QUARTERLY CONVERSATIONS - "Is THIS Sacred Dance?" Panel # 3
Date: November 20, 2021-
Location: On Line - Worldwide - 1:00 PM EST - DO check Local time!!
As all of us are exploring and expanding our connections during this personal, collective and worldwide experience we wanted to extend the conversation and reflection on the question “Is THIS Sacred Dance?” as far and wide as possible – both from a physical perspective but also from a philosophical perspective. What does “fit” under this umbrella we call Sacred Dance? We have realized that some people have an understanding when they hear that term it means something specifically “religious”, others think of a particular type of dance such as Sacred Circle Dancing, and everything in between! We decided to throw open our screen doors and invite panelists from a wide range of backgrounds, experience and understandings to have a conversation and invite others to sit around the table with us.
This November 20th session is the 3rd in the series. The first held February 21st had a focus on Sacred Dance through Social Justice, Differing Abilities, Environment, Community and Ancestral Dreams. The 2nd, June 19th, moved to specific faith and spiritual expressions and explored those from the perspective of individuals who are part of the North American mosaic. To watch the recordings of Session 1 and 2 CLICK HERE. We now continue the journey focusing our lens on the healing aspects of dance. JOIN moderator Dawn Harris from her home in Ontario, Canada, with others from both the Sacred Dance Guild and the International Dance Council, along with our FIVE FASCINATING panelists for this 3rd session in the year long series of QUARTERLY CONVERSATIONS.
This session is “Live from our Living Rooms” and we invite you to join us around the table as we reflect on the question “Is THIS Sacred Dance?” The session will be recorded and available for access following the panel. This 90 minutes online panel is in collaboration with the International Dance Council (which the SDG is a member of) as part of their Program # 15 Dance and Spirituality (Spirituality – International Dance Council (cid-world.org)
To register send email to pres@sacreddanceguild.org with “Panel Conversation” in the subject line. This session is limited to 100 participants so do register early!
Our FIVE FASCINATING Panelists for the November 20th session are:
Alexia Jones – celebrating 26 years in long term recovery, is the founder and Executive Director of R2ISE Inc. a nonprofit in Atlanta Georgia that instills hope, transforms lives and highlights the strengths of participants so that wellness can be maintained. Alexia holds a BFA in Dance from Florida State University, an MBA from Phoenix University, is a certified addiction empowerment specialist (CARES) and certified peer specialist (CPS) trainer of trainers for trauma informed care. She is passionate about her work with those in recovery from mental health challenges and/or drug addiction, by utilizing the arts and providing a safe place so that wellness can be maintained. Alexia is committed to sharing the message that Art+Recovery=Freedom and bringing healing and hope to many through her artistic approach called the Beracha Method; a self-directed process that empowers peers to focus on their needs, stimulates recovery focused dialogue, builds collaborative relationships, and encourages connection with others to build a supportive recovery network. During her recovery journey she has written several plays that illustrate the process of recovery, utilizing the unique stories and artistic gifts of the individuals she passionately serves. Her artistic work includes “Chronicles of Hope” featuring recovering artists in a collaborative effort to share stories of hope throughout the state of Georgia. Art+Recovery=Freedom!
Priya Lakhi – Founder of Awaken Ananda, Priya specializes in supporting womxn to heal from the wounding, and reclaim what is most true, most whole, most authentic, and most sacred to the womxn emerging in you. After 15 years as a lawyer and professor, she became passionate about guiding others to harness the power within to create potent and powerful lives. Priya is a Transpersonal coach, a Board Certified Trainer in Hypnotherapy and Neuro-Linguistic Programming, and has spent years studying ancient spiritual wisdom, energy, and the quantum field. She holds space and offers teachings and tools to look beyond the story into embodied self-authority, embracing deep feminine wisdom – the home that dwells within. Her own healing journey (and the work she continues to do on herself) is the best training she could ask for. Priya is on a mission to empower womxn with fierce love & self-knowledge. I look forward to sharing every gateway that has opened to me with you
Ilene
SERLIN – Ilene is a licensed psychologist and registered dance/movement therapist in practice in San Francisco and Marin county. She is the past president of the San Francisco Psychological Association, a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, past-president of the Division of Humanistic Psychology. Ilene has taught at Sarook University, Lesley University, UCLA, the NY Gestalt Institute and the C.G. Jung Institute in Zurich. She is the editor of Whole Person Healthcare (2007, 3 vol., Praeger), over 100 chapters and articles on body, art and psychotherapy, and is on the editorial boards of PsycCritiques, the American Dance Therapy Journal, the Journal of Humanistic Psychology, Arts & Health: An International Journal of Research, Policy and Practice, Journal of Applied Arts and Health, and The Humanistic Psychologist. Her research interests include existential and humanistic psychotherapy, Buddhist and Jewish spiritual practices, dance movement therapy and women’s issue. She works from a growth model that helps people access their own wisdom and make a commitment to change. Her experience with mind/body can help prepare for and recover from surgery, develop resilience, stress reduction, confront mortality and life changes, find meaningful work, and appreciate relationships. Here is a link to a listing of many of Ilene’s writings http://www.union-street-health-associates.com/press.html
JoAnne Tucker has a Ph.D. in theater from the University of Wisconsin. She taught at the University of the District of Columbia and in the Doctor of Ministry Program of Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion. She founded and directed the Avodah Dance Ensemble from 1973 to 2004, a modern dance company based in New York City that toured nationally and internationally. In 2002, Avodah began doing residencies in women’s prisons. Drawing on dance training from Juilliard and her theatre training, JoAnne is dedicated to bringing improvisational activities to non-traditional environments. She is author of two books and has written a number of articles. In 2010 JoAnne founded a non-profit organization called Healing Voices – Personal Stories that makes films about domestic violence survivors. They have completed 8 films all of which have been in film festivals. In 2016 JoAnne presented a TED Talk in TED X ABQ about her work in prison and jail. JoAnne writes a blog on dance (https://mostlydance.com) which shares her work on dance in the Jewish community, using dance to bring diverse communities together, dance as healing and other issues/events that interest her.
Carla WALTER – As a scholar, Dr. Walter’s interests have always focused on dance—its history, social and psychological influences, and its hidden power to transform. She has published numerous articles and books which amplify dance’s powers as healing, meditative, and influential. Her most recent publication, Sacred Dance Meditations: 365 Globally Inspired Movement Practices Enhancing Awakening, Clarity and Connection (2020, Penguin Random House) is a culmination of research into archeological and anthropological aspects of sacred dance before the Common Era, and a call for acknowledging and revisioning of dance as a spiritual, healing, and meditative path. Visit Dr. Walter’s website to read more about her publications. Currently, Dr. Walter leads Dance in the Spirit, LLC, where she teaches and choreographs pieces for adults and children for performances of classical ballet and sacred and spiritual dance. Her choreography has been performed with both professional and novice dancers at churches and private venues. Dr. Walter has the honor of being the 2022 Martha Daniel Newell Visiting Scholar at Georgia College and State University where she will lecture and research on indigenous sacred dance.