LAURA SHANNON

FOLK DANCE - CIRCLE DANCE- SACRED DANCE - WOMEN'S RITUAL DANCE

Laura's Blog

Lebensgarten Tanz- und Sing-Festival

From 10-13 June, we had the first dance and singing festival in Lebensgarten, Germany, with Kyriakos Moisidis, Laura and Brigitte Schmitz. Brigitte's lovely singing brought everyone into the group and provided a perfect starting place for the traditional dances. We were blessed with live music from four outstanding Greek musicians: Kostantis Kourmadias, Panagiotis Zikidis, Yiorgos Ntavliakos and Katerina Douka.

It felt very special, at this time of great conflict and frustration between Germany and Greece on the world economic and political stage, to come together in the joyful healing oasis of music, dance and song which unite us all.

Next year's Tanz- und Sing-Festival will take place from 2-5 June, 2011 in Bad Herrenalb, Germany, with Laura, Kyriakos and musicians, and Christian Bollman offering the singing. More info at: www.heilung-und-tanz.de/index.php?article_id=152

In 2012 the Festival will be in Lebensgarten again and will continue alternating between northern and southern Germany as a collaboration between Declan Kennedy of Lebensgarten and Beate Frey of Heilung-und-Tanz in Bad Herrenalb.

An Oasis of Peace

On May 15th, 2010, Kostantis and I gave a concert of Greek, Armenian, Turkish, Kurdish and Balkan music in the Moray Art Centre here in Findhorn, a lovely and welcoming space dedicated to beauty. We offered the evening as an oasis of peace, to send prayers for healing towards Greece and its nConcert Moray Art Centre May 15th. 2010eighbours, as well as in our own hearts and lives.

The songs come from cultures who throughout history have survived similar times of great upheaval; the music invokes the dignity, grace and devotion which are the keys to safe passage through times of transformation.

The dances do the same. May your dancing this year, wherever you are, also bring you back in close connection with the source of hope and healing as in inspiration for your own life and creativity.

With love and blessings,
Laura