Testimonials

The combination of Biljana’s open heart and expertise in Shamanic Tango created an enriching experience that opened up multiple vulnerabilities and perspectives for myself to this day. I’m hugely grateful to have shared this experience with people who became my family and would do it again in a heartbeat.

I have never moved like that with anyone in my life. Whilst moving, I had enough awareness outside the movement to simultaneously be awed by the beauty of what was happening. To feel like my body knew how to do it by itself, enough to let me ride in it, mesmerised. I certainly fell in love with our ability to dance, and I crave more of it.

Sometimes when I find myself alone with trees, in nature, in the garden, on the terrace, I remember how I was touching tree trunks and grass in a way I had never known before, and which I never would have known if it wasn’t for your workshop. That I would extract as the most beautiful feeling which I will never forget.

I was inspired during the process, frustrated, calm, annoyed, perplexed, lost, found, ecstatic, numb, but what I really felt was a sense of purpose without meeting a challenge. It was a wonder-full moment of processes and at the end, when we sat together in a circle, I realised a channel had opened in me that had been unknown to me before. I felt open… strangely open… …one thing that came through was ‘being’ from all levels of our existence. This was important in my process as it connected me with the grain of the beginning. … It was an amazing moment of some minutes and something that I will treasure forever. I got an insight (or clarification?!) of what it – life/movement/love can be amongst people.

I very much enjoyed the experience of walking outside in the moonlight, walking silently as a group, creeping through the twisting high stone walled path, opening your senses to the limited vision, feeling the earth under foot with a greater keenness. I also found myself in the silence drifting off into my own thoughts and life worries. Realizing now my attentiveness is a skill, that I don’t practice often. The positive feeling is it has loosened the grip of the methodical right-sided control of my thoughts. My visual sharpness and fascination in the world around me has been really beneficial to my creative artwork. Less doubts as to whether views that catch my eye are worthy subjects to focus on and a more spontaneous playful approach.

I really found it inspiring and enjoyable. The venue was brilliant – warm and welcoming – as were the people. I had the feeling of rediscovering my interest in nature and boosting my senses of smell, touch and taste It was as if I was seeing and hearing things for the first time and exploring like a child would. Most of all i found more connection with Gerald and our dancing has improved (and is more enjoyable) as a result. This might not be noticeable to the onlooker but I feel it in my body and movement. I like to think I’m a kinder person, kinder to my self and others. Thank you (and Alison and Fabian) for such a good time. I often think back on different aspects of the weekend. When are you holding another one?

Shamanic drum entranced me. It was the first time I heard that sound and it left a remarkably strong impression on me. From one side freedom to go anywhere, and from another safety of the anchor, the ground, the tangible, which doesn’t let us wander off and it is there like some lighthouse that always points us towards the known. To be stretched between two different energies, open to their flow, like a bubble in a spirit level – it can move up, or down, or peacefully stand here and keep the whole universe in balance. I seem, from the workshop onwards, calmer, somehow deeper, and still lighter, more relaxed. I feel a bit more connected with some elastic threads with the world around me, but not with its superficial layer, which often carries a lot of negative and frustrating ‘on the first throw’, but with the axis of things and all around me. Thank you for helping me feel as if my hands have extended and are now able to embrace the whole world!

A full letting go of oneself, through getting to know others and togetherness, and in the end a cleaner return to a more individuated self. A better feeling of others. An interaction of the individual and the collective consciousness. Before the workshop I have thought a lot about movement and walking, through Tango. Here that gained another meaning, view from a different angle. I’ve learnt about the importance of connection between the spirit and the body. My movement is now lead by a different energy and significance. A wish, imagination, projection, will, breath and in the end the movement. From the head, the body, from the earth. Until now I have thought in one way: about the ‘technique’ of movement and steps, and experienced it, but this is something completely different, and beautifully complements everything else for me. I can’t wait for another workshop. In short it was different, special, new, beautiful, joyful, relaxed, very interesting, unforgettable feeling and experience. A lot of that, so maybe I don’t even remember everything, but it will probably keep coming.

