Circle Dance, Sacred Dance

MARINA BEAR HAS BEGUN DANCING AGAIN

On December 10, more than fifty people joined the Berkeley circle, to dance with Marina and wish her well as she headed for two major spinal fusion surgeries. The 15 hours of surgery took place on December 14 and 24, to correct spinal curvature, which was threatening her lungs and heart. Following the surgeries, her spine is healthy and pain-free and straight (and as a result, she is five inches taller). Unfortunately, some sciatic nerve damage occurred during the surgery, leaving her left leg weak and painful. After four months of moderate to intense pain, the doctors at UC San Francisco discovered that injecting cortisone directly into the nerve had good effect, and now Marina is mostly pain free. On April 15, she returned to Finnish Brotherhood Hall for the first time, and took part in some slower dances for nearly an hour. It will still be many months before she can shed her body brace and do the faster and high-spirited dances she loves, but clearly she has begun moving down that path, and without benefit of walker, crutches, or cane.

HELP WANTED: CIRCLE DANCE TEACHERS

On the Job Training provided. Full or part-time. Apply to John Bear (510-528-4253) or Howard Siegel (650-359-0207). Minimal experience required.

The Bay Area Circle Dancers are 20 years old. John, Marina and Howard have been teaching since 1985, and many others have filled that role (thank you Laura, Aleka, Marianna, Gwen, Sienna, and quite a few others).

If you have ever thought about becoming a full or part-time teacher, now is the time. You can ³adopt-a-dance² or two, and teach your favorites from time to time; or teach all or part of an evening on a semi-regular basis. The current regular teachers will do all they can to get you copies of your favorite music and gladly teach you the steps. Just ask. The rewards are priceless.

BREATHS (ANCESTOR'S PRAYER)

Ever since Far Horizons Camp 2004, we have danced "Breaths (Ancestorıs Prayer)" many times to commemorate and celebrate loved ones facing death and dying. The words and steps are so beautiful that we want to share them with you.

Listen more often to things than to beings
Listen more often to things than to being
Tis the ancestors' breath
When the fire's voice is heard
Tis the ancestors' breath
In the voice of the waters....

Those who have died have never never left
The dead are not under the earth
They are in the rustling trees
They are in the groaning woods
They are in the crying grass
They are in the moaning rocks
The dead are not under the earth
(refrain)

Those who have died have never never left
The dead have a pact with the living
They are in the woman's breast
They are in the wailing child
They are with us in the home
They are with us in the crowd
The dead have a pact with the living
(refrain)

Lyrics from the poem by Birago Diop. Music by Ysaye M. Barnwell (c)1980
Barnwellıs Notes Pub. Co., BMI. From the album Good News (Flying Fish 245)
sung by Sweet Honey and the Rock.

Dance Steps by Joan Rawles-Davis, Santa Cruz

Facing Center, begin with the singing
Sway right, sway left, sway right, sway left

Into the Center
Right slip step, pause

Rock back, rock front

Back out
Left slip step, pause
Rock in, rock out

MINDFULNESS

"First, I thought my life's work was psychology. And then I thought my lifeıs work was psychedelics. Then I thought my life's work was bringing Eastern philosophy to the West. Now... whatever I'm doing now is my life's work, even if it's sitting by the window."

Ram Dass, interview in Whole Life Times (Oct. 2003)

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A CIRCLE DANCE EXPERIENCE

You know, it is strange. I've spent the past 20 odd years searching for new experiences of God. I've gone from church to church, Philosophy to philosophy, teacher to teacher. With communal church experiences, the experience is over when the service is finished- "our mass has ended, go in peace..." Without being preachy, I feel god in our circle dances. I truly do.

Our comradry, our presence. It only feels fitting to help in any way I can. For me, I love setting up for parties. I love watching people enjoy themselves and eat a meal. I can't sit through church services any more. I've tried. I really tried. I come away frustrated and tired. I guess I am still stuck in the politics, the corporate mindset, or the rubrics. Circle Dance is the opposite.

At this moment in my life, I come away rejuvenated and refreshed, and all is right with the world. We dance songs of hope. We dance songs for the future, we dance songs which celebrate our past. We celebrate creativity and we do it with passion. If anyone can point out a group of people which manages to do this, then they have found a key to the kingdom. There are many keys, and many doors.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Any participant of any Circle Dance group in the world is welcome to send letters, articles, pictures, etc. to Howard Siegel, the Bay Area Circle Dance Newsletter Editor, 1107 Everglades Drive, Pacifica, CA 94044: hms50[at]comcast.net; phone/fax 650-359-0207 All submissions may be edited based on content and space considerations.

MAY DAY

Join us for a May Pole Dance on May 1 in Berkeley. We will gather and dance around the May pole at Cedar Rose Park in Berkeley, 1300 Rose St. (same place as last year), from 3 to 5 pm on Sunday, May 1, with a pot luck picnic to follow. (The small park is about five blocks due north of Finnish Brotherhood Hall, and we plan to be in the northeast corner.)

HARVEST MOON

(We dance to this music; now you can sing along.)

Come a little bit closer
Hear what I have to say
Just like children sleepin'
We could dream this night away.

But there's a full moon risin'
Let's go dancin' in the light
We know where the music's playin'
Let's go out and feel the night.

Because I'm still in love with you
I want to see you dance again
Because I'm still in love with you
On this harvest moon.

When we were strangers
I watched you from far
When we were lovers
I loved you with all my heart.

But now it's gettin' late
And the moon is climbin' high
I want to celebrate
See it shinin' in your eye.

Because I'm still in love with you
I want to see you dance again
Because I'm still in love with you
On this harvest moon.

(c)Neil Young, 1992

THE GOD WHO ONLY KNOWS 4 WORDS

Every Child Has known God,
Not the God of names,
Not the God of don'ts,
Not the God who ever does
Anything weird,
But the God who only knows four words
And keeps repeating them, saying:
"Come dance with Me."
Come Dance.

by Hafiz (translated by Daniel Ladinsky)

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Plan on joining the Bay Area Circle Dancers for the following, special events, during this, our 20th year of continuous dancing in the Bay Area.

July 27-31 marks our 15th anniversary leading Sacred Circle Dance at Far Horizons. (see the flyer and registration on the Special Events page, or go to farhorizons.org).

Other special events such as The San Francisco Free Folk Festival (weıve been presenting there about 18 years) happens on June 18-19; and Martine Winnington from Switzerland returns for her second visit to us on October 22-23.

Stefan and Bethan will return for their 10th visit to the Bay Area in February 2006.

WOMENıS RITUAL DANCE GROUPS

There are now ongoing women's ritual dance groups in the North Bay and in the East Bay run by Lori Ingram and Catherine Sutton. Join them in simple dances from countries where egalitarian societies existed for millennia in Neolithic times. The dances, handed down from grandmothers to daughters in an attempt to preserve important knowing from that ancient time, may help us regain our sense of self as powerful and effective women, in tune with the earth. All women are welcome. Scent free, please. Cost: $10. No one turned away for lack of funds. Details coming soon.