Many years ago I used to dance at the Circle Dance events in the UK. These embrace a multitude of cultures and are danced as is obvious in a circle! The music and words are done in the original language, from Arabic to Greek to Russian. A teacher stands in the centre and we learnt the music and words, and then holding hands began the steps. These dances are hypnotic and intensely powerful. The generation of energy was always astounding and I learnt a lot about my spirituality during this time. Sadly the contact was lost as I left my ex and it drifted from my life. I stayed at a couple of residential dance camps – they were fab. Early morning group meditation and chanting, whole foods, communal dancing throughout the day, and usually a dance ritual to end the weekend on a Sunday night. No one religion was paramount, people came from all walks and there were no judgements made on people’s beliefs. I danced throughout my pregnancy and once had the opportunity to take part in a women’s goddess day – the whole event was intensely moving. The power which grows from the pelvic movements, the music and the focus on the goddess was awesome. The experience affected me deeply.

Why go on about this? Well recently I began belly dancing classes. I had not realised how much I missed the dance. Yes you have the nervousness and feeling like a clumsy elephant in the first few weeks; the class is not spiritually focussed, but the movement and the music echoed deeply for me with my past involvement with dance.
The freeing up of the body and mind when you can really let go reaches an inner core somehow – so no matter how far I progress with the dancing, the actual dance, and the absorption in the music - the experience is a truly enriching part of my life. Some of that is that the decision to attend was in line with my new affirmation about getting “me time”. Now I am lost in fascination with the Egyptian tradition of dancing, the variety and startling wistfulness of the music and the beauty of the femininity of costume. The experience of being with 25 women in a room of all age’s shapes and sizes and feeling free to just “be” is oddly liberating – don’t get me wrong I love men (chuckle) but the energy is different somehow!

Has anyone else ever circle danced or used dancing as part of their path? Anyone else done belly dancing?

Anyone else felt what I am referring to? The depth of power that movement and music can bring?

Hi Rhiana,

Yes I have been involved in Circle Dance for many years, have had a stint producing Grapevine (The magazine of the Sacred Circle Dance Network) and I am presently a 'guardian angel' of the Network. My wife teaches Sacred Circle Dance on a regular basis, and we always celebrate the 8 festivals with circle dance.

The Bible says, "In the beginning was the word" but it would be better to say, "In the beginning was the dance" and I believe that creation was danced into being. Some anthropologists believe that dance and drum beats were the first mode of human spirituality.

The simpler and more repetative the dance the more hypnotic and powerful they become. It is a powerful way of raising and directing energy, and can result in very deep emotional responses.

The other wonderful thing about dance (and especially circle dance) is that precisely because it is wordless (OK we do sometimes dance to songs with specific pagan or christian or hindu themes) it transcends the words and dogmas that divide people. The CD group that my wife holds has pagans, christians, agnostics and one muslim. Where else can such a group meet in a non-threatening way to dance away the fire-festivals or explore the descent of Inanna ?

Interesting about your comment about women's dance. Have you read, 'When the Drummers were Women' by Layne Redmond or 'Sacred Woman, Sacred Dance' by Iris Stewart ?

Dance has always been at the heart of feminine spirituality and some CD events are rightly women only. I usually find that anyway there is one man to every 16 women or thereabouts at CD events.

Of course, perhaps because it so empowers women, the church has been very hard on dance for much of the time.

Just saw those titles this morning Stenness - would love to read them when I am more flush moneywise!! fab that you are also involved I havent contacted anyone from around here yet but intend to re dancing!

Dancing's something I've always wanted to try (spiritually) - I remember when I was doing t'ai chi classes regularly I was amazed at first at the feeling of balance it gave me. It makes such a difference to your mind when your body is properly aligned and balanced. It allowed my mind to 'slow down' and to loosen its hold on the everday stuff which would otherwise distract me while I was going through the form. Once I got past the stage of having to concentrate on every physical movement as a beginner, I found myself able to concentrate on the flow of energy through and around me - the force of the yang movements and the receptiveness of the yin.

Does anyone know of somewhere I can find contact for circle dancing? I have had a few rummages on google but all the info I've found seems to be very out of date...

Stenness will probably know Oxonpagan ! I empathise with the tai chi comparison, I used to do Tai chi too before beginning work sigh do miss that!

found this : http://www.circledance.clearlight.uk.net/links.html

sounds a bit complicated but could be fun!

note to self - don't take on anything else at the moment...

I was included in a ritual that involved some dance. It was such a good feeling to all join together in a circle dance. I thought the bond was strengthened between everyone and the mood was lifted. It was a great release after the ritual sobiety ended.

OxonPagan

All the contacts for Circle Dance are in a quarterly journal called 'Grapevine' (A CD dance step as well as a gossip network !)

