My latest news is that I’m actually going to be leading a circle dance circle again soon. I’ve signed up with the recreation department in La Quinta, California, to offer eight evenings of circle dance, starting March 19, 2012.
It’s been a long time since I led dance, so I’m a bit rusty, a bit creaky around the grapevine joints and the step memory. I’m working hard to get up to speed and I’m convening a practice session Thursday March 8 at my home in Cottonwood, so if you’re around, please join me - 7pm, or 6pm for dinner!
At present, I’m looking only as far ahead as the first session, thinking of focusing on the coming of spring. I’ll start with “As One” by Denean to connect us with the Earth, then “Erev Shel Shoshonim” – the simple version, because it’s about an evening of roses which sounds like the desert cities to me. I’ve been practicing “Jacob’s Ladder”, which is delightful because it changes tempo from 4/4 to 3 /4 halfway through, but I think I’ll keep that one for the second session – oh, I’m looking further ahead already!
And yes, of course I’ll do “Kak pre Balkje”, my favorite lively and oh-so-accessible dance, probably using Jan Mulreany’s idea of looking out and surveying the land as we turn in a wide circle, or perhaps my own idea that we’re creating the petals of a large flower on the floor.
My practice session on March 8 will be around the time of the full moon, so:
“Under the full moonlight we dance,
Spirits dance we dance,
Joining hands we dance,
Joining souls rejoice!” (by Karen Beth)
