November Newsletter
Branching Roots Moon Series
Next New Moon Gathering:
Wednesday, Nov. 23rd
7:00-8:30pm EST
ONLINE
Free
Full Community Invitation Below
Sign up HERE
Greetings all,
We are writing to you, now just as the frost (and the snow, for those of you in Tkaronto!) have started their residency. We are writing you with sharings on what we've up to the past few months, an invitation to our upcoming Moon Meeting, as well as information about events happening in the community this Moon Cycle.
NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH CHINATOWN STORYTELLING CENTRE
Vancouver's Chinatown Storytelling Centre hosted us for community-centred workshops, in advance of Firehorse and Shadow 2.0 premiering in Vancouver in May 2023.
The first of these was a Movement & Storytelling Workshop, guided by Sarah Chase. Firehorse and Shadow 2.0 artists and presenting partners met, moved together and shared stories (and finished our visit by sharing Tea and Dumplings!).
The second workshop centred around discovering and imagining Shadow/Storytelling Experience, using a practice devised by Annie Katsura Rollins, and guided by Andrea and Sarah. Once again, we finished our time together with joyful storytelling and the sharing of Tea and Dumplings.
This time together was documented by filmmakers Yasuhiro Okada, Sophia Mai Wolfe and Dan Loan. Thank you April Lu and Ryan Iu!
WEST COAST TOUR! To their immense joy, Phil Davis joined Kelsi and Andrea on the West Coast in October. After a glorious time at the Chinatown Storytelling Centre, all three travelled together to two nearby islands.
Saturna Phil, Kelsi and Andrea were hosted on Saturna by Phil's friend, Shawn. On their first night there, they participated in an Epic Open Mic, organized by Phil and Shawn (with full band setup - drums, bass, Phil on the guitar, Kelsi on Keyboard!). The next morning, Andrea facilitated a Community Conscious Bodies workshop, and shared a memorable performance of A Crazy Kind of Hope (conceived and directed by Sarah Chase in creation with Andrea). They spent the evening sharing a grand meal with Shawn and his extended family at Breezy Bay Farm.
Alert Bay
After Saturna, they travelled North to Alert Bay (a territory of the Kwakwaka'wakw), where they were hosted and welcomed by Bruce Alfred and his family. While there, Phil taught a drum-making workshop (in the Cree style) at U'Mista Cultural Centre, and Andrea facilitated a day of Conscious Bodies practice for all of the students at T'lisa̱lagi'lakw School. During their time in ‘the Bay’, they were received and hosted in community and with generosity by the Alfred Family.
FILMING A CRAZY KIND OF HOPE
In September, Sarah Chase and Andrea remounted A Crazy Kind Of Hope at The Dance Centre and Firehall Arts Centre in Vancouver. They filmed on the Firehall Arts Centre stage, where lighting designer James Proudfoot created magical environments for filmmakers Yasuhiro Okada, Sophia Mai Wolfe and Dan Loan.
Thank you Donna Spencer, Jethro Allen-Martin and Firehall staff.
UPCOMING MOON GATHERING
We will be holding our next New Moon Gathering this coming Wednesday, November 23rd, from 7-8:30pm EST. This month we are leaning into Concluding & Softening Membranes. We will move with heart-opening gestures to celebrate together! We invite you to come with a cup of tea, and gather with us as we find together what this New Moon holds for us. Participation is on Zoom, and is free and welcome to all. There will be Teachings on the Moon, Reflective Curiosities and Facilitated Dives into the Conscious Bodies Cycle of Activations.
IN THE COMMUNITY
Tkaronto (Toronto) & Surrounding Communities:
Saturdays (Nov 5 to Dec 10) – Mindful Movement | Creative Community A series of community movement wellness workshops for EVERYBODY, based on the somatic practice of Andrea Nann and developed collaboratively with Dreamwalker’s Conscious Bodies Ensemble. It is a FREE series produced by Aeris Körper in partnership with Neighbour 2 Neighbour (N2N) to connect with our imagination and the intelligence of the body through creative movement and community connection. Happening at the N2N Food Centre in Hamilton. To register, please contact Heryka at hmiranda@n2ncentre.com or call 905-574-1334 ext. 303 Nov 21 to Nov 27 – WorkWeek / GOODBODYFEEL Classes Moving with GOODBODYFEEL is about the feel, not the look. These classes may look like a blend of pilates, yoga and mindful somatic practices, but when we go a level deeper, these classes are actually opportunities to notice the various parts, stories, beliefs we embody. Take an hour for embodied research of your internal and physical experience, it'll be a full spectrum ride! The November 25th event (an evening of dance on film) is happening in partnership with Aeris Körper! Register here for all events: https://www.industrypresents.com/workweek-events Dec 3rd – Laila Biali & Friends Laila Biali: Wintersongs & Holiday Classics. Feat. Jane Bunnett, Emilie-Claire Barlow, Andrea Nann & More at Koerner Hall (Tkaronto) Dec 3rd. Andrea will be dancing! https://www.rcmusic.com/events-and-performances/laila-biali-and-friends
Vancouver and Surrounding Communities:
Nov 18 to Nov 26 – F-O-R-M 2022 — Hybrid Festival: Live + Digital
F-O-R-M (Festival Of Recorded Movement) is a movement-on-screen festival that supports youth and emerging artists through screening and commissioning movement based films (www.f-o-r-m.ca). Collaborator Sophia Mai Wolfe is the founder and Artistic Director!
Find the schedule and ticket information: http://www.f-o-r-m.ca/2022-schedule
Anytime
Check out the Our Stories: Robert H. N. Ho Living Legacy Project, available on the Chinatown Storytelling Centre’s Website, here: https://www.chinatownstorytellingcentre.org/stories/ Check out Clare Yow’s photography and artwork here: https://clareyow.com/portfolio/ Check out collaborator Classic Roots’ music here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4YQjNhLunv796aZqzTGCaY?si=734JMd79TTeTSz7c-seEZA Check out collaborator Semiah’s music here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3A49ypDX1xiexcxLr4tY1I?si=TDsByg87T9esSz1kHGxhng
