CURRICULUM & GUEST TEACHERS

The Dances of Universal Peace are participatory circle dances that blend sacred phrases, song, and movement drawn from the world’s spiritual traditions, inviting us into joy, unity, and embodied devotion. Rooted in a Sufi-inspired vision of “peace through the arts,” these dances are both meditative and celebratory, using rhythm and sacred language to cultivate connection, collective presence, and spiritual awareness beyond doctrine or performance.

Pir Shabda Kahn is the Spiritual Guide of the Dances of Universal Peace worldwide and Pir (lineage holder) of the Sufi Ruhaniat International, tracing his training back to Sufi masters Murshid Samuel Lewis and Hazrat Inayat Khan. A longtime student and performer of Hindustani classical music and disciple of Tibetan and Sufi teachers, Shabda offers teachings that weave breath, sound, dance, and heart-centered practice into paths for joy, freedom, and spiritual living.

Discover the power and mystery of whirling as a gateway to self-growth and spiritual enlightenment through movement, music, and meditation.
This beginning/intermediate-level training explores Turkish, Iranic and Central Asian whirling rituals, alongside the science of whirling. Participants will be guided through the essential foundations of whirling meditation, including preparation, balance and posture, controlling dizziness, self-focus, breathwork, and more.
Drawing from years of study, teaching, and embodied practice, Dr. Farima Berenji will also introduce her own original method, integrating traditional wisdom with contemporary understanding to support a grounded, safe, and transformative experience.

Candomblé dance arises from Afro-Brazilian spiritual traditions originally carried from West Africa, where each orixá (deity) has specific rhythms, gestures, and movement vocabularies expressing their character and sacred power. Dance in this context is devotional: it honors ancestral spirits, opens channels of healing, and serves as a living link between body, community, and spiritual lineage. This session will draw from these foundations, connecting traditional dance forms with contemporary expression and cultural context.

Guinean dance traditions come from a rich tapestry of ethnic communities where movement is taught from childhood as a cultural and spiritual language. In these traditions, dance is not only artistic expression but also a teaching tool for social values, history, and collective identity. Teachers like Youssouf bring this lineage to contemporary practice, holding space for participants to explore West African rhythms and movement as living cultural heritage.

The tarantella is a spirited traditional folk dance from southern Italy, historically associated with ecstatic trance and communal catharsis. Known for its quick, whirl-like steps and vibrant tambourine rhythms, the dance evolved from rituals once believed to help release toxic energy and restore balance — a symbolic physical prayer for healing, resilience, and joy. Today it lives as both folk celebration and a practice of embodied release, connecting participants to Southern Italian cultural memory and collective vitality.
Alessandra Belloni is an Italian-born singer, dancer, percussionist, and ethnomusicologist dedicated to preserving and transmitting the ancient Southern Italian traditions of tarantella and pizzica. Based in New York and honored with international recognition, Belloni’s work interweaves deep cultural research, ritual understanding, and performance — teaching tarantella not just as dance, but as a practice of healing, communal expression, and spiritual transformation.

Guided by the natural elements — Earth, Air, Water, Fire, Wood, and Metal — this workshop invites participants into an elemental body practice that explores movement, sound, and ritual as pathways for healing and transformation. Drawing from Korean shamanic traditions, East Asian medicinal elements, ancestral knowledge, and the Tamalpa Life/Art Process, Dohee Lee leads participants from embodied exploration into Chilseong Saenamgut (Duringut), a ritual for sickness inspired by sacred ceremonies from Jeju Island, Korea. Through this immersive ritual practice, participants confront personal and collective challenges, release destructive forces, and invite vital life-giving spirits back into the body, community, and land — bridging ancient wisdom into lived, contemporary experience.

REGISTRATION

This course is now available on-demand.

You will receive 6 previously recorded sessions, each is approximately 2 hours long for 12 hours of content you can visit any time at your own pace.

Dances of the Mystics is a six-week online series exploring sacred dance across spiritual traditions. Each session is guided by a guest teacher who shares from their lineage, inviting us into reflection, embodiment, and community connection.
Once you register, you’ll receive an email with access to the course page and module recordings
No — the series is open to all. Whether you are new to embodied practice or deeply rooted in a tradition, you are welcome.
You will receive access to recordings of six modules
Dances of the Mystics is offered by the LILA Devotional Arts Non-Profit, dedicated to cross-cultural dialogue, sacred music, and community gatherings that honor the universal language of devotion.
You can reach our team at journey@lilatheseries.com. We’d be happy to support you.