Soon, hips were swaying, bodies twisting, feet kicking and stomping, arms lifting toward the ceiling. There were spontaneous cries of delight -- and everyone in the room was smiling.

A workshop in African dance was only one small piece of the day's activities at Woman to Woman: A Day for Creativity and Exploration.

The first-of-its-kind event in Lancaster was held Sunday at Mulberry Art Studios. For women only, the schedule included a broad range of workshops, a craft and gift tables, food and good old-fashioned conversation and social bonding.

The African dance workshop, led by local instructor Janet Peck, was a popular offering, drawing dozens of women to each of three time slots.

Some seemed surprised to realize just how gracefully they were moving. Others looked like they'd been dancing to the rhythms of the West African Susu people for years.

But one thing was clear: it wasn't work or rote repetition. These women were celebrating -- their gender, their lives and the sheer joy of movement.

"It's a way of relaxing," said first-time dancer Diana Stump. "It's a mood-changer. Now I feel like I have to keep moving." The dance, said Peck, is more than just shifting feet to the beat of a drum.

"I wanted them to feel all of the capabilities of their expression," she said. "It's stepping outside of your emotional box and saying, "Wow, look what I am capable of doing.' It's a homecoming." It's also good exercise, she said, although "it's so in disguise. When people are paying attention to important things -- like their heart, and how they want to move -- they're not paying attention to their fatigue." The dance she taught Sunday was the Yankady, a West African dance "of flirting and courtship." "I like to teach the traditional steps and a little bit of the culture it comes from," Peck said. "A lot of the dances are very fast, very jumpy. But the slowness, the expressiveness of the Yankady is a good introduction.... Besides, all of us inherently want to be flirty beings. We all want to express our sexual nature.

"It's very important to express all of the parts of ourselves -- especially the parts that don't usually get expression -- in a safe environment," she added. "It gives you back to yourself." Dance was only one of many offerings on the plate Sunday. Several workshops were scheduled simultaneously in various corners of the studio, running in 30-minute segments from noon to 8 p.m.

Women with drums crowded into one tiny room, pounding out expressive rhythms. Elsewhere, women discussed and studied aromatherapy, feng shui, yoga, poetry and creative journaling.

Creative movement instructor Adele Ulrich encouraged women to express shape and movement through slow, deliberate movements that evoked a living sculpture.

Proceeds from the event support the Lancaster Shelter for Abused Women.

Coordinator Sue Waterfield said the day was organized to spotlight the "amazing women" who benefit the community but "might not be immediately visible. They're not out in the open." "We were looking for a variety, a wide range of classes, as well as things that were a little unusual, that you might not normally run into," she said.

"We've been astounded by the turnout," said organizer Ann Duval. "Obviously, it was a good idea." Michelle Spitko, who led a workshop on chakras, said the event offered women "wonderful avenues to self-awareness and creativity.... There's a hunger for a place where women can come and feel deeply and explore themselves." Sharon Clarton, who came Sunday to celebrate pal Celia Fauth's birthday, said she likes "to take advantage of the nontraditional things that Lancaster has to offer." "It's a chance to experience new things," Clarton said. "It all falls under the umbrella of personal growth.... And It's also fun to see who shows up." "This area has always been a kind of desert for me, for this kind of opportunity," added Patricia Cahill. "I know a lot of the women here, I've just never seen them together. This is a dynamic opportunity."

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