December2010

A Spirit Garden Production

New Years Eve Celebration

featuring over 100 performers from around the world

at The Golden State Theater

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Iyeoka Okoawo

11:15 pm - 12:00 am

Iyeoka Okoawo is at the forefront of creating a new artistic genre that gracefully interweaves spoken word poetry with jazz, blues, gospel and electronic soul. A first-generation Nigerian-American, Iyeoka Ivie Okoawo is the founder and lead singer of the music group Rock by Funk Tribe. Iyeoka is at the forefront of creating a new artistic genre that gracefully interweaves spoken word poetry with jazz, blues, gospel and electronic soul. Iyeoka & the Rock by Funk Tribe are a much sought after supporting act for touring artists showcasing worldwide. Iyeoka and the Rock by Funk Tribe have been chosen as the supporting act of choice for touring artists including son of Afrobeat FEMI KUTI, and popular world music group ZAP MAMA.

www.iyeoka.com

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Define

10:15-10:45 pm

Define's music is a mixture of Afro beat,soul Pop, Reggae Dancehall, Hip Hop, Rock. He is not shy to touch topics that affect him and his community. From political charged songs to love songs His songs and style are very inspiring and Original. Influnced by artist like Fela Kuti, James Brown, Bob Marley, Michel Jackson, Guru, Boys to Men and much more. To download some of his free songs; go to http://www.whoisdefine.com

_________________________ Danjuma & Onola

9:15-10:00 pm

Afro Beat Soul Party a big show band playing Afro-Beat, Highlife, Sukus and Afro-Funk. Get ready to dance all night long.

Danjuma Adama founder and musical director of Danjuma & Onola, was born into a family tradition of music in the city of Lagos ,Nigeria (West Africa).

Danjuma has played and recorded with King Sunny Ade, Fela Kuti Anikulapo, Babatunde Olatunji, Hugh Masakela, ZuluSpear, Monomomo And Highlife Messengers. In 1983 he helped to cast the band O.J. Ekemode and the Nigerian all Stars with whom he recorded and toured north America. In 1986 he co-founded two popular Bay Area Afro-Beat bands, Kotoja Ntu Shamala.

www.myspace.com/danjumaonola

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Spirit Garden Global Dance Initiative

The Spirit Garden's Global Dance Project brings dancers from around the world to perform and collaborate towards the common vision of cultural interconnectivity.

For more information please visit

Spirit Garden Global Dance Initiative

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Yaocuauhtli Aztec Danza Cultural

6:30 -7:00 pm

A whirling array of feathers, sacred fire, and pulsing ancestral rhythms from the heart of the Mexico

An offering to be in contact with the natural manifestations. The dance is considered a way of concentrating in motion. Through this dance they ask for assistance in focusing on their goals. The ritual dance is called Macehualiztli (deserving) The whirling movements represent fertility, and the steps that go all the way to the floor represent the earth and the crops. The spinning in the air represents the soul, the steps back and forward the fire, and the zigzag steps the water.

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Chinese Lion Dance

7:15-7:30 pm

The Chinese Lion Dance has a long history which began as a cultural interaction and trade between China and West Persia via the Silk Road. Cultural interaction grew through functions that took place in the royal palace welcoming guests from the west with dance and song. It is said that during these functions dancers often wore the masks of animals to perform and entertain guests. However since lions were not native to China, there were no costumes for lions. As traders traveling by way of the Silk Road brought lions as gifts together with lion trainers, the start of Lion Dance then began to take place in China. Other theories for forms of the dance stem from a combination of ritual folk dance and shamanism.

http://mbayhealingtao.com/liondance.html

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Sacred Dances of India

with the Madhumita Mehrotra dancers

7:30-7:45 pm

There are seven major classical dance styles in India. Each has its own distinctive history, In this performance the audience will experience a spectem of classical Kathak, Indian folk and tribal dances. Each performed to express the joy and richness of Indian culture.

Jyoti Sen (at left)

Madhumita Mehrotra (right ) born and brought up in India received her degree in Kathak dance from Guru Premshankar Mishra of the Jaipur Gharana. Dancing and acting is her passion an d Madhumita has performed in many Hindi stage and TV plays and films. Presently she is working as an Asst professor Hindi at DLI in, Monterey CA.

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Noha Sayedalahl

Egyptian Contemporary, Folk and Belly Dance Performance with live music

7:45-8:00 pm

Noha Sayedalahl has been dancing since early childhood when her grandmother taught her the ancient tradition of Egyptian dance. Noha Sayedalahl is the founder and director of Studio 206, a cultural center in Cairo, Egypt.

Noha is currently an Interdisciplinary Artist in Residency at the Big Sur Spirit Garden.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/studio206/

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Sambahemians

Brazilian Drums

8:15-8:30

"Boom! ...... Brazilian Drums and dancers

spring to life with a mass of joy, shimmying and sweating as the shared energy builds, reaching a Bacchus-worthy frenzy of free-flowing limbs and minds, pulsing hearts and pounding feet!"

-MC Weekly

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Abdoulaye Diallo

African Drum and Dance Ensemble

8:30-8:45 pm

Abdoulaye Diallo a native of Senegal, West Africa. Mr. Diallo and his group will perform traditional West African rhythms and explain the cultural context of those rhythms. The tradition of passing on the knowledge of drumming is an important part of West African culture.

“The rhythms and dances all mean something and historically have been played at significant times...”

“...ceremonies celebrating children's transition into adulthood, harvest time, and other cultural rites of passage.”

Each rhythm and dance is an ancient one that has been passed down from the generation before.

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Afro-Caribbean Jazz

Dance Performance

Di Franco Dance Project Group

8:45-9:00 pm

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The Big Sur Artist Residency

The Big Sur Spirit Garden Interdisciplinary Arts Residency Program brings innovative, world-class artists to Big Sur for a month long residency sponsored by supporters of the Spirit Garden. While in residence, artists teach an interdisciplinary workshop, present a public event, and participate in community outreach. The program gives exposure to working touring artists, provides opportunities for collaboration with the local community of artists and teachers, and strengthens programmatic ties among poets, musicians, visual artists, dancers and other community arts entities.

The Interdisciplinary Arts Residency Program is made possible by Jayson Fann, Founder and Director of the Big Sur Spirit Garden and the Esalen International Arts Festival.

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photos complimentary of Sacred Celebration Photography and Patrice Ward photography and Jayson Fann

For more information contact jayson@bigsurspiritgarden.com or 831-667-1300 cell 831-2381056.

The Spirit Garden is located 26 miles south of Carmel at Loma Vista along Highway 1 next to the Big Sur Bakery.

December 2010

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