Dancing Art Flashmob – May 18th

Everyone is welcome to be part of a flashmob* that will be created together and performed on May 18th. (*flashmob = a group of people meeting in a public space for the purpose of doing an unusual or entertaining activity.)

We’re meeting Sat. May 18th at 3:30pm beside Gallery 1580 (1580 Cook Street). The flashmob is inspired by Isa Sevrain`s “Brok`n art” show. Please dress for the weather and bring water.

Details: There will be a dance improvisation activity as a warm-up, then there will be time on our own to each come up with a shape or movement in response to Isa’s installation in memory of Gabrielle Roth, the founder of 5Rhythms Dance. Then we will each teach our shape/movement to the group, and the group will practice the series of shapes/movements all together.

Finally, we will go out to perform it as a flashmob somewhere nearby, at one or more spots in the neighbourhood! During the dance, “mistakes” and unique interpretations of the moves are very welcome and encouraged.

As the Gallery is unfortunately not wheelchair accessible: we will do the dance warm-up, shapes-sharing and flashmob-practice outside near the building, and we will bring photos of the art installation outside, so that everyone can participate fully even if the building is not accessible for anyone.

If anyone does not want to dance, we could use a couple people to pass around leaflets about the art show and upcoming dance activities to passerbys.

See Isa’s website for details about the art show.

Flashmob Frolic for International Dance Day (Monday April 29th)

If you would like to join in the International Dance Day Flashmob on the 29^th, that would be fantastic! (Flashmob = a group of people meeting in a public space for the purpose of doing an unusual or entertaining activity. Frolic = a playful action or movement.

All that’s needed is a willingness to have fun and dance around like various animals – we’re doing a family-friendly activity called Animals A-Z (we’ll call out an animal for each letter of the alphabet and respond with how we think each moves). We’re also looking for a few people to play boomwhackers (rainbow musical tubes -we won’t be rehearsing a song, just playing around with rhythm). Thank-you to everyone at the first two Fresh-air Frolics for shaping the flashmob – so much laughter and playful brilliance.

The plan for Monday April 29th is to meet behind the Fernwood Community Centre at 5:30pm (at the basketball court or field) to do a warm-up. Then we`ll head half a block away to Fernwood Square for the flashmob at shortly after 6pm, and end with a snack potluck (optional: bringing a snack to share). Both locations and the route are wheelchair- and stroller- accessible. The event is free.

Please invite friends and family – to join in or as spectators.

Flashmob for International Dance Day

This Monday April 15th, 5:30pm: All are welcome to be part of collectively creating a short dance to perform as an International Dance Day flashmob (on April 29th).

To come up with the flashmob together, we’ll meet this Monday at 5:30pm behind the Fernwood Community Centre (1240 Gladstone) at William Stevenson Park – meeting at the basketball court (or the the field next to it if the basketball court is in use). The paved path to the left of the community centre is wheelchair accessible, although it is a bit steep.

We’ll start with some dance improvisation activities, playing with creating shapes and working in small groups to come up with parts of the dance. This session is part of the Fresh-air Fernwood Frolic series of community dance sessions (click here for more details), and is by donation to cover costs of snacks and boomwhackers.

The plan is to do a rehearsal (practice run-through) on Monday April 29th at 5:30pm, and then go perform it (e.g. at Fernwood Square or wherever the group decides). April 22-29 is also National Dance Week, which is where the ‘i love dance’ logo image is from.

“Come, turn off your television, switch off your computer, and come to dance.
Express yourself through that divine and dignified instrument, which is our body.
Come to dance and join people in the waves of pulses.
Seize that precious and fleeting moment.
Come to celebrate life with dance.”
– from the International Dance Day message from Lin Hwai-min

Fresh-air Fernwood: Mondays April 8-29

In April there will be a weekly fresh-air session in Fernwood: Mondays from April 8th – 29th, 5:30-6:30pm, by donation.

We’ll meet up for a warm-up in the same location each week, and then head to another outdoor space in the neighbourhood, for family-friendly dance improvisation activities and movement games. Please dress for the weather.

Themes for each week:
April 8^th An Unbirthday Party! – Games @ the park
April 15^th Creating a short Flashmob together (to perform on the 29^th)
April 22^nd Plants & Dance – Mother Earth Day & National Dance Week
April 29^th Flashmob Frolic for International Dance Day – rehearsal then Flashmob!

Click here for meet-up location and other details.

Congrats all on the flashmob!

Click here for a video of the One Billion Rising Flashmob! – Victoria, Lekwungen Territories

Congrats to Hollaback and everyone on the fantastic flashmob yesterday, and thank-you to the groups who organized the awesome One Billion Rising Dance Party outside the downtown library!

One Billion Rising dance party!

Details for the One Billion Rising dance party tomorrow in Lekwungen Territories:

“Join us on February 14, 2013 as part of the global One Billion Rising Campaign.

WHAT: Victoria Rising – One Billion Rising
WHEN: February 14, 4:30- 5:30 pm
WHERE: Bastion Square 4:30 pm, Victoria Downtown Library Square 5:00 pm
Everyone Welcome!”

*Flashmob will happen a bit after 5pm! If you missed Sunday`s rehearsal but have time/ interest in learning some of the choreography before then and to join in, click here for the video the group used at Sunday`s rehearsal (we taught it to each other in an hour and a half).

One Billion Rising FLASHMOB rehearsal Sun. 4:30pm

Would you like to be part of a dance flashmob on Thursday (V-Day)?? Then please join this rehearsal, Sunday Feb. 10th at 4:30pm, at Dance Victoria (2750 Quadra Street)! All levels of dance experience are welcome.

People from Hollaback, Dancing with integrity, and community members are interested in coming up with a flashmob to perform at the One Billion Rising event outside the downtown library on Feb. 14th in Lekwungen and Coast Salish Territories. Performing elsewhere earlier that day would be welcome if someone would like to coordinate that! We will be dancing in solidarity with more than 170 countries around the world that day – www.onebillionrising.org

Click here for the rehearsal details! (These rehearsal details are also on a Facebook event page.)

 

dancing re: planet+society… creating a flashmob together Nov. 18!

Everyone is welcome on Sunday, Nov. 18th from 4-6pm, to be part of creating an ‘extinction blues’ dance flashmob!

This is the final dancing thru where the planet+society are at session for this autumn, and to celebrate we’ll start creating a dance together to perform as a flashmob, likely to the tune* of Extinction Blues (which is being written by members of the preparing for the unknown/ catastrophe response collective).

looking out from the hill above Swan Lake in Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ territories

During the warm-up we’ll start with grounding, arriving, and ideas for emotional first aid. Then we’ll brainstorm what we’re worried & excited about regarding current & upcoming local impacts of earth/society/community changes; we’ll use this to spur exploring movement together and begin solidifying some choreography. We’ll end by talking about details for a next practice/ rehearsal, and brainstorm about where and when we’d like to perform it!

Drop-ins welcome. By donation. Please see the details page for details about the location (Oaklands Community Centre), and see the workshop description for more info on this series and accessibilities.

*If you (or someone you know) would prefer to play music and/or sing rather than dance for the flashmob, please be in touch so we can update you on when there’ll be a community orchestra practice.