This reflection was written in May 2005, at the turning point of my eighth attempt to plant something lasting — something that might root, rise, and flower beyond me. What you are reading is not a polished tale of triumph, but a composted truth. Each failed attempt was a seed — and each seed, a lesson in trust, community, heartbreak, persistence, and transformation.
The eight gardens of SonneBlauma were never just about creating a contemporary dance company. They were about unlearning perfectionism, decolonizing the body, confronting conflict, honoring solitude, and reweaving a creative family that might hold through storms.
I was not born into ease, nor into certainty. But I was born into vision — and this vision has endured through gymnasiums, parking lots, barefoot dances on cold tile, and tender reckonings with conflict and relationship. I no longer need this company to prove my worth. The ego stepped aside, and something truer came forth — a commitment to presence, process, and communion.
Eight is not just a number. It’s a cycle — of death and rebirth, of failure and replanting. And this eighth garden is different. It is rooted in peace. It is not chasing validation. It is listening to the soil, and listening to the dancers, and learning to midwife the moment.
If you are an artist, a founder, a dreamer — take heart. Your path may not look like anyone else's. But show up. Let the work change you. Let it break your heart and fill it again.
And always, always — mālama the space.
reflection generated by ChatGPT whom I have experimenting with, in 2025, for a life review, considering my path.
Please Note, this was written as a phase in the process - things have changed and grown exponentially since this writing.
This is the eighth planting of the seeds of SonneBlauma's sunflower in the goodness of the earth of Santa Barbara and this crop of sunflowers is a REALLY vigourous strain.
This little blip is intended for those who are struggling to figure out how to get a contemporary dance company going:
DON'T GIVE UP!!
These little blips are also intended for educators in institutions of higher education that offer dance degrees. It is my hope that such institutions will begin to provide their artists with the education necessary to carve out the lifework of an artist.
Our planet, especially now, needs its artists - in a desperate sort of way.
I know that if I knew then what I knew now the journey would have been so much different...
EIGHT PHASES
Well - before I tell you about these eight phases of establishing a modern dance company I think a little pep talk is in order.
On looking back at these "failures" I think there must be something seriously wrong with me or the work to have consistently failed at every attempt to get the company beyond a project to project rhythm. For the sunflowers to mature and ripen and reseed themselves in the same garden rather than being plucked and placed in a crystal vase or choosing to reseed elsewere.
COMMITMENT
Ever in search of a grouping of souls that wants to commit to working together for ten or fifteen years and develop work of the quality I see in companies like the “Do” theatre from Budapest - or Stephanie Gilliland's work with Tongue.
Committment to relationship,
committment to the work,
committment to the discipline required to continually dig deep in search of meaning with the potential to rivet an audience.
I am presently in-between my artist bread & butter gigs, unemployed, dreaming of letting this be my bread & butter gig, and have been updating my resume, and working on answers to questions potential employers ask you. Potential employers being those who Shop@SonneBlauma and share from their own garden to nurture our own.
STRENGTHS
One of the questions employer often asks is- what are your strengths?
I created a collage of the positive and want to share the positive in hopes that as you read about my failures you might toy with the notion that realizing a vision sometimes seems to be a lot about failures – which are really opportunity for learning and growing – which is fundamentally why I feel I am here. If I’m not learning I’m dying.
Pep Talk:
She (I) is “enthusiastic, energetic, versatile, eager to learn, an innovator, industrious, reliable, resourceful and conscientious. Her dedication is unquenching, her sense of discipline and responsibility impeccable. She is always positive and reliable, fuses service and excellence, and is a true blessing and a true joy. She has a fierce intellect, rapid analytic skills, and was in the top five percent out of about seventy math-science tutors I supervise. She is highly intelligent, astonishingly gifted, extraordinarily positive, charming and gracious, with an incredible memory, fabulous listening skills, and exemplary interpersonal skills. She operationalizes the word “excellence” on a daily basis and can communicate with anyone. Her creative ability is literally endless in range & fluidity, she is a pleasure to work or be with, and can communicate with anyone. She has the capacity to elevate and uplift others around her, she is a serious hardworking woman, is slightly on the wild side, has a contagious enthusiasm for play of ideas, and has an impressive enthusiasm for her job. As a choreographer she has what the rest of us are hoping to find, her performances are riveting, her work has the cathartic quality of a shaman, and we are so glad she is making the work. ”
Keeping my thoughts positive - embracing the winds of change! Following are some seven seasons of plantings and our current batch making its way into the freshly tilled and fertilized soil.
