On National Donut Day we honor the humble Donut with a jam-packed (and jelly filled) variety extravaganza. Featuring Kimberlie Cruse, Bubbles the Clown, Hoop Artist Serana Pellegrino, Belly Dancer Jaeda Mei, and did I forget to mention: The Great A. Das Baron in "Doctor Doom's Donuts for Unwavering Loyalty and Upset Stomachs". Plus MORE! MORE! MORE! TBA! TBA! TBA! Have an act for the Donut Day Cabaret? Contact us at fiveminutefollies@gmail.com.

Come hear about our 2018 program, register your children, and meet other parents and guardians! Light refreshments provided.

United Block Captains Association Hospital (UBCAH) was founded by Alice Wright and is organized to Empower, Encourage, and Support Block Captains, Junior Block Captains, and Co-Block Captains citywide. 

About the SummerFun Program:

• Mission: To provide fun and educational summer activities for children irrespective of income or background

• Founded by Alice Wright, President and Founder of the United Block Captains Association

• The program began in 1978 under Wright’s Presentation Associates. In 1998, the name changed to the United Block Captains Association Hospital Summer Fun Program. 

• Expanded the program in 2005

• Located at 40th and Pennsgrove 2005-2014; moved to The Rotunda in 2015

• Has always served children 9-16 years old; now serving children 7-16 years old

What Do We do? 

Activities

• Outdoor Play

• Field trips (amusement parks, museums, and more)

• Crafting 

• Swimming and Water Parks

Education and Awareness

• Dancing and Music Education

• Violence Reduction and Gang Awareness Activities

• Entrepreneurship Training Workshops

• Cultural Awareness Activities (language learning, community outreach, history lessons, etc.)

• Junior TownWatch “Ears and Eyes”

• Junior Block Captains

Arts & Crafts and Arts Education

2017 instructors/programs included: 

BrotherIB - Hip Hop history and song writing

Malika Rowland - Kemitic Yoga and Meditation

MessyPalms art classes

Sharon Newman Ehrlich- Science and Technology

Jan Jeffries - African Drumming and Dance

Indiya Glenn - Hip Hop and Jazz Dance

DuijiMshinda - DJing

JenaHarris of foodeveryonedeserves & Al Pascal of Fikira Bakery - Cooking

Community Service andNutrition

Lots of Trips! Lots of Fun!

The 2017 Summer Fun Program was sponsored by: 

The Support Community Outreach Program (SCOP) of the Philadelphia Department of Human Services (DHS)

The Philadelphia Activity Fund, Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell,

Drexel University Human Resources Department and Drexel University Government and Community Relations under Bryant Teech

The Netter Center for Community Partnerships at TheUniversity of Pennsylvania

and The Rotunda.

Event Horizon SeriespresentsKarl Fury, ThadClar, and Dave Luxton

Karl Fury is a multi-instrumentalist and composer from central New Jersey. His musical background ranges from rock and blues to jazz-rock, world music, ambient, electronic and freeimprovisation. He has performed at numerous venues including the Trenton Avant Garde Festival, Artworks and The Mill Hill Theatre in Trenton, NJ, Columbia University and Princeton University and live radio broadcasts from WPRB, WTSR , WDVR and WLFR. He performed and recorded for several years in the world music duo Near East. He continues to collaborate and record with The Melting Transistor, an improvisational electronic music trio that includes Juan Garces and Floyd Bledsoe and the improvisational trio The Equinox Project with David Berends and Juan Garces. The Melting Transistor have performed at several Electro-Music festivals in New York and North Carolina, the Event Horizon concert series in Philadelphia, the Cosmic Crossings series in New Jersey and on WPRB's Music With Space and WLFR's Digital Dreams. Karl also continues to ecord and perform in collaborations with a number of other musicians and solo.

ThadClar is musician Roycee Martin who has been playing music for over 30 years. Most of that time he was a Bass player playing Blues and Top 40 music. Now days Roycee is very much inspired by ambient soundscapes tonal space music. For his latest project “ThadClad” he draws from elements of analog synthesizers, sequencers and live looping with the Chapman and various filters and effects processing all mixed and tweaked live. The music comes from the space at the edge of consciousness just before a deep sleep. Let the hypnotic sound take you on a relaxing journey through space.

Dave Luxton is a producer, electronic musician, composer and guitarist based in Olympia, WA, USA. He is a classically trained musician whose diverse compositions span multiple genres to include guitar oriented compositions, cinematic filmscores, and Electronica. As a recording artist, he is internationally known for his work in the ambient Spacemusic genre. His albums have been featured on nationally syndicated radio shows such as Hearts of Space, Musical Starstreams, and Star’s End. He is also the founder of the Pacific Northwest based Wayfarer Records label and has produced albums for numerous artists including Boreal Taiga and Daren Keck. Dave is also a professor, author, and clinical psychologist.

Admission is FREE 

3-6pm

In celebration of Black Music Appreciation Month, The Women's Coalition for Empowerment, Inc. presents a Wakanda inspired community event open to everyone.

The Ryan Coogler film Black Panther has inspired a greater appreciation for African culture and we want to embrace it with you.

