Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage


Dancing Rabbit is an ecovillage near Rutledge, Missouri, USA.
Dancing Rabbit is an intentional community in the pioneering stage. The community was formed in 1997 with the purchase of of land in North East Missouri by the Dancing Rabbit Land Trust. Its current population is around 60 people with the intention of growing to a small, locally self-reliant town of 500 to 1000 residents. All members of Dancing Rabbit agree to abide by ecological covenants and sustainability guidelines. Residents are responsible for their own finances, food, housing, and other necessities. There are a number of co-ops residents can elect to be a part of. These co-ops include services for vehicles, food, health care, showers, phone, and internet. The town includes egalitarian communities, cohousing, and individual households.
Dancing Rabbit aims to create a culture that is environmentally and also socially sustainable. The community's culture incorporates feminism, respect for the arts, consensus decision-making, nonviolence, and nonviolent communication. The common desire for environmental sustainability underlies all decisions at Dancing Rabbit. The community promotes itself as a viable example of sustainable living and aims to spread its vision through visitor programs, internships, work exchange, academic and other publications, and speaking engagements.
Two other intentional communities neighbor Dancing Rabbit: Sandhill Farm, and Red Earth Farms. The three communities are known locally as the 'tri-communities'.

In the Media

In 2005, Dancing Rabbit was featured in an episode of the FX television series 30 Days, in which members taught their way of life to two mainstream non-residents for one month. The two lived in a converted grain bin and helped with various projects such as gardening, natural building and cooking.
The Rhythm of Rutledge
Dancing Rabbit, along with Sandhill Farm and Red Earth Farms, is featured in the 2012 documentary short The Rhythm of Rutledge.

Mission statement

To create a society, the size of a small town or village, made up of individuals and communities of various sizes and social structures, which allows and encourages its members to live sustainably.
To encourage this sustainable society to grow to have the size and recognition necessary to have an influence on the global community by example, education, and research.