Update on BEFORE7AFTER and our journey to Moose Factory Fall 2011...a personal invitation & request for support:
As many of you know I have been working on my first full-length dance piece over the past several years which traces back the personal and historical stories of seven generations of Cree women in my family though my Mom's lineage and is connected to the Moose Cree First Nation in Northern Ontario. It is a piece that is seen through the eyes of the 7th-generation Grand-daughter looking back at what has been passed down to her and considering what she will leave for future generations.
This project has been a labour of love and has truly been my touchstone, my spiritual practice and my personal journey of discovery as a woman all wrapped up in one. During these past 5 years this dance piece has been the container that has held both life's most blissful moments along side those that break your heart into a thousand pieces all at once. It has been an amazing journey to say the least and now I am taking the next big leap of faith and bringing the dance piece along with 3 amazing dance artists and my Mom back to the land that inspired it all.
On November 1st we will be traveling to Northern Ontario via plane, car, train and boat to reach the "gateway to the Arctic" at the mouth of the Hudson Bay to bring this dance and the dancers to the edge of the Moose River and to share this piece with the community that my Grandmother was born into so many years ago. There will be an Elders tea, a community sharing of the work at the local school, youth dance classes that we will facilitate and time for us all to be out on the land, to hear the geese, to sit at the water's edge and to walk in the steps of my Ancestors. It is both exhilarating and overwhelming all at once.
INVITATION TO WITNESS THE WORK:
On Friday October 28th 2011 we will be having an open studio showing of the work in Vancouver before leaving for Ontario. Upon our return from Moose Factory we will also be sharing our experience and a studio-showing of the work in December in Vancouver. There will also be the opportunity to view the completed piece at the 2012 Talking Stick Festival in Vancouver in early March. For more information and to RSVP for one of the showings, please email Starr at: info@starrwind.com
A PERSONAL REQUEST FOR SUPPORT:
I am making a personal request for support in realizing this final step of this incredible journey. I have been very fortunate to receive financial support for this project through the Canada Council for the Arts as well as the BC Arts Council and the Dance Centre Residency Program. I have also invested a large amount of personal time, energy and finances over the years to allow this project to grow and develop in a good way.
With all of this support I have been able to cover about 80% of the expenses towards this final production. With our additional travel and artistic expenses to go to such a remote location to share the work with the local community it is necessary to do some additional fundraising for the project.
HERE ARE 3 WAYS THAT YOU CAN SUPPORT:
#1: PURCHASE ONLINE SILENT AUCTION ITEM HERE
Items are being added each day and 100% of the proceeds go towards enabling us to spend time in the community to share this work in a good way as well as supporting artistic fees to continue with the rehearsal and process of integrating the material & experience upon our return home to Vancouver. Auction items include massage & healing sessions, restaurant gift certificates, jewelery, gift items, organic delicacies and more! First round of auctions were completed on October 30th, thank-you to everyone for your support! We will have another silent auction at our January fundraiser as well. More info soon!
#2: Come to our fund-raising event on Friday January 27th 2012 in Vancouver at the Tipper Restaurant where we will share stories, photos and video from our journey to Moose Factory as well as have an evening celebration with good music, great food and amazing friends. 7pm-10pm Email: info@starrwind.com for more details!
#3: Make a donation by cheque, cash or money order that will go directly towards the final realization of this project including honorariums for the Elders and community in Moose Factory, support for artistic fees and travel costs as well as being able to offer dance workshops in the community of Moose Factory. Any and all donations are gratefully accepted...thank-you!
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