“Whirling is not about losing balance, it is about finding your centre.” - Dervish in Progress
After two generous gatherings in Belgium - our first workshop in March and our second workshop in May - Dervish in Progress returns to Belgium with a more focused and intimate three-day masterclass. This new meeting is made possible through the careful support of Eva Zabarylo, founder and director of Compagnie Bougie, and Karlien Buysse, long-time member of the Whirling World, performer, teacher, and devoted participant in D.I.P.
The November masterclass is designed for participants who have already entered the basic language of Dervish in Progress: the Equation, Steering the Wheels, and Body Architecture. It is intended for those who wish to deepen their relationship with the world of whirling through more personal guidance, more refined practice, and a wider theoretical horizon.
In D.I.P., whirling is approached as an economical, accessible, and sustainable practice. It supports the body to move with less unnecessary effort, to breathe more fully than usual, and to mobilise body, mind, and heart through movement. Within this shared work, whirling becomes a space for meşk, love, awe, emotional opening, intellectual depth, and embodied transformation.
During these three days, we will draw from three related masterclass lines according to the needs and wishes of the group: Exploring the Skirts, Dervish Tango, and Performing D.I.P. These themes will not function as separate workshops, but as living resources that support each participant technically, physically, emotionally, artistically, and conceptually.
The aim is to understand the world of whirling more deeply, to transform more consciously within the whirl, and to connect the practice with a theory that can be carried into life. Instead of remaining trapped only within personal problems, we will explore how whirling may help us feel, think, and act through wider dimensions - temporal, spatial, vital, and epistemic.
Masterclass Directions
• Exploring the Skirts - discovering the skirt as an extension of the body, an energetic field, and a partner in movement.
• Dervish Tango - researching how two whirlers can meet, listen, attune, and transform together while whirling.
• Performing D.I.P. - opening the performative dimension of whirling for those who wish to refine presence, timing, expression, and stage awareness.
These directions will be shaped according to the structure of the group. The masterclass is a shared field of research where accumulated D.I.P. knowledge meets the real needs, questions, and wishes of the participants.
Masterclass Schedule
Friday, 20 November 2026 - 19:00 - 22:00
Saturday, 21 November 2026 - 12:00 - 18:00
Sunday, 22 November 2026 - 10:00 - 16:00
Total: 15 hours of guided practice, personal support, theoretical deepening, and joyful sharing.
Who is this masterclass for?
This masterclass is primarily for participants who already know the basic D.I.P. instructions and have received an introductory understanding of the Equation, Steering the Wheels, and Body Architecture. It is especially suitable for those who wish to deepen the practice after the March and May Belgium workshops, or after having experienced D.I.P. elsewhere.
Participants are invited to come with their curiosity, questions, and personal wishes. Some may want to understand the skirt more deeply. Some may wish to explore partner whirling and the relational field of Dervish Tango. Others may be drawn towards the performative layer of D.I.P. These three days will offer a careful frame in which such needs can be met with sensitivity and care.
As this work is a masterclass, it is not recommended as a first experience for complete beginners. If someone feels a strong interest but is unsure whether they have enough background, they may contact Karlien or Eva before registering.
Main Focus
• To deepen the D.I.P. Equation and the practice of Steering the Wheels.
• To refine Body Architecture for more economy, stability, breath, and mobility.
• To develop a more sensitive relationship with skirt work, partner work, and performative presence.
• To support each participant according to personal needs, artistic curiosity, or practical questions.
• To connect the practice of whirling with a wider field of reflection on time, space, vitality, knowledge, and transformation.
The practice will move between physical clarity and philosophical reflection. We will work with the body in detail, while also asking how whirling can help us think beyond narrow personal cycles, create more space within the mind, and bring new responses to situations in life.
Fee
Masterclass Fee: 330 EUR
This fee reflects the more intensive and personalised nature of the three-day masterclass. In order to keep the work careful, detailed, and supportive, the number of participants will be thoughtfully limited.
Venue
Compagnie Bougie
Brusselsesteenweg 265
9090 Merelbeke-Melle, Belgium
www.compagniebougie.be
Contact & Info
Karlien Buysse - +32 479 35 21 65 | karlien@niya.be
Eva Zabarylo - +32 475 28 64 28 | eva@compagniebougie.be
“Whirl your body to move your heart and switch your mind.” - Dervish in Progress