4–5 July 2026 | Saturday–Sunday
Innsbruck | Austria
Innsbruck takes its name from a bridge over the River Inn. For centuries, it has been a meeting point and a passageway—a natural threshold between north and south. This two‑day gathering brings that same idea into the body: building an inner bridge while the outer world keeps flowing—between speed and calm, strength and softness, direction and center.
After our first Innsbruck gathering in June 2022, some friends from this city brought turning into their daily lives and grew their own paths through steady practice. Now, with a new invitation from the same region, we meet again in Innsbruck this July.
What is whirling?
Turning is, in the simplest sense, the body moving around its own axis. Yet the practice is more than simply “spinning.” It trains you to collect your attention, keep your breath in flow, and let your weight settle into the ground. From the outside it may look like speed, but the real aim is not speed—it is staying centered even while you move. That is why turning can help organize the body, quiet emotional noise, and sharpen awareness.
How does the workshop work?
The workshop is designed step by step, with new participants fully in mind. We begin by establishing a safe physical order: posture, weight transfer, reducing unnecessary load in the joints, length through the spine, and a breath that finds its place. Then, through small and controlled turns, we explore the relationship between direction, focus, and rhythm. Acceleration and deceleration are taught gradually. The goal is not to become “perfect” quickly, but to build a foundation you can continue at your own pace. Across the two days, practice blocks, rest, and recovery are balanced carefully.
The Dervish in Progress approach
Dervish in Progress sees turning not as a stage trick and not as a fixed form, but as a learning language that can be applied to contemporary life. At its heart is sustainability: reducing unnecessary tension, protecting the body’s natural alignment, expanding the breath, and using energy efficiently. The practice offers a clear frame: weight that lands, an open ribcage, a relaxed neck, a lively focus, and the ability to make clean decisions in motion. It is inspired by the historical memory of turning, yet it does not squeeze anyone into an identity. Instead, it leaves space for each participant to make meaning through their own body and their own life. This creates an environment that is both accessible and open to real depth, for every level.
Who is Ziya Azazi?
Ziya Azazi is a performing artist and teacher who explores turning as a contemporary stage language and as a practice of awareness. Over many years, he has shared turning through performances, workshops, and training processes in different countries, and out of this experience he developed the Dervish in Progress approach. Today the aim is simple and clear: to bring turning into people’s lives as a safe, practical, and sustainable tool. This two‑day Innsbruck gathering is part of that journey—an open door for newcomers and a space of refinement for those who have practiced before.
Schedule
Saturday, 4 July 2026: 11:00–17:00 (6 hours)
Sunday, 5 July 2026: 10:00–16:00 (6 hours)
Location
USI - Innsbruck
Fürstenweg 185
6020, Innsbrucks/AT
(Halle Nr: 50)
Fees
Standard: 250 EUR
Early Bird (until 28 February 2026): 220 EUR
DIP family and DIPTEP participants: 200 EUR
Registration and information
For registration and general information, please visit dervishinprogress.com. For local organization and detailed information, please contact our dear friend & host Helga Jenewein.
Helga Jenewein
WhatsApp: +43 699 12903687