PhDJ: An Immersion in Movement + Sound with Tasha Blank at Menla

Join us for PhDJ, a transformative ecstatic dance experience that merges rhythm, movement, and sonic healing at the serene Menla Retreat and Dewa Spa in Phoenicia, NY on Wednesday, November 4, 2026. Led by visionary yoga teacher and movement facilitator Tasha Blank alongside The Get Down Crew and qigong master Mingtong Gu, this immersive event invites you to dissolve the boundaries between body and spirit through dynamic movement, sacred sound, and ancient energy practices. Whether you're a seasoned dancer, a yoga practitioner, or simply curious about ecstatic expression, this day-long immersion promises to awaken your senses and reconnect you with the healing power of embodied presence.

This isn't a typical fitness class or structured dance lesson—it's an invitation to move authentically, feel deeply, and experience the profound synergy between physical expression and energetic alignment. The combination of Tasha Blank's intuitive teaching, The Get Down Crew's infectious rhythmic energy, and Mingtong Gu's ancient qigong wisdom creates a unique container for exploration, healing, and joy. You'll leave feeling more alive, grounded, and connected to yourself and others.

What to Expect

PhDJ unfolds as a sacred journey through movement and sound, designed to guide you from mental chatter into embodied presence. The day begins with grounding practices and energetic activation before flowing into ecstatic dance sessions where you'll move freely to curated music and live guidance. You'll experience waves of intensity alternating with moments of stillness, allowing your nervous system to integrate the medicine of movement at a sustainable pace.

Throughout the immersion, expect to feel heat building in your body, emotions rising and releasing, and a growing sense of connection with the community around you. Mingtong Gu will weave qigong principles and chi cultivation into the experience, teaching you how to channel your life force energy through deliberate breath and subtle internal awareness. The soundscape—crafted to support both exuberant movement and meditative introspection—becomes a living entity that guides your journey from arrival to closure.

By day's end, you'll participate in a grounding ceremony that honors your inner work, leaving you resourced and integrated rather than depleted. The entire experience is designed to be accessible to your body as it is today, with options to modify intensity and take rest as needed.

About the Artists

Tasha Blank is a visionary yoga teacher and somatic facilitator who understands that transformation lives in the body. Her teaching weaves together therapeutic bodywork, intuitive movement, and the philosophy that joy and healing are inseparable. Tasha creates permission for authentic expression and has spent years developing practices that honor both the wild and the wise within us.

The Get Down Crew brings infectious, grounded energy and rhythmic expertise to the experience. Their contribution ensures that the ecstatic dance event remains playful, accessible, and deeply nourishing rather than performance-oriented. They understand how to hold space for collective liberation through movement.

Mingtong Gu is a Chinese qigong master and founder of the Chi Healing Institute who bridges thousands of years of ancient energy practices with modern wellness science. His integration of qigong into the ecstatic dance event creates a unique alchemy—combining the spontaneous aliveness of movement with the refined cultivation of life-force energy. Mingtong's presence elevates this gathering into genuine energetic medicine.

Venue & Location

Menla Retreat and Dewa Spa, nestled in the picturesque Catskill Mountains of Phoenicia, NY, offers the perfect sanctuary for deep inner work. This 68-acre retreat center combines natural beauty with thoughtfully designed spaces for healing and transformation. The venue features serene studios, outdoor landscapes, and an authentic spa atmosphere that supports the vulnerable, open state ecstatic dance naturally invokes.

Phoenicia is located approximately 2 hours north of New York City via the New York State Thruway, making it accessible for weekend retreats and day visits. The mountain setting—surrounded by forests, streams, and quiet—creates a marked departure from urban energy, allowing your nervous system to settle before the ecstatic dance journey begins.