From the beginning of humankind, sacred movement and song have brought people together. At times of seasonal ceremony, as part of everyday living and life passages, in daily renewal and meditation. The Dances of Universal Peace carry forward this timeless tradition.
The dances are a joyous, multicultural way to touch the spiritual essence within others and ourselves. They use sacred phrases, chants, music and movement from the many traditions of the earth to promote peace and integration within individuals and groups. There are no performances or audience: New arrivals and older "hands" form the circle together.
The Dances were first offered in this form by Samuel L. Lewis (1896-1971). Sam was an American mystic (and unforgettable character) who was both a Sufi Murshid (teacher in Islam) as well as a Rinzai Zen Master. He was deeply influenced by Hazrat Inayat Khan, pioneer of the universal Sufism in the Western world, and Ruth St. Denis, a modern American dance teacher.
From an original body of about fifty dances in the late 1960s' the collection has grown to more than 500 dances, which celebrate the sacred heart of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the Celtic, Native American, Middle Eastern, Native African and Great Goddess traditions. During the past 25 years, the Dances have spread around the earth, connecting the hearts of many thousands.