Many workshops present music, rhythm and movement that have their origins in ceremony and ritual rather than performance. The Summer School provides a unique opportunity to learn, fuse roots and cross boundaries. This year we welcome back Sheikh Ahmad Dede and his Whirling Dervishes  linking us to the ancient Sufi traditions . In 2007 we had Yoruba ritual with Ayo Dusan, taking as our theme the bicentenary of the Abolition of the Trans-Atlantic Slave trade. We wove together strands from these rituals with music, songs and dance from Ghana, Brazil and Cuba. We also had UK artist Shirley Jones offering us the chance to create clay figures and offerings within this theme. Other years we have had ritual dancer Parmin Ras from Java sharing shamanic practices learnt from his grandfather and Red Earth Australian aborigines sharing their sacred dances.  At Doris we try to offer the opportunity to learn from the source and to connect directly with ancient and modern traditions from worldwide.

To respect the forces, hidden and seen, that enable us to bring this event to you, we also hold some ceremonies of our own at the start and end of the Doris event.  We never know exactly what the ceremonies will entail but each year the ingredients are revealed just before the event and mixed into a surprise for all.

We start with an opening ceremony on Wednesday at around 12.30 pm. This is a chance to come together and be reminded of the pleasures to come in the week and the ways we can all make life sweeter for each other. 

We finish with a closing ceremony around 1pm on Monday. Wear your white clothes, bring your open hearts and tired limbs and come together for one last time before you travel home. We create the space and something luscious always happens, though we don’t know always know what it will be until it does!  More workshops will be announced in the near future, so visit again soon!