| Dances of Universal Peace uses dance as a means of | | | | Yin,or the extrovert energy of Krishna is expressed |
| reconciliation and fostering peace. Dance can express | | | | in the dance. Individuals experience a dynamic |
| all human emotions and lead to transcendental states. | | | | relationship between the group, the individuals within |
| The Dances of Universal Peace are Sacred Dances | | | | the group and themselves. |
| which do not require any musical or dance | | | | Penny Xerri gives an account of "Sharing the Dances |
| experience. The sessions are about taking part and | | | | with Special Needs Students." .She writes "One of the |
| are not a performance. There are no special | | | | delights of working with Special Needs students is |
| costumes. Comfortable clothes are the only | | | | the immediacy of their response; if excited, they |
| requirement. The setting for the dances should have | | | | may jump up and down; if tired sit down; if pleased |
| a peaceful, sacred feeling. | | | | with themselves they often want to acknowlede |
| A session begins by everyone joining hands and | | | | that with a round of applause.Perhaps there ia a |
| forming a circle with the Dance Leader and musicians | | | | lesson in Zen here. Another pleasure for me is their |
| in the middle. The Leader then teaches the words, | | | | willingness to experiment, both with sound and |
| music and movements. The background history | | | | movement, no matter how profound their disabilities. |
| associated with that particular dance is explained | | | | (One of our students has virtually no sight, another |
| . There are more than 400 Dances of Universal | | | | has speech that is virtually unintelligible and the |
| Peace drawn from many faiths and traditions. They | | | | majority may exhibit obsessive behaviour patterns, |
| focus on themes such as Peace in all its contexts, | | | | such as repetitive speech and movements, if in any |
| healing of the Earth, it's peoples, its flora and fauna | | | | way upset.) |
| and in the deeper mysteries.This inclusion of the | | | | Responding to the students' needs and difficulties in |
| beliefs of many peoples and religions creates an | | | | the dances requires that the "able-bodied" offer a |
| opening of the heart and a feeling of the | | | | variety of support and improvised adaptations. I am |
| brotherhood and sisterhood of all peoples. Performing | | | | fortunate in being supported not only by an |
| the dances help the participants to understand and | | | | accompanist, Ian Salmond, but also by Bill Thompson, |
| appreciate both the similarities and differences of | | | | a volunteer tutor. Both of these provide a strong |
| various religions and cultures. | | | | male presence and constructive feedback. |
| On the occassions when the dance lyrics include | | | | Additionally, the college in which I work provides |
| sacred phrases in languages not spoken by the | | | | "carers" for the students. These carers provide not |
| participants the pronounciation of the words is very | | | | only student support but exhibit considerable |
| carefully taught. The majority of dances are only four | | | | enthusiasm and commitment to the dances. |
| lines long and are repeated over and over again. The | | | | This level of support makes it feasible to bring the |
| combination of these factors is that the participants | | | | essence of the dances, whilst being very pragmatic |
| learn the songs quickly and easily. Within ten minutes | | | | with adaptations. These range from simplifying steps, |
| everyone is singing, dancing and sharing the | | | | such as substituting a strightforward walk for |
| wonderful power of the dances. | | | | sidesteps, to including short periods of sitting whilst |
| The Dances of Universal Peace were collated in the | | | | vocally rehearsing the familiar dances, or learning new |
| late 1960's by Samuel L. Lewis (1896-1971) a Sufi | | | | ones, as our students tend to tire more quickly than |
| teacher and Zen Master. He studied in great depth | | | | their able-bodied counterparts. On a physical level, we |
| the mystical traditions of Hinduism, Judaism, and | | | | sometimes support the hands of students, whilst |
| Christianity. Hazrat Inayat Khan and Ruth St. Denis | | | | adopting gestures or making turns, always being |
| were major influences on his thinking. In the 70's | | | | mindful not to "invade". Challenges we are still |
| Lewis began to create the dances as a way of | | | | working with include keeping the momentum of the |
| promoting "Peace through the Arts".The dances | | | | dance (there is a tendency for the students to come |
| celebrate Hinduism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Sikhism, | | | | to a halt after each "round") and to hold the silence |
| Judaism, Christianity, Islam as well as the Aramaic, | | | | on completion of each dance beyond a few |
| Native American, Native Middle Eastern, Celtic, Native | | | | moments." |
| African, and Goddess traditions. | | | | In 25 years the Dances of Peace have spread |
| The dances are categorized under headings such as | | | | throughout the world. New dance circles are springing |
| "Dervish Dances." Dervish Cycle and Allah Snake | | | | up. They help spread feelings of reverence, creativity |
| Dance are examples from this group.There are also | | | | and a connection to the Earth. The dances are |
| "Mantric Dances" such as Hare Rama Hare Krishna | | | | shared in such places as schools, therapy situations, |
| Dance and Ram Sita Circle Dance, and "Angelic" | | | | prisons, hospices, rehabilitation centers and by people |
| dances such as Moon Dances and "Tis the Gift to be | | | | with physical and mental disabilities. Dance in general is |
| Simple" which is a well known Shaker tune. | | | | finding a place in the process of Peace and |
| The dances encompass many moods - love, joy and | | | | Reconciliation in areas of armed conflict. |
| compassion - as exemplified by the Buddha Qwan | | | | |