Invitation: Dance for Your Life

This poem says it all:
They Danced for the Love They Felt
by Shiloh Sophia McCloud
(re-written by Stacey with “they” instead of “her” to be more inclusive)

They danced for the love they felt, the love they gave away, and the love they kept
They danced to free their spirit and to free other spirits too
They danced in response to joy and to process pain.

They moved their body like their life depended on it,
All the while praying for love to come, for sadness to go.

They danced for all the people who can’t dance for themselves.

They also taught others to dance for justice, for truth, for possibility…for healing the broken–hearted.

They danced with the little children and the wise old ones.

They danced to break the ties that bind our people,
To bring awareness and healing,
To invite friendship and art into the open spaces that the dance created.

They danced to break open the hearts of our people,
To bring truth and compassion,
To encourage kindness and vision towards the healed places that the dance created.

They danced to keep the flame of true love burning.

They danced for all the wishes, all the dreams and all the blessings.

They danced the first dance and the last dance.

They danced when they were too tired to walk.

They danced for the living and for the dead,
In birth and in mourning,
For peace, beauty and creative expression.

They danced their prayers all the way to God,
Which wasn’t so very far after all.