About
Christian de Sousa is a movement facilitator, DJ and artist.
Using music, dancing, photographs, words and collective process, he invites immersive exploration of what it means to be alive in the twenty-first century.
Christian de Sousa is a movement facilitator, DJ and artist.
Using music, dancing, photographs, words and collective process, he invites immersive exploration of what it means to be alive in the twenty-first century.
Christian has held space for thousands of people to go on transformative journeys through dance. He has facilitated international projects, curated micro-festivals and nurtured emergent community systems.
Creator of the legendary 5Rhythms dance space Sweaty Thursdays in south London, he initiated and led the seminal dancingTao and Earthdreamers projects. Working with Movement Medicine from its inception, he was an MM Pathfinder & faculty teacher.
As a photographer, he has contributed to a variety of contexts from museums and magazines to mental health services. He was the author and creative director of the book, album & multimedia project Postcards from Babylon – a rough guide to liberation.
Having trained with Gabrielle Roth and Ya’Acov & Susannah Darling Kahn, he was also mentored by Malidoma Somé and Jean-Claude Audergon and has studied in-depth with Suprapto Suryodarmo.
Born in Switzerland of mixed European ancestry, he grew up in England and developed his practice in London and other cities. He lives in the south Devon hills with his family, and learns about enlightenment from the cats.
A Short Film about Glimpses of Light
A film about the core vision and intention of Christian’s mutli-disciplinary work.
Made in collaboration with Emilio Mula and nu-Frame (6 minutes)
Christian has held space for thousands of people to go on transformative journeys through dance. He has facilitated international projects, curated micro-festivals and nurtured emergent community systems.
Creator of the legendary 5Rhythms dance space Sweaty Thursdays in south London, he initiated and led the seminal dancingTao and Earthdreamers projects. Working with Movement Medicine from its inception, he was an MM Pathfinder & faculty teacher.
As a photographer, he has contributed to a variety of contexts from museums and magazines to mental health services. He was the author and creative director of the book, album & multimedia project Postcards from Babylon – a rough guide to liberation.
Having trained with Gabrielle Roth and Ya’Acov & Susannah Darling Kahn, he was also mentored by Malidoma Somé and Jean-Claude Audergon and has studied in-depth with Suprapto Suryodarmo.
Born in Switzerland of mixed European ancestry, he grew up in England and developed his practice in London and other cities. He lives in the south Devon hills with his family, and learns about enlightenment from the cats.
A Short Film about Glimpses of Light
A short film about the core vision and intention of Christian’s mutli-disciplinary work.
Made in collaboration with Emilio Mula and nu-Frame (6 minutes)
Vision
“I create spaces where people can remember who they are.”
“Art is like the rippling of sun on water. It takes us dancing between light and dark, between the surface and the depths – and offering us glimpses of the whole. Whether teaching movement, DJing, making photographs or holding participative spaces, my intention is to facilitate a remembering of this wholeness.
My work explores the relationships between what is visible (body, street, tree) and what is unseen (consciousness, systems, emotion) How does the physical hold and reveal the invisible? How does the unseen infuse our material world? And how do we experience and align with this synergy that is existence?
Life matters. We are waking up on many levels. We live on one planet and we are many peoples. Systemic change and a re-imagining of culture are needed, in our world and within ourselves. Awareness and joy are both a part of that. Equality, freedom, renewal – these things are embodied processes rather than abstract outcomes. I see art and dance as both living containers and medicine for the process.”
> AUDIO RECORDING of the statement! 🙂
Vision
“I create spaces where people can remember who they are.”
“Art is like the rippling of sun on water. It takes us dancing between light and dark, between the surface and the depths – and offering us glimpses of the whole. Whether teaching movement, DJing, making photographs or holding participative spaces, my intention is to facilitate a remembering of this wholeness.
My work explores the relationships between what is visible (body, street, tree) and what is unseen (consciousness, systems, emotion) How does the physical hold and reveal the invisible? How does the unseen infuse our material world? And how do we experience and align with this synergy that is existence?
Life matters. We are waking up on many levels. We live on one planet and we are many peoples. Systemic change and a re-imagining of culture are needed, in our world and within ourselves. Awareness and joy are both a part of that. Equality, freedom, renewal – these things are embodied processes rather than abstract outcomes. I see art and dance as both living containers and medicine for the process.”
C.V.