The First Garden: was great - produced a 40 minute theatre work and art installation -all of the dancers moved to New York- or out of town – to pursue respective dreams. I figured I needed to work with community dancers planning to be in the area for good. I was left with myself-and made the commitment to show up in whatever space I could scrounge - back then - a gymnasium competing for space with soccer balls and basketballs. I prioritized funding with taking advanced dance classes as an extension student.
The Second Garden : I managed to get a bunch of community dancers together at the Sojourner Cafe for a preliminary meeting - and then a follow-up meeting- they were stoked on the idea but were overwhelmed by the vision - they couldn't imagine the thought of creating work and sharing it not only with our community but in L.A. and S.F. as well – if I’m remembering correctly – it was definitely the vision is too big. I was left with myself again-and made the commitment to show up in whatever space I could scrounge - at that point most often the local gym - doing my ballet bar in the stretch area next to the weight lifters. I prioritized funding with taking ballet classes with the local professional ballet dancers with State Street Ballet & a gym membership.
The Third Garden : let's work as a community and collectively create the vision of having a community company we can all access as choreographers. I knew for one I couldn’t work a day job, create the work, and produce an evening of theatre. Not humanly possible. Got the non-profit founded, 501 (c) 3 established – different artistic visions and interpersonal conflict nixed that one. I was left with myself again - and made the commitment to show up in whatever space I could scrounge - I had a patron help me out a bit - and was able to afford studio space once a week. The space was often double booked - and I'd find myself dancing in the halls covered with cold filthy tile - I wanted to be barefoot - and my feet would be black after my training - or I'd dance in tennis shoes in the parking lot. At this phase I was enjoying workshops with Doug Varone, Doug Elkins, and other choreographers brought to the area through Summerdance and had a windfall of funds that I used for an artists sabbatical in New York. I realized that if I lived in New York I wouldn't be doing much dancing - mostly doing what my friends were doing - working to pay rent.
The Fourth Garden : Nancy (local dancer danced with White Oak, other Major Companies) had advised me to seek out venues where my work could be juxtaposed against choreographers with stronger work. I brought one of my mentors up from L.A. (Stephanie Gilliland) and hosted a week of workshops and a Guerilla performance in the dance studio (that was fun - making stage lights out of ladders - garage lighting covered with colored saran wrap). Great! The community loved the show, the classes, exclaiming "this is better than Summerdance". One woman came to me in tears exclaiming she was having a cathartic release as a consequence of my work because it had touched her so deeply. I realized at this time that it seemed like this particular community of dancers only came out once a year to dance - when Summerdance came to town - we picked up on the tail end of it - fizzled out. I was back to myself again. I was finding - in all honesty - what would take me ten weeks to create in college could take as long as two years - because of the obstacles. So shocking to me. They never told me it would be like this.
The Fifth Garden : A dancer came to me to access the non-profit as an umbrella (we provide this service for free because I know how hard it can be to come up with a $500 non-profit umbrella fee). She commissioned me to do a new work on her for a project she was working on. After trying the gymnasium I could scrounge for free - the dancer paid for space – great – she went on to graduate school and her own artistic visions! When it was done-I was left with myself again and made the commitment to show up-this time it was power classes at lunch time in the sidelines of the middle aged, pot bellied men shooting hoops equally passionate about their game. I became quite efficient at whipping out of a yoga asana, or a ballet combination, or upside down work into a position to catch the ball and heft it back with a bit of machismo.
The Sixth Garden : Decided to try again to garnish interest in a workshop - started a club at the place I worked at and was able to get free huge wonderful rehearsal space twice a week -two people came – seemed to really like the workshop - but one was going off to graduate school (the same one who commissioned me to do a work) and the other moved out of town. Was a great process of putting together the workshop. I realized how far I had come, how much I had learned, how much I had to give back.
