As Israel continues to unleash unimaginable brutality in Palestine and our government continues to arm Israel, we continue to rise in collective resistance to the forces of nationalism, militarism, and capitalism that undergird this devastation of people and the land.
In Circle For Palestine, we rise through the use of our collective indigenous practice of circle dance, empowered by the feminine, in the face of masculinist aggressions: We use dance (movement that defies notions of product and productivity and invigorates the spirit) and circles (formations that take up space and are endlessly inclusive). We touch and activate individual and collective somas – our sensing, feeling body, which may be numbed by war but is also our instrument of transformation.
In CFP, dance artist Parijat will offer elements of her ancestral circle dance garba (from garbh, or womb, traditionally danced in celebration of the Primordial Mother) from Gujarat, India – reframed as an anti-fascist tool for both individual expression and collective well-being and activation. With the help of Riham Barghouti (educator/organizer, El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe/Amplify Palestine), we will include elements of dabke, used by Palestinians as a tool for resistance / resilience / liberation.
We follow this embodied experience with “Zionism, Cultural Imperialism, and Concert Dance,” a presentation with actions against art-washing, by dance artist and organizer with Dancers for Palestine Nadia Khayrallah.
What to expect:
- Warm-up based on qi gong / somatics / yoga
- Basic garba steps
- New choreography
Accessibility Notes
- This workshop includes auditive guidance.
- This workshop includes a projected presentation.
- Chairs will be available for access needs so that participants may join from a seated position.
For access-related questions and requests, please contact accessibility@movementresearch.org, subject line “Parijat Desai.”
