Lean_in Nature • WINTER Gathering
Three forms . One Journey
Somatics . Contact Improvisation . Tantra
A five-day immersive gathering of movement, contact improvisation, creativity, bodywork and community on the shores and in the jungle of North Goa, INDIA.
What Is Lean_in Nature - The Goa Gathering?
The Goa Gathering is the winter edition of Lean_in Nature, bringing together contemporary movement, contact improvisation, embodied connection and community in the tropical landscapes of North Goa.
Rooted between the jungle and the Arabian Sea, this gathering offers an immersive experience where movement becomes a way of connecting more deeply with ourselves, each other and the natural world. Through workshops, shared living, fires, music and time outdoors, we cultivate a temporary community built on curiosity, creativity and care.
What We Explore Together
Contact Improvisation
Train, explore and develop your practice.
Creativity
Express, explore and create together.
Tantra & Embodied Connection
Explore connection, authenticity and conscious relating.
Nature
Slow down and reconnect with the natural world.
Community
Share meals, stories and meaningful moments.
Care
Bodywork, support and embodied wellbeing.
The Rhythm of the Gathering
Each day at the Goa Gathering balances movement, connection, creativity and rest. While every gathering unfolds differently, the rhythm of the day invites both deep practice and spacious exploration, allowing the landscape and community to shape the experience.
Morning
Begin the day with breakfast before gathering for The Heart of Yoga and embodied connection practices inspired by Tantra. From there, we move into contemporary movement and contact improvisation, arriving into the body with awareness, curiosity and intention.
Afternoon
Explore workshops, movement laboratories, contact improvisation and creative research, with time to rest, reflect and integrate. Practice often extends beyond the studio, taking us into the jungle, beneath the ancient banyan tree or to the shoreline, where movement continues in conversation with the natural world.
Evening
As the day begins to soften, we gather for shared dinners, sunset walks, ice baths, open jams, music and meaningful conversation. Evenings are a chance to slow down, celebrate the day together and enjoy the vibrant community that forms throughout the gathering.
The Spaces In Between
Some of the most memorable moments happen between the sessions - sharing chai after class, walking barefoot through the jungle, swimming in the sea, resting in a hammock or simply sitting together beneath the trees. These moments are just as much a part of the gathering as the workshops themselves, reminding us that connection is found as much in how we live together as in how we move together.
Our Home in Goa
The Goa Gathering takes place in Arambol, a vibrant coastal village in the north of Goa where jungle, sea and community exist side by side. Surrounded by tropical landscapes, quiet beaches and ancient banyan trees, the land itself becomes an extension of our practice, inviting exploration, curiosity and connection beyond the studio walls.
Our movement home is Moving Parts Studio, a beautiful bamboo studio nestled deep within the jungle along Temple Road. Reached by a winding forest path, the studio offers a peaceful sanctuary away from the pace of everyday life. Built with natural materials and complete with a professional sprung dance floor, it provides a supportive space to roll, fall, move and create while remaining deeply connected to the sounds, rhythms and atmosphere of the surrounding jungle.
Throughout the gathering, our practice extends beyond the studio into the wider landscape, with movement explorations beneath the ancient banyan tree, improvisation by the sea and moments of quiet connection immersed in nature.
The Banyan Tree - Nature Improvisations
Moving Parts Studio - Jungle Studio​
The Arabian Sea - Sunsets, Beach practise and Integration
Voices from the Gathering
Words from Neil
"Hi, I'm Neil. I've been here at Lean Into Nature in this beautiful site just outside Glastonbury. Fantastic walks, gorgeous food, and incredible dancing. Such wonderful people, such great community and I've absolutely loved it. 100 percent recommend it."
Lean_in Nature 2025
Meet the Facilitators
The Goa Gathering is held by a collaborative team of facilitators, each bringing their own unique perspective while sharing a common commitment to embodied practice, curiosity and community. Together, we create a learning environment where technical development, personal exploration and meaningful human connection can flourish.
Everything You Need to Know
Whether you’re joining us for the first time or returning to the gathering, here are some of the most common questions to help you prepare. If there’s anything else you’d like to know, we’d love to hear from you.
Preparing for the Gathering
Once you’ve decided to join us, here are the practical details to help you prepare. From accommodation and meals to what to bring and how the gathering is held, everything you need to arrive feeling ready can be found below.
What to Bring
Accomadtion
Communal Meals
Booking & Payment
Holding the Space
We can help arrange comfortable accommodation in Arambol, with a range of one and two-bedroom apartments offering shared kitchens and living spaces. Whether you’re joining the gathering or planning to stay in Goa for a month or more, we’re happy to connect you with trusted local landlords and help you find the right place.
Your place includes all movement sessions, jams, bodywork, access to the daily ice baths and nourishing plant-based meals from Wednesday dinner through to Sunday lunch.
Tea, coffee and hot drinks are available throughout the gathering.
Pack for comfort, movement and life outdoors.
We recommend comfortable movement clothes, layers, a yoga mat, towel, torch, water bottle, mug. You’re also welcome to bring a journal, musical instrument or massage oil if they support your experience.
Lean_in Nature is co-created by everyone who attends.
We practise consent, substance-free presence, care for ourselves and one another, and shared responsibility for the spaces we inhabit. Together we create a culture of trust, participation and belonging.
We use a sliding-scale pricing model to help make Lean_in Nature as accessible as possible, while supporting the continued growth of the gathering.
Supporter — £350
Regular — £325
Supported — £300
Part Exchange — £175
Book your place online through Dandelion, pay in full, secure your place with a 30% deposit, or arrange a personalised payment plan by getting in touch with us directly.
Arriving
Our aim is for your Lean_in Nature experience to start long before you step onto the land.
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Once you’ve booked, you’ll receive a Welcome Pack with everything you need to prepare, helping you arrive feeling informed, connected and ready for the gathering.
Who Is the Goa Gathering For?
Whether you’re travelling across the world or already calling Goa home, this gathering welcomes people who are curious to slow down, move deeply and connect through shared experience.
You don’t need to be a professional dancer. Whether you come from contemporary movement, contact improvisation, yoga, somatic practice or are simply beginning to explore embodied movement, you’ll find a supportive environment rooted in curiosity rather than performance.
If you’re looking for more than just a retreat—if you’re seeking meaningful practice, community and time to reconnect with yourself in nature—the Goa Gathering may be exactly where you need to be.
Join Us
Whether you’re joining us from across the world or already calling Goa home, the Goa Gathering invites you into a week of movement, community and embodied connection in one of India’s most inspiring natural landscapes.
Together we’ll practise, explore, share meals, wander through the jungle, watch the sun set over the Arabian Sea and create a temporary community rooted in curiosity, care and creativity.
We’d love to welcome you to Goa and share this journey with you.
Reserve your place online, or get in touch if you’d like to arrange a deposit, payment plan or discuss accommodation before you arrive.
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Until we meet beneath the banyan tree.