The Seventh Garden : A new generation of community dancers wanting to work together. We did some fun projects..I built us a website...www.openspaces.com. It seems to have fizzled out. I took the website down. Interpersonal conflict, again, became a problem. We had no clearly established process of how things should be handled. I became upset when a dancer changed the music for a performance without telling me. I was shocked when I stepped into space in that I had chosen the music. I sort of stood their dazed for awhile because it had been a collective decision of how to choose the music. There was some sort of misunderstanding. We all deal with conflict in different this ways. I wanted to talk it out, sent an email of apology, let her know I wanted to hear her side of the story- but it takes two to tango. The other dancer decided to drop out of the group and asked that her name be deleted from all previous performances. Wow - an awful feeling that the pain and frustration would be so huge that this brilliant, wonderful, and beautiful being would check out & exit the process.
The Eighth Garden : This is it! My ego is no longer attached to the work - it comes from a different place for different reasons. I’m more interested in my dancers, teaching them, seeing them grow, I no longer need to use my own expression to mud wrestle with my demons and find peace. I am at peace. The work is changing. I am no longer interested in conventional dance vocabulary or vocabulary created for formal spaces. I’m more interested in the kind of movement anybody who is not a dancer could do. This is terrifying to journey into. I am actually content with working in the shadows. I know how to live in the “now”. I know that at any time this relationship might come to an end. I know that I need to cherish each tidbit of communication I have with my dancers/artists. I know I need to cherish every nanosecond that we are in rehearsal space. I know that I need to express gratitude to the time, space, and energy when it opens up. It could be gone at any moment. I've learned a lot and have realized that the most important thing is a solid communication and conflict management base - tolerance and celebration over our diversity - committing to the process - because that is what it is all about. Simply being what we are born to be.
Eight is a good number - it is the number of members of a broken family I was born into - maybe permanent roots will begin to grow in and this attempt to rekindle family in form of company- permanent roots that connect to the interconnectedness of all expressions of life will live beyond our first goal. If it doesn't - that's o.k.- I've learned to be happy about being the only one committed to showing up in space - and the intimacy of the solitude has brought forth expression that has blessed me, blessed others. Seems different this time - seems like some magic might happen in a collective way - which probably has a lot to do with owning that I’m like others – not just all the wonderful things others have said about me – but a ratfink as well – that needs to work at relationships.
I just heard of one of my favorite dance families splitting up. Conflict. Natural and inevitable.
Wanting to harness its constructive energies.
Developing organizational systems that will prevent this from happening with us.
What is interesting, integrating what I learned, the shadow of the experience, I can see this is me in my Pollyanna role, blocking out the harmful textures and energies of the experience and choosing to lean into the sunshine, like the sunflower, always turning and leaning into the sun, but at some point, one must consider the shadow that falls behind the stalk and bloom, and say yes, because of the indigenous intelligence, because of other intelligences, because the vision was something meant to tear down the walls, and envision something new, of course, the institutions would never embrace what they perceive as a threat. Of course, unless they were family or close friends, the uber wealthy would not support the work, because it digests the energies and spits it back out as beauty, and eats away at the corrosion and corruption that was a part of the empire building process.
I realize, I have deleted many of these files
1996
I graduated with an MFA in choreography knowing NOTHING about the craft of building, growing, nurturing a dance company. 20 years later... the community has done awesome work... and that is the key... I always created in context of family/community... never to serve my own selfish needs solely... but always thinking of others.
The Future Traditions Foundation received its 501 (c) 3 status in 1998. Following is a timeline for projects we have undertaken and completed which will provide you with an overview of our history.
YEAR ONE: 1998
Projects:
Center Stage Theatre: “Collective, Choreographic Dreams”
A collaborative showing of choreographic work and installation art created and produced by Santa Barbara Artists at Center Stage Theatre.
Music Academy of the West: “Islands of Joy”
Presentation of the Raga Kings first concert. Artists involved were Stephen Kelly (piano), Montino Bourbon (sarod), and Greg Johnston (tablas). Please see files for project program, press, etc.
