April 2023


Dear Friends,
After a one month break, I am back to teaching again! The past month the Simorgh Dance Collective and I had the honor of performing dances of the Silk Road for more than 400 students at the Montalvo Carriage House Theater in Saratoga, for the Roya Foundation Norouz Bazaar in San Ramon, a women’s history month celebration in San Jose, and two performances collaborating with Eastern Arts in Salt Lake City. Our travels have taken us from California to Utah and back. I am so grateful for all the remarkable people and artists I’ve met this last month and for the opportunity to share the culture of the Silk Road with all.

Module 3 of Persian Mystical Dance and Whirling, the last of a series of beginning whirling and sacred dance classes, resumes next Saturday. I have had the opportunity to see my students improve remarkably over the last two modules and look forward to see them complete the final beginning session. My Sacred Circle class also returns on Sunday mornings. Open your heart body, and mind in this mystical session of meditation, healing, and lectures. All classes are offered online or in-person by arrangement.

This month I am also offering weekly on Saturdays Ancient Iranic Womens’ Ritual and Devotional Dances. Learn of women’s ritual dances used for their unique connection to the body, family, and community. The class introduces traditional Iranian womens’ rituals celebrating the grace and joy of life with nature from a time when women were honored and people lived in harmony with each other. This class includes my research upon sacred phrases, chants, music, and ancient healing movements from many spiritual traditions to help touch the spiritual essence within us and to help us recognize it in others.

Wishing you safety, love, and health,
Farima

Those who don’t feel this Love pulling them like a river,
those who don’t drink dawn
like a cup of spring water
or take sunset like supper,
those who don’t want to change, let them sleep.

This Love is beyond the study of theology,
that old trickery and hypocrisy.
If you want to improve your mind that way, sleep on.

I’ve given up on my brain.
I’ve torn the cloth to shreds
and thrown it away.
If you’re not completely naked, wrap your beautiful robe of words around you, and sleep.

~Rumi


About farimadance

Farima is an award winning, internationally acclaimed performing artist, instructor, dance ethnologist, and archaeologist.  Recognized as one of few world experts and scholars of Persian dance history, Farima infuses spirituality into her dance and teachings to impassion, empower, and inspire.