"Music is the miniature of the
whole harmony of the universe."
-- Hazrat Inayat Khan
"Our Dance is the living sculpture
of ourselves."
-- Ruth St. Denis
"Come join the Dance of Life…"
-- Samuel L. Lewis
HISTORY OF THE DANCE
The
Dances of Universal Peace (DUP) originated with Murshid Samuel Lewis in
the late 60's in California. Sam took his inspiration from Hazrat Inayat
Khan, head of an American Chsthi order of Sufism, as well as from Ruth
St. Denis, who used dance as a method of embodying spiritual energy. Sam
was an advanced student of Judaism as well as being a Zen roshi and a
murshid (teacher) on the Sufi path.
The dancing used to be called "Sufi Dancing," which makes a lot of sense. Sufis are often inclusive, and this dancing is inclusive. The Dances are drawn from spiritual traditions around the world, with complete respect for them. (Also, the Dances often involve turning, and so are connected in that way to Rumi, a Sufi master and poet connected with the whirling dervishes.) Sam was the source of the earliest dances, but now hundreds of new dances are being created. There are about 200 dance circles in the U.S.
INFORMATION
For information about the Dances (including a map of whereDances are held nationwide), see: dancesofuniversalpeace.org
NATURE OF THE DANCE
I usually
explain the Dances as "spiritual ring-around-the-rosy." Words
and motions are simple and repetitive. We sing for ourselves, often to
musical accompaniment.
The Dances center around the sacred core of any spiritual path. We have done dances from the Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Christian, Native American, Yoruba, Shaker, Middle Eastern Goddess traditions, etc.
Behind the Dances are the beliefs that (a) no single tradition has a monopoly on the sacred; there are many paths to the infinite, and (b) you can attain meditative states in motion; you can "sail" to the infinite while staying open to others, grounded in a communal experience of dancing.
The Dances are open to anyone. No experience or talent is needed. It DOES help to be open-minded and open-hearted or to want to move in that direction.
This is not a spectator sport! Everyone participates. The Dances involve interaction. At times you will be looking into the eyes of strangers, holding the hands of strangers.
MY HISTORY OF THE DANCE
I began doing the Dances in the early 1970's in Massachusetts (shortly after Hazrat Inayat Khan led some dancers at the University of Massachusetts). I moved to Indianapolis in 1989 to teach Classics at Butler University. A year later, I met Steve (Muqit) Sachs, a political science professor at I.U.P.U.I., at a Hindu chant at the home of a mutual friend. "You know," I told him, "Indianpaolis has a lot going one, but one thing is missing: Sufi Dances." "Oh," he said, "I can lead them." "I've got the living room," I replied. And so, in 1991, the Dances of Universal Peace became part of the Indianapolis scene.
Shortly
after that Dale Hathaway, coincidentally a political science professor
at Butler, joined us and became co-leader with Muqit. I was always afraid
that one night the leaders wouldn't show up at my house, but the dancers
would! So I took notes for years on the dances.
In 1997 I attended a big Dance retreat (about 60 people) in Durham, North Carolina, and was electrified by the energy. In 1998, sobered by the news of Dale's leukemia, I asked Farrunnissa Lila Rosa, a dance leader in Durham, if she would be my mentor. After almost two years of apprenticeship, I became a certified dance leader and have been leading Dances ever since.
THE DANCE IN INDIANAPOLIS
The Dance
eventually outgrew my home. We also danced at the beautiful Riverlight
Yoga Studio in Rocky Ripple (close to Butler University), thanks to the
kindness of Lee Edgren. Now we will be dancing at my new home on 6506
Ralston Avenue in Broad Ripple.
Directions: Get to Keystone and 65th and go west until road T's at Kingsley Dr., go north to 66th, turn left (west) to Ralston, and left (south) to 6506. OR get to 62nd and Evanston and go North on Evanston to 64th to Ralston and turn right (north) to 6506. You may need to park on adjoining streets.
Dance schedule for Sept 2003 - May 2004. All dances are from 7:30-9:00 at 6506 Ralston unless otherwise noted.
Sept 6
Oct 4
Nov1
Nov 16. ** Special Spirit & Place dance in Johnson Room at Butler University 6:00-8:30, dance with Paula's Spiritual Practices students, followed by zikr led by Turkish Rifai sheikh, Sherif Baba
Dec 6
Jan 1 1:00-2:30
Feb 7
Mar 6
Mar 22 ** Johnson Room at Butler University, 7:00-8:30. Dance with Paula's Hands-On Spirituality students, possibly with guest dance leader
April 3
May 1
~
Whoever you are reading this, if you have a heart for this kind of dancing please join us. Call or email Paula Saffire - 257-0537 or psaffire@butler.edu.
Contact information for Paula Saffire:
Send e-mail to Paula Saffire: psaffire@butler.edu
Or telephone (317) 940-9864.