CIRCLE dance Dancing in a circle is an ancient tradition common to many cultures for marking special occasions, strengthening community and encouraging togetherness WORDS: CAROLINE SHERWOOD n 1976 Bernhard Wosien, a she counts dancing with him among her German ballet master, arrived at happiest memories, as well as dancing the Findhorn community in what has become known as the Israeli IScotland bringing with him folk Blessing Dance around the crib of the dances he had collected while three-day-old son of good friends of hers. travelling through Europe. “He “The circle is a powerful symbol, intuitively knew which dances contained echoing our planet, the sun, moon or the energies that would be needed in our cosmos,” says Frances Fawkes, South present world, and would help heal the West co-ordinator for the Circle Dance rift between humanity and the earth,” Network. “Dancing in a circle means says June Watts in her book Circle there is no hierarchy, there is Dancing: Celebrating the Sacred in acceptance, there are no wrong steps Dance. only variations and you do not need a A former member of the Royal partner. Many traditional dances Shakespeare Company, June Watts is one embody an ancient world view of stillness. It is a resource that helps me of the world’s leading Circle Dance sustainability, community and reverence cope with my life. It is also fun and good teachers. Once a Somerset resident, she for the earth.” Dances acknowledge the exercise!” now lives in the high Alpujarras of changing seasons and celebrate births, Many dances originated in Eastern southern Spain to which sanctuary she weddings, greetings and partings, and Europe. “We dance the joyous syrtos and returns from her busy teaching schedule, deaths. kalamatianos from Greece, sensuous but she still visits the Levels during her regular trips to England. June met Bernhard Wosien in 1982 and “Dancing in a circle means there is no hierarchy, there is acceptance, there are no wrong steps only variations” Frances says that circle dancing has Rom (gypsy) dances, and lyrical dances allowed her to “become more open and from Israel,” Frances continues. “We accepting of other people. Moving to dance to haunting melodies from Turkey music as part of a supportive group or the Kurds or to the intricate rhythms enables inner emotions to surface and of the Balkans – Bulgaria, Romania, although they are not necessarily Serbia, Hungary and Armenia. expressed as part of the dance, it means Occasionally we visit the earthy andros they are acknowledged. This is very and hanter dros from Brittany and therapeutic. It is a form of meditation flowing dances from Russia.” which enables me to contact an inner “There has been huge expansion, and 124 SOMERSET LIFE October 2012 somerset.greatbritishlife.co.uk ACTIVE LIFE Classes and events near you... Bath Glastonbury Tuesdays, 10-11.30am, Scout Hut, Grove St. Fridays, 10.30 am-12.15pm Contact: Dorothy Jerrome – 01225 830200; St Mary’s Church Hall [email protected] Contact: Frances Fawkes or Jeanette Whitford – diversification in terms of the 01275 541688; [email protected] approaches of so many different Brompton Ralph teachers,” June Watts explains. Mr and Mrs Canney discovered Circle Dance as Minehead Contemporary circle dancers draw on part of Canon Peter Spink’s Omega Order Wednesdays, 2.30-4.30pm this immensely rich heritage while initiative to offer spiritual resources for the 21st St John’s Ambulance Hall creating a growing repertoire of newly century to those of all religions and none. The (under the auspices of AgeUK Somerset) choreographed pieces to classical and, Canneys host a regular Circle Dance in their Contact: Frances Fawkes sometimes rather unexpected, music. home near Brompton Ralph and welcome new For June, choreography is “…an members, when there is space! Contact: 01984 27 October, A day of Greek Dances, led by Hazel intuitive process. Sometimes the dance 656236. Young with music from a band led by Greek drops in ready made, sometimes I have musician, Kostantis Kourmandis. to leave it to mature, and revisit it from Chedzoy Contact: Frances Fawkes time to time to get it right, very Most mondays, 7.30-9.30pm occasionally I will have to work out in a Chedzoy Village Hall. 22 December, Winter Solstice seasonal dances linear fashion how many beats, how Contact: Frances Fawkes – 01278 653787; to live music by Balamouk many repetitions of a musical phrase etc [email protected] Contact: Frances Fawkes to get it all to come together.” June’s future dream is to create a Frome Somerset is unique in the Circle dance network Centre and Community to explore, with Third Sunday (generally) 6-8 pm, Christchurch in that it has two live music venues: Frome and committed people, how the Dance can Hall with the Fabulous Frome Circle Dance Band Puriton. expand and evolve, and to offer courses led by Nickomo and Rasullah. in Circle Dance and Permaculture, both Contact: Tara Greaves - 01373 302219; For further information on circle dance visit of which would be integral parts of the [email protected] circledancenetwork.org.uk or junewatts.com community’s daily life. N somerset.greatbritishlife.co.uk SOMERSET LIFE October 2012 125.