Featured lead vocalists include Ella Gahnt & Alexa Gold with performances from the entire collective.

We welcome you to attend this event wearing African apparel.Vendors, sponsored giveaways, and more. Wakanda Forever!For more information send inquiries to Info@TheWCE.org.

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wakanda-forever-concert-feat-sistahs-attune-tickets-43555647113

The East Coast Free-Music Festival

This festival will be devoted exclusively to freely improvised music. Our collective commitment and  compatibility, plus the concentrated two-night form, will make it the best representation in this country of what the free-playing musical approach can do. The twelve of us gathered for this have already selected each other to play with, having performed in numerous small groupings. Only the specific formations in trios and quartets are new, for some their first meeting. 

Free improvisation is a music of spontaneous group interaction, a polyphonic music without score, concept, rehearsal, or leadership. More than that, we do not consider what might please you, so focused are we on what’s going on moment to moment. That focus is our pleasure and not a rule. In this unique musical event we musicians depend on mutual trust and your excitement. Our imagination will generate yours; you'll see!

The event is the third “annual”; the last was 33 years ago. That was also assembled  by Spring Garden Music, saxophonist Jack Wright’s musical endeavor since 1982. Since even before then free improvisation was his only musical approach. He’s even written The Free Musics, a provocative book widely read by other improvisers in North America and Europe. The festival musicians are drawn from a pool of those he has played with, and who have also been engaged without him. 

This year they are: Ben Bennett, percussion (Philadelphia); Ed Cho, guitar (Easton PA); Patrick Crossland, trombone (Baltimore); Zach Darrup, guitar (Philadelphia); Joel Kromer, modular synth (Bethlehem PA); Evan Lipson, double bass (Chattanooga); Toshi Makihara, percussion (Phoenixville PA); Andrea Pensado, electronics and voice (Salem MA); Ron Stabinsky, piano and electronics (Wilkesbarre); Matt Tomlinson, bass guitar (New Philadelphia PA); Jack Wright, alto/soprano saxophone (Easton PA); Walter Wright, electronics (Lowell MA).

June 4 and 5. Music will begin promptly at 7:30 pm, doors at 7. Admission is free.

The East Coast Free-Music Festival

This festival will be devoted exclusively to freely improvised music. Our collective commitment and  compatibility, plus the concentrated two-night form, will make it the best representation in this country of what the free-playing musical approach can do. The twelve of us gathered for this have already selected each other to play with, having performed in numerous small groupings. Only the specific formations in trios and quartets are new, for some their first meeting. 

Free improvisation is a music of spontaneous group interaction, a polyphonic music without score, concept, rehearsal, or leadership. More than that, we do not consider what might please you, so focused are we on what’s going on moment to moment. That focus is our pleasure and not a rule. In this unique musical event we musicians depend on mutual trust and your excitement. Our imagination will generate yours; you'll see!

The event is the third “annual”; the last was 33 years ago. That was also assembled  by Spring Garden Music, saxophonist Jack Wright’s musical endeavor since 1982. Since even before then free improvisation was his only musical approach. He’s even written The Free Musics, a provocative book widely read by other improvisers in North America and Europe. The festival musicians are drawn from a pool of those he has played with, and who have also been engaged without him. 

This year they are: Ben Bennett, percussion (Philadelphia); Ed Cho, guitar (Easton PA); Patrick Crossland, trombone (Baltimore); Zach Darrup, guitar (Philadelphia); Joel Kromer, modular synth (Bethlehem PA); Evan Lipson, double bass (Chattanooga); Toshi Makihara, percussion (Phoenixville PA); Andrea Pensado, electronics and voice (Salem MA); Ron Stabinsky, piano and electronics (Wilkesbarre); Matt Tomlinson, bass guitar (New Philadelphia PA); Jack Wright, alto/soprano saxophone (Easton PA); Walter Wright, electronics (Lowell MA).

June 4 and 5. Music will begin promptly at 7:30 pm, doors at 7. Admission is free.

Nakatani Gong OrchestraA contemporary live art sound project, N.G.O. has toured all over North and Central America. This is an ongoing, growing community engagement project and the only bowed-Gong orchestra in existence in the world today. The rich harmonies produced from multiple layers of bowed gongs are simply magic to anyone, engaging and inspiring the spirits of both the player and all who attend.For each performance in a given city, gong players are selected by a local curator. Most are new to N.G.O. Nakatani gives a specialized training workshop to selected players in preparation for the performance. Players will also experience Nakatani’s own unique point of view regarding Gong techniques, and will experience undiscovered dimensions while immersed in the vibrations and sounds during a training workshop. Nakatani is the composer and conductor for the performance.

Nakatani began germinating ideas for N.G.O. in early 2002, and finally took the project to on the road in April 2011. He had performed 87 concerts with N.G.O. all over the USA and Mexico by December 2015. Notable venues include John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C., MOCA Cleveland, OH, Tigertail productions presented at Miami Dade County Auditorium in FL, Bemis Contemporary Art Center in Omaha NE, Columbia Museum of Art in SC, and The Issue Project Room in New York City.

