Below you find a list of Dances of Universal Peace, which came through Ralph. We are gradually adding the music and dance descriptions one by one as a pdf file.
This collection will hopefully be the beginning of a brochure, containing around 12-20 dances.
NEW:We now have a YouTube video channel with Ralph & Vitalija leading Dances of Universal Peace:
=> www.youtube.com/RainbowDanceUK We are also looking for someone, who would be happy to video more of our dances!
Special thanks to John Rees in Stroud, who is writing the musical scores for us!
All dance movements and melodies by Ralph, if not stated otherwise.
If you have any information about the origin or background of the melodies (see below), please contact Ralph!
More dance descriptions will be posted soon.
The overview below with dances sorted by speed, rather than by religious categories is a useful way to plan a dance programme:
P = partner dance - 2 = 2 voices - 3 = 3 voices
- details of these dances see below.
Yemaya dance in the Baltic Sea with Ralph @ the 'Dancing Heart Camp', August 2010
Since 1997 Ralph has created the following dances ( [...] = not quite ready yet):
Buddhist:
Om Tare Tam Soha - a slow partner dance and beautiful melody, a simplified version (from the Sai Baba song book Germany) of the traditional Red Tara chant.
Christian:
Celebratory Hallelujah (lively partner dance - melody has an African feel)
updated Feb. 2011
Modern Halleluja (dynamic dance with clapping), 3 part round from "Cantiones Sacrae", sacred songs, rounds and chants for singing in community, Barbara Swetina, www.sacredsongs.net - posted 7 July 2011 - origin of the melody?
"Holy God, holy and strong, holy and immortal, have mercy upon us", a most beautiful part from the Russian Orthodox lithurgy in 4 voices, incorporating original movements from the service.
Lailailailai 2 voices (dynamic nigun partner dance with clapping), - melody from Myrna Rabinowitz => www.myrnarabinowitz.com, on the CD: "And You Shall Teach Your Children" by Shir Hadash. (permission to use this melody was given to Ralph)
updated 12 July 2011
Jalalalalai... lai lai lai lai lailailailailailailailailai (dynamic & joyful dance, 2 parts
of the trad. melody of the nigun "V'Somachto" - "...and be joyful" (on the CD "Jewish Soul" by Mike Tabor www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=224704 [Mike played music
with Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach]) => Watch video on www.youtube.com
- Is this a traditional melody?
Jai Mata Kali, Jai Mata Durga (clapping in 5 to a 4/4 rhythm, with opposite dancers, trad. melody, movements adapted from trad. Gujrati stick dance "Ras Garba" - mind blowing!) => Watch video on www.youtube.com - updated 20 Sept. 2010
- origin of the melody?
Sufi:
La illaha il Allah ("Haqq Allah") - Zikr Dance (medium slow & powerful, with open harmonising end to a magic Afghan zikr melody as sung by Zuleika) updated 20 Sept. 2010
- origin of the melody?
Bismillah - Riga Cycle 1 & 3 (Bismillah Erahman Erahim, [Hu] Allah Hu... - part 1 & 3, slow dance, sung in 2 part harmonies with alphas & omegas, melody by Gary M., Riga) updated 11 March 2011
Bismillah - Riga Cycle 2 (Bismillah alhamdulila, Erahman Erahim, la illaha il Allah (part 2, lively partner dance with clapping, alphas & omegas - melody by Gary M., Riga) posted 27 Feb 2011
[The 2 Riga Cycle dances are my most recent and probably best peace dances - true jewels! Ralph]
[La illaha il Allah] ("washroom zikr", medium speed)
Under the full moon light we dance (lively dance in 5/4, Words and music by Karen Beth, recorded on "To Each One of Us" by Karen Beth, Stardance Recordings - also known from Greenham Common women)
We're singing Halleluja (lively interfaith medley dance with clapping & knocking. Melody:
Eddie Hodges ("I wanna knock on your door, ring on your bell", 1961)
[There are 100 ways how to fall into the Heart of the One] (lively dance with zikr elements,
melody and words by Vitalija Zelenevska-Nimmann)
Dances of Universal Peace created through Vitalija Hayat, Gary M - and friends:
Coming... I hope to publish here:
2 dances by Max Reed: (Ya Kuduz - Leila Umma) and (Aneia hibi wahanna)
one dance by Gary Meitiņš,: ("Latvian Hineh Matov Umanaim")
one dance by Vitalija Hayat: Allah Allah Allah Allah.
Chants by Ralph
Apart from the melodies listed above which came through Ralph, here are some chants,
which have not evolved yet into a peace dance:
Bismillah, Bismillah, Erahman Erahim, Allah Hu Akhbar "The beautiful Bismillah", slow heart chant in 3/4)
I just want to sing, I just want to dance (lively 2 main voices + harmonies)
Ich bin eins mit allen Dingen (jolly chant)
Wo man singt, da lass dich nieder, böse Menschen kennen keine Lieder (slow, with harmonies, words German saying:
"Where one sings, there settle down, evil people don't know any songs")
LINKS & Peace Dance write ups on the web
On our DUP Links page you can find Resources for many other unpublished Peace Dances.
Each of the Dances has it's own history - some came within a second while cycling in a happy mood, others gradually evolved...
The process of creation, and "who created this dance?", is a bit of a mystery, and probably a co-creation of inspiration, intuition and experience. I would describe the process like:
"The inspiration came into me - and the dance came out of me." In Ralph's case the background of many years of Sacred Dance / circle Dance has certainly been helpful.
Having beeng on a spiritual path and practicing the Subud Latihan, or listening to "the still small voice within" in the Quaker Meeting, may also have helped the creative process.
