by JoyBeth Lufty
We Are The HOPE…”
Body Prayers often have themes or focused intentions, as well has having a common form of movement, rhythm and repetition all oriented towards connecting with The Divine. Circle Dances as Body Prayers, where everyone is connected and dancing in a circle, work well when the goal is to unite in a common intention such as world peace. Here we are focusing on HOPE because we will be working with this Body Prayer at our Sacred Dance Festival 2012,“Dance a World of Hope,” in Holland Michigan, July 24-29.
This is a simple community or group Body Prayer that can become as creative as the Sacred Dancers gathered. It seems to have evolved through our modern need for world peace. I have seen it written up in a songbook “Circle of Song” under the title of “We Are The Peace In Everyone.” It is sung by all dancers as they also move. This means that the simple chant-like melody can naturally evolve into harmonies and the timing of “rounds.” Different rhythms and styles can also spontaneously come forth and be organically developed.
Below is simply a guideline for the movement involved. It is designed to allow each group to spontaneously and naturally form their own movements as a group, their own dance of HOPE. I have witnessed everything from spirals to crawling on the ground, to birdlike flying movements to spinning and much more.
We are the peace in everyone. We are the dance of the moon and sun. We are the hope that will never hide. We are the turning of the tide.
G G G Bb G G G G G G Bb G G F G G G G G Bb G G F G G G G G G G F G G
This is Circle Dancing with hands connected moving in and out of the circle, arms lifting up and down in unison (until other movements begin to take over). The group can develop into people dancing in the center, snake line dancing or weaving or spiraling. This particular Body Prayer is an organic process just the way HOPE is…
