Four Winds News - August 2004
Rehearsal and Events Schedule | NEWS INDEX Page
News items posted to this page are usually edited versions of Member Mailings.
Four Winds News: 12 August 2004
Here's what we've been up to, and what we are planning.
IKEA CELEBRATES DIVERSITY... ummm sort of.
About a three weeks ago, we were invited by New York Entertainment Connection to perform at IKEA Hicksville as part of their "IKEA Celebrates Diversity" ongoing performance series. Signed the contract, set up the reharsal sechdule, prepped the play list. It looked like a fun, engaging, event. But ain't gonna happen, folks.
First off, I want to thank each and every one of our team for their willingness and thoughtful ideas and brainpower devoted to logistics problem solving. That said, the bad news...
IKEA MULTICURAL FESTIVAL
SATURDAY AUGUST 29, 1:00-3:00pm, Free
IKEA Long Island, 1100 Broadway Mall. Hicksville, NY, 11801.
We have been invited to perform at IKEA's Long Island store as part of a multicultial performance series. This will be a interactive event, with lots of audience participation. It would be great if some of our fans and friends turned out to support us with their voices and possibly noisemakers. Will be bringing mostly our Worldbeat and Native American material. And maybe a few surprises.
Of Course while you are there, IKEA would love you to browse the store.
This Apperance sponsored by:New York Entertainment Connection.New York Entertainment Connection thinks we're pretty cool. However, IKEA apparently doesn't share that opinion, "not exactly what they were looking for." Not that we're not cool, but they want something more "Traditional". In other words, a typical Traditional Native Pow Wow Drum group. I spoke to the rep on August 10. Even if we did all Native content, and I did have a conversation with the rep about sending a demo of us doing the material. We still would not measure up, since we (a) dont have the big pow-wow drum, (b) aren't a "real" Native American group (c) have authentic traditional Native pow-wow costumes. (That would acutially be regalia, but using their language.) We might be able to (with a bit of cramming) deliver the content, but not the official "look" they want.
So we have been released from the gig. I am a little twitched, even knowing that this is how things go in corporate sponsored entertainment. Note, I said "Entertainment", not Cultural Arts, not Performing Arts, not The Bardic Path, becase that's how they look at it. I think we would have been great in the space and context, but I don't think we could convince IKEA of that.
Soooooo... going to resist the urge to RANT OFF AT THESE NARROW MINDED TGHT A** CORPORATE SCODS... Stop with the look, some of the Members had less polite things to say. And I like IKEA, got a bunch of their stuff in my place...
We may yet decide to do something with that date. Stay tuned...
Kudos and thank you to the team, Alexandria, Athena, Carola, Dion, Elsbeth, Jezibell, Joni, Paula, and Richard who had made a commitment to the event. This crew is rapidly becoming the core of the Chorus and our Bard's Circle.
WORKSHOPS
Our Drum and Chant Workshop at MNN Studios, July 10th was recorded for Public Access Television, and will be eventually televised on Richard's The Courage Show, Saturdays 6:00-6:30, on Manhattan Public Access channel 67. We'll let you know when it's going to air.
Since we concentrated on Pagan and Afro-Carribean material with our last Our Drum and Chant Workshop, we didn't have time to introduce some of our Native American and Native-Inspired material. So it occurred to us that the next workshop ought to just plain go there. So stay tuned for The Bardic Path: Drum & Chant-Songs of Turtle Island. Details here as soon as we can put them together.
NEW YORK PAGAN PRIDE DAY
PAGAN PRIDE DAY 2004
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 25
Battery Park, NYC
Four Winds invited to provide Workshop and Ritual Support. Details to come.
For more Information: E-list: NYC-PPP@yahoogroups.com
212-561-0491 * Web: www.NYC-PPP.orgWe've been asked to provide a workshop for the annual NYC Pagan Pride Day in September and have since received a query about Ritual Support. So we're once again looking forward to being among "our people" for a fine day of pride and celebration. Hope to see many of our Friends, Fans and Supporters there.
Keep Singing!
Mitakuye Oyasin * Blessed Be * Ashe * Shalom * A Salaam * Amen * Om
Kurt Griffith/Talking Stone
Choral Director
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