If you let me know what county or counties you are looking at I can let you have contact details in that area. If you want a sample copy of Grapevine PM me a postal address and I will get one to you.

I fear the Sacred Circle Dance Network Website is very out of date and no one is updating it.

Finding a new webmaster for a new site was high on the agenda of the last CD Network Gaurdian Angels meeting so hopefully something better will be live later this year.

Stenness

Bless you Stenness - contacts for Oxfordshire and Bedfordshire would be very useful PM on the way with my postal address as well - cheers hon

I have PM'd you the contacts as they contain telephone numbers

I will post you the latest Grapevine over the weekend

This looks really interesting actually - I'm going to look and see if there's anything in Scotland.

I don't do it myself, but I can definitely appreciate how dance would enable a flow and a connection in any ritual etc. I guess I always feel too self-conscious! I do use my voice though, wordless ululations in "tunes" (have you HEARD me sing?!) that to me symbolise the tone of the ritual I'm doing. But that's OT so I'll leave this be!

Pomona,

Modern Circle Dance was first promoted by Findhorn and they still have days and weeks.

Laurieston Hall is another centre and there are groups in:

Auchterarder

Sauchie

Edinburgh

Glasgow

Strathblane

Strathmiglo

Do belly dancing.Started last year and love it.
I've always liked dancing.I used to do ballet when i was younger and did morris dancing for a couple of years.I enjoyed the Morris dancing but left as too much politics.I wanted to dance,play music and enjoy it.
I find belly dancing fun and relaxing too.I just enjoy it so much.

Dancing is a very spiritual thing to me, its a way of feeling the whole of me.
I dont dance with any formal groups or in any particular style, just me own:), i go clubbing an let rip. My ex once said i dance like a whore ..erk
Dancing is freedom of the mind an body, you lose yourself in the music an movement an just feel, an other things come at you.
Maybe its a sort of medative thing, but i find it open you up to energys in preperation for magik. Tis also a good way to ground yourself of stagnant energy overload. Tis in the method me thinks.

Rain

I use to love dancing, but rarely do it these days, I just feel incredibly clumsy and find it difficult to find the rthym, but that might be more to do with the music.

Daft as it sounds I'm toos elf conscious to dance in front of people and let myself go.

I know sounds impossible, but its true!

Circle dancing sounds interesting.
Have to see if theres anything near me.

I belly dance as part of my worship, although of late I haven't done any dancing.

One book all y'all might find interesting is Sacred Woman, Sacred Dance. There are some good, introductory meditations and some intresting hypotheses, too.

Dryad

Good to know I am not alone with the jive bunny desires

gotta get that book thats the second mention of it ... anyone wanting to go to a circle dance near me Im in?!!! Stenness any going on near Blackpool pet? Sorry but you seem to have landed all the queries from us thirsty dance types

~Rhiana, you've reminded me of one of the things missing from my life since we bought the hotel. I used to go to circle dance classes, and the teacher used to put a candle, flowers, stones etc in the centre, and theme the dances according to season. Some of the step sequences are a real challenge to the old brain, but we always ended with something simple and drifting, with the lights dimmed and beautiful music. I can well believe that energy could be raised in such a way for a particular purpose.

One of my best holidays was at Dance Camp Wales, when I was between husbands. Mind you, the shenanigans that went on there...but that's what life is for, isn't it.

I briefly encountered a thing called Paneurythmy at a workshop at the Steiner School. Apparently there was a Bulgarian mystic called Peter Dounov who invented a whole sequence of movements, with music to match, to be danced in the open air at the start of spring as a homage or a means of connection to nature and the Earth. There is probably still a group that goes dancing up the Rila mountains each Spring.

Yes I came across paneurythmy at a Camphill Village community for people with learning disabilities - an utterly fascinating movement!
The circle dances I used to go to varied according to the teachers - some were more focussed on arabic traditions, some cut across all traditions. I went to a residential camp one year over new year which was fab as we had a dedication dance at midnight and then walked in the early frost of the morning. The other camp was a Unicorn camp and was sufi based - chanting and meditation and a dance in a hexagonal wooden temple built over a river - cant remember where it was as that period was blighted by my ex husband and his stuff. I had to lie down being pregnant at the time and was cared for at the altar. Twas very moving! The best dances were with Tansen - who came and did the aramaic lords prayer - a VERY long dance - he stayed with me and was the most gentle and warming soul ! These were in my soul searching days and preceded my discovery of paganism - the whole experience of the dance took me to another level. OO another dance day was on saddleworth somewhere for spring with Amida I think - that was mad - lots of spinning energising and fertility based - not dissimilar to belly dancing which is now my new love of course!