Frequently Asked Questions
During the registration process, there are questions that we frequently received from different people interested International DUP Camp Vietnam 2024. Please click on each question to reveal the information.
For any further questions that may not be covered here, feel free to email us at dupvietnam@gmail.com
Questions about the program, criteria and agenda
What is DUP?
The DUP – “Dances of Universal Peace” is a practice developed by Sufi teacher and Zen master Samuel L. Lewis. It is a transformational practice that invokes an embodied sense of unity, presence, and compassion and touches the spiritual essence within ourselves through reciting sacred phrases, music, and dance from the wisdom of various traditions in the world. This practice can be done by a group of people anywhere from five to hundreds, even thousands of people creating powerful resonance and harmonic vibration. You can also read more info on the website of DUP International and Beyond Initiative project.
What is this camp for?
It is a 7-day gathering to experience DUP on a more intensive level. It is also a chance for participants to experience the sense of co-living in a community with other participants and the local villagers.
You can learn more details about the camp here.
Who is this camp for?
We welcome everybody who loves music and dancing, who wants to explore their inner world as well as connect with a larger community and build peace through mindfulness, movement, and music. You need to be comfortable with spiritual practices and traditional teachings from different cultures in the world such as Sufi, Buddhism, Christianity, Maori Indigenous, etc.
Especially for those who have already practiced dancing or facilitating DUP, this camp is a beautiful chance to help them deepen and strengthen their practices.
Who are the trainers and organizers?
The organizing team of this camp includes a senior dance leader – Mono Arjun (Jorge Calero) and a team of 8 DUP enthusiasts from Vietnam and Thailand. They are all working on the volunteer spirit to make the camp possible.
During the camp, you will be guided by experienced and senior dance leaders. In addition, many other dance leaders as well as dance-leaders-in-training are joining this international camp.
In addition, many other dance leaders as well as dance-leaders-in-training are joining this international camp.
You can read more about the trainers and the team here.
What is the schedule? What are we going to do in the camp?
Every day, we follow a schedule from morning to evening which supports us to deepen in the practice, have time to host ourselves, and connect with people, nature, and the local people in the village where we stay together.
Below is the tentative daily schedule. It might be changed slightly due to the needs at the camp.
Time | Content |
6:00 – 7:00 | Personal practice/ exercise (optional) |
7:00 – 7:30 | Group practice |
7:30 – 8:30 | Breakfast |
8:30 – 12:30 | DUP session |
12:30 – 15:00 | Lunch and free time |
15:00 – 18:00 | DUP & workshops |
18:00 – 19:30 | Dinner |
19:30 – 21:30 | Dance Gala |
22:00 | Light out and quiet time |
I have not experienced DUP before. Can I join the camp?
Yes, of course. We welcome everybody who loves music and dancing, who wants to explore your inner world as well as connecting with a larger community and build peace through mindfulness, movement and music. It is important that you are comfortable with spiritual practices and traditional teachings from different wisdom traditions of the world such as Sufism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, various indigenous cultures like Maori and Mapuche, etc.
If you are new to Dances of Universal Peace (DUP), please take a look at this video about the Asian camp in Vietnam 2023 or this video to get a sense of how it will be. You can also read more info on DUP International website and Beyond Initiative project.
You also can listen to some of the participants’ sharing about their experience with DUP here.
Is this camp a teacher training? Or is it something else?
The camp has a part about learning to lead DUP but it is not a teacher training. Our camp has facilitators who are senior dance leaders and certified dance leaders. It is a long path of practicing and serving communities to be recognized as these titles. After you join the camp, you are not certified as a dance leader yet. It is just a start for you to explore this path to become a dance leader.
You can read more about the journey here.
In DUP practice, the 1st principle before facilitating the dance is to experience as a dancer, feeling its deep connection with you and its influence on yourself first. Secondly, the practice emphasizes the transmission from the seniors. Dance leaders are expected to facilitate only dances they have received directly from senior dance leaders or certified dance leaders, not from watching videos or reading instructions. Therefore, DUP senior dance leaders always encourage people to practice dancing at DUP practice sessions in localities (if available) or join longer-day workshops or a camp like this one. The DUP camp is a good opportunity for anyone who wants to experience the practice intensively with a big circle, especially to receive the dance from the senior dance leaders and experienced dance leaders.
Is there an age-limit to join?
While we allow people of all ages to join the camp (including families with children), only people 18 years and above can participate in the DUP dances. Since the DUP practice in the camp is designed for adults and not for children, most of the dances are not suitable for the physical and mental needs of children. Only certain dances designated by the DUP trainers are suitable, and so we ask that children only join these dances. For the rest of the dances that are not suitable for children, we ask that parents please arrange for children to be taken care of outside the dance area. This is to keep the quality of the DUP sessions and ensure a proper atmosphere for the camp participants, as suggested by the Trainers.
