Drum Dance

August 23-25, 2024

Thank you for considering this Ceremony. You are warmly welcomed. This is not a Native American ceremony. This Dance is non-traditional and does not promote any specific religion or creed. It is rather the bringing into physicality of the vision that was given to our Elder, Beautiful Painted arrow, aka Joseph Rael. Following is the vision as it is written in his book Being and Vibration, pp 165-166.

Joseph Rael, Beautiful Painted Arrow, wrote of the Drum Dance:

“I was given a vision in which I saw a Drum Dance. Men and women dancers were moving rhythmically back and forth on an open field from inside a giant drum that was being played . . ."

“The drum was made from a hollow log with a skin on it. The people who were playing the drum said that when doing a Drum Dance, the dancers would bring forth greatness because the wood is greatness and is what the drum is made from. The dancers would dance the vibration of the sound, bouncing back (present) and forth (future) and returning to past memory, like the sound waves which were bouncing back and forth inside the hollow log of the drum being played. This would be a way by which all physical life would pick up the resonating vibration of sound by which to shift consciousness. This could create the necessary planetary changes because the planetary energies wanted to dance effortlessly between the present, future, and memory of harmony . . ."

“During the first day, the dancers release emotional hindrances to their personal growth . . . By the second day, fatigue starts to set in. As the physical body surrenders, there is . . . a sense of exhilaration, of transcending limitations and beliefs about oneself. The dancers begin to receive glimpses of other parallel realities."

“During the third day, a golden plate forms over the heads of the dancers and another plate appears directly below on the ground at the feet of the dancers. From time to time, the energy spirals from the lower plate to the upper plate, connecting the Earth energy with the Sky energy . . .”

From Being and Vibration by Joseph Rael, pp. 165 and 166

Joseph Rael, Beautiful Painted Arrow, introduced the Drum Dance at the Center for Peace in 1994.

 Everyone is invited and encouraged to participate. This Dance a dry fast and accommodations for medical needs are always available. If you have questions about this Dance, please contact the Chief, Brenda Sue Whitmire at Drum.Dance@centerforpeace.us. If you are ready to begin this Dance, the registration page is linked above on this page. The commitment to Dance is a total of six years. These can be Danced yearly or spaced out. The “what, when, where” information is listed below.

During the Dance all dancers will sleep at the dance site, where you may pitch a tent. Silence will be observed for the duration of the dance. Basically, we will be dancing during the sunlight hours, with rest and sleep periods as directed by the dance chief. (The dance chief and the drummers will be provided with sleeping space and meals at the house, if they so desire.)

The rules are few. No alcohol, recreational drugs,

pets, visitors, or nudity are allowed at anytime at the site of the Drum Dance. Raptor feathers and other restricted feathers are not allowed on Center for Peace grounds without government issued permits. Please bring appropriate clothing for the sweat lodge (dress or skirts for women, shorts for men). During the Dance, modest clothing, dresses or tops and skirts are customary for women and tops with skirts or long pants are customary for men.

Bringing children is not recommended as it will split your energy and attention. There will be no childcare available at the dance and your children cannot stay with you on the Dance grounds. Once the dance begins, for your safety, you will not be allowed to leave the Drum Dance site without permission.

Your Dance begins when you decide to Dance. The following are some of the onsite parts of the Dance. When you arrive on Friday at 10:00 A.M. you will register and then proceed to the meadow to set up your camp site. After which, your help will be needed to prepare, including sweat lodge preparations, pole gathering, dance site preparation, etc.

On Friday, we will all share lunch and then, while the sweat lodge rocks are heating, we will have an orientation gathering, including the Climate Change Lessening Ceremony in the Sound Peace Chamber. When the rocks are ready we will have our sweat lodge. This lodge is restricted to Drum Dancers, Drummers, and Drum Dance support people. The physical Dance and fasting begins immediately after the sweat lodge and ends sometime on Sunday.

It is important for every dancer to be present for as much of the preparations as is possible and, of course, the beginning of the dance.

The Dance is a dry fast.  Accommodations will be made for those who have special medical needs and/or who are taking medication. Please discuss any special needs with the dance chief prior to the beginning of the dance. Pregnant women do not fast and will be taken out of the Dance to a location near the site to eat and drink as is needed and then returned to continue their prayer. We welcome everyone to Dance.

Click Here

The Center complies with all local rules and regulations regarding outside gatherings as they apply to COVID. In addition, in an abundance of caution, each person participating in this ceremony will be asked to test negative for COVID within 24 hours of the beginning of the Dance. If you need a home test, one will be provided for you at registration 

10 am to 12 pm Friday

 This year, the requested Dancer donation for the Drum Dance is $350, Crew suggested donation $30.00 This is the amount required to provide the physical things necessary to present the Dance. No one is ever turned away from ceremony due to a lack of funds. There are work/Dance programs in place and other arrangements can be made.

Contact the Chief at drum.dance@centerforpeace.us