2009 Esalen International Arts Festival
Six Workshops & July Fourth Performances
A Celebration of Art, Culture, & Spirit
Big Sur, California, July 3 through July 5
The Esalen International Arts Festival is a three-day celebration of the infinite creative spirit within. Esalen will resound with irresistible rhythms and sounds, acts of truth and imagination, and invocations of joy and beauty woven into a vibrant tapestry of art, culture, and spirit. The aim of the festival is to ignite our imagination and awaken us to new possibilities within ourselves and the world. With an extraordinarily diverse group of artists, musicians, performers, and teachers we'll celebrate our creativity as a vital force to lift our spirits and facilitate personal and global transformation. Arts Festival 2009 features six workshops, a special day of celebration and performances on July fourth, and a group of exhibitions.
The Three-Day Arts Festival Workshops
The three-day workshops are the core of the 2008 International Arts Festival. Workshop participants receive free admission to the limited-attendance July 4th day of celebration and performances.
Afro-Caribbean/Puerto Rican Drumming & Dance
Héctor Lugo, Shefali Shah & La Mixta Criolla
In this workshop La Mixta Criolla will inspire and move the body and the soul, joined by percussionist/singer Héctor Lugo and dancer/ choreographer Shefali Shah. Participants will explore the exciting world of Puerto Rican music, dance, and culture, as well as the island's connection to the rest of the Caribbean and Latin America. Inspired by the soulfulness of Caribbean music, these inspiring artists will deliver an experience of singular strength and beauty, to the delight of dancers and music lovers everywhere."
Criolla/o is the term used in the Caribbean to describe the mixture of African, European, and Native aboriginal influences that give the culture its unique character and flavor. Inspired by this rich blend, La Mixta Criolla creates a fresh and exciting drumming and dance experience.
Héctor Lugo is a versatile percussionist, singer, composer, and teacher. A native of Puerto Rico, Héctor has performed, toured and recorded extensively, and he leads Son Borikua, an eight-piece ensemble.
Shefali Shah is a dancer and choreographer who performs with Héctor Lugo and Mixta Criolla and directs Aguacero, a performance and education project focusing on traditions and creative expressions of Afro-Puerto Rican Bomba music and dance.
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Soul Voice Song: A Singing Improvisation Workshop
David Worm
http://www.sovoso.com/
SoVoSo is a highly imaginative a cappella ensemble that sings a unique rhythmic mix of jazz, gospel, world, and R&B music all in their trademark improvisational style. This interactive workshop uses the music of SoVoSo as inspiration for participants to experience a cappella singing, including improvisational singing, instrument simulation, and vocal percussion. The workshop will include the basic elements of vocal improvisatory sound and singing in front of a full a cappella rhythm section, from creating the beginning sounds of a complete drum kit vocally to being part of a rhythm section as a competent vocal percussionist. The group will also create its own arrangement of an a cappella song.
David Worm began his singing career in 1985 in the Bay Area. In 1989 he became a founding member of Bobby McFerrin's Voicestra ensemble and remains a regular performer with McFerrin. A founding member of SoVoSo, he has over 50 record credits as a session singer.
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Family Arts Creativity Celebration
Jayson Fann & Festival Artists
Join us for an extraordinary multicultural family arts celebration that includes painting by the ocean, African stone carvers, Didjeridoo making, mask-making, Brazilian drumming, Tibetan monks teaching their traditional arts, fire dancing, storytellers, and performances under the stars, among other creative and dynamic elements woven into an unforgettable family weekend. Drawing from an incredible group of artist from around the world this workshop is guaranteed to be an inspiration for both children and adults. All ages are welcome, including parents with small children. All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. ($50 materials fee paid directly to the leader)
Jayson Fann has twenty years of experience as a musician, performer, visual artist, musical director and multi-cultural arts education consultant. The former director of the Esalen Arts Center, he has taught at California State University, Monterey Bay.
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The Poetic Soul: Unearthing Your
Creative Genius through Writing
& Poetry
Akuyoe Graham
Through your own stories and poetry, explore the vastness of your being and your authentic self. In this workshop, writing becomes a spiritual exploration that brings you into contact with your authentic voice. Your authentic voice can be trusted absolutely because it never lies. The aim of this workshop is to bring each participant face to face with the invincible Spirit of his or her own being. Weave a spellbinding tale, tell the burning story or poem that will tap into the genius and beauty inside of you, lifting you into greater self expression, appreciation, freedom, and joy . Through guided exercises, participants will be once again allied with their innate intelligence and soul's wisdom.