California Arts Council Grant
Receipt of a CAC grant for assistance in producing “Collective, Choreographic Dreams”
YEAR TWO: 1999
Projects:
Ajiva Dance Theatre/Plexus: Umbrella Services, Costume Subsidy, Space Subsidy
Provision of free umbrella services to Ajiva/Plexus dance theatre receiving and disbursing contributions appropriately. Offering support to the dance company by providing funds for costumes and rehearsal space. Primary contact was Susan Shaberman.
Space Subsidy Grant: SB County Arts Commission
Receipt of a grant from the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission that was disbursed to local choreographers for rehearsal space subsidization. The project was intended to assist in the preservation of a Santa Barbara dance studio in danger of closure due to lack of sufficient funds to maintain the space.
Adopt a Dancer
Exploration of creating a program that would market professional dancers to professional athletes. Worked with ballet dancer Mariko Crane and Michelle Knudsen on an artist mentorship program that explored this possibility. Note: 5,548 hours of training to obtain the professional training necessary to become a professional dancer.
Raga Kings
Presentation of the musical group the Raga Kings at the Unitarian Church. Please see files for records.
Golden Gifts Program
Provided complimentary tickets to those in need at Transition House and the Banana Bungalow.
Letters to the City Council re: dance space needs.
YEAR THREE: 2000
Tongue:
Produced a one week workshop taught by Stephanie Gilliland and Holly Johnston. The workshop concluded with a performance in what was then Santa Barbara’s “Studio B”.
Space Subsidies
Provided free space to local choreographers in interest of preserving an endangered studio space, Studio B.
YEAR FOUR: 2001
Dreams in Motion
Provision of free umbrella services and consulting services to Shari Brookler.
Santa Barbara County Arts Commission Grant:
Obtainment of a grant applied towards Shari Brookler’s Dreams in Motion Project.
YEAR FIVE: 2002
Dreams in Motion
Continued provision of free umbrella services and consultation to Shari Brookler.
YEAR SIX: 2003
Center Stage Theatre
SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre’s participation in the SBDA’s New Works Concert. World premiere of Gypsy Dreams. Choreography by Misa Kelly. Performance & costuming by Shari Brookler. Music by Iva Bittova.
Dreams in Motion
Continued provision of free umbrella services and consultation to Shari Brookler.
Endangered Species
Production of a dance concert at Center Stage Theatre. Produced by Stephen Kelly & Juliana Bertelson.
Solvang: Danish-American Dreamland
Free umbrella services to Ethan Turpin’s American Dreamland project.
YEAR SEVEN: 2004
Endangered Species
Production of a dance concert at Center Stage Theatre. Produced by Stephen Kelly & Juliana Bertelson.
The Travelling Brick Show
SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre collaboration with Open Spaces Dance Collective. Performances at the Mission Gardens, the farmer’s market, State Street, & Cabrillo Boulevard.
Unitarian Church: Open Spaces
SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre collaboration with Open Spaces Dance Collective. Performance and installation art presented at the Santa Barbara Unitarian Church.
YEAR EIGHT: 2005
Center Stage Theater
SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre’s participation in the SBDA’s Works Concert. World premiere of Cachao’s Galvanized Trash Receptacle.
Choreography, performance, and costuming by Misa Kelly. Music by Cachao.
Company Auditions
SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre holds company auditions on May 5th.
Company Newsletter
SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre publishes its first newsletter.
New Works Audition
SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre is accepted into the SBDA New Works concert.
YEAR NINE: 2006
Center Stage Theatre
SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre’s participation in the SBDA’s New Works Concert January 27, 28 & 29. World Premiere of Twang. Performed by Joanna Nobbe, Anaya Cullen, Misa Kelly, Colleen Bialas, and Devyn Duex. Music by Stephen Kelly. Costuming by Anaya Cullen.
Music Academy of the West
Production of the First Annual Rhapsodies for Humanity & Glorious Beings Award Concert. Award granted to Robert and Barbara Muller.
April 14, 2006. Presented by Frank K. Kelly
Monterey Dance Festival
SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre travels to Monterey to perform in the Monterey Dance Festival May 2006
Performance of Twang
Company Newsletter
SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre publishes its second newsletter. May and June.
Auditions
SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre holds company auditions
August 2006: Anaya Cullen, Natalie van Zelm, Phil Taylor, Apricot Capos, Marcos Duran, Tariel Naxon, Stephen Kelly, & Misa Kelly company members.
