Banafsheh Sayyad

Banafsheh Sayyad, MFA, LAc

The Founder of Dance of Oneness®, Banafsheh is a Persian Sufi dancer, transformational teacher and acupuncturist. She is one of the few bearers of authentic Persian dance, an innovator of Sufi dance, and one of the few dance artists who has mastered a fusion of dance and spirituality. Her modality, Dance of Oneness® is a way of living our fullest potential through loving our body, our Self, and living as a lover. It fuses 3 dimensions: the art of dance, spirituality, and the science of healing. Banafsheh performs and teaches internationally, initiating people into the wisdom of their body. With an MFA in Dance from UCLA and an MA in Chinese Medicine, she is dedicated to healing and transformation through sacred dance and conscious movement. Banafsheh is the Creative Director and Co-director of Ubiquity Chartres Academy at Ubiquity University where she is also faculty. Her film with Andrew Harvey In the Fire of Grace traces Rumi’s journey of the soul in five stages. www.banafsheh.org

Upcoming Programs by Banafsheh Sayyad, MFA, LAc

“The food was divine! I’m not a vegetarian and will say the meat was not missed while here. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay…. The staff was warm and courteous. Space very conducive for retreat. Great common spaces for community and plenty of space for solitude. Will return again.”

George Charlton

“I love Menla! The views are gorgeous, the organic vegetarian food delectable, the staff professional and friendly and the program’s top flight!!”

Katherine Cook

“It was a lovely weekend as it always is at Menla! Thank you. It truly is a special place in many ways. The people who work there and run the place really do make the difference, as they are all very nice and kind. I’ve been to other like places where that typically isn’t the case. I realized this past weekend that just being at Menla is simply awesome!”

Sasha Laumeister

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