Spring is in the air, and new signs of new life are everywhere. Especially around here, where we are welcoming the newest dancer to the floor, Geneva Grace, born on March 2!

There’s nothing like imagining the world through the eyes of a newborn to create a sense of amazement at this incredible world we inhabit. So it’s with feelings of wonder and gratitude that we present you with the third issue of Conscious Dancer, and invite you to explore our ever-widening circle of inspiring people and community connections.

This issue is a celebration of nature and movement. We explore the concept of vecosomatics, which we take to mean the mind-body connection and our relationship to nature. We asked people in the field from both sides of the country for their thoughts on this. Special thanks to Moving on Center in California and Program Director Susan Bauer for her guidance and editorial support, and Margit Galanter and the folks at Earthdance in Massachusetts for their input. Our theory is that dance and movement serve to create sustainable people one at a time, from the inside out. Perhaps intentional movement can be thought of as more than just dance: could this be a catalyst that brings the social, environmental, and consciousness-raising movements together? 

Our goal in this issue is to bring awareness to interesting ideas that promote positive change in our world. Dan Storper, founder of Putumayo, is an example of someone using a creative business model to bring the world’s music to the masses and give back to the communities it comes from. David Wolfe is famous for always having “the best day ever”; his promotion of sustainably grown “superfoods” helps people feel more alive while helping the planet. We’ll take a tour through the elements with TransDance originator Heather Munro Pierce and learn three keys to holding community space from peace advocate Michael Franti. Our new column “Mixed Metaphors” highlights people who are combining movement with another art form to create something entirely different, and we welcome Debbie Rosas with her insights into the business of the body.

Moving forward we’ll keep bringing you the people and communities that are making a difference through dance and movement. Next time around we’ll delve into the spirit of the drum, taste the treats of the festival season, and explore some surprising careers in movement. Keep an eye on our website for the launch of the Moving Arts Network this summer, a place to touch base with your local community and share your inspirations with the world. We like to say that gratitude feeds abundance, so I’ll close with a hearty thank you to everyone who has encouraged us so far, and to the universe for bringing so many wonderful people our way.