International Circle Dancing with Stefan and Bethan Freedman

www.worldance.org

World Dance with Stefan and Bethan

Accessible, celebratory multicultural dance

     World dance is like having a wardrobe of a thousand colourful costumes, some velvety, some outrageous, some impressive others humorous, to try on. The keynotes are celebration, rapture and community.

     Some of Bethan and Stefans workshops also include a deeply peaceful element. Here the dancing at times becomes like a moving meditation. Participants may find a dimension of inner peace that can be experienced in Yoga or meditation while at the same time relishing a sense of physical security and connection with others, interlinked in the circle.

     World Dance, when this gentler, harmonious aspect is featured, is widely known as Circle Dance or Sacred Dance.

     Bethan and I travel the world leading dance and other workshops from complete beginner to advanced levels as well as celebrations and festivities incorporating live music and displays. We are best known for World Dance which uses compelling and evocative music from all continents.

     We offer a "feelgood" approach which includes people of all ages and abilities learning stylish sequences to strong, earthy rhythms. No prior experience or partner is required. The participants get to meet each other, have a delightful time and a good "shake out" while encountering contemporary and traditional dances from places as diverse as Uzbekistan, Algeria, Japan and Wales !!

     Bethan and I are well-known around the world for our choreography - sometimes electric, sometimes humorous and occasionally touching on "Tai Chi" - a slow, moving meditation - to provide balance and relaxation after the faster exertions.

     We are passionate about developing dance to promote connection and harmony between people of diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds. We played a key role in a Middle-East Peace conference (IFLAC London 2002) and a humanitarian educational congress (SEAL, Derby 2002). and an international NVC conference on conflict and communication (London, June 2004).

     We are also avid cultural researchers and dance collectors; (my degree is in Social Anthropology, Bethan's is Contemporary and Historical Dance).

     Our more specialist workshops include

•Gypsy (Rom) Dances

•Mediterranean Dance (Greece, Turkey, Armenia +)

•E. European Dance (Bulgaria, Romania & Russia +)

•Canaan Confluence (Arab & Hebrew dances)

     We draw from our vast library of recorded music - some quite rare.

     To give extra atmosphere we also incorporate live music which we sing and play on colourful ethnic instruments, offering encouragement for participants to join in with vocals and percussion. (We have quite a collection of hand-drums for people to use) .

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Copyright Stefan Freedman ©2007