At colleges, N.G.O. was a kind of Artist in Residence at Allen Hall/Unit One at University of Illinois at Urbana /Champaign. Smith College in Northampton MA, Ohio State University at Bowling Green and Wesleyan University in CT.

In 2012, an LP entitled “Nakatani Gong Orchestra” was published by Taiga records of Minneapolis MN.

Many listener have said “I have never experienced anything like this before!”, along with describing a feeling of cleansing a sort of purification after the event. Today, sound based therapy practices use singing bowls and gongs, which result in similar euphonious waves and energies. The primary purpose of N.G.O. is not for spiritual ceremonial purposes or “gong bathing”, but the fact is that with over 14 various gong sizes, ranging in diameters from 10 to 50 inches, one can’t avoid some of these amazing secondary results.

Tatsuya Nakatani is originally from Osaka-Japan. He has been residing in the USA for 20 years. He is now based in Easton, PA and performs in New York city, but he is best known as a traveling artist for two decades. He crafts the specialized, has made bows and mallets for use in his N.G.O. – bio

Tatsuya NakataniPercussionist Tatsuya Nakatani was born and raised in Osaka-Japan. He currently resides in Truth or Consequences, NM. He is a renowned recognized Percussionist/Drummer creating his own sound. Nakatani performs and tours all over the world for international Creative Music festivals and New Music festivals. He has taught master artist classes, workshops and given lectures, revolving around his unique sound, at a number of universities. His music has been published over sixty CD recordings in the USA and Europe. He has performed SOLO percussion for the majority of his musical career since the late 1990s at a countless number of venues of many sizes.links at http://www.firemuseumpresents.com/

Admission is FREE (donations appreciated)

* For Immediate Release *Contact: Mika Pontecorvo (415) 867-2559, mika.pontecorvo@gmail.com

Philly Drummer G Calvin Weston teams with West Coast electroacoustic band Cartoon Justice to bring a new twist on Jazz Rock Fusion at Live Performance at The Rotunda in Philadelphia.

Following on from their initial long-distance recording collaboration on Terra Lingua (sketches),Calvin Weston (Ornette Coleman's Primetime Band drummer) and Cartoon Justice are planning a series of live performance/recordings at venues in New York City, Providence R.I., and Philadelphia during the first week of June. These Performance are aimed at both the launching of their Terra Lingua(sketches) CD and the capture of new material for the 3 album projects which build upon their collaboration. In Philadelphia, Calvin and Cartoon Justice play a live recorded evening show at The Rotunda with their friends Elliot Levin's Trio and will be including the Lingua Incognita Sessions open improvisation set as a closing set.

THE ROTUNDA in Phildelphiaon Thursday, June 7th, 8pmBroken Whole, G Calvin Weston + Cartoon Justice, Elliot Levin Trio, Lingua Incognita Session – an open improvisation setAdmission is FREE

BACKGROUND: Calvin's On-line Experiment / Cartoon Justice in ResponseIt began with Calvin Weston's experiment of sending out sets of drum tracks to select people he'd met online to see what would happen. One of those people was Mika Pontecorvo, a West Coast guitarist/composer/artist. The personal creative processes of both musicians were centered around the energy and immediacy of collective live improvisation. By adding the realtime interactive improvisation element of Mika's band Cartoon Justice, that creative process was preserved. The band played a one-pass live, no over-dub recording session against Calvin's drum tracks to complete the Terra Lingua(sketches) CD.Have a listen: http://mikapontecorvo.bandcamp.com/album/terra-lingua-sketchesTerra Lingua (sketches) CD (prerelease review) : "Pontecorvo, Weston, and Cartoon Justice sure put out a mighty hot jazz rock (as in fusion done up right!)" ..."what I would have hoped Sonny Sharrock woulda been up to had he lasted this long down the music line. Frantic and cluttered, yet with a clear musical vision..."

BIOG Calvin Weston has been reenforcing the rhythmic pulse of Ornette Coleman's Primetime Band since its inception in the late 1970s. His drumming has also been a key element to James Blood Ulmer's mid 1980s bands. In 1990's in John Lurie's Lounge Lizards and He has toured and recorded with a range of artists including Billy Martin (of Medeski Martin and Wood), Tricky, Eyvind Kang, Derek Baily, Mark Ribot, and James Carter. He is currently also working in Marc Ribot's Young Philadelphians, Denardo Coleman's Primetime Reunion Band, and with Vernon Reid (Living Colour) fronted trio the Free Form Funk Freqs.

Cartoon Justice (Mika Pontecorvo – guitars/electronics/flute/voice, Kersti Abrams – alto sax/flute/ north-african reeds/mbira, Elijah Pontecorvo - electric bass/piano, Mark Pino – drums/percussion/ electronics, Adriane Pontecorvo – cello/erhu/percussion.), draws it's sound from the intersection of improvisation and more formal abstract systems of computer art and electronic music composition (Mika was a student of electronic/tape music pioneer Vladimir Ussachevsky.) Often they have a strong pull toward indigenous folk musics in melody and rhythm.

Together Calvin and Cartoon Justice reach into a large bag of musical styles from Soul, RnB, Jazz, Rock, Psychedelic Urban Folk, Harmolodic Punk Jazz fusion, Dystopian Sci-Fi Murder Ballad Blues, Electroacoustic Chamber Music, Ambient/Post-Industrial Noise.