Master Class: Danah Bella
Danah Bella leads a master class in contemporary dance at the Montecito School of Ballet on August 1st.
Master Class: Gerry Marr
Gerry Marr leads a master class in restorative dance on August 15th at the Montecito School of Ballet
One Day Dances
SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre produces its first One Day Dance project on August 26th. Day involves group engaging with Sojourner Kincaid Rolle’s poetry writing workshop participants.
Get Inspired
SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre presents Paul Livingstone in Get Inspired at Center Stage Theater on September 2nd.
Chopin to Segal
SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre presents Stephen Kelly and Panzumo in an evening of classical western, fusion, and African music on September 16th at the Music Academy of the West.
Master Class: Christopher Pilafian
Christopher Pilafian leads a contemporary “Muller” technique class on October 17th at the Montecito School of Ballet.
Master Class: Susan Gingrasso
Susan Gingrasso, Language of Dance ® Specialist, leads a master class in Language of Dance at the Montecito School of Ballet.
From Chopin to Senegal 2
SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre presents Stephen Kelly and Panzumo in an evening of classical western, fusion, and African music on November 11th at the Music Academy of the West.
Master Class: Danah Bella
Danah Bella of d a n a h b e l l a DanceWorks leads a contemporary dance master class on December 26th.
YEAR TEN: 2007
2007 & 2006 Overview
2007 & 2006 SonneBlauma Events
Center Stage Theatre: Lion’s Fire
SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre’s Misa Kelly premiere’s Lion’s Fire as a part of the SBDA New Works concert. January 11, 12, 13
Performed by: Misa Kelly, Marcos Duran, Tariel Naxon, Natalie van Zelm, & Anaya Cullen. Music by Stephen Kelly. Costumes by Anaya Cullen.
Master Class: Holly Johnston
Holly Johnston of Ledges and Bones Dance Project leads a contemporary dance master class on February 3rd at Arts Alive!
Master Class: Ms. Condodina
Ms. Condodina, professor emeritus of U.C.S.B. department of dance leads a master class in performance techniques on February 20th at the Montecito School of Ballet.
Master Class: Gerry Marr
Gerry Marr, master body worker and tai chi teacher leads a master class in restorative dance on March 20th at the Montecito School of Ballet.
Music Academy of the West
Stephen Kelly in Concert at the Music Academy of the West on April 21st.
Studio Showing at the Montecito School of Ballet
SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre showing of works-in-progress and repertory on May 15th at the Montecito School of Ballet.
Master Class: Stephanie Nugent
Stephanie Nugent of Nugent Dance leads a master class in contact improvisation on May 19th
Studio Showing at the Montecito School of Ballet
SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre showing of works-in-progress and repertory on May 20th at the Montecito School of Ballet.
Music Academy of the West
Stephen Kelly, Ray Tischer and Panzumo perform Circle of Chi: From Chopin to Senegal at the Music Academy of the West on May 25th
Master Class: Susan Gingrasso
Susan Gingrasso, professor emeritus of UWSP department of dance leads a master class in the language of dance on June 3rd.
Monterey Dance Festival
SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre performs the world premiere of Le Jardin Rouge at the Monterey Dance Festival on July 29th at Spector Dance. Choreography by Misa Kelly, performances by Kaita Lepore and Gwenna Devries, music by Misa and Stephen Kelly, costumes by Anaya Cullen.
Master Class: Carol Ann Manzi
Internationally acclaimed soprano Carol Ann Manzi leads a master class in the Color of Sound on August 5th at the Music Academy of the West.
Master Class: Christina Tague
Christina Tague leads a master class in Shinui on September 11th at the Montecito School of Ballet.
Muddy Waters:
SonneBlauma Dancz Theatre company members show visual art at Muddy Waters café during the month of November.
The Istanbul Exchange:
SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre and Joanna Nobbe perform at the Montecito School of Ballet December 1st & 2nd.
Master class: Megwynn White
Megwynn White leads a master class in Yamuna Body Rolling at the Montecito School of Ballet on December 4th.
Photo Shoot with Am Wu
See website for images. Photos used for Santa Barbara Dance Alliance promotional materials. One photo was used for the poster and program cover for the show.
