Testimonials | Zola Dubnikova

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Weekend to week-long participants:

“The art of reincarnating in the same body” … I read it somewhere, and I feel this phrase represents exactly what we experience the last days, during this magical Alchemystic Dance journey, guided by Zola Dubnikova… a beautiful soul & powerful Priestess of the New Era.”
Areti Karantzikou, Crete (Greece)

“You have opened up more in me than you can possibly imagine and I wish that magic to happen for all women.”
Etta Happe, UK

“Zola is a deeply loving powerful guide for the feminine; reminding us of our bodies, our sensuality, our passion, our pleasure. In Zola’s circle I found my way back to a femininity I have never known in this life time, and has continued to deepen ever since. I could not be more grateful for having met you, Zola. You’ve given me the kind of gift one can never pay back, only forward to all the other women who cross my path, aching from the ignorance or suppression of the powerful radiant feminine essence within.”
Leah Perlman, USA

“Dance is the language of the soul. I heard it so many times during the last years. But only Zola Dubnikova helped me to remember, to find all lost threads in my body, in my heart and soul. Zola doesn’t teach how to dance, she shows us the way of remembering something that we all already know, but have forgotten. It is the most beautiful, the most nourishing and truthful dance journey for women I have ever experienced. And Zola, whose power is hidden in gentleness, grace and kindness is an embodiment of her teachings. Each meeting with her is calling me further and beyond. I recommend her workshops with all my heart.”
Zuzana Mesarosova, Prague (Czech Republic)

“Thank you so much for all of the bliss, love and unity experienced in beautiful Crete. I got everything I desired from the workshop. My body is soft; my energy is open; I feel blessed and blissed out. I feel home, centered and strong. I am ME… Aahhh it felt like coming home, slipping into my deepest essence. I felt strong love and gratitude from my ancestors, both in my relative and spiritual lines. At the end of the workshop when you shared your mudras with us, I felt like my whole being was connected to the movements and sounds you performed; I felt like flowing in the same rhythm with those holy patterns. I felt soft warm energy filling my spine and moving from pelvis to the crown. Thank you so much once again for the work you are doing – it is essential for the women all over the world and in the whole universe.”
Kretel Viirsaar, Estonia

“I just wanted to say that i have felt SO amazing after your practices this weekend. There is the feeling of radiating happiness and creativity. It is so easy to connect on the heart level with people; I feel a very big difference before and after. After trying a lot of “holistic” dances and many practices all of my life, your practise method is one of the ones that is really working. I am amazed! Believe in you and your work truly!!! “
Oona Elena Kassila, Finland

“My experience with Zola was an unforgettable one as what we did was something I actually remembered from centuries ago. I mean my body remembers: the movements, the breathing, the freedom within the dance. I do remember… Zola’s unique way of weaving different traditions together is inspirational no matter what country or what culture you are from. I think her way of sharing her dance is a gift for many women and I really appreciated her reminding us what gorgeous beings we actually are. I am now- after her workshop – feeling much more connected to my body in a loving and compassionate way. I dance more, I breath more…Thank you Zola for reminding us of our female power which has been suppressed for so long.
Begum Erenler, Turkey

“After this workshop, so many things are still moving inside… I feel more open and sensitive, but at the same time stronger from the inside… I have the feeling that your workshop will have very long “consequences” on me and my surroundings….. and i also felt like i would love to go sooooo much deeper…. I thank you so much for it all…. (2015, after completion of 1st workshop)
…(after completion of 4th workshop): Your smile, your dancing, the sound of your voice and drum, your loving eyes and the circle (of women)… From the deepest place of my heart, my intention is to live in the way you (un)teach us – with an open heart, soft jaw, relaxed eyes, presence, feeling every cell in my body filled with gratitude, making this life a dancing prayer … You have so much to give Zola, and we women need you and what you are able to transmit more than ever. It was amazing to hear the women share in the circle, especially those who return (to work with you) again & again… One single weekend with you changed their lives! I can tell for myself, I am not the same person I was before we met.”
Jana Modrakova, Tenerife, (Spain)/ Slovakia

“Dear Zola, I really fell in love with this experience – it’s like the beginning of a new path filled with sweetness, living heart, body intelligence, worthy-ness, love…I feel so strong. How powerful this work is, how juicy a woman can feel, how sacred life can become…Thank you so much for giving us this chance. I really want to go on with the process and continue with you.”
Florence Michel, France

