History

                    Brief History of Sacred Circle Dancing 

Dancing in a circle is an ancient tradition common to many cultures for marking special occasions, strengthening community and encouraging togetherness. Circle Dance includes traditional dances of many countries as well as modern choreographies set to classical and contemporary music. 

In Circle Dance we are stepping into ancient patterns of rhythm and movement.  When we dance a traditional dance we are temporarily tuning into a culture`s history and expression. At the end of each dance we pause in silence to honour and absorb the energy of the dance and sense the oneness and peace that comes from moving rhythmically in a supportive circle of friends.

Modern Circle Dance was developed at Findhorn in the 1970s and 1980s by Bernard Wosien, (1906-1986) a German ballet master, choreographer, teacher and artist who had a passion for traditional European dance. He felt that dance was a spiritual experience when practiced with `awareness and intention`. With his daughter Maria-Gabriele Wosien and his student Friedel Kloke, circular folk dances of Eastern Europe were adapted and newly choreographed dances created. They were then referred to as Sacred Circle Dances.

In 1981, Friedel Kloke-Eibl founded the ´DEMIAN - Instituut in beweging´ in the Netherlands which she headed until 1990. There she established the foundation ´Stichting Sacred Dance´ under the patronage of Bernard Wosien.  

Since 1981, Friedel has trained more than 800 individuals in different countries and now leads an institute in Germany devoted to the in-depth study of Sacred Dance. In addition to that Friedel Kloke-Eibl was chairperson of the Trade Association ´Meditation des Tanzes - Sacred Dance´ and has published the journal BALANCE for eight years. So far she has published 16 CDs with her own dances and choreographies and 4 CDs with folk dances, 5 video films/DVDs and the book "My dance - a song of silence". Friedel sees dance as a form of prayer `where the dancer moves into stillness completely in tune with the music`.

 Friedel and her daughters Nanni and Saskia work closely together. Saskia also choreographs her own dances and so far has published 4 CDs: "Das Hohelied der Liebe" (+ dance instruction), "Eternal Prelude", "Kontemplation" and "Im Gedankenlicht"

Australian influences/teachers

Conny Brandt

Conny`s sister Thea, who lived in The Netherlands, did the extensive course with Friedel Kloke-Eibl  and whenever Conny visited her homeland she danced with Thea and Friedel. Conny has also danced with Saskia and Nanni. In 1989 Conny attended a Sacred Dance workshop in Melbourne with Fiona Parr, a visiting teacher of Sacred Dance from the UK. Whenever Thea visited Conny in Melbourne she ran Circle Dance workshops with Conny which were very well attended.

Conny taught Circle Dance through the U3A for twelve years in Melbourne.  She also taught Sacred Circle Dance in Blackburn and Box Hill. Her dedication to Sacred Circle Dance has offered a valuable legacy to all who have benefited from her teaching and current mentoring. Today well over 100 people are enrolled in Sacred Circle Dance, thanks to Conny. 

Conny speaking in 2018 

Lois Frankland was introduced to Sacred Circle Dancing by Conny and also attended Fiona Parr`s workshop in 1989. Some years later Lois started weekly classes at Foster through Prom Coast U3A in fourth term 2011.

Robyn Sussems first learnt Circle Dancing in Findhorn and danced for many years with Conny in Melbourne. Robyn started the Yarra Ranges Soul Dancing group through Yarra Ranges U3A in 2014 and also offers Circle Dance workshops at The Centre for Ecology and Spirituality, Glenburn.

From Lois`s Foster group Robin Bunker introduced classes to Inverloch in 2014 at the Inverloch Community House and in 2016 Tania Bird started the Mornington group with her mother Rosemary Bird. From 2015 until 2021 Vilya Congreave and team ran the Inverloch group with Lois Frankland as ongoing mentor. During the COVID-19 pandemic, limits on class numbers and other restrictions really impacted the large Inverloch group, effectively stopping the classes. In response, in late 2021, a smaller group from Inverloch started dancing at the Wonthaggi Neighbourhood Centre, and in March 2022 dancing resumed at the Inverloch Community Hub.  

International influences/teachers

Judi Appleby

In 1999, whilst living at the Findhorn Foundation in northern Scotland, Judi Appleby discovered the joy of daily Sacred Circle Dance. Since then she has lived and worked for two long periods at Findhorn. Judi started the Castlemaine U3A Circle Dance and at the moment offers short courses at both Melbourne City U3A and Moreland U3A.  

Jude Maree

Jude Maree learnt Circle Dance in Adelaide in 1978 and has been teaching on and off since 1980. She has been running Sacred Circle Dance through Heyfield Community Resource Centre in Victoria for the last three years. Her classes are eclectic, joyful and loving. Some dances are danced joyfully and noisily – the emotions released leading to healing and wholeness. The sessions are always concluded with a meditative dance.  Whilst including some of the more traditional dances, Jude likes to teach more contemporary ones, as these are the dances of our times. She has lived in Brazil and during that time danced with Brazilian Circle Dance teachers Christiana Menezes and Renata Ramos.  

Anastasia Geng: 1922 – 2002.

Flower Circle Dances based on the 38 Bach Flower Essences were created in the 1980`s and 90`s by Anastasia Geng,who lived in Germany but who was originally from Latvia. Throughout her life she loved the traditional music and dances of her native country. Latvian songs, music and dances have roots that go back to pre-Christian times to the worship of ancient mothers, particularly Mara, the Mother of Life, and they were what kept the Latvian identity alive during the Russian occupation. 

One of the dances she created was the Elm Tree Dance, based on a Latvian song. Anastasia said the dance was not only for healing but for `intention`. It is to strengthen our capacity to choose a purpose, and to follow through on the resolve our hearts have made. In the Bach Flower healing system the essence Elm is used for a feeling of being overwhelmed. 

Karin Ruff now teaches some of Anastasia’s dances in the Foster group, as she was fortunate to begin Anastasia’s journey into sacred circle dance with her in Germany. She learned many of the new dances Anastasia created in the dancing circle they founded together in Darmstadt in 1982, which continued after she returned to Australia in 1987. There she continued to learn circle dances under Connie Brandt and then under Jan Turner.

Joanna Macy: Eco-Philosopher and Spiritual Activist.

The Circle Dance Elm Tree which we currently dance was modified by Joanna Macy after her experience in working with the people in the Russian town of Novozybkov in 1992. She and her team traveled from one town to another in Belarus and Ukraine offering workshops to people living in areas contaminated by the Chernobyl Nuclear disaster. Their final stop was Novozybkov, an agricultural and light industrial city of 50,000 people, 100 miles east of Chernobyl in the Bryansk region of Russia. Together with its surrounding villages it is considered to be the most contaminated city of it size that is still inhabited.

The people of this area and their ancestors were always people of the forest and this was reflected in the old stories passed down through the generations. Because trees held the radioactivity the people no longer had access to their forests and will not have for many more generations.  Joanna and her team used the Elm Tree Dance as a powerful healing tool.  The dance became an expression of their will to live. It was here that the dance evolved the distinctive form with the raising and swaying of arms, evoking their connection with the trees they so loved.

Circle Dance is very popular in Brazil where it even has regular media coverage.  Presently, the Brazilians are endeavoring to establish a Global Directory of Circle Dance and have nominated July 16, 2017 World Circle Dance Day. Three dances were chosen to be danced around the world on that day. 

Since Sacred Circle Dance was created at Findhorn numerous teachers and hundreds of classes are being offered worldwide. It is also widely used in an adapted form in the UK as a healing tool in working with the elderly and people with Dementia. 

There are regular Circle Dance groups in all States of Australia.