LIFE RULAN TANGEN was on death’s door as she dreamed of Dancing Earth. She could barely recognize her own body as she battled stage-four cancer, hardly able to move, let alone dance. Yet in that liminal space between realms, Rulan was grateful to still be breathing, and in this dream-space she visioned Dancing Earth – an offering borne as a thank you to life. This year, Dancing Earth celebrates their 20-year anniversary, as Rulan honors the strength and empowerment that this moment represents. Dancing Earth creates elemental ritual and dance performances grounded in the ancestral, land-based wisdom of contemporary global people. With hubs in the Bay Area and Santa Fe, and a widening international cultural exchange in the Amazon, Colombia, Mexico and other countries worldwide, Dancing Earth prioritizes equitable exchange between local cultures and artists. Work- ing with grassroots communities, Rulan says they have created an “inclusive belonging space for the people who are dancing for the Earth, with the Earth and as the Earth.” As director, Rulan is passionate about cultivating “real liv- ing relationships that honor the special unique qualities that each individual brings, culturally and creatively.” DANCING EARTH CELEBRATES THEIR 20 YEAR ANNIVERSARY A 'THANK YOU' TO by EMILY LEVANG
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in dance WINTER 2024 46
WINTER 2024 in dance 47
In Dance | May 2014 | dancersgroup.org
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