Many of us dance for recreation. A lot of people dance
for exercise. Some involve themselves for the sense of
community. Others refer to their experience as being
part of a sisterhood. What happens when it touches your
soul even deeper?

Some folks are moved to action, finding in dance a way
to support a cause close to one's heart. Fundraisers
are a perfect example; friends in need, non profit
organizations, for example.

Some folks are drawn to the possibilities that may have
no immediate, tangible result. These are folks looking
for inner healing, community strengthening, and, yes,
the biggie - World Peace.

Kaeshi and Darhan took on a greater mission when they
created PURE, which Naraya writes about in this issue's article.
Many others have tapped the artistic spirit to
promote peace and understanding between people. As
early as the 1960's, Dances for Universal Peace has been active:
http://www.dancesofuniversalpeace.org/
Who can resist a site called Dances of Universal Peace?
Find one going on near you!

It happens in Bali:
http://www.jillina.com/worldpeace.html

And Australia...
http://home.vicnet.net.au/~wp2000au/flame.html

And Cameron and Kristina use music in the Middle East.
http://www.musicalmissions.com

Next issue, Naraya shares on how this event was pulled together.

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FEATURE ARTICLE
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PURE
By Naraya

A seemingly eternal line of dancers stretches out in
front and behind me as I step out of the N-R subway
exit and begins to glide towards Astor Place, New York
City. The warmth of this mid-July day pours into me...
I breathe in. Entranced by the sound of the drums,
I lift my arms with my sisters as we process towards the
first destination on the map. The ritual has begun.

On July 17th, 2004,the performers of PURE took to the
streets to share their love of dance and music with the
public and to pay homage to specific sites in lower
Manhattan. PURE, an acronym for "Public Urban Ritual
Experiment," is comprised of 29 dancers and four
musicians. The goal of this event: to bring a message
of healing, peace and the power of community through
ancient traditions of dance and ritual.

Facilitated by Kaeshi Chai of BellyQueen (New York
City, USA) and Darshan of Gypsy Caravan (Portland, OR,
USA), a new Tribal fusion is born. Tapping into their
individual backgrounds of Cabaret and American Tribal
Style (ATS) and incorporating in elements of Chinese,
Romani Gypsy, Israeli Folk, Flamenco and Indian dance,
they blend together a new movement to represent the
ideal of world solidarity central to the PURE
philosophy.

"Dance and ritual create community, drawing
people together both emotionally and physically into a
shared sense of the divine. As the community
participates, no one is a stranger any longer," says
Kaeshi. Taking place in one of the most diverse cities
in the world, PURE touched thousands of people of all
backgrounds and ages as they processed for four miles
along the performance route.

Initially, Kaeshi and Darshan had simply been drawn
together through a desire to explore dance with one
another. Kaeshi had been exposed to ATS during her
tour with the Bellydance Superstars, when she
witnessed the power and community of ATS through the
performances of Rachel Brice, Domba, Fat Chance, The
Circle, Urban Tribal and Gypsy Caravan. Darshan, a
renowned dancer from Gypsy Caravan, had temporarily
moved to the East Coast to perform in Dalia Carella's
off-Broadway show "In Search of a Goddess."

After a few conversations it became apparent that they
shared a common desire to explore Tribal principles
with others in New York City (NYC), a city that had
historically been associated with the solo cabaret
dancer. What began as an mutual desire to simply
dance with one another led to a vision. A project that
expands belly dance out of its usual paradigm of late
night clubs and restaurants into the daylight.

Performance for audiences of all ages ranging from
toddlers to grandparents. As an extension of this, belly
dance can be used to foster peace, healing and
empowerment. The name PURE was chosen as a name
to refer to going back to the source. Middle Eastern
dance started out as a communal ritual that was shared
with one another and this was an event paying homage
to those roots.

The effects of PURE has proved to be far reaching.
Since July 17th emails of support from all over the world
have poured in, and dancers in other parts of the
country have expressed interest in creating similar
events in their hometown. Reflecting on the event
Darshan says, "I learned how wonderful it is to work
with a large team for a greater cause because it brings
out the best in people." PURE percussionist Brad
MacDonald continued, "We want to inspire individuals
to take a moment and reflect on what they can do or
give in the spirit of peace." On July 17th, New York City
did just that.
-----
PURE will continue the ritual on September 11th, in
New York City, NY, USA. For questions, comments or to
find out how you can create similar events in your
hometown please visit the PURE website:
http://www.bellyqueen.com/pure