The Dances of Universal Peace

Tasnim Hermila Fernandez

The Dances of Universal Peace are an outgrowth of the Sufi Message of Love, Harmony and Beauty as well as that of the Unity of Religious Ideals. We use sacred words and names from most of the religious and spiritual traditions of the world as the inspiration for our dances. Most of them are very simple in form, easy to do by nearly everyone and are truly uplifting and can transform the atmosphere in a group in a very short time. They are accompanied by acoustic instruments, and the melody, movements and background of each dance are taught on the spot. This makes them very accessible to newcomers and "non-dancers" — everyone is welcomed into the circle.

This is a spiritual practice that is homegrown...born in the early 1960's as an inspiration received by Murshid Samuel L. Lewis of San Francisco. He was among the first American disciples of Hazrat Inayat Khan, who had come from India with the Sufi teachings that honored all religions and all the messengers, focused on the unity of the truth that is behind all outer forms.

Murshida Tasnim along with Murshid Saadi Neil Douglas-Klotz founded The International Network for the Dances of Universal Peace in 1982 and instituted the training program for prospective leaders of the Dances. There are now over 600 dances in the repertoire and new ones coming through all the time. Since it's inception, the Network has established Dance circles in over 60 countries.

Tasnim will be offering a weekend program, Sufism — The Path of Love and Knowledge at the BDC
October 9-11, 2009. Click here to register.