Bringing Whirling Dance Into the Contemporary Setting

Experience whirling and somatic dance as a pathway to remember your unique essence in connection to God & the Earth. We arrive here through dance as a medium for cultivating presence. To foster a deep sense of ecstasy, joy and belonging within your body and the wider world.

Anna Rüya Ayyildiz

Anna Rüya Ayyildiz is a whirling dervish.

Her work explores the meeting place between devotion and ecstasy. Through workshops, performance and one-to-one practice, she brings together whirling, breath and somatic movement, with an emphasis on creative expression and the therapeutic possibilities of the practice.

Born in London with Irish and Kurdish Alevi heritage, Anna trained in dance at Roehampton University and in Dance Development: Teaching and Learning at Laban Conservatoire. She has taught yoga since 2008, bringing years of experience in movement, breath and embodied awareness to her work.

Her experience includes performances and workshops at Riverside Studios, collaborations with String of Pearls Ensemble, and arts-led peacebuilding with Beyond Skin in Belfast. Working predominantly as a solo artist, she collaborates with musicians and ecstatic dance practitioners to create experiences rooted in connection to the body, one another and the land.

Artist biography

My journey

“When you dance, the whole universe dances

All the realms spin around you in endless celebration

Your soul loses its grip

Your body sheds its fatigue

Hearing my hands clap and my drum beat,

You begin to whirl.”

— Rumi —

  • "Guided seamlessly with word and example, sometimes moving alone and freely, other times altogether.

    Beautiful music inspires and leads, times for stillness and reflection rest us.

    Concentration deepens as the energy builds, my body slowly strengthens and becomes lighter.

    A moving meditation- the right hand reaching towards the heavens, the left hand towards the earth and below.

    Whirling to the live music of the daf, the rise and fall as the musicians lead and follow.

    The tree smiles, waves its branches. Miraculously, it is glowing and still standing."

    - Kathleen Dormer -

  • “Meeting Anna and coming to her whirling sessions has been such a beautiful blessing for me. Anna authentically creates a warm, nourishing space to drop into our bodies, flowing through delicious, gentle somatic and ritual movement to begin, and then leading into the whirling practice.

    Her loving presence, guidance and wisdom have always made me feel safe and held to explore myself deeply through the practice.

    Every whirling session has been incredibly powerful, magical and healing for me. I highly recommend Anna as a guide and teacher into the profound and ancient practice of whirling.”

    - Minou Sadeghi -

  • “Anna’s whirling circles are a delight, something I look forward to each week. For me, it’s a precious spiritual practice to release emotions and tensions whilst recharging myself. Every class brings new insights and healing.

    I also appreciate connecting with other women who are also there to heal, to receive and to connect. The circle is special because of Anna, as she creates a safe space where women connect with each other and build friendships.

    Thank you, Anna.”

    - Ieva Kelpsaite -

  • “In whirls of Sema, life dance unfolds an intense journey, where the soul beholds.

    Our auras entangled, like threads in the air, in meditations embrace, we find what we share.

    With energy and frequency high, we mix and blend, in moments of stillness, where hearts can transcend.

    When I whirl with Anna, her calmness I feel, A beauty so pure, in her presence I rested while moving.

    No impurity there, just Divine light shines, in turning my soul, in harmony with my worldly existence.

    May in whirling we all surround, and the pure light we find. ”

    - Mitra Azizi -

  • “I remember the first day of whirling class. In the beginning, I felt that lost! I did not understand what was going on and told myself, ‘What is this?' And then at the end of the session, I felt as light as a feather.

    During ongoing sessions before whirling, as we were doing somatic movements, I felt connected to the ground or earth as if my feet grew into the soil and rooted, and my head reached up to the sky. I felt like there were seeds growing through my feet and legs, and I felt that like an existing tree with all strength.

    Moving my hands and feet around made me feel like all negative energies were leaving my body and I felt my body was unloading all pressure I had with me. I wanted to keep such an amazing feeling with me as much as possible.”

    - Rosita A -