, with DJs, a natural wine bar and a mezcal takeover by London’s Stoke Newington venue, Doña Bar.

Founder and life-long dance enthusiast Dunja Lazarevic is a jack of all moves and master of none. Her intention for Dancing Body is to give guests the time, teaching and freedom to discover new moves — and explore the history and nuance of each style while finding their own rhythm.

Lazarevic said: “At the heart of this festival is a simple yet powerful intention: to bring people back to their bodies, back to each other, and back to the land — all through dance.

“I love British club culture but I also like the slow and mindful pace of a ‘retreat’ setting, so I created Dancing Body to capture the best of both worlds.

“I want to build a community rooted in movement, where dance becomes the language we speak and the way we connect.”

“This event just ticks all the boxes! It invites expression of movement while connecting us to Mother Nature. It’s unbelievable.” – said Winston The Geezer, a long standing afro beats and dancehall teacher from London.

This is Dancing Body’s debut but the festival venue — Three Pools Regenerative Farm in Wales — is a seasoned event space that features eco-cabins, pre-pitched bell tents and a camping field with showers and toilets.

Other facilities available to guests include a wood-fired sauna, cold water swimming, a farm cafe and farm-to-table meals.

The farm also boasts a state of the art sound system and two large renovated barns for dancing. Each morning will start with optional yoga and there will be optional lunchtime lectures.

Dancing Body will take place at Three Pools Farm, Wales, 5-8 June. Tickets are £150 and available here.

Image credit Dancing Body