Where women thrive, communities thrive…
After seeing the ways in which women
can be disenfranchised from their personal power and divinity in so many ways
in many parts of the world, I devoted myself to using healing forms of dance to
uplift women, heal their wounds, and reconnect them to their divine source.
I dance and I pray to empower women in body, heart,
voice and spirit to become vessels of divine powerful expression. This is my
prayer for all women: for myself, for my daughter, and for you.
 |
| Pictured is Zola Dubnikova |
Return
to The Temple
This
dance is a prayer
A
prayer for The Earth and therefore
A
prayer for women.
This
is a call for women
To
know and believe
in the holiness of their bodies
The
sacredness in their dance
And
the power of their voice.
A
prayer for all women
who
do not express themselves
Who
hold themselves back
Who
do not know
their own power
As
creators
As
healers,
As
givers of life.
My
prayer is a prayer for women
Women
who are not allowed
to
dance and sing
Or
express themselves
in any way.
A
prayer for men who do not believe
Women
should dance in public.
My
dance is the voice of women
who
are trapped
In
a life where they have no voice.
My
prayer is for the young girls
who
get sold into marriage
At
eight years old to old men
And
who die at the hands of cultures
Who
permit such atrocities
to
continue and continue.
My
prayer is for young girls
Who
are sold into sex slavery
and
contract illnesses
they
didn’t even know existed.
My
prayer is for these girls
who
never have the chance to be girls.
My
prayer is for the men
Whose
unpunished violence and terror
against women and against The Earth
is permitted in this world.
My
prayer is a dance for The Earth
My
prayer is a dance for women
My
prayer is a calling
for the women to return to the temple.
~
(To hear Zola recite her poem and interpret it with dance click play)
(To hear Zola recite her poem and interpret it with dance click play)
 |
| Pictured is Zola Dubnikova |
Zola Dubnikova is an international mystic love dance artist who delivers healing and empowerment to women through dance. Zola is trained in Middle Eastern, Persian/Central Asian, Afro-Brazilian, tribal belly dance, Congolese, West African, Capoeira, ‘gypsy’ (Romani), contemporary dance, flamenco, Afro-haitian, ballet & choreography while a student at Mills College. Zola lived in a yoga asrama at age 18, then in 2006 Zola studied in India with the Khalbelia cast or the ‘gypsies’ of Rajasthan’, and Odissi dance master, Guru Padma Charan Dehury, who initiated her as a temple dancer in the revivalist devadasi tradition. In 2010 Zola gave birth to her daughter. This birth journey, perhaps the most powerful journey of all, also deeply affected her understanding of women’s bodies and the power of dance. Since then Zola studied healing techniqueswhich she engages with women healing from sexual trauma. In 1999, Zola conducted a three-month dance project at a clinic for women called SAGE (Standing Against Global Exploitation) to bring healing movement to women who are survivors of sexual exploitation, violence and prostitution. Zola lives in Israel where she is performing and teaching all over the country with her solo show, called “Mystiqa ~ A Journey Through Time & Worlds” which includes a story-line, video projection and audience participation. Visit her at her website here, or find her on Facebook.
~If you are interested in seeing your poetry appear in this blog, or submitting a poem by a woman that has inspired you, please click here for submission guidelines. I greatly look forward to hearing from you!~
I haven't been able to watch the video yet...But I loved the poem! Very inspiring. As one who oftentimes finds myself stripped of my dignity and stuck within an unhealthy relationship I really appreciated this. Thank you. :)
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love Zola's poem which gives voice to many women who are bound by cultural and belief systems which do not allow them to express themselves through dancing. Dancing is healing - It is the medicine that heals women at all level of existence. But I too was unable to watch the video. Has anyone else been able to do so?
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