Don’t miss a special cacao apprenticeship, exclusively for Europe. Find out more under TRAININGS.

Cacao ceremony is a way to connect more deeply with ourselves and our surroundings. It offers an opportunity to pause, reflect, celebrate, contemplate, and bring light to the moments we often take for granted. It is a sacred time in which we come together to create a space to disconnect from the outside world and journey inward, guided by the heart.

Cacao Dance & Cacao Ceremonies: A 2-Day Outdoor Gathering

For the first time in Slovenia, we are welcoming you to a 2-day festival gathering devoted to Ceremonial Cacao, in collaboration with Sinergia and Cacao Laboratory, featuring Florencia Fridman (Argentina) and Tata Walter (Guatemala).

The gathering is a space for dance, music, co-creation, and ancestral education. It is a journey of ceremony and true connection, where we move beyond the mind to rediscover who we are and express our most natural selves freely.

In a world filled with constant noise, technology, and endless distractions, Cacao invites us to slow down and reconnect. Together, we will step away from the daily hustle and turn inward, allowing the heart to guide us through a journey of gratitude and authentic connection. In these two days, we will focus on the powerful medicine of Cacao, which will support us in our co-creation of free expression and exploration.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

A sacred space where cacao guides you on a journey within.

  • Traditional Cacao ceremonies and Ancient Wisdom
    Authentic Mayan ritual and storytelling led by Tata Walter and Florencia Fridman. 
  • Cacao Dance
    A movement journey with Manu. From quiet grounding to high-energy joy.
  • Voice & Rhythm
    Finding your own expression through drumming and song.
  • Community Connection
    Open jams and fire-side sharing under the stars.
  • Ceremonial Cacao preparation
    Learn how to prepare your own ceremonial cup of cacao. 

THE PROGRAM

Day 1: Roots & Connection

  • Intro Circle: Opening the space together.
  • Traditional Cacao Ceremony: Led by Tata Walter (Mayan Kaqchikel tradition) and Florencia Fridman. A journey rooted in the Cholq’ij (sacred calendar) to explore the elements and the heart’s wisdom.
  • Singing Circle with Arijana Aska: Harmonizing through the power of voice.
  • Open Jam around the Fire: Connecting through music and presence.

Day 2: Expression & Expansion

  • Morning Mayan-inspired Yoga Flow: Awakening the body in nature.
  • Vocal Activation & Drumming Circle: Releasing our authentic rhythm.
  • Discussion Panel: Featuring Florencia Fridman, Tata Walter, and Manu.
  • “Ceremony before Ceremony”: A co-created ritual of preparing the Cacao.
  • Traditional Cacao Ceremony: Led by Tata Walter (Mayan Kaqchikel tradition) and Florencia Fridman.
  • Cacao Dance with Manu: Ecstatic Dance DJ set supported by live instruments.

Open Jam around the Fire: Closing the circle with celebration.

LOGISTICS

📍 Location: Gradiško Jezero, Slovenia (Mazi’jev Grič) 

📅 Date: August 28th – 29th, 2026 

Stay: Campsite available on-site. For those seeking more comfort, Glamping options are available – https://mazijevgric.si/

No distractions. Just the lake, the fire, and the tribe. 🤎

THE CO-CREATORS

FLORENCIA FRIDMAN

A visionary and the co-founder of Cacao Laboratory. Having spent years studying under Mayan elders in Guatemala, she serves as a bridge between indigenous wisdom and the global community.

She is a multi-disciplinary artist who weaves together yoga, sound, and plant medicine to help people silence the mind and reconnect with the intelligence of the heart.

Florencia Fridman Cacao Laboratory
Tata Walter Cacao Laboratory

TATA WALTER

From the Kaqchikel Nation of Guatemala. From a very young age, Walter began to get involved and connect with his roots and ancestral Mayan knowledge.

More than a decade ago, he began to share the principles of alternative medicine with medicinal plants, metaphysics, philosophy, and the Mayan worldview. As well as the contributions and development of ancestral pedagogy, A native of San Marcos la Laguna on Lake Atitlán, Walter currently participates in different activities in his community protecting rights of water.

MANUEL WEDRA (MANU)

The heart behind the Sinergia and Flows projects, Manuel is a dedicated researcher of human potential through movement, ancestral wisdom and authentic expression. He creates safe, grounded environments where music and dance become tools for deep self-exploration. As a DJ and facilitator, he specializes in holding the space, guiding participants from gentle inward reflection to high-energy, ecstatic expression.

 

Manuel Wedra (Manu) Cacao ceremony Cacao Laboratory x Sinergia

APPLICATION

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