In the Dances of Universal Peace, much of the power is in the words. As Samuel Lewis said, "What is important is the sacred phrase." Since the message often comes through ancient or foreign languages, the phrases may be challenging to "get" for anyone unfamiliar with them, and for someone with hearing loss, they may pose a frustrating struggle to understand, and detract from the unity that is ideally created, by making some people feel excluded.
At a recent dance camp, I noticed that many people were wearing hearing aids; since I have just gotten them myself, they are in the foreground of my consciousness. Looking around at the aging group, my guess is that about a quarter of the dancers either had hearing aids, or needed them. Many people do not know that the devices are incapable of correcting hearing loss completely, or even adequately, as glasses can; they are merely an aid to make sounds more accessible.
So how can a dance leader best convey the words to people with a hearing deficit (or listening in a second language) as well as to everyone in the circle?
Here are some suggestions from others that I've interviewed, along with my own:
1. Assume that there are new people or those with hearing loss in the circle - without asking, which may cause embarrassment.
2. Suggest to musicians to tune in advance and to be quiet during instructions: ambient noise can make separating sounds difficult.
3. Invite a small circle to come in close, shoulder to shoulder, for learning the phrases; in a larger circle, ask anyone close to the speaker back away or sit down so that the speaker is visible to most.
4. If there are people in the room who are not dancing, ask them to keep the sacred silence.
5. Look up at people (not at your instrument or feet) so they can add lip reading and facial expressions to hearing.
6. Say the words and meaning before expecting people to sing.
7. Join the circle yourself so that your back is to no one, or...
8. Move to different sides of the center to say the words toward all sections of the circle.
9. Project your voice to fill the space. (Attunement and sacredness don't necessarily mean soft)
10. Realize that speaking to the hearing impaired is not just about volume, but more about clarity and consciousness and connection with the listeners.
11. After articulating and enunciating clearly, have the dancers repeat foreign words or phrases with pauses in between, so that the response from the previous phrase does not drown out the following phrase.
12. Sing the song alone the first time, so everyone can hear the melody as well as the words.
13. Demonstrate, rather than talk about, the movements.
14. Dwell in the Holy Presence together, remembering your role in transmission and unifying the spirits of the Beloveds.
Disappointment at not receiving clear instructions can pervade the whole atmosphere. Instead, let's convey the sound and depth of sacred phrases so everyone can join in an uncluttered experience of divine transmission.
Hazrat Inayat Khan may not have had exactly the meaning we have been addressing; yet, his words can apply here: "Although the tongue of God is busy speaking through all things, yet in order to speak to the deaf ears of many among us, it is necessary for Him to speak through the lips of man."
Dr. Diana Kanoy is Professor Emerita of Public Speaking at the College of Central Florida, as well as a long-time Leader and Mentor of the Dances of Universal Peace.
