Teachers and Leaders

At the beginning of the 90s of last century James Burgess, one of the dances teachers from England , visited Riga . Here he met some people, who liked to dance in peace. Since then Peace Dances lives and develops in Latvia .

Dutch Peace Dances teachers Wali and Arienne Van der Zwan visited Riga by invitation of James Burgess. They opened new horizons, won hearts of the youth and gave the possibility to study within the International DUP Network. Wali and Arienne became and still are mentors for the some dancers of the "new wave" in Latvia.

Now for the third year DUP teachers from abroad are visiting Riga periodically for dancing workshops. Among the first ones were Silje Devi from Estonia and Ralph Nimmann from Cambridge . Lately Riga dancers greeted two teachers from England - Sitara and Daren. There were also some dancers from Russia: Shahodat; Bo and Rada from St. Peterburg.

There is a multilevel system of certification in the International Network of DUP for people, who lead Peace Dances all over the world. It begins with independent leaders, then mentees, certified teachers and mentors.

Anybody, who likes to lead Dances could be an independent leader. It is a joyful experience to lead dances - and to bring joy to others.

Mentees (pupils of mentors or supervisers) are the people, who are considered to having studied the Peace Dances seriously and having developed of their skills in leading. This training takes 3-4 years. Anybody could become a mentee, even without playing musical instrument or good singing skills. There are also other qualities, which are valuable.

The certified teachers are given an official document from their teachers and from the International Mentors Teachers Guild. If they wish, they can continue their study, getting supervisers or co-mentors and then mentors. It is a tradition among DUP leaders to use special dancing names. Some leaders are known by those names, some by their usual names. This is their personal choice.

 

LATVIAN DANCE TEACHERS AND INDEPENDENT DANCE LEADERS

Dances of Universal Peace training is an ongoing process. Sometimes it seems, that not the person chooses his or her way in dances, but that Dances choose people, who are needed.

 

INDEPENDENT LEADERS

LATIFA

Leading dances since 1993

GARRY

Leading dances since 1993

JANA	Leading dances since 2004

 

TEACHERS

FATIMA

Certified teacher since 2004, superviser since 2006 Mentors: Wali and Arienne Dancing since 1997; leads dances since 1999 Motto: "With the dancing step along the carpet's pattern..."

BASHIRAN

Professional economist, astrologer of the Hamburg Astrology School Mentee and supervised since 2006 Mentors: Wali and Arienne, superviser - Fatima Dancing since 2000; leading dances since 2006 Motto: « A dancing soul shows its graceful movements in all its activities » (Hazrat Inayat Khan).

RITA	Supervised since 2006 Mentor - Fatima Dancing since 2005 Motto: "Towards the One!"