<p><strong>Published in Women's E-news, 22 June 2008</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>When I arrived as an expat in Uruguay almost four years ago, I was suffering from the combined symptoms of culture shock, menopause, and being away from my children for the first time. However, I did my best to drag myself out and get involved in activities.</p> <p><br />I heard about circle dancing at an expat spouses' meeting, when Rosa, a psychologist, was trying to drum up support. She explained that danzas circulares are traditional dances from all over the world. Some are ancient; others are modern: they all have simple, repetitive steps, and are performed in a circle. She was using the technique successfully to help Uruguayan families cope with the absence of relatives who had moved abroad. The movement, the relaxation, the bonding experience, were all therapeutic.</p> <p><br />One woman at the meeting asked &lsquo;Es una secta?' - &lsquo;Is it a sect?' It sounded faddish to me, but appealing. After all, I thought, I have time, I'll do anything to pull myself out of my miserable state, and I miss my children. Plenty of reasons. So I decided to try it.</p> <p><br /> A few days later I cycled to my first session. It was a bright, crisp fall day, and the ten-minute bike ride was invigorating. When I arrived, there was a candle in the middle of the floor, and a fire blazing. The atmosphere was welcoming, and we greeted each other the Uruguayan way, warm kisses on cold cheeks. The participants, from Holland, Colombia, Mexico, and the U.K., waited nervously until Rosa encouraged us to stand in a circle around the candle, holding hands. <br />First we warmed up, moving freely around, waving our arms and twisting our bodies. Then the dancing started. For each dance, Rosa explained the steps, then we all joined in with the music. I felt anxious, with my two left feet, but I tried to relax, breathing deeply. I found that if I concentrated too much, I clamped up and tripped, and if I concentrated too little, I lost track. After a while I found the right balance.</p> <p><br /> We did a Celtic dance, one from Turkey, two gypsy dances, and a Greek one. The music was new to my ear, varied and melodious. We didn't talk. We just danced. I felt progressively calmer, and my mind drifted into semi-meditation. After the dances we lay on the floor for a ten-minute relaxation session.</p> <p><br /> Later, I asked myself &lsquo;What was that all about?' I tried to find some connection in my mind. Clearly, all cultures have traditional folk dances, but who had put together this therapeutic package? We had performed dances from countries and cultures that hated each other, and had little connection with any of us in the group, yet there we were all holding hands and dancing around in circles like children playing. Who started this trend? And why? <br />But I felt peaceful and centred. And curious. At home, I did some research, and found that in the 70s, Professor Bernhard Wosien, a German dance master, who had collected hundreds of worldwide folk dances, initiated the practice in the Findhorn Foundation Community in northern Scotland.</p> <p><br /> Further research revealed that circle dancing - as I had already experienced after just one session - is truly beneficial to the whole person: body, soul and mind. As well as reducing stress and physical, emotional and mental anxiety, participants learn to relax in the movement, and each person is centred in a personal space which generates self-respect and respect for others. You become more flexible and relaxed in both body and mind, because you learn to go with the flow in harmony.</p> <p><br /> &lsquo;Anything will sell these days', my sceptic inner voice said.</p> <p><br />My real me voice retorted strongly: &lsquo;Hey, don't be so cynical. Take whatever works and enjoy it.'</p> <p><br />I was hooked, and continued dancing with the group. Most dances are gentle and meditative; a few are lively and energizing. All of them make you feel at one with yourself and with your companions. Very soon, my feelings of anxiety and lack of self-worth faded. After a few months, I felt renewed, ready for the challenges of my new life.</p> <p><br />And recently, I had the most wonderful experience: a friend of Rosa's has set up an organization here in Montevideo, aimed at helping people realize their dreams - not fancy, expensive dreams, but simple, beautiful dreams. I was lucky enough to join in when one of the first dreams came true: a middle-aged lady wanted to dance on the beach, so the group invited friends to a danzas ciculares session on the beach in central Montevideo.</p> <p><br />There was a strong breeze, but it was warm. Of the forty participants, two were men. I hardly knew anyone, but I immediately felt a unifying bond as we held hands around an arrangement of flowers and candles.</p> <p><br />Although circle dance groups worldwide are open to everyone, far more women than men participate. Men are more &lsquo;left-brained'; their testosterone makes them competitive, and skeptical of &lsquo;sharing and caring' activities. Women are more intuitive, and generally express their feelings more than men; they are open to visual and corporal contact, and culturally, they seek help and peace of mind outside themselves. They are also open to experimenting new ideas. Circle dancing is a very feminine, unifying experience, a quiet activity which transcends barriers of race, class, religion and culture - you feel comfortable dancing with complete strangers. You are within yourself, yet sharing, while you dance. It is a great mood stabilizer.</p> <p><br />That evening the sunset was inspiring, there were few people at the beach apart from us, and the one woman whose dream came true was the spark for a bonding event for many others.</p>

<p>To celebrate National Short Story Week, our online group, Writers Abroad, has published an anthology of short stories reflecting expat life.&nbsp; We were delighted to have the support of Writelink's own Lorraine Mace, who wrote the foreword.&nbsp; Have a look here to read&nbsp;a PDF copy: <a href="http://writersabroad.spruz.com/gfile/75r4!-!GKIMKD/writes_abroad_anthology_of_short_stories.pdf">http://writersabroad.spruz.com/gfile/75r4!-!GKIMKD/writes_abroad_anthology_of_short_stories.pdf</a></p> <p>And let us know what you think!</p>