This Saturday, May 31st, take part in the 45th Annual Planetary Dance in Golden Gate Park!
A Dance for Peace Among People
and Peace with the Earth
Dance to take action this coming Saturday at the Elk Glen Picnic Area in Golden Gate Park. This is a FREE event for all ages and abilities, (but sorry, no dogs allowed).
In 1981 in the wake of six tragic murders on Mt. Tamalpais, the trails were closed, and the community lived in helplessness and rage. At the time, Anna and Lawrence Halprin were leading a community workshop called “A Search for Living Myths and Rituals.” The participants decided to enact a positive myth in dance: the reclaiming of the mountain.
That ritual, called In and On the Mountain, was performed over several days and included a walk along the very trails where the killings occurred. A few days after the ritual, the killer was caught, and peace returned to the mountain.
Don Jose Mitsuwa, a Huichol shaman then 109 years old, visited Anna Halprin and heard this story. He said, “This mountain is one of the most sacred places on Earth. I believe in what your people did, but to be successful in purifying this mountain, you must return to it and dance for five years.”
Mindful of the shaman’s counsel, the dance continued for five years every spring, each time deepening participants’ understanding and expanding their vision. In 1985 the dance, which involved an intensive workshop process, was renamed Circle the Earth and has lived on as The Planetary Dance.
Where participants once danced to reclaim a small measure of peace on the mountain, they now dance to restore health and peace to the planet. People from countries worldwide come to participate, helping the dance live up to its name.
Don’t miss your chance to dance in community in glorious Golden Gate Park and honor the memory of Anna Halprin.
Gather at 11am — Proceedings begin promptly at noon. Bring your friends, your family, and a picnic to enjoy and share afterwards.
