Mystic Artist Dunya Dianne McPherson is dancer, choreographer, filmmaker, author, and Master Teacher. As founder and Principal Teacher of the healing movement system, Dancemeditation™, she specializes in techniques that open the wonderment of deep, subtle, peaceful self-perception. She is Spiritual Guide of the Dancemeditation Sufi Order.

She holds a BFA in dance from the Juilliard School, MA in Writing from Lesley University, was an Artist Scholar at Columbia University, and trained extensively in yoga with Shri Dharma Mittra. Significant study with Master Dance Teachers whose work has influenced hers includes: Elena Lentini, Anahid Sofian, Janet Panetta and Alfredo Corvino. After 1001 days training in Sufism with Sufi Master Adnan Sarhan, Dunya received teaching permission. Her new memoir, Skin of Glass: Finding Spirit in the Flesh, chronicles her journey of dance & mysticsim,

Dunya's extensive teaching credits include:
Department Chair: Victorian College of the Arts, Australia
Faculty: Barnard College, Montclair State College, Mark Morris Dance Center
Master Classes & Residencies: Swarthmore College, New York University, Hunter College, Amherst College, Oberlin College, Mt. Holyoke College, University of Texas
Presenter: Kripalu Center, New York Open Center, Mystic Festival in Netherlands
Director & Spiritual Guide: Dervish Society of America

A National Endowment for the Arts Choreography Fellow, her choreographic commissions include Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors, Dance Uptown, High School of Performing Arts, Barnard College, Victorian College of the Arts, Santa Fe Performing Arts. She is the recipient of Massachusettes Arts Council grants, CETA Artists Grant, Texas Arts Council grants.

She has performed widely as both concert dancer and as a Middle Eastern dancer. Her whirling veil dance is featured in the film Dances of Ecstasy. She directed the film/dance work, Shafi, for NOLA's 2007 Dramarama Festival.

Dunya and her Dancemeditation work are widely referenced and profiled in books and journalism including: Conscious Dancer, Dancer, Contact Quarterly, Attitude, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Austin American Statesman, Austin Chronicle, Innerchange Magazine, Spirit of Change Magazine, NYSpirit Magazine, XS Magazine Miami, Cape Cod Times, Whole Life Times LA, Body & Soul, and many others.

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