More Information at: http://mikapontecorvo.edgebuzz.tv, https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/calvinweston

CONTACT INFORMATIONMika Pontecorvo (415) 867 2559, mika.pontecorvo@gmail.com

Admission is FREE

The Up Up Ups, Zero Friends, and Pushin' It 2 The Limit

Three Philly Pop Punk bands are raising money local organization Women's Medical Fund. Women's Medical Fund protects and expands abortion access for low-income women and teens through direct service and advocacy. 

Admission: $5-$20 sliding scale, no one turned away for lack of funds. This is an all ages event

The Up Up Ups:"We're just four kids with a love of the finer things in life- power pop, rock and roll, and animals dressed like people." Influences: The Vibrators, the Briefs, Slaughter & the Dogs, Exploding Hearts, Elvis Costello, the Rezillos, the Bodies, the 101ers, the Only Ones https://theupupups.bandcamp.com/

ZERO FRIENDS:Zero Friends is a pop punk solo project that began with a kid named Benjamin who decided to start recording DIY music in his bedroom because he was lonely and had nothing better to do. Since then Zero Friends has published 6 EPs, and Benjamin will join together with a few other musicians to play this event. The biggest influences of Zero Friends are Blink 182, Green Day, and Direct Hit!  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqJHyGsteEwUWIR7efCuiHw

Pushin' it 2 the Limit:Pushin' It 2 the Limit is the new band featuring Audrey Crash and Leta Gray of Ex Friends as well as drummer Mike Zwick. Basing their sound around a propulsive, hard-charging beat, the band has several obvious influences. But, by pulling so strongly, and so selectively, from various sources, the band creates an identity that pays homage to the classic riffers, but stands on its own. https://pi2tl.bandcamp.com/releases

+ Art Exhibits by: Low Level, Léa van der Tak, Okra Windfree, Eyebawl, Jillian Willis, Halfsize Girl, and Johnny Mick 

Women's Medical Fund:Women's Medical Fund protects and expands abortion access for low-income women and teens through direct service and advocacy. We support those living in poverty who need abortion care today by providing counseling and emergency financial assistance. We support women in the future by working to expand and equalize access to abortion through lifting the insurance bans and eliminating other barriers. http://www.womensmedicalfund.org/

Admission: $5-$20 sliding scale, no one turned away for lack of funds. 

This is an all ages event

Vision Driven Consulting has teamed up with The Rotunda to bring resources and capacity-building workshops to self-producing artists/musicians, arts organization staff, and event curators in all disciplines.

Rotunda Workshops: 6-8pm at The Rotunda (4014 Walnut St, Philadelphia); all workshops in the series are FREE and OPEN to the public. Refreshments provided. No sign-up necessary.

Marketing (June 11th at The Rotunda)

• Learn about writing and sending Press Releases

• Identify your target audience and how to reach them

• Discuss the pros and cons of various social media and online marketing tools

Facilitator: LaNeshe White, Interactive Mechanics & Theatre in the X

Crowdfunding 101 (September 10th at The Rotunda)

• Learn how to tell if crowdfunding is right for your project

• Discover the pros and cons of crowdfunding platforms

• Hear from a panel of artists who have run successful crowdfunding campaigns

Creating an Artists Statement (September 24th at The Rotunda)

• Identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and potential threats of a new project 

• Think through the components of your project and its goals 

• Hone in on the details of your program or project and begin a draft project plan

Setting & Measuring Goals (October 8th at The Rotunda)

• Identify what you want to achieve in your projects

• Incorporate critical feedback and self-reflection into your arts practice

• Brainstorm and receive tools for measuring success

http://www.visiondrivenartists.org/

Admission is FREE; light refreshments provided 

Rising Tide Philly presents the local premiere of the film The Reluctant Radical. 

The Reluctant Radical is a documentary following climate activist Ken Ward as he puts himself in the direct path of the fossil fuel industry.

If a crime is committed in order to prevent a greater crime, is it forgivable? Is it, in fact, necessary? The Reluctant Radical follows activist Ken Ward as he confronts his fears and puts himself in the direct path of the fossil fuel industry to combat climate change.

After the film, there will be a panel discussion with representatives of local groups working to fight the fossil fuel industry in the PA/NJ area. 

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/248062039, https://www.thereluctantradicalmovie.com

Admission is FREE! Bring friends!

Features at The Rotunda 

Screenings Continuous From 8 PM on the Second THURSDAY of Every Month! 

An Evening with Rainer Werner Fassbinder – 1979's THE THIRD GENERATION and 1982's KAMIKAZE '89

THE THIRD GENERATION (1979, directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, 105 minutes, Germany)In the wake of the convictions of the German terrorist group, The Red Army Faction, Fassbinder directed the black comedy THE THIRD GENERATION. ALPHAVILLE's Eddie Contantine plays the Computer Security CEO who secretly funds a terrorist cell to break a lull in his business. Fassbinder regulars Hannah Schygulla, Harry Baer, and Udo Kier are among the bored, middle-class terrorists, unaware of the infiltration that will send events spinning theatrically out of control. Violence broke out at early screenings, critics seemed baffled and annoyed (“as crazy as teaming Jerry Lewis with Robert Bresson”) but today THE THIRD GENERATION is widely seen as among the boldest cornerstones of Fassbinder's eternally-enthralling batch of masterpieces. Music by Edgar Froese of Tangerine Dream.

