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Polishing the Heart - May 2023
Dear Friends,
They say that becoming a certified Dance leader is not the end goal, it is the beginning. A dedication to service of the practice. And so with that, I have taken the bold step of becoming the Treasurer of Dances of Universal Peace International, and am now a Board Member in Training with Dances of Universal Peace North America.
I hope that my over 20 years of experience on other nonprofit boards with help me serve this practice that means so much to us, and help it grow and spread to all those seeking a greater connection to spirit in their lives.
Peace, Douglas
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I sometimes forget that I have been called to dance!
I sometimes forget that I was created for Joy.
My mind is too busy. My Heart is too heavy for me to remember that I have been called to dance the Sacred dance of life.
I was created to smile, to love, to be lifted up and to lift others up.
Oh Sacred One, untangle my feet from all that ensnares.
Free my soul that we might dance and that our dancing might be contagious.
Hafiz
 Kirtan on Sunday morning - April 2023 Polishing the Heart Dance Weekend -------------------------------------------------------------------------
Performing our part
Life, to a wise person, is a music, and in that symphony he has to play a certain part. In the orchestra… there are many who play music, and every player of an instrument has to fill in his contribution in the performance.
That is the nature of our lives. The further we advance, our part in this orchestra becomes more difficult and more important, and the more conscious we become of this responsibility, the more efficient we become, in performing our part in life‘s symphony satisfactorily.
Hazrat Inayat Khan, Creating the Person, in the chapter called The Music of Life
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 Inside The Farm Community Center during our April weekend - Great accoustics for Dancing!  Raven Wolf stuck around an extra day to put down some flute tracks on some recordings. You can hear his excellent work on the song above! -------------------------------------------------------------------------
DUPNA News: There is Strength when we come together.
This is a time of renewal, as circles all around the world reconnect and start up again. Here in the U.S., DUPNA has started the Reconnection Project to see which circles are happening with in-person dances. We have also been talking about learning who we are as the broader community of Dancers and Musicians. One way you can help us find out, is by signing up to receive the Dances of Universal Peace North America newsletter.
Become part of Dances of Universal Peace North America - Click here
DUPIN News: Seeking a New Executive Director
Dances of Universal Peace International (DUPIN) seeks an Executive Director to lead the dance organization into an expanded phase of worldwide development and connectivity.
DUPIN seeks an engaging leader with vision, management and financial expertise, ability to guide and work with others, technical capacity (especially with office data systems, internet, and communication technology and websites), and understanding of the Dances of Universal Peace and Walking Concentrations as spiritual practice.
In addition to serving the Board of Directors and guiding staff, the Executive Director will be responsible for the personnel and technical means of providing services to the Leaders Guild of the Dances, including overseeing a major upgrade of the DUPIN website and platform, which currently provides resources and services in six languages. The E.D. will continue to build DUPIN's alliances with Dance communities and volunteers worldwide to distribute resources and information for the training and mentoring of Leaders in multiple languages.
An important part of the job is to steer an organizational transition for DUPIN to meet the challenges of the changing times in terms of a pilot re-design of:
- The structure and function towards a more collaborative and engaged network (including volunteer teams and tasks, as well as in the level of circles inside the network like mentors and organizers).
- Platforms, social media presence, tools, apps, etc., into a coherent and automatized system with less need of central management and input hours and more functionality, visibility, and interaction inside the network as well as towards the public.
- Moving from the need of an intense and qualified central management into a more light and less budget intensive style of operation.
For the moment, this person will need to be a fluent English speaker. This part-time job requires about 12 hours a week, equating to about 650 hours a year. Apart from the beautiful service to the global community of the DUP, there is a salary to be agreed between DUPIN and the candidate. Interested applicants may apply immediately to Victoria Darvesha, President, Dances of Universal Peace International victoriadarvesha@gmail.com for this position which is expected to be filled in the fall 2023.
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Dance Camp Calendar
Open the Love Window! Spring Ozark Sufi Camp in Missouri, Friday, May 26 through Wednesday, May 31 The Ozark Camp is one of the largest Dance Camps happening, with a strong-knit family that has been dancing together for 42 years. It is where I knew I had found a new family and community.
Bernie Heideman will be there as the guest Dance leader and Forrest Pierce, a brilliant fellow in the Kansas Sufi community, will be serving as a teacher. I have been invited to do some leading and I love late-night singing on the porch!
“Close the language door and
Open the love window.
The moon won’t use the door,
Only the window.” ~ Rumi
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Salmon Wild River Dance Camp in Idaho, June 21-26
 Salmon Wild River Camp - Salmon Idaho 609 West 4th Street, Salmon, ID Hosted by Zareen Connie Delaney and Wayne Talmage.
Tentative:
Spokane, Washington.June 29 Salem, Oregon July 7, Bandon. Oregon July 9 Contact me directly if you would like connect. Parliament of World Religions August 14-18 in Chicago, at McCormick Place Lakeside Center.
A reminder DUPNA is offering NextGen dancers and Dance Leaders (age 18-40's) scholarships with pre-paid registration ($250), plus lodging, and travel, up to $560. Contact hayatdupna@gmail.com to learn more. Click here to apply.
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 Dancing at The Farm Cemetery. It takes the meaning of connected to the land to new level. |
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My Dance mentor Sky Roshay's upcoming Dance Camps
with Bernie Heideman, Sky Roshay, and Jen Friedman
January 22-24, 2024 All My Relations, Toda mi Relationes
A bi-lingual camp with Dance Leader training January 31-February 1, 2024. Deepening into Being with Sky Roshay, Shivadam Burke, and Jen Friedman
February 8-13, with Sky Roshay, Jen Friedman, Douglas Stevenson, and hopefully Bernie Heideman!
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For more information, contact me: douglas@villagemedia.com
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Thank you for your time and attention!