Furthermore, while most adults can follow the dance movements with no difficulties, we each have different physical capacity and health issues. We invite you to take care of your own well-being, take rest or ask for help when needed.
Questions about Registration & Financial contribution to the camp
How do I register to join the camp?
You need to read carefully all the information about the camp and the registration process on our website here before filling in the registration form.
For financial contribution, why are there two types of tickets? What does each ticket include?
We acknowledge our differences in financial capacities and living contexts. We hope to welcome friends from diverse economic backgrounds to join the camp and do our best to support them. Meanwhile, the organizing team also needs to consider and determine the fees that can meet the basic logistics in organizing the camp and have an honorarium for the people operating it.
As a result, we would like you to have a conversation with yourself about your capacity and willingness to contribute financially to this camp, then choose the camp ticket type that best matches you:
1. Sustainable ticket: you not only cover the basic fee for the camp participation but also contribute to the following parts:
- Honorarium for the trainers for their hard work and wisdom;
- Reimbursement and honorarium for the organizing team for all the behind-the-scene work;
- Scholarship grant for the INCLUSIVITY;
- Seed fund for the continuation of the next camp if there are abundance.
2. Basic ticket: you cover the camp fee and contribute to the following:
- Honorarium for the trainers for their hard work and wisdom;
- Reimbursement and honorarium for the organizing team for all the behind-the-scene work;
* The ticket you pick doesn’t affect the quality of the camp or how you are treated during the process. It also won’t be revealed to anyone else besides the organizers.
For details on what the basic fee covers, please check here on our website.
I cannot join the camp, but I would love to support the camp to welcome friends who have financial barriers. What can I do?
We appreciate your generosity. We recommend you to donate directly to the DUP local circles in your country. Please be in touch with us via our email dupvietnam@gmail.com, share your need for support, and where you are based. Then, we will send you the contacts of key organizers in the local circles in the country where you are staying. The contact point at local circles will be in touch with you. The local circles will take responsibility for utilizing your donation and report it to you.
You also can support us by sharing about the camp with your friends and people in your networks who are interested in the camp and have the financial capacity to pay for the Sustainable tickets.
I cannot afford either the basic or sustainable ticket type. What can I do to join the camp?
We acknowledge our differences in financial capacities and living contexts. We hope to welcome friends from diverse economic backgrounds to join us and do our best to support them. Meanwhile, the organizing team also needs to consider and determine the fees that can meet the basic logistics of organizing the camp and have honorarium for the people operating it. As a result, we would like you to practice “Ask for what you need, offer what you can”.
We invite you firstly to have a conversation with yourself about your capacity and willingness to contribute financially to this camp. After that, if you still cannot afford two types of tickets, we invite you to Ask for what you need. We suggest two steps of asking for what you need in terms of financial contribution:
Firstly, embrace your inner and outer assets. We invite you to practice turning inward to yourself and outward to your community, the people who know, love, and trust you. Where can you turn outward? What could you leverage in your talents and creative potential to invite support? This is the way some of our participants last year tried to fundraise for themselves to join the camp. Turning outward is also an experiment to explore our inner potential. If you need a thinking buddy on how you can turn outward, don’t hesitate to let us know.
Then, if you have tried your best and still need some direct support from us, you can:
- Apply for our scholarship: Please notice that each scholarship type has its criteria which you must meet in order to apply. (for details please check here on our website);
- Apply for support from DUP local circles: The local circles might support you with financial aid or powering your crowdfunding. Please reach us at dupvietnam@gmail.com, then we will connect you with the contact point at the local circles (if any).
What are the scholarships? How can I apply for it?
We offer two types of scholarships. Please check the details here.
You can apply for the scholarship in the registration form.
I come from a country outside Asia, can I apply for a scholarship?
Yes. No matter where you come from, don’t hesitate to let us know if you have financial difficulties to register for the camp. Please note that each kind of scholarship has the criteria that you need to meet. If you cannot find yourself meeting the scholarship criteria, please email us at dupvietnam@gmail.com to share your needs.
Besides, please note that priorities will be given to practitioners with financial difficulties in Asia because this camp is a part of the Beyond Initiative which aims to support the rising community in Asia.
What is Refund policy if I want to cancel?
For participants who are not from Vietnam, you are asked to present your flight tickets as evidence as the reservations for your place. You will pay the camp contribution at the site in cash (both VND and USD are accepted). We work based on trust, if you say you are coming, we trust you. Be mindful that if you say you are coming and end up not coming, all the money spent on the accommodation and logistics won’t be reimbursed. This is sensitive and we trust you will support us to manage the budget well.