“Essential viewing.” - Time Out Guide

KAMIKAZE '89 (1982, 103 minutes, directed by Wolf Gremm, Germany)Fassbinder's last film performance came in this early cyberpunk-themed film from his close friend Wolf Gremm. Starring many from Fassbinder's repertory of actors, Fassbinder doffs his iconic leopard skin suit as a detective on the trail of a terrorist who threatens to bomb the all-controlling media giant “The Combine.” Fassbinder sweats, smokes and wanders through a lightly-futuristic, neon-soaked 1989, whose general weirdness made the film popular on the midnight movie circuit in the years following its release.

Music by Edgar Frose from Tangerine Dream

Admission is FREE

All Mutable PresentsShimmer (NY/PHL, mem Palberta/Data/Old Maybe/The Cradle/Cloud Becomes Your Hand): https://dropmedium.bandcamp.com/album/shimmer

Pamela_ and her sons: https://cgirecords.bandcamp.com/album/hurt-plaza

EEL TANK: https://soundcloud.com/eeltankk

Sunk Heaven (mem Sediment Club): https://hotreleases.bandcamp.com/album/where-all-sides-collapse

Body Meat: https://bodymeat.bandcamp.com/

Deep Couch: https://soundcloud.com/deepcouch

Admission is $10 

Falsa <-> Ominous Cloud

Sufi ensemble Falsa and audio-visual explorers Erik Ruin's Ominous Cloud Ensemble present a uniquely immersive andtranscendent evening- each giving their own performance, and a special cross-faded collaborative bridge between.

June 19th-- doors at 8 pm, with performance shortly thereafter. 

FALSA--- 14th century Sufi music, described as a "cure for alienation" and one that's "not about means to ends but about meaning and transcendence". The effect of listening to Falsa is to be transported both inwards and across centuries of joys, sorrows and longings.

Umer Piracha on Vocals, accompanied by Siddharth Ashokkumar on Carnatic Violin, Tom Deis and Paul Arendt on Guitars/Harmonium, Adam Hershberger on Trumpet, and Greg Foran on Percussion.https://www.falsamusic.com/

ERIK RUIN'S OMINOUS CLOUD ENSEMBLE--- Erik Ruin's Ominous Cloud Ensemble is an ever-evolving, collectively-improvising large ensemble for projections and music, led by visual artist Erik Ruin, lauded by the New York Times for his "spell-binding cut-paper animations." Erik manipulates intricate paper-cuts and painted films on overhead projectors to create abstract landscapes and fragmentary scenes that are nonetheless charged with meaning, merging with music that ranges from dark atmospherics to ecstatic peaks of dissonance. Members of the ensemble include a rotating cast of Philly's finest musicians, who have collaborated with everyone from the Sun Ra Arkestra, Chris Forsyth, the Body to Bardo Pond. erikruin.info

$5-10 suggested donation, no one turned away for lack of funds.

Poet~tree EnMotion Presents The 2018 Summer Solstice in Celebration of Women! 

Our March Event was postponed due to winter weather conditions so the date of the event is now scheduled for Wednesday, June 20, 7-10pm (Doors @ 7pm)!This ongoing seasonal series features a variety of multi-disciplinary performance, arts & culture presentations… Doors open @ 7pm & performances begins shortly after featuring, a Fierce Female Lead Lineup of Artists ranging from Live Musical Acts to Spoken Word Flowetry to Folkloric Infused Dance Movements. 

A FREE community event … but Donations are Appreciated!

A Live Music, Movement & Dance Celebration in Honor of Her-Story!}

• Angi Vita: Live Painter using the body as a living canvas… angivita.com

• KyoDaiko: Philadelphia-based community Taiko drumming ensemble. kyodaiko.com

• Lydia Swaray: West African Singer/Songwriter using music to express her voice. facebook.com/Lydia-Music-2000455466902518

• Plum Dragoness (a.k.a. Gabrielle de Burke): Resident Performance Artist, Event Organizer & Arts Educator. ThePlumDragoness.com / DragonSpiritArts.com 

• Three Aksha Dance Co.: Preserving & promoting Indian culture & heritage through classical Bharatanatyam dance. threeaksha.org

• Sonni Shine & Guests: percussive riffs, artful melodies & meaningful lyrics create an earthy combination of soul, funk, jazz, and folk. SonniShineMusic.com

PRESS RELEASE for march date below (UPDATED PR COMING):LIVE MUSIC, MOVEMENT AND DANCE CELEBRATION TO HONOR ‘HER-STORY’

Poet-Tree En Motion Hosts Artists’ Showcase at West Philly’s the Rotunda for Women’s History MonthPHILADELPHIA – Women’s History Month in March shines a light on the talents and contributions of women that have been historically overshadowed in our patriarchal society. The Poet-tree En Motion multidisciplinary arts showcase – ongoing seasonally for more than 10 years and supported by the University of Pennsylvania – provides a venue for regional artists to exhibit their work. The annual March installment of the showcase is an opportunity for each featured woman artist to express “her-story.”

