III.   Sacred

Sacred Dance is a term describing the beliefs and customs of various Religions and Cults that certain formal, synchronized and reproducible movement between two or more persons is sacred and enhances spiritual connection. As Dance is normally accompanied by Music and other elements of Sacred Form, it is usually part of a large sacred Ritual.

As Sacred Dance in its broadest definition is formal, synchronized and reproducible movement. Therefore, what constitutes Sacred Dance varies from the formal procession of clergy into a Temple in unison, to marching, to group whirling and individual folk-type dancing and evocations.

The most common feature of Sacred Dance is the continued expression of initiation and movement within Eastern and indigenous dance, while the same ancient forms have been largely wiped out of Western culture to be replaced by minimal, uniform disciplined movement restricting freedom of expression.