“Zola, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. It was amazing to see you you embody the sacred feminine. You have inspired me to keep dancing and reconnecting with my soul through my body. And to live, dance, and give from the heart. I’ll always keep you in my heart. Thank you! I’m really looking forward to seeing you again in NYC! Next time for a bigger and longer workshop!”
Natalie Zuniga Gogny, New York (USA)

“My experience during the weekend with Zola has boundlessly helped my path, and my embodiment practice deepen to a new level… The subtle body awareness practices and movement principals Zola shares are truly the next level ‘nexus’ to not only our own self awareness but our global consciousness…This IS the change that is needed in the world… What Zola shares are innately very simple wisdoms of the body, which we have long forgotten. How gifted she is with the embodied resurrection of these ancient truths, which she now humbly shares for us too to remember, re-learn and re-create – through our holy-body-temple selves – a new world.”
Ember Ananda, Australia

A tremendous rippling shift was felt amongst all participants – Lifting many veils & allowing the Divine Feminine presence to be known on greater levels, truly a ‘Journey Between Worlds’. Thank you Zola Dubnikova.
Lydia Elixir, Australia

“Zola gave us so much love and such a wonderful experience – Dancing in trance, feeling alive, energy moving up and down the body, amazingly connected, beautiful music, feminine movements, grace and beauty…..My personal experience from this workshop is very very powerful and amazing!! In the first few weeks after the workshop i couldn’t even put it into words. I was feeling so alive and cried tears of happiness. It was so soul-nourishing, heart-warming and beautiful to dance and get instructed by Zola with her warm and kind personality…Something unbelievable and amazing happened one day after our workshop was finished. Do you remember that i told you that I didn’t have my menstruation since 15 months? I felt totally disconnected to my body and my feminine energy. On Monday after we danced the whole weekend, activated our pelvis a lot, filled up our chakras and much more – my menstruation came back!!!! I was so touched and cried… I realized I can trust my body when I step back into my feminine power and feel alive with much joy. Wow… i couldn’t put it in words until now. I am deeply grateful for this experience!”
Aisha La Luke, Switzerland

Two month Mystery School Participants:

“I felt empowered by this training in a way I couldn’t even dream of ! I could not imagine myself being so strong, without any need to ‘shout’ (in order) to be respected. I discovered my inner truth, my inner wisdom and I feel so much more aligned and centered … I deeply believe that the work has cleaned my emotions, helping me to be more grounded; helping me to be able to receive deep inner guidance… Before this training, I thought being strong required effort and was very far from the state of receptivity… ! Now I realize that my power is coming from listening inside … I feel like I came back home to my body; like I met myself for the first time. Not my self, who is torn between my desires and my pattern to please others ; but my Wise higher self, who offers me guidance and clarity.

After the first month, I began to receive a lot of insights and dreams….During the training I had a huge revelation – I had a vision of myself as an alternative midwife, offering herbs, manual techniques, movement and sounds to help woman giving birth. I also realised that I already have so many tools from my work as an osteopath, as well as different studies, that I could already begin this work. Since the day I received this vision, I began to work on this project and I really feel that all is aligned for me now. This experienced has been beyond words, beyond dance. Something shifted in my life forever with the support of this circle. I feel alive like never before, and empowered to do whatever I decide to. I spent years wondering where is my place, what is my life’s purpose, and while surrendering and letting go all of those questions, I heard my heart’s call.”
Emmeline Noe, France

“What a gift to be able to live this for two full months. I was longing for this, and I feel the experience satisfied the thirst of many if us who participated . The training allowed for grounded and deep work to be ‘lived,’ in both healing and dance learning. It also brought the possibility to experience a deeper commitment than workshops taken ‘here and there,’ as well as to bring back to our ‘inner system’ the natural way of living as a tribe, a true community – caring for each other, growing and learning together.