Attend the FREE Poet-tree En Motion “In Celebration of Women” event 7-10 p.m. Wednesday, March 21 at The Rotunda in West Philly to celebrate the spring equinox and women artists! All of the acts come from diverse cultural backgrounds and work in a variety of media and disciplines. 

Be transported to India with a classical dance performance by Three Aksha Dance Company. Feel the rhythms of the Japanese “taiko” drumming ensemble Kyo Daiko. Angi Vita is a live painter who will use the body as a “living canvas.” Singer-songwriter Lydia Swaray will create music influenced by West African folk traditions. Modero Dance Company will perform a fusion of traditional and modern dance disciplines based in Indonesian culture. Sonnie Shine and musical guests will provide an earthy combination of soul, funk, jazz and folk. And Poet-tree En Motion’s founder and artistic director Gabrielle de Burke, who goes by the stage name Plum Dragoness, will perform a unique presentation of spoken-word “flowetry” and movement arts.

There is always an open mic and open stage portion to the Poet-tree En Motion events. Everyone is welcome to sign up and perform at the “In Celebration of Women” event regardless of one’s gender identity. All types of performance arts are also welcome.

“I’m trying to do something different that’s not just an open-mic night,” de Burke says. “I like when there’s a range of performances at the events, not just someone playing with a guitar – but that’s cool too. I want there to be more than people just people doing poetry. One lady comes and does a puppet show.

“The whole thing is a ritual: the coming together of the performers and the audience. I am down with everyone coming together and participating the way they feel. Throughout all of the events, there is an engagement in the community.”

Poet-tree En Motion’s “In Celebration of Women” showcase is scheduled for 7-10 p.m. Wednesday, March 21 at The Rotunda, located at 4014 Walnut St. in West Philadelphia. Please note the change that doors open at 7 p.m. now and performances begin shortly after. Admission is free. Suggested donation is $5-$20. Sign up at 7 p.m. for a spot on the open mic.

The next Poet-tree En Motion event is scheduled for June 20 and will feature multidisciplinary artists celebrating the summer solstice.

For information about Poet-tree En Motion, email de Burke at plumdragoness@gmail.com and visit Poet~Tree enMotion. For information about The Rotunda, log on to www.TheRotunda.org.

ABOUT POET-TREE EN MOTION: Poet-tree En Motion works to inspire both artist and audience to connect and work together toward cultivating the arts community in Philadelphia, welcoming artists of all kinds to experience performances local to the neighborhood, and offering the opportunity at each show for community participation to sign up in the all-genre open mike/stage and jam session component of the events.

ARTIST BIOS:

ANGI VITA: Angi Vita, a graduate of Richard Stockton University, has a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary fine arts. Her degree and life experiences are utilized to connect to viewers through various avenues of art such as oil painting, body painting, sculpture, dance, mixed media and performance art. She has been active in the artistic community for more than 10 years. She is inspired by various cultures and mentalities that fuel her desire to reach a wider audience for the purpose of human growth. angivita.com

LYDIA SWARAY: Lydia Swaray is a singer-songwriter who was born in Liberia in West Africa. Her influences derive from old folk and her grandfather. Her unique instrumental of guitar and expressive voice brings a sense of calm to her audience. She wishes to help people through music therapy. facebook.com/Lydia-Music-2000455466902518 

MODERO: Modero started in Philadelphia with only four dancers, including Sinta, Amelia Laytham, Whitney Postman and Katherine Antarikso. Modero performed in many different community gatherings, Philadelphia events, Andrea Clearfield’s legendary salon, Laura Cohn’s From Bali to Bala Annual Gift Show and a few local Latin showcases. Modero has grown over the years and now consists of 20 dancers as young as 4 years old and as old as 67 years young. Modero is recognized as the Indonesian cultural torchbearer in the City of Brotherly Love, and the dancers have performed in many prestigious events such as the World Festival of Families during the Papal Visit in September 2015, Philadelphia Phillies games in 2015 and 2016, a Ted@UPS Talk on Sept. 15, 2016 in Atlanta, Ga. (SCAD SHOW) and more. With high demands in bringing more quality event planning and entertainment to the Indonesian community, Modero has grown and provides a broader service to the community. With many years of event planning under her belt from weddings, community events with as many as 1,500 people in attendance, Sinta is now joined by DJ Storms and DJ RAH on Modero’s entertainment division. These services are available for the community as well as private events. moderocompany.com

KYO DAIKO: Kyo Daiko is a Philadelphia-based community “taiko” drumming ensemble. All members are volunteers who perform for love of the art and the energy that the great drums bring to them. Kyo Daiko performs regularly at a wide range of venues: from school and community events, to Phillies baseball games, Japanese festivals (including Washington D.C.’s National Cherry Blossom Festival), to more unusual settings such as roller derbies and museums. In 2013, Kyo Daiko was showcased during the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA) in a commissioned piece with Kaoru Watanabe, performed both at the Settlement Music School and at Shofuso Japanese House and Garden.  The group was founded in 2005 and originally led by Kristopher Rudzinski, who studied and performed with Marco Lienhard’s group Taikoza in New York. The group’s membership comes from a wide variety of backgrounds, and continues to grow with new students and continuing players. Members attend regular classes throughout the year and participate in workshops with master teachers from around the world. Kyodaiko.com

