Music and dancing were always an important part of my life. In 2010 I completed a unique TranceDance Ritual Facilitator Training Program. It is the original blindfold shamanic dance training. Ritual Trance Dance continues to be one of the most compelling spiritual dance and healing techniques enjoyed by tens of thousands around the world. 

Trance Dance Rituals take you on an inner journey. Our eyes are a powerful force to perceive the outer reality. In order to strengthen our higher senses of perception, we use a blindfold or bandana. This helps to block out distractions and to connect with our inner core without losing energy to the surroundings. The unique blend of dance movements in complete darkness, transforming breathing techniques, sounds and dynamic percussion rhythms, stimulate a higher state of consciousness, a trance state, that promotes mental clarity, emotional well-being, spiritual awakenings and joy. While setting clear intention at the beginning of the ritual, participants may discover other realities where solutions to unsolvable problems are possible, and find answers to questions, while dancing in darkness, guided by the light within. The primary focus is on healing and spiritual evolution. Dancing Rituals have been an essential part of ancient cultures, shamanism and tribes. Nature and the elements were seen as an expression of spirit. Spiritual dancing is a cross-cultural phenomenon. Through dancing they believed that the spirit of nature, the sun, moon, earth and other elements, empower them with special abilities like strength, courage or even revealing insights into the future. Certain native tribes used dancing as form of prayer: "If you pray for rain, you must feel the rain in order to manifest it..." Dancing is a creative expression of the soul, just like Art. 

Through dancing we disappear into other states of awareness, other dimensions, connecting with spirit. Darkness is necessary to stay focused as an observer of the inner experience or 'visions'.  We manage to let go of issues holding us back and problems weighing us down. The dancer is free and surrenders to the process. Our intuition is strong and while dancing with the shadow, we find the way out of the dark, into the light. 

Reference: www.trancedance.com