Wisdom's Way: A Passion Dance for the Earth

In 2000, the Stewardship of Creation Environmental Ministry of Grace Cathedral and St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church, both in San Francisco, CA, invited Carla De Sola to develop a prayer service. “Wisdom’s Way: A Passion Dance for the Earth” was first shared June 2, 2000, at St. Gregory’s. The program said:
The dance is inspired by the biblical figure of Wisdom, “who in every generation passes into holy souls and makes them friends of God and prophets.” (Wisdom of Solomon 7:27) Wisdom, present with God from the beginning of time, is resplendent as the Spirit of the Earth. However, humankind though created in God’s image, has broken covenant with God and creation. Viewing the patterns of destruction on earth, Wisdom weeps with the celestial beings. To teach us to avoid further devastation and pillage, she re-imagines the Cretan labyrinth myth, revealing to her children the “. . . tempers of wild animals, the powers of the spirits and the thoughts of human beings. . .” She teaches us to look more closely at even the smallest part of our “shadow” so as not to project our own fears and “demons” onto other people or the Earth. The people struggle with the Minotaur, a symbol of the human shadow.
Human survival may now depend on each individual’s capacity to come to terms with the shadow so that it no longer be projected onto some other person, group, or nation.” From Joan Chodorow, Dance Themes & Depth Psychology. The choreography was conceived by Omega West Dance Company and directed by Carla De Sola.
The dancers are David Henry, David McCauley, Christine Self, and Janet Weeks, with Stephanie Green, Gwyneth Murphy, and Clara Sudas. Narrator: JoAnne Henry
The costumes designed by David McCauley, executed by Misha McCaleb. Wings and labyrinth projection: Juliet Wood.
Music: John Tavener (A Hymn to the Mother of God), Maurice Jarre (excerpt from Jacob’s Ladder) Nicholas Lens (excerpts from Flamma, Flamma), Therese Schroeder-Sheker (Rosa Mystica), Tsakonikos (Traditional Greek)
Learn more of Carla De Sola, the Omega Dance Companies on the west and east coasts, and of sacred dance at spiritmovesomeg... The Carla De Sola Collection is in the Graduate Theological Union Archives, Berkeley, CA. gtu.edu