PLUM DRAGONESS: Native to West Philadelphia, Plum Dragoness (a.k.a. Gabrielle de Burke) is a multi-talented thespian, dancer, martial artist, instructor, poetess and writer who has been involved with performing arts since childhood. She is known for her poetic style, vocal performance, fire dance, flow arts, and choreographic flair throughout Philadelphia and abroad.  Over the past 15 years, she has toured as a solo artist, founding member/core performer/assistant artistic director of Archedream for HumanKind among many others. She has independently released two albums of original work with the project Plum Dragoness & the Elements, known for its fusion of multimedia, live world-beat musical infusions, spoken-word vocals and lyrical poetry. She has also helped bring together the all-female performance group trio The Femme-Mynistiques, who released their debut EP “Here She Comes…” in the summer of 2016.  Since 2007, Plum Dragoness has been a resident performance artist, as well as host and organizer for the successful performing arts series Poet-tree En Motion. This has allowed her the opportunity to share her own creative performances (including collaborative projects she initiated) and work created by many unique artists within the West Philadelphia community and beyond. Her work as a healing arts practitioner and instructor continues to intersect with her work as an interdisciplinary performance artist through the incorporation of internal and martial arts forms in combination with dance, poetry and theater presentation. She has been teaching in the Philadelphia area and abroad since 2000. ThePlumDragoness.com, facebook.com/4plumdragoness , soundcloud.com/plumdragoness, cdbaby.com/Artist/PlumDragonessandtheElements, tunecore.com/music/plumdragoness 

SONNI SHINE AND GUESTS: Sonni weaves together percussive guitar riffs, artful melodies and meaningful lyrics to create an earthy combination of soul, funk, jazz and folk. Her music has drawn comparisons to Amy Winehouse, Hiatus Kaiyote, Erykah Badu, Ani Difranco and Norah Jones. Sonni has been performing in the tri-state area for more than 10 years as a vocalist and guitarist, and is proud to call West Philadelphia her home. 

After attending Drexel University to study the music industry, Sonni transferred to Temple University in 2010 where her band, The Underwater Sounds, became one of the first artists to join with the university's record label Bell Tower Records. During their time together, The Underwater Sounds recorded four studios albums and played more than 600 shows throughout the northeast United States. In 2014 The Underwater Sounds won PHL Live’s Best World Music award, and the band has shared the stage with such prestigious acts as Snarky Puppy, The Easy Star All Stars, The English Beat, John Brown's Body, and Groundation. A producer and songwriter at heart, she collaborates frequently with different musicians. She has written music for Kuf Knotz, goldenspiral, C-rayz Walz, Money Fame and Love, Impressionist, and Predator Dub Assassins. Her compositions have been featured on WKDU, WXPN, WMMR and Radio 104.5. 

As a yoga teacher, Sonni firmly believes in the healing power of music and sound and is enthusiastic about eventually incorporating elements of Nada Yoga into her classes. The act of performing a song and becoming like "one vibration" with her audience members is a feeling she lives for and believes is profoundly sacred.  SonniShineMusic.com

THREE AKSHA DANCE COMPANY: Three Aksha was founded in Philadelphia in 2003 by Artistic Director Viji Rao and is based at Girard College, where she has been an artist-in-residence since 2008. Three Aksha seeks to preserve and promote Indian culture and heritage through classical Indian Bharatanatyam dance choreography in the Philadelphia area and in other ethnically diverse regions of the world. Three Aksha has performed in major cities across the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and India.

Three Aksha has been recognized for its development of new choreography within the realm of classical Indian tradition, and for its work in the Kalakshetra style of Bharatanatyam, which is renowned for its focus on the body. The company’s dancers have trained in Kalakshetra Bharatanatyam under Viji for a minimum of six years, and have also studied under teachers in India.

In addition to its active performance and touring schedule, Three Aksha shares its expertise in Indian dance in workshops and lecture-demonstrations throughout the Delaware Valley. As a complement to the socially conscious themes that frequently play into the company’s performance work, Three Aksha engages with social issues by working with youth and with fundraising programs.

Many of Three Aksha’s students have pursued Bharatanatyam to its fullest, completing arangetrams (debut performances) and receiving support for apprenticeships from the Philadelphia and New Jersey Councils on the Arts. www.threeaksha.org

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MEDIA CONTACTS:

Gabrielle de Burke (artist Plum Dragoness), Founder/Event Organizer Poet-tree En Motion, 484-557-9605, plumdragoness@gmail.com

FOR EVENT LISTINGS:Poet-tree En Motion Presents “In Celebration of Women” Arts Showcase 7-10 p.m. Wednesday, March 21 at The Rotunda, located at 4014 Walnut St. in West Philadelphia. Doors open at 7 p.m. and performances begin shortly after. The free community arts event will feature spoken-word poetry, dance and movement arts, drumming, live music, body painting, an open mic and more. For information, email plumdragoness@gmail.com. 