This kind of opening up, of letting go of one’s fears, is healthy for anyone at any point in life and can be applied to whatever one wants to improve. … the Shamanic Tango workshops, which require more time and involvement than ordinary lessons, ‘cut deeper’ into the participants’ mental and physical awareness. It is therefore likely that the Shamanic Tango approach actually speeds up the process of developing one’s dancing skills (which are inseparable from other aspects of one’s life). I am not suggesting that Biljana has come up with ‘the magic formula’. Essentially, each participant needs to put the effort and courage into achieving a positive change. What Biljana does seem to have achieved, however, is to create an environment in which this kind of personal development may occur. I have yet to discover to full meaning of the Shamanic Tango workshop – what it means for me personally, as a dancer and an academic, as well as for us as a group. I have a strong feeling it will lead us all in interesting new directions, or strengthen a path one is already on.

…. this is ideal for me, through more awareness of the points in the body and how to use them, through the senses and exactly with imagination through the feeling to come to the true technique and definition… and what is best, that which I have done in this way and made conscious somehow stays there, written in the body, I don’t necessarily need to memorize how I would repeat the same. Thus I would place this work into a work on the technique ‘from within’. …and placing all that into a metaphoric concept enthrals me, and I got an idea that in tango whilst I dance I don’t only have an opportunity to enjoy that dance as a dance, but I have my own Tango mission too, in relationship to the space, the partner and before everything in relationship to myself. Whilst I was drawing I felt myself as if I was flowing. And I think that sense of creation came also because of another feeling, or sensation – which is that I felt connected with the group and it was as if we were somehow entwined together, there was like a sort of energetic charge, something was moving between us, but I cannot say much more about it, although I well remember that moment and feeling! …I felt that all was so good and meaningful for all of us…. I felt it was important… I felt a beginning, a wave of happiness… I want more! I want to know and understand the world and myself and the possibilities and all that, but precisely through the wisdom like it is Shamanism, like all similar old traditional values and knowledge… Precisely because of them I want to progress and to add what I can, hence I can’t wait for another shamanic experience!”

The weekend experience was a new venture for me. I didn’t really know what to expect before we came. I trusted you based on our previous experiences together! I enjoyed myself and the general ambience very much! The dancing/movement elements where we interpreted words/sentences in improvised movement were certainly a new experience and challenge for me! I was obviously outside my normal comfort zone but I really enjoyed the experience! I also thoroughly enjoyed our mindful walking in the woods and down to Lamorna Cove. The opportunity to dance tango with you was a special experience for me. I felt very privileged to have this opportunity for special attention and focus on interaction, connection and musicality! It will also help me to keep a future focus on the emotional side of tango and not feel too inhibited by my technical limitations. You are quite special in this respect! The food and accommodation together with the location were excellent and exceeded our expectations. The house had a friendly ambience and was kept nice and warm! The piano was a surprise bonus! The Mayan cacao experience with Alison was also memorable! I felt a deep sense of warmth, relaxation and caring around me! I had a deep sleep that night and felt my mind/emotions were in a good place! I will definitely take benefits from the weekend into my future tango – more focus on emotional aspects and less judgmental about my technical deficiencies/limitations. I will also take some benefits into my piano playing through improved focus on musicality and relaxed movement whilst playing. I will also see better cross benefits from my interests in yoga/music/tango in a more holistic way. More of experiences to embrace and enjoy rather than step by step technical improvement! I also appreciated our social time and sharing life perspectives and experiences together! I do not really have any serious critical points! I would like to come to future events!

I had the most amazing, magical, dynamic, healing, expressive, playful time.. that way exceeded any expectations I may have had.. a truly life changing experience that is slowly sinking in.. I have been to the moon and back!

It was the perfect choice for my birthday, I now have a new momentum for all following in my next year. Deeper experiences that marks the future trails… Thank You, Biljana!

Thank you Biljana and everyone !! for such a totally wonderful weekend, I want to keep the good feelings flowing !! It was magical, unique… even better than I ever imagined.

I haven’t yet met anyone or anything that has influenced me so much to accept myself and others and to awake. It is incredible how much something I don’t fully understand changes me to that extent. I am happy I don’t understand and don’t even try to. I think that in all that from above to bellow can be seen how much all is complicated and hard yet how much good it can bring. It can be seen what and who the borders serve – ego. Thank you for not letting me give up.

One colleague asked if I had done some treatment on my face because of my relaxed look!

3 Days of ‘Shamanic Tango’ with our beautiful Biljana Lipic and all these lovely souls – wow! What can I say? Speechless hehe (unusual for moi) I certainly begun to discover and embrace much more of the spirit of me, as well as the spirit of Tango – by the end (in between tripping up quite a bit!) I was flying around in Tango – absolutely gorgeous experience. Love and heartfelt gratitudes to all.