1–7 September 2026 · Agios Lavrentios · Mt. Pelion · Greece
“Dervish in Progress is about discovering a wider intelligence within motion.” Ziya Azazi
Dear friends,
Life is fragile and temporary. Yet inside this fragile time, we can create spaces where the body remembers, the mind becomes clear, and the heart opens again.
After the unforgettable experience we shared last September in Agios Lavrentios, we are happy to return to the same mountain village, again within the frame of Music Village Festival. From 1 to 7 September 2026, Dervish in Progress will offer another retreat for those who wish to deepen their whirling practice, their body awareness, and their inner listening.
Some journeys take us far away. Others take us deeper inside ourselves. This retreat belongs to the second kind. Surrounded by the nature, silence, music, and humanity of Agios Lavrentios, we will turn, breathe, walk, rest, learn, and share. We will approach whirling not as an escape from life, but as a conscious practice of returning to our centre while life continues to move around us.
Dervish in Progress is a contemporary approach to whirling developed by Ziya Azazi. It combines clear physical principles with a wider field of awareness, where body, breath, emotion, thought, and perception can meet. Through simple but precise exercises, participants are invited to experience whirling as an accessible, healthy, and transformative practice.
The retreat is open to participants aged 16 and above. Previous experience in whirling is welcome, but not required. What matters most is curiosity, respect for the body, and the willingness to enter the process with openness.
During the retreat, we will work with: • Morning walks and gentle outdoor practices in the village and nature
• DIP-UP warm-ups to prepare the body, breath, and attention
• Technical and theoretical lessons on the foundations of Dervish in Progress
• Daily whirling sessions with progressive guidance
• Body Architecture, axis, balance, suspension, breath, and economy of movement
• Steering the Wheels and the Equation as core DIP principles
• Sharing circles, feedback, and moments of collective reflection
• Time for rest, integration, and personal exploration
Practical Information
Dates: 1–7 September 2026 Place: Agios Lavrentios, Mt. Pelion, Greece Context: Within Music Village Festival Participation fee: €200, accommodation not included Application: Apply through the Music Village Festival form, choosing the 4th Period and “Dervish In Progress”. Booking link: https://www.music-village.gr/en/application-form-en/ Payment: EFG EUROBANK ERGASIAS S.A. · IBAN GR1502602320000560200616225 · SWIFT ERBKGRAA · Account Holder: AR TRI
What to Bring • Comfortable clothes for movement
• Clothes and shoes suitable for walking in nature
• A notebook, if you wish to write or reflect
• Any personal items that support your comfort and practice
This retreat is an invitation to slow down, to listen, and to meet the moving centre within. It is a place for new memories, new deepening, and new transformations, held by the mountain, by music, by practice, and by the shared presence of the group.
We look forward to gathering again in Agios Lavrentios, within Music Village Festival, for another week of whirling, breathing, learning, and becoming.
“Turn not to escape, but to listen better, breathe deeper, and return clearer.” Ziya Azaz