For full C.V. please view this site on a larger device
MAJOR PROJECTS
Glimpses of Light (2021-ongoing)
art & facilitation vessel: image, movement, sound
dancingTao (2010-2020)
movement collective holding spaces and weaving community, London
Postcards from Babylon (1997-2019)
book (2012) exhibitions & multimedia invitations (2014-16) album (2019)
Earthdreamers (2011-12)
movement-based ecological action project
The Earshot Cinema (2003-04)
weekly radio show, Resonance FM (London)
CURATION, FACILITATION & SPECIAL PROJECTS
Dance for Life (2019)
non-violent direct action for climate justice
XR Pink Boat, Garden Bridge + elsewhere, London
Rhythm Village (2018)
community micro-festival of movement and creative arts
Vauxhall, London
All in Movement (2017-18)
Erasmus-funded project led by dancingTao on movement practice & social inclusion in European capital cities
Partners and events in London, Budapest, Rome, Berlin
Babylon Soul Cafe (2014)
micro-festival of photography, music and workshops,
Shoreditch, London
Inner Vision (2006)
photography workshops for young people
National Maritime Museum, London
Impact Hub (2004-05)
Artist-in-Residence & Founding Board Member,
Impact Hub, Angel, London
Ito @Soweto Mountain of Hope (2002-04)
Township Community Photography & Video Project
Soweto, South Africa
Photography for All (2001)
Islington Mental Health Day Care Centre
TRAINING & EDUCATION:
CFOR Processwork/Worldwork Facilitation for Leaders
CFOR & Processwork UK, 2017-18
Movement Medicine Apprenticeship & Professional Training
School of Movement Medicine, 2009-2011
Northern Drum Shamanic Training
Northern Drum, 2006-08
5Rhythms Teacher Training
Moving Centre School, 2004-05
PgDip Photojournalism & Documentary Photography
London College of Printing (now LCC) 1997-98
BA History & Philosophy
University of Sussex, 1994-97
Deep gratitude to my mentors and principle teachers: Gabrielle Roth, Ya’Acov & Susannah Darling Khan, Jean-Claude Audergon, Malidoma Somé & Suprapto Suryodarmo.
Big respect and gratitude also to the following significant teachers, guides & inspirations: Minor White, Arnold Mindell, Chungliang Al-Huang, Robert Frank, Josef Koudelka, Daniel Foor, Chris Luttichau, Jude Meads, Lee Harris, Joanna Macy, Martin Prechtel, Bertrand Meunier, Master Sha, Lao Tzu, the Ancients…
Immense thanks and respect to all the dancers, creative collaborators and communities who have worked and explored with me
MOVEMENT TEACHING & DJing
The Way of the Dancer (2024)
new programme of movement teaching, in-the-room and online
The Dancefloor Jedi Project (2022-ongoing)
globally-accessible resources for movement practitioners
Transmission (2020-ongoing)
deep radio broadcasts
Sweaty Thursdays (2005-2019)
creator and lead facilitator of seminal weekly conscious dance space
St Peter’s Church, Vauxhall, London
Workshops, Immersions, Ceremonies, Ongoing Groups & Classes
(2006-ongoing)
movement-based experiential learning spaces in London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Basel, Zurich, Luzern, Devon++
School of Movement Medicine (2009-2020)
MM pathfinder, faculty teacher (+ training mentor ongoingly)
MM Summer Long Dance (2010-2015+)
DJ Curator & Co-ordinator of annual 72-hour ceremonial dance ceremony
One Dance Tribe (2016-2019)
teaching faculty for ODT Europe + ODT New York
Ecstasy Radio (2009-2019)
podcast: DJ mixes for dancers
Community Dance Spaces (2005-ongoing)
Totnes Dance Collective, Exeter Barefoot Dance, Cambridge Dance +
Festivals (2005-ongoing)
Secret Garden Party, Buddhafield, Into the Wild, The Synergy Project, The Artful Badger +
PHOTOGRAPHY & ART:
COMMISSIONS & COLLABORATIONS
The Wire, DJ Magazine, Mixmag, Dazed & Confused, Tank magazine, Jockey Slut, SL Magazine, Ergo, The Observer, The Evening Standard, Times Educational Supplement, Lambeth Council, Islington Social Services, YMCA, Getty Images, Photonica +
Resonance FM, European Cultural Foundation, ERASMUS, Centre pour la Recherche des Populations Alpines (CREPA), Spanner Films, Portobello Film Festival, Detroit Electronic Music Festival, SoundArt Radio +
The Atlantic Fellowship, Impact Hub, Soweto Mountain of Hope (SoMoHo), Campaign Against the Arms Trade, The Dark Mountain Project, WorldVoices, Indigenous People, PirateTv, The Asphalt Angels +
Coldcut, Ninja Tune, Laurent Garnier, David Morales, Ty, Mike Ladd, Aba-Shanti, Kakatsitsi Alex Forster +
EXHIBITIONS
In the Space of Seven Breaths (2022)
Part of Group show, The Angel, Totnes
Postcards from Great Britain (2021)
Shutterhub touring group exhibition
Closer to Fine (2021)
Group show, Angel Gallery, Totnes
Postcards from Babylon (2014)
Solo exhibition, Blackall Studios, London
Salt of the Earth (2009)
Group show, Rotunda Gallery, Oxford
Figments of the Future (2004)
Solo exhibition, King of Hearts Gallery, Norwich
Unreal City (2004)
Solo exhibition, The Muse@269 gallery, London
Unreal City (2004)
Solo exhibition, La Ink, Toulouse, France
Footsteps in Time (2001)
Collaboration with Jop Gotto, King of Hearts Gallery, Norwich
Ecce Hora (2001)
Permanent Exhibit, Brighton Museum
Village au Carrefour (La Montagne Moderne) (2001)
Solo exhibition, Sembrancher, Switzerland
Unreal City (1998)
LCP postgraduate show, London