Overview
The second year of the Dervish-in Progress Teacher Education Program (DIPTEP) is titled Formation.
While the first year, Core Data, focuses on foundational knowledge, bodily awareness, and mental-emotional alignment, Formation is the year of application, embodiment, and integration. It is designed to deepen the practitioner's mastery and expand awareness through whirling practice and its transformative language.
Graduates of Core Data are warmly encouraged to continue with this second year—not only for the possibility of becoming DIP instructors, but also to enter more deeply into the unseen dimensions revealed through spinning. Each headline of the Formation program opens a new portal into understanding the self, the unknown, and the transformative intelligence of movement.
Those who have not completed Core Data but already hold substantial experience in spinning and its transformative nature are also welcome to apply. To ensure readiness before September 2026, one-on-one online sessions are available to cover the theoretical content of Core Data. Further details can be requested via email at dervishinprogress@gmail.com or by WhatsApp at +43 660 5860 660.
Formation is open to all who feel called by the spinning path and are willing to deepen their journey.
Participation Prerequisites
• Completion of DIPTEP Core Data.
• Ongoing engagement in some form of personal development or physical discipline since graduating from Core Data, such as dance, movement practice, therapy, meditation, martial arts, or somatic training.
For Experienced Whirlers Without Core Data Graduation
Whirlers who have not completed the first year, Core Data, but are deeply familiar with spinning practice and its transformative qualities may also be accepted into Formation.
• A short biography and a brief statement of motivation must be submitted to dervishinprogress@gmail.com.
• A short online interview will be arranged after the initial contact.
• In order to prepare adequately, candidates without a Core Data Certificate must complete the Core Data theory through one-on-one online classes before September 2026. These private sessions are designed to provide the foundational understanding necessary to integrate the teachings of Formation and to become eligible for certification.
The Nine Vectors of Transformation
These foundational components guide the multidimensional architecture of the DIP Formation journey, bridging body, mind, and spirit. Graduates of Formation will be able to work with these vectors while designing and facilitating their own whirling courses and sessions.
1. THE SUBJECT → The Somatic Principle The living method of DIP, in which the body becomes a field of dialogue with natural forces—unlocking perception, embodiment, and inner data through gravitational and energetic interplay.
2. THE INSTRUCTOR → The Conscious Facilitator A calibrated presence who integrates theory and practice. Through empathic leadership, the facilitator becomes a resonant guide, activating transformation through structured insight and energetic clarity.
3. THE GROUP → The Collective Field A dynamic constellation of individuals forming a shared morphic field. The group becomes a social vessel for personal transformation, where resonance, mirroring, and co-regulation unfold through silence, structure, and shared experience.
4. THE SPACE → The Sacred Container A physical and energetic architecture in which movement becomes sacred. Spatial neutrality, harmony, and openness allow expanded states of awareness and ritualised embodiment to emerge.
5. THE TIME → The Temporal Flow Time understood as a non-linear dimension—structured yet fluid. Sessions are aligned with natural rhythms, allowing deep integration through intentional phases of initiation, expansion, and closure.
6. THE COMPLETERS → The Energetic Catalysts Functional and symbolic tools that support the continuity of experience. Props, garments, and technology act as enhancers—grounding the journey while expanding the sensory field.
7. THE MUSIC → The Sonic Architecture Organised sound as a carrier of emotion, rhythm, and memory. Music functions as a temporal bridge, guiding participants through shifts of frequency, atmosphere, and emotional landscape.
8. THE SESSION → The Transformational Arc A choreographed sequence of energetic phases—from activation to surrender, from intensity to stillness. The session becomes a journey through layers of self: embodied, symbolic, and spiritual.
9. THE CLOSURE → The Integrative Descent The descent into stillness, where insight crystallises. Closure grounds the invisible into the visible, anchoring transformation through rest, reflection, and reconnection.
Certification Requirements
Participants who wish to receive official certification as a DIP Instructor upon completing the Formation year must meet the following criteria:
• Completion of all three modules, totalling 18 DIP Days / 54 whirling hours.
• Accumulation of an additional 12 DIP Days / 36 whirling hours through participation in other DIP workshops or retreats. A 30% discount will be offered to those collecting hours toward certification.
• This brings the full certification requirement to 30 DIP Days / 90 whirling hours.
• Successful completion of a Final Self-Assessment Examination, evaluating both personal integration and readiness to teach.
Structure of the Program
Location
Agios Lavrentios, Greece Click here to read more about the village.
Accommodation Options (for the First and Third Modules)
Participants are welcome to arrange their own accommodation. We will advise participants on several accommodation options. If a group booking package becomes available, we expect to share this information in the coming period. As soon as there is an update, all approved applicants will be informed by email.
Payment Terms
• Pay Per Module: Although participation in all three modules is required for certification, payments may be made separately before each module.
• One-Time Full Payment: A discounted rate is available for those who choose to pay the entire program fee upfront.
Program Fees
The program is limited to 20 participants. Early registration is strongly recommended. One-third of the places are reserved for those in need of financial support, artists, and students.
Applicants for these 6 places must complete an interview and apply via dervishinprogress@gmail.com with a short biography and a brief statement of motivation.
For questions or support in your decision-making process, guidance is available through the designated online support link.
Payment and Registration
1. Fill in the Application Form: Start by completing the application form provided on our website. Please ensure that all required fields are filled in accurately.
2. Wait for Approval Email: Once your application has been reviewed, you will receive an approval email confirming your acceptance and including an online payment link.
3. Make Your Payment: Use the payment link provided in the email to pay the €200 deposit securely by credit or debit card, or transfer the deposit directly to the bank account details provided.
4. Confirmation: After your payment has been processed, you will receive a confirmation email with the details of your successful enrolment.
If you encounter any difficulties during the process, please feel free to contact us for assistance.
Production Managers
Eleni Voyiatzidou & Alexandros Seitaridis
Fortunati Art & Tech Co.
We look forward to welcoming you to Agios Lavrentios.
Conclusion
The Formation year supports the alchemy between inner potential and physical expression. It is intended for those who are ready to evolve through movement—not only as dancers or future teachers, but as curious human beings willing to witness what spinning can reveal.
“Fly to make them fly. Spin to make them see. Be the driver of your own invisible vastness.”