ABSTRACT
The Planetary Dance, a global participatory dance ritual, grew out of Circle of the Earth and developed alongside it from 1987 onwards. The Planetary Dance continues to be performed, in spring each year, by communities and groups across the globe. A contemporary peace dance ritual for 100 performers, Circle the Earth was recreated in Marin, California, at Easter in 1986, 1987 and 1988. The format continued to be a nine-day workshop, with the second day spent in ceremonies on Mount Tamalpais, culminating in the performance. The mountain performances were performed by Tamalpa dancers in a local theatre and were followed by a community event. Circle the Earth involved a minimum of 100 performers and an audience of witnesses. Circle the Earth, Dancing with Life on the Line confronted AIDS, a crisis which was threatening the community around San Francisco and in which Halprin had become involved through her work in the healing arts.
