Sitara Lewis (Bellingham)
Sitara has been a traveler on the Sufi path since 1979 and teacher of Dances of Universal Peacefor 30 years. She trained as a dancer and choreographer, earned a black belt in Karate and taught self defense for 12 years, also studying Aikido, T'ai Chi and Capoeira. Dance and move-ment have been her lifelong passion and the Dances are an integral part of a path of awakening, transformation and healing. She is a senior Dance Mentor, a senior teacher in the Sufi Order International and Shafayat of the Sufi Healing Order. Her Dances and zikrs are shared aroundwth world.With her partner, Jelaluddin, she participated in establishing the first Seattle Dance Team in themid-1980's. They moved to Australia in 1991 where they travelled widely, bringing the Dances to various communities and helping to found the Australian Regional Network for the Dances.Sitarra and Jelaluddin have co-led retreats in Australia, New Zealand and the USA. They established the Australian East Coast Spring Renewal Dance Retreat and led it for 14 years; it continues to be an annual event.
Jelaluddin Lewis (Bellingham)
Jelaluddin Lowell Lewis has been leading Dances for more than 25 years, first in Seattle, then abrief stint on the East Coast, followed by 19 years in Australia. A mentor leader, he and Sitara have co-led retreats in Australia, New Zealand and here in the the U.S. As a retired academicin Anthropology and Performance Studies, he brings a keen multi-cultural interest to his Dances.Jelaluddin was T'ai Chi teacher for many years, also studying Yoga and Capoeira, and combinesmovement and musical interests in an integrated approach to body prayer and meditative atmosphere.
