History of the Dances of Universal Peace
The Dances of Universal Peace were brought together in the late 1960′s by Samuel L. Lewis (1896-1971), affectionately known as SAM, (Sufi Achmed Murad Chisti). SAM was a Sufi Murshid and Rinzai Zen Master, who also studied deeply within the mystical traditions of Hinduism, Judaism, and Christianity. In his vision of the Dances creation, SAM was deeply influenced by his contact and spiritual apprenticeship with Hazrat Inayat Khan, who first brought the message of Universal Sufism to the West in 1910, and with Ruth St. Denis, who first brought feminine spirituality in the modern dance movement in America and Europe.
In his early 70′s SAM began to create the Dances as a dynamic method to promote “Peace through the Arts”. His original body of work included about 50 dances, spiritual walks and teachings. The number of Dances has now surpassed 500 and continues to grow throughout the many different countries of the world.
Hazrat Inayat Khan's teaching emphasized the unity of religious ideals and respect for all religions. He did not require his initiates to convert to Islam. He taught not that religions are saying the same thing but that each holds a different ray of truth, and provides a window to the Absolute for different members of the human family:
"As water in a fountain flows in one stream but falls in many drops, divided by time and space, so are the revelations of the one stream of truth. Not everyone can comprehend the idea of different truths being derived from the one truth. Common sense has been so narrowly trained in this world of variety, that it naturally fails to realize the breadth and subtlety of a spiritual fact so far beyond the reach of its limited reasoning."
The Dances of Universal Peace spring from this "universalist" perspective, a stance of respect and openness to the truth contained in a sacred phrase or scripture.
Ruth St. Denis was a visionary, a pioneer of contemporary dance in America. Her groundbreaking work paved the way for the next generation of modern dance pioneers.
In her unpublished book, The Divine Dance (1933), Ruth St. Denis wrote of her vision of a future dance for life and peace:
"The dance of the future will no longer be concerned with meaningless dexterities of the body.... Remembering that man is indeed the microcosm, the universe in miniature, the Divine Dance of the future should be able to convey with its slightest gestures some significance of the universe.... As we rise higher in the understanding of ourselves, the national and racial dissonances will be forgotten in the universal rhythms of Truth and Love. We shall sense our unity with all peoples who are moving to that exalted rhythm."
Hazrat Inayat Khan with vina, Samuel Lewis in New York, Ruth St Denis
The Spread of the Dances
During the past 50 years, the Dances have spread throughout the world, touching more than a half million people in North and South America, Europe, the former Soviet Union, Japan, India, Pakistan, Australia, and New Zealand. Further networking and citizen diplomacy through the Dances are also beginning in South Africa and the Middle East. New grassroots Dance circles are continually springing up around the globe, with anywhere from 40 to 60 meeting weekly or monthly in the United States alone. Even during times of crisis Circles meet internationally via Zoom.
The Dances of Universal Peace have evolved and expanded in practical application to meet the deep felt needs today for rediscovering reverence, creativity, and a body-based connection to the natural world. Teachers share the Dances in schools, therapy groups, prisons, hospice houses, drug rehabilitation centres, homes for the developmentally disabled, retirement villages, holistic health centres, and ecumenical worship celebrations.
They continue to be, as SAM envisioned them, a way to make life-energy and the peace that passes understanding a reality for all who come in contact with them.
Australia
The History of the Dances in Australia
The Origin of Dances of Universal Peace
The Dances of Universal Peace were brought together in the late 1960's by Samuel L. Lewis (Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti – Murshid S.A.M., 1896-1971), a Sufi Murshid (teacher) and Rinzai Zen Master, who also studied deeply in the mystical traditions of Hinduism, Judaism, and Christianity. Murshid S.A.M. was deeply influenced by his contact and spiritual apprenticeship with two people: Hazrat Inayat Khan, who first brought the message of universal Sufism to the West in 1910, and Ruth St. Denis, a feminist pioneer in the modern dance movement in America and Europe.
From his rich life experiences, Lewis in his early 70's began to envision and create the Dances as a dynamic method to promote "Peace through the Arts", a vision of the possibility of peace when people “eat, dance, and pray together.” The Dances of Universal Peace are simple, meditative, joyous, circle dances based on sacred phrases or chants from the many spiritual traditions of the earth. They are dedicated to promoting peace and harmony within each dancer, in Dance circles and communities, and across the planet.
Samuel Lewis also birthed a rich body of work involving sacred walking practices: meditative walking with a strong, specific focus. Various Walks may concentrate on the Alchemical Elements, the Body Centres or chakras, Divine Attributes, Astrological archetypes and more. Students of the Dances of Universal Peace also learn these Walks as part of their study.
History
In the last years of his life, Murshid S.A.M. said, “The Dances are spreading like wildfire,” and after his passing his students continued to carry the Dances across the United States. In 1982 the International Network for the Dances of Universal Peace was founded to further the work begun by Murshid S.A.M. and to help make the Dances available to all people, through Dance archiving and leadership training programmes.
From Samuel Lewis’ original body of about 50 dances, the collection has grown to more than 500. During the past 25 years, the Dances have spread throughout the world, touching more than a half million people in North and South America, Europe, the former Soviet Union, Japan, India, Pakistan, and New Zealand.
Here in Australia, the Dances have been around in various forms since the early 1980’s, but did not really begin to take off until Zahira Madeleine Bullock invited Amida Harvey to come from England for the first Australian Dance Leaders’ Training retreat in January 1991. This led to the establishment of the Australian Regional Network for the Dances in the early 1990’s, and the incorporation of DUPA Inc. in 2006.
INDUP – the International Network for the Dances of Universal Peace
The INDUP is the coordinating hub that links Dance circles worldwide. In joining DUPA, you automatically become a member of INDUP, and a portion of your dues goes to sustain the international organisation. This body maintains a directory of Dance meetings worldwide, publishes a yearly journal that is distributed to all members, and sponsors Dance events and workshops. Find out more about INDUP at www.dancesofuniversalpeace.org.
(compiled by Sabira Jane Ruehmkorff)
Additional note by Zahira Madeleine Bullock on the early days in Canberra
“Amida came to Canberra with Fiona Parr in March 1988 when I first met him. I then went to England a month later where I danced with both Amida (Harvey) and Fiona and knew that I was committed to the Dances.
Three of us who had attended their Weekend in Canberra had started a weekly group that year... I organised a Spiritual Circle Dance tour for Fiona in 1989 when she brought Tomi Greentree with her to Canberra to share some DUP.
"I then attended a Training in New Zealand with Amida in January 1990, and went to the first 'Peace through the Arts' Dance Camp in England, where I met Saadi,(Neil Douglas-Klotz) and then to another Training with Saadi and Amida...
"Amida then came to us in 1991 immediately after his Retreat in New Zealand..
However Kat Pettit and I had been sharing the DUP at our weekly group in my house from the time I returned from England in 1988. Kat was from America, had been following the DUP for some time, and had some books from Findhorn too! Amida’s Retreat (in 1991) really built up our group.”
Summary
The Dances of Universal Peace spread from the 1991 start in Canberra to East and Western states of Australia, sometimes with a mix of Sacred Circle Dance and Dances of Universal Peace but the Universal Peace Dances rapidly became established independently attracting International leaders annually to this country. Retreats and dance groups now meet regularly across Australia and also there is participation and cross fertilisation from Dance groups in New Zealand and internationally.