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Esalen Filmmaking Intensive
Fabián Redrován
Whether you are an emerging filmmaker, a seasoned professional, or just a movie lover, come to the Esalen Video Project and experience the full spectrum of filmmaking. Get inside the filmmaker's world as you explore the art of low- and no-budget digital filmmaking with indie success story Fabián Redrován. Redrován, an independent filmmaker from the Bay Area, presents a complete filmmaker's workshop—from screenwriting to directing, shooting to editing. Through this hands-on three-day crash course, you will gain invaluable experience of film and video as you make your own films (narrative, non-narrative, documentary, music video), or you can team up and collaborate.
Bring a camera to shoot your own short film at the festival.
Requirements: Any digital camera, any editing system (computer), microphones, and head phones (optional). If you do not have a camera or a computer, it may be possible, with enough advance notice, to rent equipment from the leader.
To find out about equipment rental, call 415-283-9197 or email Fabián Redrován.
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Awakening Creativity and Inspiration
Merran Dub & Festival Performers
& Artists
This workshop is for people who want to immerse themselves in a weekend of abundant creativity with an extraordinary team of visual artists, musicians, and performers from around the world. Painting, singing, mask-making, and dancing will be among the many forms we will explore to entice what lies within the ocean of your imagination.
What makes this workshop unique is the opportunity to work with festival artists and performers who will share their knowledge in a variety of artistic approaches and mediums that are accessible and enjoyable. The workshop is structured to provide the guidance, the materials, and a supportive environment for you to awaken and explore your creativity and artistic passion. There will be time during workshop hours to participate in the Arts Festival celebration.
$75 materials fee paid directly to the leader
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July Fourth Performances
On July Fourth from 2 in the afternoon until 10 at night join performers and artists from around the world in a celebration of art, culture, and spirit. It's Esalen's day of performances topping off the annual International Arts Festival. Art exhibitions, musical performances, and dance mark a day when it is possible to visit Esalen without being enrolled in a workshop or Personal Retreat. Performers and groups include:
SoVoSo: the highly imaginative a cappella ensemble that signs a unique, rhythmic mix of jazz, gospel, wold, and R&B music rendered in their trademark improvisational style.
Athira Pratap: "Dancing is my passion, and when I'm on the stage, I feel like I'm a butterfly," says this performer of Bharatanatyam Indian dance that manifests the ancient idea of the celebration of the eternal universe through the beauty of the material body.
Claudia Villela: Imbued with that inexpressible longing Brazilians call saudade her haunting voice moves like a bird—blowing, sensual, and lush—as she transports people to Brazil.
Bongo Love: This dynamic group suses styles from around the world with the sounds of their native Zimbabwe to create a unique and utterly infectious music. Bongo Love not only caters to African music enthusiasts, but to people with an interfest in jazz, reggae, pop. or just a night of great dancing.
Alelx Lee & Le Vice: Delivering an upbeat and optimistic fusion of soulful hip hop, Jazz, and Soul, thise bright young stars draw their inspiration from artists such as Jay-Z, Missy Elliot, and Erykah Badu.
La Mixta Criolla: the organic spirit of the Puerto Rican soil is captured by a beautiful tableau of folk dancers.
Asheba: an engaging musical storyteller from Trinidad who has become a renowned world musician playfully blending reggae, calypso, neo-folk, and more.
Woo Ri Sa Wi: shamanic-mask cultural dancers and drummer of Korea delivering a powerful, deeply moving, elegant, and magical performance.
Cida Vieira Brazilian Soul & Sambahemians: Brazilian drums boom and spring to life with dancers shimmying and sweating into a mass of your and shared energy that rechis a Bacchus-worthy frenzy of free-flowing limbs, minds, pulsing hearts, and pounding feet.
Admission to the July Fourth performances is $45 for adults 17 and over, $25 for children 9-16, and free for children 8 and under accompanied by adults.
To purchase tickets call 831-667-3000, press 3950, and follow the instructions and prompts. Please have your credit card information, phone number, email address, and the name of the person who will pick up the tickets available.
On July 4, the gate opens at 2 PM. Will-call tickets will be available to pick up at the top of the hill at the Esalen main entrance after 1 PM. Dinner is included. Bring towels if you plan to use the mineral baths and a blanket for sitting on the lawn. Event ends and all attendees must leave Esalen at 10 PM.
Tickets are limited and will sell out. We recommend that you purchase your tickets as far in advance as possible.
Festival Exhibitions
Visionary Art from the Women Painters of Big Sur
Tales in Stone: Zimbabwe Shona Stone Sculpture
The Sand Mandala of Universal Compassion with Tibetan monk Lobsong Lortsel Gyamtso
Beyond The Eyes: Works of Masauso Mchiumya
Andrew Redhorse