About Earthdance
The Earthdance Global Festival for Peace is the world’s largest music and dance event for peace.
Earthdance sets the standard for conscious transformational gatherings, bridging the worlds of peace-making and music culture, and pioneering the concepts of multi-location events and synchronized mediation-prayer practice.
Earthdance is aligned with International Peace Day, a global holiday sanctioned by the United Nations and observed annually on September 21. Every year on the same weekend, Earthdance features hundreds of musicians, DJs, speakers, and dancers at local celebrations and festivals and events around the world. Since the first Earthdance festival in 1997, hundreds of events have been held in over eighty countries.
The pinnacle of each Earthdance festival is the global synchronized “Prayer for Peace,” a profound rite that unites our international, cross-generational tribe in a powerful affirmation of peace. In 2020, Earthdance festivals worldwide went virtual with the Earthdance.TV platform. Our Global Link-Up of the Prayer for Peace music track, experienced simultaneously worldwide, is a deeply moving shared intention for peace.
Please Donate
Earthdance International is supported by contributions from the producers of Earthdance events each September, and by your generous donations which allow our small mostly volunteer team to spread the message of peace and coordinate the global synchronized meditation. Your donations have an impact, and we greatly appreciate them!
Donations are accepted through PayPal.
Earthdance History
As we continue to evolve and expand the Earthdance network, we’re reflecting on our rich history, our producers, and the incredible communities we’ve built around the world.
While Chris Deckker is rightfully recognized as the original visionary behind Earthdance, it’s important to acknowledge that the movement’s evolution has always been a collective effort, nurtured and sustained by many creative hearts over the decades, including Eeshi-Ra Hart and Abigail Lewis. From Reavis Daniel Moore and Andy Fusso’s early contributions, to Matt Marshall’s ongoing dedication for the last 25 years, Earthdance has thrived through the shared energy of its global community. We also wish to honor Michael Gosney and Sandra Hay, who have sadly passed on but devoted many years of love and service to Earthdance.
Alex Newman composed the original music for the Prayer for Peace, featuring vocals by Eeshi-Ra Hart. To explore the many beautiful versions of the Prayer for Peace that have been created over the years, click here.
Today, our team includes Nicholas Seigel, serving as International Event Coordinator; Landon Elmore, our Web and Graphics Designer; and Danielle Peterson, our Office Manager and Social Media Manager. The history of Earthdance is truly a tapestry of many contributors, each adding their own light, creativity, and love to keep the flame alive across generations.
Going back in history:
Chris Deckker had his inspirational download in the Great Pyramids of Egypt and then produced early Earthdance events in London.
Soon after, he was introduced to Reavis Daniel Moore, who became his manager and connected him with Matt Marshall and his record company, Higher Octave Music. They signed Chris to a record and publishing deal and helped fund the early years of Earthdance, including the release of two compilation albums. Chris later moved to San Francisco, where Michael Gosney generously provided him with office space and introduced him to many influential figures in the Bay Area. From 1999 until his passing in 2022, Michael continued to play an integral role in Earthdance’s growth and evolution.
Reavis Daniel Moore, who managed Chris in the early days and facilitated his partnership with Higher Octave, remained actively involved with Earthdance until 2023. Andy Fusso joined in 2006 and has since then helped sustain the organization’s operations and finances.
Matt Marshall signed Chris Deckker and his band, Medicine Drum, to Higher Octave’s sublabel Cyber Octave and secured a publishing deal through his VIP Publishing. Higher Octave was the primary financial supporter of Earthdance’s formative years. After Matt sold the record company to Virgin, he and his wife Sandra Hay continued as the main financial backers of Earthdance. Sandra passed away in 2021, but Matt has remained the organization’s greatest source of financial support, helping to keep Earthdance’s doors open.
Following the sale of Higher Octave, Michael Gosney and Matt Marshall co-created the Earthdance PeaceWatch app, the Cyberset Music digital download music label and launched the Deep Green cannabis initiative, powered by Earthdance. Five Deep Green Festivals were held, two at Craneway Pavillion in Richmond, California, and three at other locations in 2013 and 2014.
Alongside Reavis, Michael, and Matt, Abigail Lewis worked closely with Chris in the office. Earthdance events were held at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park for several years, as well as the Ya-Ka-Ama tribal lands, near Forestville, California.
We later introduced Chris to Bob Barsotti and the legendary Hog Farm Ranch, where the Grateful Dead had performed for many years. The hub Earthdance event was hosted there for eight successful years while simultaneous events took place around the world.
After its time at the Hog Farm came to an end, Earthdance moved to Vallejo for 2010 as its final Northern California event. Chris stepped away from producing the Northern California events and returned to his native Australia. Since the beginning, many producers from across the globe have continued to carry the Earthdance vision forward, hosting their own events and keeping the movement alive.
The Earthdance non-profit was created in 2002 and the for-profit in 2003.
In 2004 we had Drums of Peace at the Hog Farm, which set a Guinness world record for largest drum ensemble at the time, led by Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead.
(Aerial shot of Mickey Hart’s 4,374 participant drum circle at Earthdance 2004)
Earthdance broke the mold of traditional festivals by synchronizing events across multiple locations worldwide and embracing a diversity of musical genres. Its defining moment remains the Prayer for Peace, played simultaneously at gatherings around the globe.
In 2020 and during the global Pandemic we hosted virtual Earthdance.tv livestream events.