…The main gift I have received is to come back to a more feminine path. I could elaborate very deeply on this, and I received so many gifts… I feel all that was experienced was already very present, intimate and known deep inside, but i did not have the opportunity to experience it fully yet…I also feel a strong cleaning of memories held in the body, thanks to the work and to the healing sisterhood…And this experience definitely awakened in me the deep wish to keep learning dances, especially Odissi and Sufi. The Jade eggs and Yoni initiation also brought so much to my life. It is like the door for this feminine meaning has been opened again… Thank you, thank you, Zola…Deep deep gratitude… and profound respect again for this deeply precious, complete, so needed work that you do, and how you give yourself in it. I have always felt you so engaged… what a gift to feel that. We are so blessed to receive your presence and sharing.”
Maroussia Bard, France

“I have a lot of gifts that I am taking away with me. However, maybe the main thing that I am take with me on my journey, is what it means to practice and walk a spiritual path through the embodiment of the feminine. I am realizing now that I have left the course, that my path was actually deeply masculine – very insistent on fixing myself and changing and basically going about perceiving myself as a problem to be solved. I feel like all this has changed drastically… I feel like I had tons of ‘aha’ moments. Words like, “We are opening the channels of ecstasy” that you said on the first day, made ripples of goosebumps pour through my body – I felt the words that I know to be true about being in my body, but had forgotten, were expressed and remembered through our daily practices… ‘Aha’ moments were also present when you gave the talk about the Temple Dancers – in this moment, all I had in me were tears of absolute recognition – that this is what I am aching for in my practice.

…These women are forever woven in my heart. How I feel about them – I love them, honor them and prostrate to them humbly for what they have given me. I felt safe in our container – I love that I had to struggle with trust so that, in the end, my love was more sincere. I feel incredibly close to the women of this circle and I do feel like I’ve made friends that will go beyond these two months together.

One of the biggest gifts that I got, and that I had been asking for, for quite a long time, was to have a real woman as a guide on my path. Ah, what a blessing to meet you and your deep conviction to live from the mystery, the essence of the heart, the roar of the yoni. Nurtured to the depth of me to have you as an example… I feel deeply blessed that life finally gave us the opportunity to meet and share during this time…”
Joy Voigt (Mexico)

“The two months training was an experience that deeply touched the core of my being, healed me in so many ways, let me grow in unconditional love towards myself and others and left me having a soul family of sisters… The gifts that I’ve gotten from it are immense….On the physical level I feel it was very good for my body to move and dance every day. I feel lighter and more free in my body. I also feel my posture got better and my body feels more aligned. I feel a lot of body wisdom has been activated through the practices and dances. Movements that we’ve learned are now coming naturally out of my body, as if they’ve just been waiting to be rediscovered, reactivated. Mentally I feel a lot more relaxed about my life. I am feeling more trust that things will unfold exactly as they should ….A great insight I will carry out of this training is that one of the greatest gifts of love is to simply be present and hold space. There is no need to actively fix things or people by giving advice or changing something… I also feel a burning to continue with this work and keep healing and empowering myself and others around me. For the first time I can also see myself as a healer, something that had not been revealed to me so far. The training is also leaving me with a greater acceptance of the waves of life…I was able to dive into dark places of myself just to grow into the light even more. I will take many practices home with me. Amongst the ones I felt the strongest for me are: the flamenco-inspired practices, the wild woman meditation and Odissi stepping. I also enjoy doing the Sufi-inspired practices, Zikhr and whirling. I also very much like doing octopus and serpent meditations, the very simple breathing practice, sounding practices, listening practices, the yoni exercises, yoni breathing and all the kidney rejuvenating practices. I enjoyed the dances done in circles as it brought a sense of belonging to the sisterhood and joy to myself. I basically enjoyed all of the practices.”
Miriam Luz, Germany

“My greatest gifts were that I felt initiated into being a woman – the woman that I am and the woman that I want to be. I feel that this training has offered me so many gifts and so much knowledge that I am now ready to share my own gifts fully – from a place of love and integrity. I could face my deep self-doubts and finally let go of them, which made me believe in myself and brought me lots of success in my own projects when coming back home to Austria. And this was also my intention to participate in this training – to be initiated. All of the practices have changed my body and way of moving and dancing a lot – I integrated so many new movements in my body – the Mudras are my greatest joy and inspiration. I also feel much stronger, much more grounded and generally feel my body more deeply than before. I am more here than there. I am more present, more aware and open. I feel so much love and creativity – I feel like exploding, because there is so much I want to share. And step by step I am doing it now, following my heart. I really want to say thank you Zola – I cannot put my gratitude into words. This training marked a new beginning in my life and I am so happy that I was part of this training!!!”
Victoria Lozar, Austria (www.victorialozar.com)

