Hamid van Koten

From an early age, Hamid discovered the liberation, joy and ecstasy that can arise through dance and movement. In his early twenties, he immersed himself in Sufi devotional practices, spending ten years studying with a Sufi master from Turkey. This deepened his understanding of spirituality, presence and the transformative potential of embodied practice.

Hamid began dancing 5Rhythms® more than 25 years ago. Drawn to the practice’s simplicity, depth and accessibility, he trained with Gabrielle Roth to become a 5Rhythms® facilitator.

Hamid’s teachings brings together his long-standing relationship with Sufi practice and the 5Rhythms® map, weaving the stillness of meditation with the freedom of movement, lyrical trance and the power of tribal connection. His work invites us to move beyond the familiar, reconnect with our bodies and hearts, and discover what becomes possible when we surrender to the dance.

Over the years, Hamid has accompanied many individuals and groups on their journeys of growth, transformation and discovery. Alongside his work as a facilitator, he is an eco-designer and has worked as a teacher, director and consultant in universities, with the Transition Towns Movement and at the Findhorn Foundation, and is Chair of the Chisholme Institute - a retreat centre in the Scottish Borders, where he regularly facilitates retreat courses.

Hamid lives in an intentional community near Totnes

“Dancing the 5Rhythms® opens a gateway to the heart where Love can truly flow. Lost in the dance I rediscover myself and my place and presence in the greater universe. By dancing the Rhythms we dissolve the separations between ourselves and others, our community and our environment. For millennia people have moved together to reach this place because here a greater healing can occur.”
– Hamid