YEAR ELEVEN: 2008
2009 & 2008
2009 - 2008 SonneBlauma Events
Center Stage Theatre
January 11, 12, 13 SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre participates in the SBDA New Work’s concert. Performance of Le Jardin Rouge. Choreography by Misa Kelly, performances by Kaita Lepore & Gwenna Devries, Music by Misa & Stephen Kelly, costumes by Anaya Cullen. See files for program, DVD of performance, flyers, press.
Diavolo Theater: 3 Cities: 3 Choreographers
April 5th SonneBlauma Danscz Theater presents Misa Kelly’s choreography (Gypsy Dreams performed by Erika Kloumann; Le Jardin Rouge performed by Anaya Cullen and Kaita Lepore, My Flame Knows to Swim the Cold Waters performed by Kaita Lepore) in conjunction with choreographers Kerstin Stuart and Louie Cornejo as a part of the 3 Cities: 3 Choreographers project. See files for program.
Shall We Dance: 3 Cities: 3 Choreographers
April 18th SonneBlauma Danscz Theater presents Misa Kelly’s choreography (Gypsy Dreams performed by Erika Kloumann; Le Jardin Rouge performed by Anaya Cullen and Kaita Lepore, My Flame Knows to Swim the Cold Waters performed by Kaita Lepore) in conjunction with choreographers Kerstin Stuart and Louie Cornejo as a part of the 3 Cities: 3 Choreographers project. See files for program/press
Project 418: 3 Cities: 3 Choreographers
April 19th SonneBlauma Danscz Theater presents Misa Kelly’s choreography (Gypsy Dreams performed by Erika Kloumann; Le Jardin Rouge performed by Anaya Cullen and Kaita Lepore, My Flame Knows to Swim the Cold Waters performed by Kaita Lepore) in conjunction with choreographers Kerstin Stuart and Louie Cornejo as a part of the 3 Cities: 3 Choreographers project. See files for program
Center Stage Theater: 3 Cities: 3 Choreographers
May 25th SonneBlauma Danscz Theater presents Misa Kelly’s choreography (Gypsy Dreams performed by Erika Kloumann; Le Jardin Rouge performed by Anaya Cullen and Kaita Lepore, My Flame Knows to Swim the Cold Waters performed by Kaita Lepore) in conjunction with choreographers Kerstin Stuart and Louie Cornejo as a part of the 3 Cities: 3 Choreographers project. See files for program, press, DVD of concert by Penny Little.
Amy Fritzler
Community service. Assist Amy Fritzler in the production of her summer modern dance series.
Joanna Nobbe
Community service. Assist Joanna Nobbe in the production of her summer Improvisational Lab workshop.
Studio Showing
September 21st showing of choreography by Misa Kelly. Le Jardin Rouge danced by Kaita Lepore and Anaya Cullen. My Flame Knows to Swim the Cold Waters performed by Kaita Lepore. Gypsy Dreams performed by Anaya Cullen. Something Sweet performed by Kaita Lepore, Jacque Wiley & Melissa Block. Additionally showed choreographic process and work in progress phrases for a new work.
Tour to Istanbul
September 27th 2 Cities: 2 Choreographers at AFL Kültür Merkezi. SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre shares a show with Sinan Temizalp of Meditative Dance. See files for video documentation & poster.
September 28th: SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre lecture/demonstration at Çati Dans. See files for DVD of event. SonneBlauma Participants include Misa and Stephen Kelly, Anaya Cullen & Kaita Lepore. See files for DVD documentation.
September 29th-October 3rd: SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre presents workshop. Workshop facilitated by Misa Kelly, Anaya Cullen, Kaita Lepore and documented by Stephen Kelly. See files for mini-Dv documentation.
Moorpark College Performances
November 20, 21, 22, 23 performances in Moorpark College’s "Speaking Movement" Dance Concert. Performances by Kaita Lepore & Anaya Cullen. Choreography by Misa Kelly. See files for program.
Moorpark College Master Class
November 22nd master class facilitated by Misa Kelly, Anaya Cullen & Kaita Lepore.
Matt Nelson Master Class
November 25th. Master class led by Matt Nelson held at the Montecito School of Ballet.
