Do you know about “One Billion Rising..?”  
I just found out about it V-Day night (the evening that it happened here), and personally, next year, I am SO IN!!!  

While not exclusively a bellydance-centered event, this is a maaarvelous campaign, centered around using dance to protest violence against women and raise general awareness. ^_^  It incorporates various types of dance, and it seems each country, each area, expresses itself it its own unique way, and then comes up w/its own fabulous choreography. ^_^  (Plus if you look closely @ the video above, you’ll see a few bellydancers in there, too!! ^_^)  And there are satellite pods within this initiative all OVER the globe, taking part in the project! :D  

Check out these amazing videos from India, Jakarta & Hong Kong! ^_^

I know a lot of people think “okay, so how does a bunch of people already aware of the cause getting up & dancing actually help anyone, or anything..???”  Well, I’ll give you a few ideas:  

Firstly, it helps w/awareness and empowerment.  Not only does it bring public attention, but to each dancer who participates, it means something uniquely special and individual to them.  Maybe they’ve been abused in some way themselves, maybe a loved-one was accosted or lost their lives through a violent act.  Or maybe they’re just there to show solidarity and give support to others who have.  -But either way, each person there (male, female, or beyond) dances to express their own personal power, beauty & freedom.  And they dance to say that “no matter how you hurt me, I’m still alive.”  And “no matter what you take from me, you can’t have my spirit.”

Initiatives also reach out to the people who see this on the streets, to the people who notice the t-shirts on the subway, the husband who takes his wife or sister or mother or daughter there to participate.. and to the family members who hear about it later.  It reaches the people in the buildings all around & who pass by who see what’s going on, and to the folks around the water cooler who hear about it the next day.  And it reaches the little kids who hear the music coming from down the street, who end up tugging their parents with them to see what’s going on.   

And for every person that learns about the campaign, that’s one more person who might be more aware of the horrible statistics.  That’s one more person who hopefully sees & understands that these are very real people whom these statistics affect, involve, & entail.  And hopefully, that’s one more person who thereafter, will be one more person who might stand against such violence.  (Or, if nothing else, possibybe somebody who’d act as a shelter, caregiver, or solace for someone who’s suffered it…  ..Or hell, even just be a more understanding ear.)

For every person who sees these demonstrations and is reached, for every dancer that is healed in some way or stands up by dancing, and for every person who finds that they are not alone in their own struggle when the see or participate in an event like this, there’s a positive impact.  And THAT”S how it helps.  (And I don’t even need to go into all the ways dancing can be physically, emotionally & spiritually therapeutic on its own.. do I..?)

So.. that’s why this event touches me.  Because it reaches men and women and children and old folks- all OVER the world.  Because it shows that each one of us can help, and that using something as beautiful as dance, we can stand up and speak out and show nurturing support, all at the same time. :)  Events like this can impact sooo many people, on sooo many levels!  -And the reason why I bring this to you here is because they do it aaallll through the power of dance! ^_^  

..Man, we should have stuff like this for all KINDS of issues! ^_^

Now, did you participate in OBR this year?  If so, tell us about it!  I know that next year, come hell or high water, I’m TOTALLY gonna take part- wherever I am. ^_^  ..Maybe I’ll see you there, too. ^_^

♥