9-Day Retreat in Ha’apai, Tonga | August 26 – September 4, 2025
Preregistration is currently full – Please apply to be added to our waitlist here.
Dancing the Wild Home is a call to return to our wild nature. Immersed in the greens and blues of ocean and island, we are witnessed by, and witness, majestic whales, the Ocean’s Wisdom Keepers. We are blessed by the profound magic of the Tongan Tribe of Humpbacks in their protected breeding and birthing place. Each day, we enter sacred ground.
This retreat is a unique and life-changing exploration of our relationship to the ocean and its inhabitants. We spend some of each day (except Sunday) on land, engaging in restorative movement practices to prepare us for our time spent in the ocean. Half the day is spent in the ocean, swimming with humpback whales, and sometimes, manta rays, sea turtles and dolphins. There is ample free time to walk the truly remote island of Uoleva, nap in hammocks, relax and read on the beach, and explore the magical coral reef that is returning to “full bloom” after a typhoon destroyed it. The colors are amazing! We spend the 9 days at an elegantly rustic eco-retreat, where the simplicity and company of nature soothes and balms the Spirit. This is a remote location reached by a local plane and boat ride. There is no electricity; showers are solar and accommodation is in local style falas, made of wood, concrete or other local materials. We sleep surrounded by the wild island creatures, butterflies, birds and abundant green.
The Ocean is home. Considered the mother of us all in many sacred traditions, she absorbs more carbon dioxide than anything else on our planet. For every breath we take, we have the ocean to thank for offering the gift of oxygen, and therefore, of life. In these times of profound climate crisis, our health depends on planetary health. Planetary health depends on ocean health
Whales are magnificent wisdom carriers of the ocean, with much to share about compassion and generosity. Our own bodies are 70-80% water; the remnants of oceanic living are still inside us and available to teach us about flow, creativity, and resiliency. This restorative eco-somatic retreat combines daily whale and other ocean- dwelling creature encounters with movement, dance, breath, sound, and engaged writing practices, explorations, and deep “dives.” We also support a local Tongan community on this tiny island threatened by rising and polluted waters. We hope we all leave with inspired commitment to actions that help steward mother earth.
Amber Elizabeth Gray is an award-winning dance movement therapist, an authorized Continuum teacher, a hatha yoga teacher, and a long-time student and teacher of Haitian sacred dance. Her life’s work is supporting survivors of traumatic life experiences to reconnect to themselves and the world. Learn more about Amber here.
Cost:
Single Room: USD $4900
Shared Room: USD $3800
Payment Schedule:
Singe Room:
$500 USD due upon registration (non-refundable)
$1,000 USD due March 1, 2025
$1,000 USD due April 15, 2025
$1,000 USD due May 31, 2025
$1,400 USD due July 1, 2025
Shared Room:
$500 USD due upon registration (non-refundable)
$1,000 USD due March 1, 2025
$1,000 USD due April 15, 2025
$1,300 USD due July 1, 2025
Cancellation/Refund Policy:
- $500 Deposit is non-refundable
- 100% of the amount paid (excluding the deposit) is refundable until April 15, 2025.
- 50% of the amount paid (excluding the deposit) is refundable until June 1, 2025.
- After June 1, 2025: No refunds unless we are able to fill your spot. We will make every effort to do so.
- After July 15, 2025: No refunds unless you are able to fill your spot.