For participants from Vietnam, please pay the contribution upon registration. Refund policy is as followed:
- Cancel more than 1 month before the camp: refund 50% of the fee;
- Cancel 2 weeks – 4 weeks before the camp: refund 25% of the fee;
- Cancel within 2 weeks before the camp starts: no refund.
Questions about logistics
The default accommodation is a single-bed in stilt-house dormitory. Can I choose another type of accommodation?
Yes, you can upgrade the dorm option to others. You will need to pay the difference in fee for the new accommodation and this is added to your chosen ticket. This policy is applied to all participants including scholarship receivers.
You can check the available slots and the price of accommodation options here.
Is the camp suitable for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes. We provide both meat and vegan/vegetarian options. Since the village local area is famous for its non-vegetarian cuisine, we would highly recommend you try local food if you can eat meat. For vegetarians and vegans, we will make sure to provide healthy, diverse, and delicious food for you.
How can I get to the camp site?
This is the camp venue: Làng nhà sàn Thái Hải – Thai Hai Reserve Area of Ecological Houses-on-stilts Ethnic Village – https://goo.gl/maps/1Jt6dJuRqDiPpTgE7
The organizing team will arrange pick-up buses between the center of Hanoi to the venue:
- Picking up from Hanoi center at 2 pm on Dec 1st, 2024
- Departing from the venue after lunch on Dec 7th, 2024, arriving in Hanoi around 5 pm. You can also book a taxi to go directly to Noi Bai airport from 2 pm on this day.
- If participants can’t join these pick-up buses, they will be asked to take care of their transportation.
Note: The caravan group will leave Hanoi on 30th Nov in a different bus
Feel free to reach out to the Vietnam team for support if you need recommendations on travel and transportation.
To learn about how to get to Hanoi, check out the info package we are gonna send after you register. You can also reach out to the organizers any time at dup.vietnam@gmail.com for further questions.
Does the organizer arrange a shared bus to pick up participants at the airport?
NOT AT THE AIRPORT. Participants need to take care of their transportation from the airport to Hanoi city center, but we can give some suggestions (taxis, buses…), you will receive this information in our information package sent to confirmed participants.
We provide a shared bus to pick up participants between the center of Hanoi and the venue (Thai Hai Ethnic Village):
- Picking up from Hanoi center at 2 pm on Dec 1st, 2024;
- Departing from the venue after lunch on Dec 7th, 2024, arriving in Hanoi around 5 pm. You can also book a taxi to go directly to Noi Bai airport from 2 pm on this day;
- If participants can’t join these pick-up buses, they will be asked to take care of their transportation.
Can I bring my children to the camp?
If you come to the camp with your children, please note that you will be responsible for taking care of them. We can provide accommodation and food per request. Please get in touch with us to discuss in detail if you are bringing your children or family with you to the camp.
Please also note that people under 18 need to have the acceptance from their parents or legal guardians to join the camp. They need to be registered and join the camp with their guardian who will support making decisions to ensure their safety and for the camp to happen smoothly.
Other questions
What will the weather be like when the camp takes place in Vietnam?
The camp will take place from December 1st – 7th during the winter in the North of Vietnam. The weather will be cold (around 8 to 12 celsius degrees) so we suggest you bring warm clothes and essential personal items to keep warm such as hats, scarves and socks. There might be light rain occasionally, so a raincoat or an umbrella would come in handy. Note that it will be colder when there is rain.
I can’t join the entire camp (arrive late or leave early); can I still register?
We encourage everyone to join the full camp as it was designed to be an in-depth flow. In case you cannot make it to the full camp, please contact us at dupvietnam@gmail.com, and we can discuss your situation. Please note that you will need to arrange your transportation to arrive late or leave the site early. Your camp fee will not be reimbursed if you have to leave earlier than planned.
Can I go out or have personal time during the camp?
In the camp agenda, there will be space for personal time. However, we don’t recommend wandering out of the camp area without notifying the local people and the organizers (especially if you are a foreigner).
In addition, the Thai Hai Village is quite big and there are lots of spaces and services for you to explore in your free time.
We won’t take any responsibility for accidents happening when you leave the campsite and wander about on your own.
I can't understand or speak English well, does the camp support translation?
This is an international camp, and English will be the main language. The song lyrics can be in different languages other than English, and the trainers will provide you with their meanings in English when teaching. Translation won’t be provided.
Please make sure you are comfortable with intermediate English listening & speaking level so that you can fully enjoy the camp, listen to stories from the dance leaders as well as connect with international friends. Tagging along with a friend who can support you with translation is also an option.
Needless to say, most of us are non-native English speakers and we will occasionally support each other to fully understand what is being shared and taught.
Do I need to bring an instrument? Do I need to know how to play an instrument to join the camp?
You don’t need to know how to play an instrument to join the camp. If you have musical instruments that you can carry to the camp, it is highly welcomed.
Please note that you will be responsible for taking care of your instrument.