Coming home to oneself through embodiment, nature, and deep human connection is the most powerful way I can describe my experience at Katharina’s Summer Dance Retreat. This retreat was nothing short of transformative – a true metamorphosis of the soul that has forever changed the way I relate to myself and the world around me.

Set in the breathtaking Alpujarras Mountains of magical Southern Spain, the retreat unfolded like a sacred journey. Katharina, an extraordinary Dance Therapist and Certified Movement Analyst, held space with authenticity, compassion, and intuitive presence. Her facilitation created a container where deep personal growth and collective healing could flourish.

Each morning, we dove into the Laban Bartenieff Movement System; in the afternoons, we explored the depths of Authentic Movement. These practices, artfully woven together through the timeless archetypes of Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, opened pathways into parts of myself I didn’t even know were waiting to be seen and felt.

Being immersed in wild nature, dancing in community with open-hearted humans from around the world, created a sense of belonging and intimacy I never expected. Though we were strangers at first, it felt as though we had shared lifetimes together. The bonds formed were profound and lasting.

Stepping away from the noise and demands of daily life to honor my inner world was the greatest gift I could have given to myself. This retreat didn’t just offer a temporary escape-it sparked a deep remembering of who I am and has helped me keep my dreams alive.

If you hear even the faintest call to reconnect with your body, your essence, and a nurturing community, do not hesitate to say yes. Katharina’s retreat is more than an experience—it’s a doorway back to your truest self.

Katharina’s Somatic Summer Dance retreat in Spain was a rich, multifaceted experience. The combination of inspiring locations, a varied program, and a warm, safe atmosphere provided both tranquility and connection.
We danced in an open-air studio with a shaded roof outside, offering a magnificent view of the mountains, and a temple that had a calming effect on the dance sessions where we did more inner work.
Katharina knew how to weave this richness into a whole that carried us. Each exercise felt like a gift to me, for my body and for a deeper inner knowing. It felt like coming home to my body.

Surrounded by mountains, waterfalls, and starry skies, I experienced a profound transformation in southern Spain. For a week, we danced during the Summer Somatic Dance Retreat led by Professor Katharina Conradi, in the beautiful space of Baileenelaire, from the depths of our being; in contact with the earth, the air, the mountain water, and listening to our bodies in a state of presence.
I am very grateful to Professor Katharina Conradi of Emove Institute Amsterdam for her generous and inspiring guidance, which created space for each body to reveal itself in all honesty and freedom. We danced together, coming from the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Israel, the United States, Poland, Spain… and me, from Brazil. A meeting of worlds and stories, united by deep listening to the body.

We were invited to return each day to the same place in nature and explore movement, presence, and internal inquiry.
On the third day, through a simple but powerful practice, I found myself uncovering a survival strategy I didn’t even realize I was still carrying. It explained why I hadn’t been able to move forward with something very important to me.

Instead of pushing through, I allowed myself to lie down and cry.
Something shifted – from within. I felt emotions, thoughts, and body sensations aligning.

There was no rush. Just presence.
And from that place, compassion arose – for the Earth, for others, and finally for myself.
It was as if something inside me said: “You’re allowed.”

This moment gave me a sense of deep peace and connection I haven’t felt in a long time.
Thank you for holding such a space.