Two Photo Shoots with Am Wu
Spring and summer photo shoots with Am Wu. See website for images. Spring photo shoot used for the 3 Cities: 3 Choreographers photo shoot. Helped in getting good press coverage. One shot used as cover shot for LA Yoga Magazine. Summer photo shoot used for Santa Barbara Dance Alliance’s 2009 New Works concert.
Umbrella Project: Alzeheimer’s Art Project
Alzheimer’s Arts project description:
Future Traditions Foundation is creating a documentary film about Alzheimers and Dementia patients residing at Villa Alamar. The documentary is to demonstrate the wisdom, highly developed intuition and intelligence of Alzheimer’s patients through the stimulation and interaction of music, Tai Chi, and other movement arts including dance. The film will be distributed to other Alzheimer units, convalescent homes, hospitals, doctors, nurses, all healthcare professionals, caregivers and family members of patients to educate and raise the consciousness about these positive and enlightening aspects of this disease.
Umbrella Project: Dance of the Forest: African Rhythm, Dance, and Song project description:
After 15 years of research and extensive teaching experience, Budhi Harlow has created Dance of the Forest, high-energy drumming, dancing and singing, from the magical forests of West Africa. This interactive program highlights the beauty, grace and dynamic energy of music and dance, giving young people a greater sense of self-confidence and connection to each other. Dance of the Forest creates a level playing field for children to express themselves while gaining skills essential to their success in school. From greater coordination to better timing, increased listening skills, team building and enhanced social skills. This program also addresses timely issues including environmental awareness and anger management and conflict resolution.
2010
Overview View Download
December 10th, 2010 NECTAR: Grief
November 20th, 2010: Studio Showing
2011
February
February 5th & 6th, 2011 - Performance in Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara Dance Arts - Dance Teachers Gone Wild at Center Stage Theater performance.
MORE INFO: Dance Teachers Gone Wild
February 25th & February 26th, 2011 - Performance in Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara Dance Alliance's "Kinesis Concert." We premiered a new group work as a part of our educational outreach program. Misa set a work on 11 Santa Barbara City College Students! Wonderful new piece of choreography called "Flint." This was the 8th year SonneBlauma had a work on this awesome group show.
MORE INFO: Kinesis
March
March 19th, 2011 - Performance in Santa Barbara
Another NECTAR installation! Company member Weslie Ching and Misa Kelly performed "Under No Certain Circumstances"
MORE INFO: NECTAR-Council & Relationships
May - Performance in Venice, CA
May 2nd, 2011
MAX 10 @ the Electric Lodge in Venice Beach
MORE INFO: MAX10
June - SB-ADaPT Festival Activity
June 8th-25th, 2011
SB-ADaPT Festival! www.sbadaptfest.com
Over 50 companies and independent artists from 5 countries and 23 different cities engage in over 20 events in eight different venues occurring between June 8th and June 25th!
September - Performance in Venice, CA
September 17th &18th, 2011
MixMatch Festival
September 17th @ 8:00 pm and September 18th @ 2:00 pm
The Miles Memorial Playhouse
Santa Monica, CA
MORE INFO: MixMatch Festival
Definition of SonneBlauma . . .
[so-neh-blou-ma]
Verb (used with object)
1. to ignite with inspiration: Their performance SonneBlaumaed the audience. Her choreography SonneBlaumaed her dancers.
Verb (used without object)
1. to breath it in and breath it out
noun
1. a number of passionate artists collaborating in joint action to make a difference in the world by harnessing their life work to create, perform & teach.
2. an assemblage of persons that use the name SonneBlauma to denote fostering the artistic experiences of a lifetime by creating and performing profound, razor-sharp & riveting work.
3. an international 501 (c) 3 entity based in Santa Barbara, CA founded by Misa Kelly in 1996.
origin: bef. 1996. Cathartic series of episodes in Ticinio Switzerland and surrounding valleys with Scuola Dimitri as the container. See sunflower.
Synonyms
Ingenious, quixotic, vivid, whimsical, wild, charming, seasoned, dramatic, emotional, daring, poetic, sensitive, exciting, innovative, metaphorical, mythical, magical.Latest Review!