Food
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People
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Nature
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Connection
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Dance
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Food ⸰ People ⸰ Nature ⸰ Connection ⸰ Dance ⸰
AbunDance
AbunDance joins two things we hold close: abundance and dance. We plant for the future, gather around food brought to share and celebrate with movement.
A guided class welcomes beginners before the social dancing begins. There is no need to perform or get every step right. The day offers time to connect with other like-minded people, rest, laugh and simply be together.
To me, abundance is not excess or accumulation. It is being nourished enough that care can flow outward—into generosity, friendship, creativity and the work of tending a place. Abundance is not something we accumulate; it is something we cultivate together.
Why planting food and dancing belong together
Planting is practical and hopeful. We make a home for a tree that can feed people and wildlife for years. Dance lets us celebrate the work with our bodies, at our own pace. Through years of teaching movement, I have seen how people soften when they feel welcome to move without self-consciousness. A shared meal does something similar.
I am originally from Malta. When I reconnected with my heritage, I noticed how often care was offered through food. “Have you eaten?” could mean “I’m glad you’re here.” At AbunDance, people bring a plate to share because the feast is part of how we welcome one another.
We plant trees to care for the Earth. We dance to reconnect with the aliveness within us. We share food to strengthen community. These experiences belong together because people do, too.
AbunDance is where this community initiative first found its name and its rhythm. Common Roots names the food forest we are growing together. The two belong in the same story: a place rooted in land, and gatherings that help its abundance flow through people.
"AbunDance was a beautiful celebration of community, togetherness, and connection. Planting fruit trees allowed us to touch the earth and root ourselves in a shared future. Sharing a wholesome meal brought us together like family, and dancing allowed our collective joy to flow freely. It was a powerful reminder of how beautiful life is when we come together to honor the earth and each other."
— Simone, Tweed