FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP): People from across the U.S. have gathered at a Fort Wayne dance studio for a weekend retreat with a spiritual dance group.

Kim Miller, a volunteer with Fort Wayne Dance Collective who helped organize the three-day event, tells The Journal Gazette that Dances of Universal Peace is a spiritual path that honors all of the world’s major religious beliefs.

Miller says the dances and music at the retreat can come from any number of faiths or spiritual principles, including Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Native American or Sufism.

Jessica Noe, who leads her own Dances of Universal Peace, says the dances bring her joy and a deeper connection with other humans.

Liz Monnier, the dance collective’s former artistic director, says the summer retreat in Fort Wayne began in 2009 with a grant from the Foellinger Foundation.