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 is 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 Khan, he was also mentored by Malidoma Somé, Jean-Claude Audergon and now Daniel Foor + 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 Khan, 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 (especially dancing and music) 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 (especially dancing and music) 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 building community, London
Postcards from Babylon (1997-2019)
book (2012) exhibitions & multimedia invitations (2014-16) album (2019)
Earthdreamers (2011-12 & 2019 & future )
movement-based ecological action project
CURATION, FACILITATION & SPECIAL PROJECTS
The Saltmarsh Project (2024-25)
multimedia commission by the Bioregional Learning Centre
River Dart Estuary, South Devon
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:
Earth Ritual & Animism (in-training)
Ancestral Medicine (Daniel Foor+) 2026-27
CFOR Processwork/Worldwork Facilitation for Leaders
CFOR & Processwork UK, 2017-18
Movement Medicine Apprenticeship & Professional Training
School of Movement Medicine (Ya’Acov & Susannah Darling Khan) 2009-2011
Northern Drum Shamanic Training
Northern Drum (Chris Luttichau+) 2006-08
5Rhythms Teacher Training
Moving Centre School (Gabrielle Roth) 2004-05
PgDip Photojournalism & Documentary Photography
London College of Printing (now UAL) 1997-98
BA History & Philosophy
University of Sussex, 1994-97
GRATITUDES:
Deep gratitude to my mentors and teachers: Gabrielle Roth, Ya’Acov & Susannah Darling Khan, Jean-Claude Audergon, Malidoma Somé and Suprapto Suryodarmo.
Big respect and gratitude also to the following significant teachers, guides & inspirations: Minor White, Arnold Mindell, Chungliang Al-Huang, Daniel Foor, Chris Luttichau, Alain Allard, Robert Frank, Joanna Macy, Martin Prechtel, Jude Meads, Lee Harris, Bertrand Meunier, Master Sha, Lao Tzu & the Ancients…
Deep gratitude and Love to my family: Chloe, Silva, Skylar, my parents, step-parents, half-siblings and extended family of cousins + all my diverse family of friends in many places.
Massive thanks and respect to all the dancers, creative collaborators and communities who have worked and explored with me
Respect and Love to the Ancestors, the Earth, the Star Nation and all living beings
MOVEMENT TEACHING
The Way of the Dancer (2024-ongoing)
new iteration of movement practice, integrating 5R, MM and more
The Home Dancing Project (2026-ongoing)
membership library of evolving resources for movement practitioners
Workshops, Immersions, Ceremonies, Ongoing Groups & Classes
(2006-ongoing)
movement-based experiential learning spaces in London, Devon, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Lisbon, Hamburg, Basel, Zurich, Luzern+
The Dancefloor Jedi Project (2022-2025)
development prototype for the HDP (above)
School of Movement Medicine (2009-2020)
MM pathfinder, faculty teacher (+ training mentor ongoingly)
Sweaty Thursdays (2005-2019)
Seminal weekly conscious dance space in St Peter’s Church, London
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
Community Dance Spaces (2005-ongoing)
Totnes Dance Collective, Exeter Barefoot Dance, Cambridge Dance++
Festivals (2005-ongoing)
Medicine Festival, Secret Garden Party, Buddhafield, Rumble, Dancing Body, Green Earth Awakening, Into the Wild, The Synergy Project, The Artful Badger++
DJ & RADIO
Transmission (2020-ongoing)
deep radio music broadcasts: glimpsesoflight.art + SoundArt FM (Devon)
Ecstasy Radio (2009-2019)
podcast: DJ mixes for dancers
The Earshot Cinema (2003-04)
weekly radio show, Resonance FM (London)
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 +
European Cultural Foundation, ERASMUS, Bioregional Learning Centre, Centre pour la Recherche des Populations Alpines (CREPA), Resonance FM, SoundArt Radio, Spanner Films, Portobello Film Festival, Detroit Electronic Music Festival +
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)
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