5Rhythms® Dance with Bernadette Ryder
The Deepening
A 5-Day, Residential, 5Rhythms® Waves Intensive
A deep dive into 5Rhythms fundamentals
with Bernadette Ryder, June 2025
About the workshop
The Deepening, Waves Intensive is a deep dive into the fundamental teaching of the 5Rhythms® – how to surrender to the flow of our own energy through dance, enabling us to recover that vital spontaneity. When intensively pursued, this simple exploration rapidly brings us face to face with our inhibitions, our masks and other defences we have taken on.
The deeper practice includes simple ways for these to begin sliding away – a meditation that redresses imbalances in modern lifestyles. So while the dance is exhilarating and physically liberating, it also brings quiet to the mind and a profound sense of internal stillness within movement.
The residential setting has been chosen to bring together all the ingredients needed to facilitate this deepening: Time and space in a beautiful, peaceful location in rural Somerset. A supportive community of committed dancers. Nourishing whole earth food. A highly experienced teacher. The perfect recipe.
Details
Dates: 13 – 17 June, 2025 (Fri-Tues)
Times:
Arrival 6-7pm Fri.
Departure by 3:30pm Tues.
There will be a Fri evening session – further details t.b.c.
Venue: EarthSpirit Centre, Compton Dundon, nr Glastonbury [more below]
Prices: £650 early bird until April 30th
* incl food & accommodation * [more below]
Booking: £140 deposit payable online
Format: 5 day residential
Level: Waves
(5R TT candidates – see below)
Venue
Just five miles from Glastonbury, on the edge of Compton Dundon village in Somerset, EarthSpirit Centre has won awards as a retreat centre, and as an ethical business.
The centre is situated in a beautiful landscape between two nature reserves; and just two minutes walk from St Andrew’s church, which has within its cemetery a yew tree of over 1,700 years old. The seventeenth century farm buildings have been restored and specially converted for use as a venue. They are set within seven acres of fields and gardens.
The complex is based around a converted long barn, with oak timbers, reed torching (lining the inside of the roof) and stone walls. The feeling is medieval, but with modern comforts such as under-floor heating and a large woodstove. The high roof and skylights create a light, airy atmosphere.
For more details see: EarthSpirit Website.
Accommodation
EarthSpirit has a variety of accommodation in different buildings. All is comfortable, warm, and well furnished and maintained.
Options and pricing are as follows:
Standard: included in workshop fee.
(shared accommodation)
Ensuite: +£48
Single rooms:
Standard (single supplt): +£80.00
Ensuite (single supplt): +£128.00
Camping/Campervan: -£44.00
The standard accommodation is in the Dairy (twins/triples) or Barn Dorm (small dorm under eaves – popular! 🙂 ), while the ensuite is in Cow-sheds, SkyLights or Cordwood
(for details see the EarthSpirit website).
Travel
Click on a heading for more info and links:
There are direct trains from Bristol, London and the South-West to nearby Castle Cary (from there either lifts or cabs can be arranged), or to Bridgewater from Wales.
National Rail website.
There are also direct buses from Bristol Temple Meads (for example).
There are flights direct to Bristol Airport from many European cities and even farther afield. (And if you have to fly to one of the London airports, Heathrow is only a 2 hour bus ride away – can be quicker, and certainly easier than getting to central London!) Then train or bus from there.
We can usually arrange car shares from Bristol, and sometimes farther afield 🙂
For more travel info see:
EarthSpirit Website > Getting here
Prices, booking & payment
Workshop:
£650 early bird paid in full by April 30th
£695 full price thereafter.
5RTA members: 15% discount on tuition element.
(=£56.25 off early bird)
Price includes:
- tuition
- all meals, teas, coffees etc.
- 4 nights ‘standard’ accommodation
(for options see under ‘Venue’)
Booking deposit:
£140 secures your place.
Deposit payable online or by bank transfer.
Balance payable by bank transfer or cash.
Please note that deposits on residentials are usually non-refundable.
- Please see our full Terms & Conditions here, but with the following amendments:
- 5 weeks prior to the event or course commencement, twice the deposit (£300) is non-refundable.
- 2 weeks prior to the event you are liable for the full cost of your place.
- If we are forced to cancel (e.g. due to covid regulations), moneys paid will be refunded in full, or rolled forward to a future booking (at your option).
The greatest gift of the 5Rhythms is that, when engaged with deeply and fully, it takes us on a journey of progressive expansion towards our full potential as creative, loving beings. Catalytic in nature, it works to free the body, open the heart, still the mind and awaken consciousness. Ultimately, this entirely physical practice is a spiritual experience.
Prerequisites
There are no formal prerequisites for this workshop, but it is suggested that you have attended at least a few drop-in classes with an accredited 5Rhythms Teacher beforehand. Related ecstatic dance practices such as Movement Medicine, Soul Motion and Open Floor are also helpful, as are other practices which bring focus to movement, attention and breath, such as yoga.
Further details
5Rhythms is both a very ‘free’ individual practice which offers significant permission – while simultaneously being a group/community practice which calls for consideration and respect for the group process.
Bring & wear
- Loose clothing in which to move freely, and have a good sweat! – layers are good;
- Something warm to put on or wrap round you when not dancing;
- A water bottle;
- Your curiosity!
also… - Please don’t wear any kind of fragrance – the dance is an environment that heightens allergies and other sensitivities.
- For safety, bags, valuables etc may be brought into the hall/studio.
Some dos & don’ts
- FEET:
Many find bare feet easy and comfortable – some prefer Dance Sneakers which prevent sore feet and give support to arches, knees and ankles; - Other shoes are not recommended: trainers have too much grip so are hard on knees.
- Don’t dance in socks – they slip too easily!
“Do you have the discipline to be a free spirit?” – Gabrielle Roth
This is a meditation/embodiment practice which has clear boundaries which need to be honoured if the full potential of this work is to be achieved:
- Don’t use phones/tablets, even on silent – if you need to check on a babysitter or something, take devices outside the hall/studio (or, at Horfield, outside the building) and check them there.
- Don’t talk – words take us straight back into our heads!
- Arrive on time – the warm-up, including the initial ‘unguided’ warm-up is an important part of the process. The doors will be locked and there is no admittance 15 minutes after the start.
- Stay until the end both for yourself, and for the group – if you leave early you will disrupt the collective energy and your own process will be incomplete.
“Dancing the 5Rhythms is about waking up to your most essential nature, stretching your intuition and imagination as surely as your body. It’s a formless form, one that expands your range of physical and emotional expression and introduces you to forgotten parts of your self.”
– Gabrielle Roth
5Rhythms® Teacher Training
This workshop fulfils the requirements for a 5 day Waves Workshop prerequisite (30 Waves hours) for those on the Teaching path – please let us know if this is your intention, so we can ensure that everything is correctly documented, and that you are aware of any specific detailed requirements.
Images
IMAGE CREDITS:
Images are courtesy of EarthSpirit Centre, public domain, or ©In-Rhythm. Details available on request.
