TRANCE FORMATION:
RITUAL, RHYTHM, AND
ECSTATIC DANCE

Robin Sylvan

For thousands of years, human beings have combined the sonic driving of a steady drumbeat with ecstatic dance to induce trance states that facilitate transit between ordinary reality and spiritual worlds. Although much of this ancient knowledge has been lost, key elements of this complex process can still be found in modern music and dance, though they have yet to attain the same level of spiritual depth and ceremonial sophistication. In this workshop, participants will explore how they can use the profound altered states of consciousness generated by trance dancing to rhythmic music in a contemporary setting to create a ritual container that directs these energies toward sacred goals: prayer, healing, vision, and divine guidance.

Workshop leader Robin Sylvan will trace the historical roots of "trance formation" found in shamanism and West African spirit possession dances, and continue with an examination of some recent manifestations, using both discursive and experiential approaches. Participants will then explore ways to focus these states through ritual practices, including prayer, chanting, meditation, altars, gesture, movement, and music, seeking to create a working template for an effective and meaningful original ceremony in their own lives.