This is A FREE community event … but Donations are Appreciated!

MY LIFE IN 19inches is Craig Liggeons' hit One-Man show about one man's love of Television. Spanning 45 years in the life of a TV addict, the show begins on a Saturday morning in 1973 and travels through the 80's, 90's, and right up to today. The entire performance takes place in a childs bedroom and will take you back to a time when the only day you could watch your favorite cartoons was on Saturday morning. It will also take you back to a time when the N-word was commonly used on network sitcoms with no disclaimers beforehand. In the days before cable, relive the agony of trying to watch the 1980 World Series on a black & white TV while adjusting the antenna to get a clear picture. Do you remember what show you were watching in 1994 when it was interrupted by the OJ Simpson white bronco chase? Once upon a time Craig thought he had to quit his job in order to have his own TV show, but thanks to the popularity of Reality TV, a person can keep their job (Parking meter attendant, Pawn shop owner, etc.) and STILL have their own TV show! There will also be a musical tribute to MTV featuring music videos back when MTV played music videos. This show is not only about how much TV has changed, but how we've changed the way we look at TV, and more importantly, how TV has changed the way we look at each other.

Tickets: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3466801

MOVED INDOORS TO THE ROTUNDA! Standing room only! 

The 40th Street Summer presents Thee Phantom & the Illharmonic Orchestra with openers Tyva Kyzy

Thee Phantom & the Illharmonic Orchestra blend hip-hop, dance, and live orchestration to create a unique experience. They’ve performed at the Kimmel Center, Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and even at President Obama’s final holiday party. Thee Phantom, born Jeffrey McNeill, wrote his first rhyme at the age of 8 and made his first beat by mixing the instrumentals from the Beastie Boys’ Paul Revere with Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony at age 12. In 2002, Phantom became the first Hip-Hop artist to perform at Philadelphia’s prestigious Kimmel Center with musical accompaniment from members of the world-renowned Philadelphia Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. Phantom has since formed his own ensemble, dubbed The Illharmonic Orchestra, and has toured the United States and Japan. The group has also released two albums: Hero Complex in 2006 andMaking Of An Underdog in 2009. Phantom’s third album Maniac Maestro is slated for release in 2018. Click here to RSVP!  Hear Thee Phantom & the Illharmonic Orchestra on Soundcloud.

 Opening the show will be Tyva Kyzy  (“Daughters of Tuva”), the first and only women’s group in Tuva that performs all styles of Tuvan throat-singing. This form of multiple tones harmonic singing has been practiced mostly by men and prohibited for women. Tyva Kyzy dares to perform publicly this ancient art of singing in their own unique “feminine” style. Hear Tyva Kyzy on Youtube.

At the June Summer Series staff from the University City Arts League will be making Hip Hop themed bling! Come make your own boombox pendant, or get creative with the help of our artists.

About the 40th Street Summer SeriesThe 2018 40th Street Summer Series—co-produced by University City District, Penn, and The Rotunda—will take place this year on Saturdays May 19, June 23, July 14, August 18 and September 15 at the green space behind the Walnut Street Library at 40th and Walnut. Activities, free giveaways, and performances begin at 6 pm. If it's raining, the Summer Series will move indoors to the back room at The Rotunda at 4014 Walnut Street.

The Summer Series has grown into one of the most popular outdoor summer events in University City. This free outdoor series features internationally-recognized talent in one of “West Philly’s picturesque open green spaces” (Philadelphia Weekly). In the past, the Summer Series has featured internationally-acclaimed acts such as the Millennial Territory Orchestra, Man Man, and the Sun Ra Arkestra, playing free outdoor concerts that capture the soul of the neighborhood. 

This is the 14th year for the 40th Street Summer Series, produced by  the University of Pennsylvania, The Rotunda, and University City District. 

Stop by beginning at 6 pm for interactive activities with the University City Arts League and free scoops of ice cream from Ben & Jerry's. The University City Arts League will pop-up in the park to make elegant paper roses with a special musical theme. Join artist Rob Seitz for a fun for all ages activity.

Admission is always FREE

MOVED INDOORS TO THE ROTUNDA! Standing room only! 

For mature audiences only

Mississippi Smiles displays abuse, incarceration and mental health awareness. It also educates, creates dialogue and promotes the onset of healing. 

“The real you hides behind the mask”

This Performance will be held at The Rotunda, the last weekend in June 2018:

June 29 7:30pm-10:00pmJune 30 7:30pm-10:00pmJuly 1st 3:30pm-6:00pm

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/mississippi-smiles-15500136730

For mature audiences only

Mississippi Smiles displays abuse, incarceration and mental health awareness. It also educates, creates dialogue and promotes the onset of healing. 

“The real you hides behind the mask”

This Performance will be held at The Rotunda, the last weekend in June 2018:

June 29 7:30pm-10:00pmJune 30 7:30pm-10:00pmJuly 1st 3:30pm-6:00pm

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/mississippi-smiles-15500136730