STRUCTURING A DANCE SESSION

~Sky Roshay, 5 October 2026

Welcome, especially to new people. This month’s session got a lot of interest and feedback, so let’s just jump right into it.

The question: As leaders, how DO we plan a Dance session, especially where one or more additional leaders are collaborating? We mentioned that things to consider could include the flow of energy through the session, varying the traditions represented, theme(s), dynamics and how they can guide the session, as well as things like opening the circle, introductions (of ourselves, the participants, the Dances), setting attunements, taking breaks (or not), closing the circle.

There’s also the question of special events going on that you might want to honor – someone’s marriage or birthday, Jewish high holy days, Navaratri, new year’s eve, etc. Or including a non-dance segment: a meditation, calling in the directions, water ceremony, etc. If there’s been a recent community tragedy or upheaval, you may want to set aside whatever you had planned in order to instead focus on comforting and healing, prayers that are more specific to what people might need in the moment.

People have commented on their need to think outside the box as far as their concept of structuring goes (opening with a Bismillah, ending with a partner Dance, balancing partner-non partner dances, not doing more than one dance in a row from the same tradition etc); what about a walk before the Dance starts?, and what to do about disruptive Dancers who talk while the leader is singing/teaching the next dance.

A Dance session is a creative platform, where you can bring in almost anything, as long as you stay attuned to the focus and intent of what you’re doing and have as deep an understanding (personal or research) as possible of what you’re sharing.

So the short answer is, there are no wrong choices. (There are also no right choices, and there’s always the possibility that things will go terribly wrong, no matter how much you plan. Breathe.) However, if you’re just starting out, that broad view is almost overwhelming to contemplate, so let’s look at structure.

First of all, consider a theme or focus for the session. WHY are you doing what you’re doing? Are you feeling called to focus on one theme – compassion, goddess dances, gratitude, Shiva and change, healing, a solstice – or a special religious event, as mentioned before? If you’re in charge of the session, with other leaders involved, you will want to ask them to suggest Dances they might lead that are related to the theme. And, conversely, maybe a theme isn’t presenting itself, so what Dances are calling to YOU to be shared, and likewise with any other leaders involved.

Work with the musicians and any other leaders ahead of time – you may even consider a “rehearsal”, to make sure everyone is clear on the dances they are leading, the musicians know what’s going on, and the order works energetically. As a leader, make sure you KNOW each Dance you are planning to lead, and can sing it, teach it, translate it and give an attunement without notes – it should be in your body as well as your mind.

Use this practice time to come up with a “set list” unless the leaders (and musicians) are really used to winging it and are clear on what the focus is. Seven Dances is generally good for one 90 minute session, maybe six if you have a really complicated Dance or you want to include a walk before the opening dance, or you take a break in the middle.

Think of a dance session as a journey, like a short story, where there are different dynamics and energies that move the story along. You can have a theme, or just go with Dances that to you seem to flow one from the other, either energetically or thematically. An attunement can slant almost any Dance into almost any theme, or at least find a way to segue to it from the Dance that came before.

When it’s time to start the session, you might open with a Walk or a song, you might have the circle come together and give a brief (as in less than 2 minutes) intro to the Dances, you might have people say their names. What works for this group, in this session? Generally you then want to open the container for the session, create a sacred space and time. It’s traditional to say the Sufi invocation, but that’s not the only option: a rolling Om, calling in the directions, a brief prayer (especially call and response), whatever works for you and the circle to mark the opening of this sacred container is fine.

This is a “formula” I was taught 30 years ago for structuring a Dance session, and it works, but the caution is to not become so attached to it that you can’t vary it:

A good opening Dance can be a simple, non-partner Dance that brings the circle together, gets them used to moving together and singing together. It can be energetic, to help clear out the chaotic energies people bring in with them and help them begin to become cohesive but without forcing them into a depth and stillness they may not be ready for yet.

If the circle does well with the first dance, and starts coming together, then do a simple greeting Dance, with partners and a very simple progression. This is where the people in the circle start to meet each other and relate to each other. If the circle still feels wobbly after the first dance, try a second non-partner Dance instead, THEN a partner Dance. Partner dances are always a bit more complicated to set up, so be aware of that and go at the set-up speed that works for this particular circle. And if it’s a very small circle, you may not want to do partner Dances at all.

From this kind of a beginning, you can go deeper and more solemn, or you can go upbeat and exuberant and THEN go deeper. I kind of like being a little wild, building the energy and clearing out any last bits of chaos as a way of calming everyone and readying them to go in deeper.

Sometimes a blessing or healing Dance goes well near the end, where people are blessing each other and the prayer is being sent out to the world; this can be a partner Dance or not.

The last Dance can be one that brings the circle back together cohesively, but don’t have it be so trance-y that people aren’t in their bodies at the end of it (generally speaking they have to drive home after this!) And likewise don’t blow them out with so much wildness that they lose their center and, again, can’t drive home.

End by closing the container. We generally sing “May all Beings be well…” as a closing; I often say something like this before starting it, “Gather up all the power, the love, the prayers, the energy of this session and let’s send that out to do its work in the world, wherever that may be.” You don’t have to use that song, but whatever you choose to do, it’s a benediction for the circle, and for the world.

Other notes: I don’t like doing more than two partner dances back to back (and even two in a row is a lot), because it can break the cohesive container, and I don’t like singing in English a lot; otherwise unless there is a tradition-specific theme, I mix it up – but it’s a Shabbat service there might be a lot of Hebrew, for example, or a zikr evening with all Arabic, or a night of Navaratri where the focus might be Sanskrit and Kali, Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Durga, etc.

A circle of new people needs gentle handling – don’t scold them for not being attentive or quiet, just gently lead them into the depth of the practice from an energetic and shallow-end-of-the-pool beginning (Zareen can speak to this really well!)

Shivadam recently said, “I explicitly explain what the Dances are at the outset, for the benefit of new folks. Also, I don’t encourage any chatter between Dances, always bringing each Dance to a quiet place, then asking the circle to remain in that stillness. Then I say “Amin” (or whatever) [to seal the Dance] and go directly into the next Dance. Folks rarely utter a word.”

He added, “If and when folks do chatter a little between Dances, I will sometimes joke along, or more often simply smile and return the focus to the next Dance. I remember learning, as we all did, that what WE feel is what the circle feels. I do my best, by grace, to remain in a quiet, focused space, and then lead from there, rarely letting what happens in the circle disrupt my own flow.”

Bottom line is, this is a prayer practice. Lead from your devotional center, not from your ego with its judgments, preferences and criticisms, and let the power of the Dances work. Because it will.