International Circle Dancing with Stefan and Bethan Freedman

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Are you interested in reconciliation and peace?

There is a forgotten power tool! It can play a significant role in helping people develop trust, respect and a deep sense of kinship. This is most powerfully seen when "opposing" groups are able to spend time together.

Dance to Build Bridges. This approach is not formulaic but varies in response to each group so the following is a typical (but not set) pattern.

Dancing on The Mount of Olives, overlooking Jerusalem (Nov 2005)

The dancing begins, listening to music with hands unjoined, a simple slow movement arising from sombre music where we need not hide nor deny our suffering.

The courage it takes to move beyond projections of fear and anger is acknowledged. People take hands in small circles with those who they feel most comfortable with. Everywhere we are moving in concert to a heartbeat pulse, which creates the beginnings of a sense of connectedness between the still separate groups.

For a third dance, we come into two larger circles to learn a Russian dance designed to create a little interweaving between the two groups, while each has the solidarity and support of their own circle.

From here we will develop - as far as people are willing and time allows - an experience of mutual respect, team spirit and deepening trust.

This dancing place of amnesty becomes a sanctuary that can be returned to. It gives all present a common language, an oasis of calm and respite from the dispiriting work of building bridges of hope which others are tearing down. It helps us experience and reconnect with our common humanity, our equality our pleasure in giving and receiving mutual support.

In a circle of dancers, no-one can take a step forward unless everyone is willing to do so. Yet by some miracle, we all travel together.

Debka Dancers (2006)

Peace Lover
 

Peace is a shadow

Looming, vanishing

You grope and she laughs

While your hand holds nothing

For your pain

Her exquisite balm

Cannot be ensnared

Or commanded

Peace is a princess

And longs to be wooed

With courtly care

Each tryst an exchange

Of intimate tokens

Till she is ripe

For the final caress

Stefan Freedman, assisted by Ken Masters and friends, arranged dance and peace events in Israel at kibbutz Tzora, Beth Shemesh during October and November of 2005. More Details

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