If you are leading an inexperienced circle, or are an inexperienced leader you’re looking for:
•Simple words and movements that bring the circle together, moving and singing as one, without intimidating them or confusing them.
- Simple words and movements that you can teach easily without getting confused yourself.
- Upbeat rather than introspective and deep.
These don’t apply for the circle if you’re dealing with a very experienced circle and/or are leading on the 3rd day of a multi-day retreat. However, still monitor your ability to teach/lead the Dance easily and don’t overestimate – even experienced leaders can be stymied by a group that simply doesn’t get what the leader thinks are simple movements (especially with partnerships) and the teaching and reteaching can end up taking longer than the Dance itself. This is not a good situation for a beginning leader to put themselves in.
Some dances are notated in keys that don’t work well for all voices. If your usual range is very high, most people will either not sing or will have to jump between octaves, which is not a happy situation. If your usual range is very low, and you make people sing there, the dance will drag (low energy) and people will struggle. Watch the circle as you start singing; it’s perfectly okay to ask people if the key is too high or too low for them. If they say yes, change it. Bottom line is, you may want to increase your personal vocal range.
If your voice is very high, or very low, within your range (soprano, baritone, whatever), you may need to work on broadening your vocal range so that you can sing in a key that is comfortable for most people. A melody that is too high will have women especially screeching or straining, and cause men and the other women to have to jump back and forth between octaves. A melody that is too low will pull the energy of the Dance down and cause people to strain or jump between octaves – and men have a hard time when a melody is too low for them; they have nowhere else to go, vocally speaking.
Great Beginner Dances, published
- Zikr Dance II (see chords belowa0)
- Shabbat Shalom
- Grace Bismillah
- Ozark Bismillah
- Om Hum (Bernie)
- Melodic Ram Nam Variation A
- Haida Haida
- Gopala (without basketweave)
- Ganesha Sharanam without partner part
- Fill Your Cup
- Ek Ong Kar (Narayan’s)
- Amen Alleluia
- Allaudin’s Allah Hayy (“Hayy hayy hayy hayy huuuuu”)
- Gloria in Excelsis Deo
- Om Gum bernie
- Syncopated bismillah
- Introductory bismillah
- Angelic bismillah
Limited Use or not in database
- Peaceful steps (Limited use)
- Kadosh (limited uses) (has grapevine)
- Heart Sutra (limited uses)
- Rock My Soul (not in the database)
- E Malama (not in the database)
- Shiva Shambo (not in the database. Chords below)
- The Call (Leilah’s) (not in the database)
Partner Dances with simple partner parts:
- From this Circle of Love
- Grace Ram Nam
- Grace’s Kyrie
- Bismillah Ya Fattah (partner grand right and left)
Chords for Zikr II
This dance is written up in Cm and open tuning. That’s kinda high to sing. For the following capo on the second fret and play in Dm, which means you’ll be singing in Em
[Dm]Allah Allah Allah Allah
Al[Am]lah Allah Allah Allah
Al[Dm]lah Allah Allah Allah
Al[E7]lah Allah Allah Al[E]lah
First Allah is E. Ends F#
Shiva Shambho
(capo 3) Chords Am and G
Am G Am
1-Shiva Shiva Shiva Shambho, 2-Shiva Shiva Shiva Shambho (x2)
Am G Am
3, 4-Maha Deva Shambho, Maha Deva Shambho (x2, in other words 3 then 4)
1-Circle holding hands walking right (everyone facing right). Quick steps, rhythm is one
step on each Shiva, then etc.
2-Everyone pivot around (facing left), but keep walking right, same rhythm.
Repeat.
3-Face center, come in 8 steps, raising hands from heart, spin out R crossing arms
downward in front of body (clearing energies).
4-On repeat, circle holding hands, come in 8 steps raising arms, back out 8 steps
lowering arms.
“Shiva Shambho” translates to “Shiva, the Auspicious One”, acknowledging Shiva as a
divine being beyond our dimension. “MahaDeva Shambho” means “great God, the
Auspicious One.” Performance of this mantra with good intention is thought to clarify
the mind, increase wisdom and help overcome obstacles to growth.
Note: Because this Dance is not in the DUP IN dance database, there is no “official”
version of it. This is the version I learned 20+ years ago. ~Sky
