Introduction

2009-08-04T08:43:12Z

We are all connected. Humanity is an interdependent web joined together by the planet we share, the air we breathe, the collective unconsciousness, technology and human networks.

We live in cities and villages, in the cold north and the warm south, in forests, savannahs, by the ocean and on top of the hills. We are closer than we think.

In the 1960s, Stanley Milgram conducted the Small World Experiment showing that each of us is connected to everyone else by short social networks. This is the Six Degrees of Separation. At Earthdance, we bring together thousands of people across the world and harness music, dance, technology, prayer, education and people power for peace, sustainable culture and humanitarian aims. Think of it as the Six Degrees of Global Unity.

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The First Degree: The Global Party
From the first festival in 1996, hundreds of thousands of people around the world unite for Earthdance each September. This year more than 340 Earthdance events will take place in over 60 countries, making Earthdance the largest global festival in the world. Join revellers across the globe from Europe to the United States, from Australia to Zambia for Earthdance 2009!

This year Earthdance Johannesburg takes place from Thursday 24th to Sunday 27th September at 'Smoke', a beautiful new outdoor camping venue near Hennops River. Join us for a long weekend of partying, camping, talks, movies, fireside drumming, holistic practices, acoustic music and ambient beats.

The Second Degree: Music and Dance
The party kicks off on Friday afternoon with live and DJ'ed music from an eclectic tribe of earth warriors and dance divas. Expect everything from dance to folk to psychedelic rock to world music from bands like UFO, Alter-native, Achimota, Jeremy Franklin and the Zulu All Stars, Kim Catholic, Brendan Jury, Us Kids Know and many more.

Our friends at Tight and Cosy / Sonic Vision are hosting a pumping psytrance floor on Friday evening and all through Saturday afternoon to Sunday morning. Check out the DJ section for more info.

The Third Degree: Prayer for Peace
At midnight on Saturday 26th September, the International Day of Peace (1 am SA time) thousands of participants will join together worldwide for a synchronised ‘Prayer for Peace.’ The Prayer for Peace is a powerful moment uniting people worldwide in celebration and harmony.

When attendance at peace-creating assemblies increase, violent crime, warfare and terrorism all decrease. Sounds crazy, right? But 23 scientific studies published in academic journals, such as the Journal of Conflict Resolution have proved the connection between peace movements and declining violence. The Prayer for Peace isn’t just a nice idea – it has a practical purpose too.

The Fourth Degree: Charity
All Earthdance events are committed to donating at least 50% of their profits to charity. This year Earthdance Johannesburg will be supporting Zizanani.

By simply joining us for the weekend, you’ll make a real, material difference in the lives of those less fortunate than yourself.

The Fifth Degree: Education
All Earthdance events around the world are committed to providing education and raising global consciousness. This year we’ll have speakers, a consciousness cinema, workshops, yoga, dance a Green Market and much more. Join us and find out how you can help make a real difference to life on the planet.

The Sixth Degree: An eco-friendly gathering
Earthdance Johannesburg is an environmentally responsible party, inspired by the EcoGatherings initiative. EcoGatherings seek to reverse the ecological impact of social gatherings and increase social awareness of environmental issues.

"I think global events are a really hopeful sign. When something happens on one side of the planet, it naturally affects the other side. After all, we all share the same blue planet." - His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

Earthdance Johannesburg 2009

Introduction