“The greatest gift (of the training in India) was to be in a circle of women, continuously energetically connected for 6 weeks, accompanying the process of healing and integration. To hear the voice and the truth of each of us. To see us all breaking masks, and to see the shadows, the wounds and the light – the potential and limitations all together. Breaking our hearts to infinity, to the Divine, to the Mother, to the Earth that supports us. Remembering through our bodies the wisdom of femininity, beauty, sensuality, strength, sacredness, joyfulness, empowerment, sisterhood. I’m stepping in my power in some way at a new level. Essential points of my needed evolution and surrendering were certainly touched and there is so much to integrate.

So much love.

It’s a profound training.

You are a sweet strong woman, Zola.

I could say that your wisdom inspires my work a lot

Thank you for so much!”

Raissa Scarton (Aia), Brazil

“The Temple Dance Initiation was a month-long intensive embodiment course, which required me to show up, in person and be present with myself, my body, the group of women and the teachings. Each day was profound and rigorous …During the course, we have studied dance traditions from around the world. I have been able to feel in the body the interconnection of these dances, each with the wisdom of their own flavor. The thing that I saw which really unified these practices was the origin of dance in ritual. I have been seeing the original purpose of dance to unite communities and connect us to something beautiful – the celebration of the body and the celebration of life. When we are connected to these values, we in turn value ourselves and life more fully…I saw the interconnection of the healing of women and the healing of humanity and the earth. I saw the importance of women waking up. When a woman is healed she educates others – her beloved, her family, her community… How to heal and come into balance and right relationship with the sacredness of life becomes natural….The support system of the women was VITAL. I learned so much from being in communion with this group. There was really a feeling of us becoming a greater whole together. The women authentically watched out for each other and deeply cared about one another’s well being. We were honest with each other in our processes – we had our moments, but there was a foundation of love that we returned to always to heal. So much got expressed and released. Such a bond was formed as we loved and encouraged one another to rise up in our lives…Through the training, I learned practices that are awakening dormant inner wisdom. My teacher Zola Dubnikova calls it “allowing the truth to come out from the body”. These truths need to be attended to. They are key to our personal and collective healing. We need to cultivate these truths and turn them into action. I have emerged from this really seeing how critical the healing of the divine feminine is at this time, which in turn brings balance to the whole.”

Mary Arose, Arizona (Sacred Hand Productions)

“The mystery school of Zola changed my life. I learned to listen deeply inside. My inner shaman came alive and I rebirth myself over and over again. Zola channels her teachings into existence and thats what inspired me most. Since then I’m channeling my word, my actions and my life into existence. And I became this fluid woman readily changing and moving into my full & magical potential. Thank you Zola.

Nicole Costerus, Netherlands (www.wildwomanrise.com)

“Zola’s work, Holistic dance language, has been one of the most powerful and effective tools in helping me to heal from my childhood history of sexual abuse. The movements and sounds of the work put me in touch with the innate power of my own body, and with my capacity to heal myself with my own hands and intention. Zola as a woman and teacher also truly embodies compassionate presence, and has a gift of creating a safe container to express, release, to be heard, and to heal from this very deep and ugly form of abuse (and this is not, in my experience, a gift that many teachers possess!). She really knows how to create and hold the space for deep healing to occur. In addition to this, the physical aspect of the work–particularly the earth practices–are amazing in assisting a deep release of the psoas and hips, which is where we hold deep traumas of sexual abuse and the emotions associated with it. These earth practice movements allowed me to come back into a relationship of trust with the earth, with my own body, and with the process of life itself. The encouragement to embody sexual energy with the self in a safe community of women was incredibly healing and empowering. To experience and be encouraged to experience sexual energy in a safe environment for a sexual abuse survivor is invaluable, and I feel more at home in my sexual power.

I felt held by not only Zola but by each and every woman in the room. Their unconditional love and capacity to listen compassionately has deeply healed me. I am now more open to receive love, and to experience more power and ease within my body and my life. I feel both more powerful and at the same time more soft and divinely feminine. I feel like myself again, and more at home in my body. I feel I can do anything! Thank you!

Kaitlin G., New York