Since then, along with coordinating Earthdance events, we have launched the Earthdance Marketplace, a collective offering diverse artistic products.
After 25 years, Landon Elmore re-branded our logo.
(Earthdance Classic Logo) (Earthdance Logo Re-branded)
Here’s all the themes we’ve had over the years:
● 2026 – The Heart & Beat of Humanity
● 2025 – Dancing Robots: We Come In Peace
● 2024 – E=MC2 (Evoluting=Mass Consciousness2)
● 2023 – Evoluting Through Love
● 2022 – Evoluting Through Love: Laugh, Sing, Dance.
● 2021 – Peace – It’s Time!
● 2020 – Vision 2020: Co-Manifestival
● 2019 – Collective Intelligence
● 2018 – Plant Peace, Plant __________
● 2017 – Re-Evolution
● 2016 – Global Shift
● 2015 – Awakening
● 2014 – Transformation
● 2013 – Community
● 2012 – Woman
● 2011 – Trees
● 2010 – Honoring Our Traditions
● 2009 – Blessing the Children
● 2008 – Unity In Diversity
● 2007 – Global Om for Healing of the Planetary Waters
● 2006 – International Gathering of Elders
● 2005 – Global Dance Festival for Planetary Peace
● 2004 – Drums for Peace (Guinness World Record for largest drum circle with Mickey Hart)
● 2003 – United Beats of Peace
From 1999-2003, most parties used “In Aid for Tibet” as a theme, along with “Give Peace A Dance”. Earthdance promotes a set of simple positive memes: Earth. Dance. Music. Peace. Synchronicity. Each producer agrees to participate in the synchronized moment of intention, our Prayer for Peace, and to donate a portion of their proceeds to peace, social justice, or environmental charities from their locations.
What we’re sharing is just our part of the story. There have been many larger Earthdance events held around the world and the history extends far beyond our own branch on the tree of life, with each producer and location carrying its own unique story, which we continue to compile.
Vital to Earthdance’s legacy are all the producers from around the world who have carried the torch in their own regions, cultivating local movements that embody the global mission of peace, sustainability, and conscious celebration. From Switzerland to South Africa, Brazil to Japan, each event has created unforgettable experiences that unite thousands every year.
As an example, Regan Tacon’s 20 years of dedication to Earthdance Cape Town stands as a powerful illustration of commitment and impact. Each producer’s effort, from organizing festivals and workshops to leading community initiatives, has helped Earthdance remain as a global network of peace in action.
Thank you for continuing to co-create this movement with us.
With love and gratitude,
The Earthdance Global Team
Earthdance is a world of communities, working and playing together to create a culture of peace, through music and dance events, synchronized global link-ups, and social activism. More than just an epic party, Earthdance is a flash forward to a peaceful future.
The history of Earthdance lives through the people who were there…
…the smiling faces and hugs in photos, the bouncing and swirling dancers in videos, the ever spinning DJs, the multitude of artists and performers, the families who put the whole thing together, year after year, and our charities, keeping it all real. Earthdance has been a journey of celebration, service, beauty, struggle, ecstasy, and love, beyond words.
The Earthdance story begins in 1996, when London-based musician and event producer Chris Deckker (Medicine Drum, Return To The Source) had a vision – in the King’s Chamber of the Great Pyramid in Giza, Egypt – of a synchronized, multi-location psytrance dance party. October 4th, 1997 – The first Earthdance Planetary Dance Party for Peace materialized – with 22 locations in 18 countries, in support of Tibet. In 1999, Earthdance moved its base to San Francisco, aligned its mission with the annual United Nations Peace Day, and began partnering with other international peace events, organizations, and companies. In 2001, the Earthdance International non-profit organization was formed to coordinate the annual charity festival. And in 2003, the Earthdance Global for-profit company was formed by Reavis Daniel Moore, Matthew Marshall, and Sandra Hay to develop year-round Earthdance projects, and provide the primary support for the non-profit organization and festival.
From its early psy-rave roots, Earthdance has grown to become one of the largest globally synchronized music and dance events, having been held in over 1,000 locations in 80 countries. In 2020, the 24th annual Earthdance Global Peace Party will include numerous public events, countless private parties, and high social media activity across multiple platforms.
The annual Earthdance Global Peace Party is a wild organic mix of events.
Outdoor trance parties, destination music festivals, gatherings in parks, events in public spaces, concerts, club nights, nature campouts, flash mobs, and house parties, all connected online via social networks. Electronic dance music, beats, and DJs are the foundation of most Earthdance events. But the music and performance genres represented are as diverse as the locations. From psytrance to neo-soul, dubstep to world music, fire spinning to belly dancing, the Earthdance vibe is vividly eclectic and fun. Earthdance is also a massive synchronicity generator, with all the connections and shared experiences made at Earthdance events around the world, over so many years.
All Earthdance events join in a synchronized Global Link-Up & Prayer for Peace.
The Global Link-Up and playing of the Prayer for Peace music track, at the same time at all locations, is a profound moment of shared intention for peace. The link-up is an affirmation of peace on all levels – personal, family, community, nations, and peace with the Earth itself.
Earthdance is aligned with the UN International Day of Peace that takes place on September 21 each year.
The United Nations Peace Day is devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace and non-violence, both within and among all nations and peoples. Every Earthdance event partners with a local peace, sustainability, or social justice charity, promoting the organization, featuring them at events, and donating 50% of event profits to support their work.
