A Beginners Guide to Conscious Raving
- julia7631
- Apr 25
- 4 min read
Updated: May 6
A recent article in the Financial Times, Why I’m Converting to Daytime Clubbing, got me thinking again about the new trends that are happening in the world of recreational dancing.
Caroline Bingham’s article eulogises about the older generation having plenty of fun on the dance floor, packing up at 9pm, then off on the tube for an early night. Many of us have fond memories of the freedom and collective joy of our raving days on the dance floor of warehouse parties and the Acid House craze. We’re over having young kids and might have a bit of money in our pockets. Bingham reports: ‘ The older crowd just want that feel-good experience and the collective engagement of dancing’.
In the UK, we are currently witnessing a nose-dive in traditional nightclub activity. There has been a continuous decline in nightclub attendance with 1 in 5 nightclubs closed in the last 3 years. Concurrently, daytime club sessions are very much on the rise. A recent study by Startle (www.startlemusic.com/blog) revealed that online searches for daytime clubbing have increased by a mammoth 800%!
A quick look at the internet showed these daytime discos taking place in Wales, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Glasgow, Bristol, Southampton, Sheffield, Nottingham, Bournemouth and London, and they are on the increase globally. So here we have it: a growing trend of daytime raves and clubs where you can dance to your heart’s content, but now get home for a good night’s sleep.
Invincible
This new social phenomenon takes me to one my favourite topics: humanity’s invincible urge to dance and move together. As we know, humans have been dancing together since our species evolved and I would argue the shared movement has been a major factor in the dominance of the human race on the planet as we learnt to cooperate and bond, rather than out-compete each other.
We’ve heard a bit about the current trend in daytime discos. What is also increasing in popularity is conscious dance, ecstatic dance or conscious raving. It is the slightly younger generation who favour these conscious events, preferring to leave out the drugs and alcohol and have a more holistic experience.
What is Conscious Raving?
It’s like a great club night or rave, but with soul. Conscious raving blends music, movement, intention, and community without drugs or alcohol. It’s about tuning in instead of checking out; inviting presence and connection through the sensations of the breath and body.
Much like Caroline Bingham’s daytime clubbing, conscious raving is unlikely to be an all-nighter. No need to take drugs to keep the vibe going into the early hours. At most there might be Cacao on offer (a nutrient-rich alternative to cocoa powder with mild psychedelic properties) or maybe some kind of breathwork that naturally creates energy in the body. Most often it’s bring your own water bottle along!
Freedom
It’s not about learning any movements or find the right way to dance. Conscious raving is about freedom and moving without choreography. There is no judgement. And feelings are included as we follow the rise and fall of movement impulses; sprawling on the floor at times, connecting with others, dancing alone and resting back into ease and recouperation when needed.
Consent Culture
Touch, eye contact, dancing with others — everything is grounded in clear boundaries. There’s often a strong community ethic of respect and presence. Sessions are about being conscious and awake, body aware and emotionally present, not numbed out and absent.
Ritual & Integration
Part of what makes conscious raving or ecstatic dance ‘conscious’ is that they can include opening circles, guided meditations, intention-setting, breathwork, closing ceremonies, embodiment practices like sound baths with gongs, crystal bowls and singing bowls.
Enjoyment in Motion
Dancing triggers all the right feel-good neurotransmitters and hormones: dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins. A wonderful cocktail for feelings of elation, ecstasy and group bonding.
When we relax and feel safe around others we can feel playful, and these events are great places to drop the responsibilities and worries of life and enter into a mood of fun and play.
All feelings welcome
As well as feelings of elation and joy, other feelings can come to the surface once we start paying attention to our bodies and breath. The feeling of release, of not having to know what we are doing and to hold it all together can allow tears, sadness, and even anger to be present. The invitation is to move with these feelings rather than try to fix or get rid of them.
Listen to your body
Unlike conventional raving back in the day where the atmosphere was to dance yourself into oblivion, conscious raving is about listening to your body and responding to its needs. This might mean using the chairs and and cushions available to rest, integrate, drink water and breathe, rather than push your body and risk injury.
No phones, no shoes and no talking
Phones, headphones and gadgets of any sort are not part of the conscious dance floor. The invitation is to be fully present, undistracted by the usual background noise of life. Equally it is advised to take off shoes and socks and really get grounded and present with the floor or earth.
Unlike daytime clubbing, you will not find chat going on during a conscious dance session. It is an opportunity to shift communication to moving bodies rather than what is being said. The quieting of words means a quieting of the mind, allowing for a deeper, more immersive experience.
Flomotion dance
Flomotion dance grew out of Ecstatic Dance and other conscious dance practices. It begins at 6.30pm and finishes at 8.30pm, leaving time afterward for whoever so wishes to come and make friends at the local pizza restaurant or to go home for an early night, without a hangover the next day! Leave feeling energised, connected and more alive.
There’s no talking, no booze, and plenty of soul… as well as good music for dancing and plenty of rest time.
Come and give it a go: www.flomotion.dance/bookings
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