Late last year it happened that Allaudin Ottinger was in Turkey guiding a two week Sufi retreat with Mariam Baker just as we were in the process of working to secure a main guest teacher for the 2016 Dancing Spirit Camp here in the United Kingdom. It turns out that Allaudin loves to travel and as a result of a connection that was made while he was in Turkey, Allaudin is now coming to teach in the United Kingdom this year.
In this country we have long been aware of Allaudin’s dances because they are danced so much! He is the originator of many much-loved compositions including rip-roaring classics Ya Basir Wali Allah and Ruh Allah, the sublime Three Part Bismillah, dynamic energizers such as Allah Hayy and Zikr of the Tender Heart, plus perennial favourite among young folks, Fill Your Cup.
At the end of this year’s Sacred Arts Camp Matin spoke with me and quietly endorsed Allaudin by commenting that in his opinion, Allaudin is one of the foremost exponents of zikr within the Ruhaniat at the present time. At this year’s Dancing Spirit Camp Allaudin will be teaching zikr on Thursday evening as well as other sessions throughout the camp.
A little bit of biography: Allaudin is a professional musician and is known as one of America’s best-loved leaders of the Dances of Universal Peace. He has facilitated camps, seminars and retreats around the world since 1979 and is a senior teacher in the Sufi Ruhaniat International. “His exceptional musicianship, creativity and spontaneity are the seeds of ecstatic experiences of the transformational, healing power of the sacred arts.”
Although I was not present in Turkey with Allaudin I was able to listen to a couple of audio recordings from the trip where he chanted zikr extemporaneously and the energy that came through even on the audio was striking. Allaudin has also produced a few original CDs, which are a vivid testimony to his creativity and you can listen to some clips here. As well as a lovely chant with Rumi poetry on YouTube here.
We are very much looking forward to dancing with Allaudin. It’s been more than 7 years since he was last in the United Kingdom, so don’t miss out!
With love
Glen Unmana
Event Links:
• UK August 20–28: Dancing Spirit Camp, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire.
• UK September 2–4: A weekend in Wales with Allaudin Ottinger.
• UK September 7: An evening with Allaudin London, Archway Methodist Church.
• UK September 10: Allaudin Ottinger DANCE DAY Birmingham.
• UK September 11: Allaudin Ottinger: TUNING THE HEART: An afternoon and evening of DUP and zikr in Bridport, Dorset.