Humankind – A Sacred Dance Experience

Join the Sacred Dance Guild for a performance of “Humankind” – a 45 minute story through music and movement that focuses on the plight of refugees and immigrants; a response to the world crises of over 117.5 million displaced persons on the planet. It addresses the life of our neighbors who are global refugees, including issues of uprooting and trauma, insularity and acceptance, assimilation and diversity, affirming the truth that all humanity is essentially connected.

This performance – FREE and OPEN to all – will be outdoors at Joel Stone Heritage Park in Gananoque, Ontario June 22 at 2:00 pm

The offering has SIX sections that explore and unfold during the 45 minutes.

Section 1 – 3 minutes – The Invocation of the Holy Spirit – A solo dancer moves the presence and protection of the holy spirit and the intention of the piece.

Section 2 – 5 minutes – The entry of the desired community – Displaced Persons – take the space hidden behind their symbolic cloths indicating how often we do not see or acknowledge the person behind the symbol. Four gatekeepers bring the symbolic/ritual 35′ cloth representing the desired community to its position and take their places ready to defend and protect the connected society turning away all who might change or compromise it.

Section 3 – 7 minutes – The Chosen FIVE – The  Displaced Persons have been through unbelievable hardships and see possibility of entering the desired community. During this section FIVE Displaced Person – who have cloths the same color as the desired community – are admitted one by one by the gatekeepers recognizing they have been chosen.  The others watch moving between hope and hopelessness.  Why were they not chosen?

Section 4 – 12 minutes – The dance of the connected community – the five chosen persons, longing for oneness with Spirit, unity and one another, reaching, revolving around the central figure, forming sculptural forms, turning inward and outward, coming together in loving groups, stretching out to the Divine but also recognizing that within the community there is an interdependence and requerement to recognize and adapt to others movements. The other Displaced Persons are again marginilized to the corners.

Section 5 – 9 minutes – The expansion of the connected community. The displaced persons have watched with sorrow and longing as the gatekeepers continue to bar them from entering.  They move from gatekeeper to gatekeeper with moments of hope and moments of despair. During this section one of the FIVE dancers in the cloth finally “sees” another displaced person outside and is moved to reach out in invitation going past the gatekeeper.  Others inside note that and also begin to reach out – past the gatekeepers – causing confusion – and the others are finally admitted.  Eventually even the gatekeepers are invited in to join the connected community.

Section 6 – 7 minutes – The community celebrates, exchanging their symbolic “cloths”, discovering both the joys and the responsibilities of being part of the newly connected community. The dancers show reverence, love, acceptance and respect for each other opening to learn about others.  The dancers then also note the further community in the audience and they reach out to invite all into the experience.

The haunting music was created by Debbie Danbrook – a Canadian composer and recording artist.

This offering is an “experience” – both for those dancing and those in the audience – ALL are welcome to come with open hearts.

POST PERFORMANCE NOTE: this is an 8 minute composite of the 45 minute performance Humankind from clips in Gananoque, Ontario music by permission from Debbie Danbrook – YouTube

NOTE: If you would like to participate in the performance as a mover/dancer contact Deb Donaldson at 613-453-4091 dancingdeb.gma@gmail.com or Wendy Morrell at 613-726-1375 wendy.morrell@sympatico.ca. No dance experience or background required – ALL are invited to join the experience.

This performance in Gananoque is the 2nd in Canada – following a previous in person performance in Ottawa, Canada on Dec. 2, 2023. The first in person performance of Humankind was in New York City at St. Paul’s Chapel on Sept. 22, 2022 (see Trinity Movement Choir: Humankind | Trinity Church Wall Street (trinitywallstreet.org). During the NYC performance, video footage of the premiere virtual performance, offered during the pandemic at the Parliament of the World’s Religions virtual conference in October 2021 – was included.

For background on the creation of this piece see Humankind: “A Connected World” | Trinity Church Wall Street (trinitywallstreet.org).

To see a short promo video of the Sept. 22 performance HUMANKIND – Promo Short – YouTube.