“Everything comes to us that belongs to us if we create the capacity to receive it.” Rabindranath Tagore
A cancellation of an event scheduled for Bethlehem Centre in Nanaimo created an opportunity for the Gabriola Ecumenical Society to co-sponsor a presentation on our island with the Gabriola Caravan Dancers. Gifted Laura Shannon, one of the ‘grandmothers’ of Folk Dance, Circle Dance and Sacred Dance, presented a program ‘Living Dances, Ancient Roots’ on November 10, 2019 7-9pm at the Gabriola Community Hall.
Laura, world renowned teacher and researcher of traditional circle and folk dances, lives in Greece and the UK, and travels the world sharing her passion for the significance of movement and music in our lives. She brings to our awareness that music is a fundamental attribute of the human species and is present in virtually all cultures, from the most primitive to the most advanced. In preparation for her teaching on Gabriola, Laura familiarized herself with the mission of our Gabriola Ecumenical Society and on Sunday evening created an evening of spiritual awareness, creative dance, healing, and community building, attended by 28 participants.
With joy, exuberance and creativity she guided us with story telling and a number of circle dances, connecting us to the deep spirituality and universality of spiritual seekers thousands of years in the past and continuing on to this present day. Laura, through her music, movement, and storytelling is a perfect model of the interconnectedness of the physical and the spiritual with her deep connection , respect and compassion for all of creation.
Truly, Spirit in Action: Healing Ourselves, our Community and our Earth was the focal point of this amazing program. We thank Don Buskirk, who assisted Laura during the evening, for organizing this amazing event and inviting us to cosponsor.