Dances of Universal Peace
Encyclopedia
The Dances of Universal Peace (DUP) are meditative, spiritual practices using the mantras of all world religions to promote peace. The DUP dances, of North American Sufic origin, combine chants from world faiths with dancing, whirling, and a variety of movement with singing.
or drum
as dance accompaniment. Each dance has a chant
which is sung as the dance is performed. The chants are often sacred
phrases put to traditional or contemporary melodies, and include a wide range of languages including Arabic, Aramaic, English
, Hawaiian
, Hebrew, Persian
, and Sanskrit
. The promoters of the dances claim that these forms embody the understanding that the truth at the heart of all religions is the same truth, and that peace can be promoted through an experience of this unity.
The DUP emphasis is on participation regardless of ability, and dances are almost never performed before an audience. Dancers of all levels of ability dance together, and each dance is usually taught afresh at each gathering. The practice of the dance is purported to develop the participants' spiritual awareness, awareness of their own body, and awareness of the presence of others. Dances are choreographed with movements, steps, and gestures that encourage the dancer to explore the deeper mystical meaning of the dance.
(SAM = Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti, 1896–1971) and were then conducted in California
. The original dances were strongly influenced by Samuel Lewis' spiritual relationships with Ruth St. Denis
, a modern dance pioneer, and Hazrat Inayat Khan
, a Sufi master. The influence on the dances of Sufi practices such as Sema
and The Whirling Dervishes are apparent, although Samuel Lewis was also a Rinzai Zen master and drew on the teachings of the major religious and spiritual traditions, including native
.
Dances were originally performed at camps and meetings with a distinctly new age
and alternative feel but have increasingly come to be offered in diverse places of worship, schools, colleges, prisons, hospices, residential homes for those with special needs, and holistic health
centers. The Dances have since developed into a global movement. The Network for the Dances of Universal Peace has members in 28 countries.
) dismissed Matthew Fox
from the Dominican Order
for his activities which include promotion of the Dances of Universal Peace. Since that time Fox went on to become a vocal critic of Ratzinger and his policies.
The Dances
Conducted in the company of a number of other dancers in a circle, the participatory dances are facilitated by a dance leader who plays a percussive or stringed instrument, usually guitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
or drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
as dance accompaniment. Each dance has a chant
Chant
Chant is the rhythmic speaking or singing of words or sounds, often primarily on one or two pitches called reciting tones. Chants may range from a simple melody involving a limited set of notes to highly complex musical structures Chant (from French chanter) is the rhythmic speaking or singing...
which is sung as the dance is performed. The chants are often sacred
Sacred
Holiness, or sanctity, is in general the state of being holy or sacred...
phrases put to traditional or contemporary melodies, and include a wide range of languages including Arabic, Aramaic, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Hawaiian
Hawaiian language
The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...
, Hebrew, Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, and Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
. The promoters of the dances claim that these forms embody the understanding that the truth at the heart of all religions is the same truth, and that peace can be promoted through an experience of this unity.
The DUP emphasis is on participation regardless of ability, and dances are almost never performed before an audience. Dancers of all levels of ability dance together, and each dance is usually taught afresh at each gathering. The practice of the dance is purported to develop the participants' spiritual awareness, awareness of their own body, and awareness of the presence of others. Dances are choreographed with movements, steps, and gestures that encourage the dancer to explore the deeper mystical meaning of the dance.
History
The Dances of Universal Peace were first formulated in the late 1960s by Samuel L. LewisSamuel L. Lewis
Samuel Lewis was an American mystic and dance teacher who founded the Dances of Universal Peace movement. He was also known under his Sufi name Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti and was addressed by his mureeds and others as Murshid...
(SAM = Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti, 1896–1971) and were then conducted in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The original dances were strongly influenced by Samuel Lewis' spiritual relationships with Ruth St. Denis
Ruth St. Denis
Ruth St. Denis was an early modern dance pioneer.-Biography:Ruth St. Denis founded Adelphi University's dance program in 1938 which was one of the first dance departments in an American university...
, a modern dance pioneer, and Hazrat Inayat Khan
Inayat Khan
Inayat Khan was an exemplar of Universal Sufism and founder of the "Sufi Order in the West" in 1914 . Later, in 1923, the Sufi Order of the London period was dissolved into a new organization formed under Swiss law and called the "International Sufi Movement"...
, a Sufi master. The influence on the dances of Sufi practices such as Sema
Sema
Sama is a Sufi ceremony performed as dhikr. Sama means "listening", while dhikr means "remembrance". These rituals often includes singing, playing instruments, dancing, recitation of poetry and prayers, wearing symbolic attire, and other rituals...
and The Whirling Dervishes are apparent, although Samuel Lewis was also a Rinzai Zen master and drew on the teachings of the major religious and spiritual traditions, including native
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
.
Dances were originally performed at camps and meetings with a distinctly new age
New Age
The New Age movement is a Western spiritual movement that developed in the second half of the 20th century. Its central precepts have been described as "drawing on both Eastern and Western spiritual and metaphysical traditions and then infusing them with influences from self-help and motivational...
and alternative feel but have increasingly come to be offered in diverse places of worship, schools, colleges, prisons, hospices, residential homes for those with special needs, and holistic health
Holistic health
Holistic health is a concept in medical practice upholding that all aspects of people's needs, psychological, physical and social should be taken into account and seen as a whole. As defined above, the holistic view on treatment is widely accepted in medicine...
centers. The Dances have since developed into a global movement. The Network for the Dances of Universal Peace has members in 28 countries.
Criticism
The Catholic Church has criticized its priests for doctrinal diversity, including participating in and promoting the Dances of Universal Peace. Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVIPope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
) dismissed Matthew Fox
Matthew Fox (priest)
Matthew Fox is an American priest and theologian. Formerly a member of the Dominican order within the Roman Catholic Church, Fox is now a member of the Episcopal Church....
from the Dominican Order
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
for his activities which include promotion of the Dances of Universal Peace. Since that time Fox went on to become a vocal critic of Ratzinger and his policies.
See also
- Ceremonial danceCeremonial danceCeremonial dance is a major category or classification of dance forms or dance styles, where the purpose is ceremonial or ritualistic.This compares to other major dance categories based on purpose:* Celebration dance** Festival dance...
- Group danceGroup danceGroup dances are danced by groups of people simultaneously, as opposed to individuals dancing alone or individually, and as opposed to couples dancing together but independently of others dancing at the same time, if any....
- Dance in mythology and religionDance in mythology and religionDance is present in mythology and religion globally. Dance has certainly been an important part of ceremony, rituals, celebrations and entertainment since before the birth of the earliest human civilizations...
- Sacred danceSacred danceSacred dance encompasses all movement that expresses or enhances spiritual experiences. It may be a part of a worship service, a group experience or a private spiritual practice.Some examples of sacred dance are:* Native American Ghost Dance...
- List of dances
External links
- Dances of Universal Peace International Accessed April 2011
- Dances of Universal Peace at Encyclopedia Britannica Accessed September 2009
- Dances of Universal Peace at the Open Directory ProjectOpen Directory ProjectThe Open Directory Project , also known as Dmoz , is a multilingual open content directory of World Wide Web links. It is owned by Netscape but it is constructed and maintained by a community of volunteer editors.ODP uses a hierarchical ontology scheme for organizing site listings...
.