Community Via Movement

Last winter, Kairos’ Dancing Heart™ started a weekly program at a public housing highrise. We were cautioned, “People don’t usually mingle too much here. Don’t expect a lot of participation.”

Residents of the highrise included a very wide range of backgrounds and abilities. Languages spoken included English, Spanish, Amharic, Somali, and American Sign Language. Experiences spanned from performing live on stage to surviving refugee camps. It did seem like we had our work cut out for us.

Fortunately two of our basic tools are movement and music which can span seemingly vast cultural and individual differences. The universal languages of dance, rhythm, and melody opened doors of common experience and feeling where no other language was available. Through interpreters, the added dimension of storytelling reinforced our sense of connection.

Before too long a lovely variety of individuals were feeling at ease, sharing music and movement and story together, each in their own way.

Dancing Heart’s power to help individuals flourish and communities to form and deepen once again stood out in contrast to habitual expectations.

~Peter