Idyllwild, CA. Tucked away in one of the most beautiful and pristine areas of California, the town of Idyllwild is located in an area that was once simply called, “Strawberry Valley” for the abundance of wild strawberries which border the natural creeks in the area. Lily Rock, the distinctive granite monolith that looms above the quaint, still unincorporated village has long attracted climbers, hikers and naturalists alike. Many a climbers have trained on this rock in preparation to ascend some of Yosemite’s most difficult climbs. But this is not Idyllwild’s only claim to fame. Since the 60’s and 70’s Idyllwild has attracted some of the world’s most talented artists and musicians and has been home to one of the world’s only dedicated music and arts programs for secondary education. This August, Idylwild contiunes its rich tradition of artistic excellence by playing host to the 2nd biennial Tribal Rendezvous Festival.
The festival will feature three days of workshops, vending (shopping), and shows commencing on Friday August 20th at 7pm with a “teaser” at local restaurant and social club Café Aroma. On Saturday, Mardi Love, assistant director and cheoreographer of The Indigo Dance Company in San Francisco, Myra Krien, founder of Mosaic Dance Company/Pomegranite Studios in Santa Fe, NM and Sabrina Fox, founder and director of Atash Maya Dance Company in San Diego will pool their talents, expertise and distictive styles to offer two full days of instruction and entertainment at The Rainbow Inn.
“Each of these women has had a unique and lasting influence on the world of modern belldance,” notes Rachael Gollub, event producer. “They are in a class of their own and are some of the most sought after talent in the world.”
Mardi Love is assistant director, choreographer, and part time costumier for the internationally-renowned dance company, The Indigo. Brought up in the dance world by Heather Stants, who participated in the Tribal Rendezvous Festival in 2008, Mardi danced with Urban Tribal Dance Company for several years before she went on to tour with the Belly Dance Superstars. Currently, she dances with The Indigo who tours the world-over to entertain and offer workshops.
Myra Krien, a dancer almost as soon as she could walk, is the granddaughter of legendary Zen philospher, Alan Watts. She is known for her elegant and graceful presence as well as her stylistic versatility, from traditional Egyptian to classical tribal and contemporary fusion forms, with a strong emphasis on Flamenco and East Indian dance. A highly sought after workshop instructor and choreographer, her workshops are often described as “profound and inspirational”.
Sabrina fox, daughter to Paris-born mother and Moroccan father who were both dancers with the Parisian cabaret, “Lido”, is, naturally, a lifelong dancer. She is the founder and director of the San Diego based Tribal Fusion Dance Troupe, Atash Maya Dance Company. She currently tours internationally with the Bellydance Superstars performing and teaching workshops in Europe, Asia and many other locations worldwide.
The Saturday evening Tribal Rendezvous Gala Show and Soiree will feature performances with the festival’s headliners as well as guest dancers Heather S
hoopman, Clamity Sam (from Los Angeles) Edenia (Inland Empire) and guest Musicians Jeremiah Soto (Sacramento) and Danny “Slapjazz” Barber (San Diego) . The show begins at 7:30pm and is open to the public with general admission tickets available for $30, which includes a cocktail buffet of middle eastern foods.
All proceeds from the festival will be leveraged to build a scholarship fund for young Idyllwild women, aged 15-18 to study American Tribal Style bellydance. The program, called SEEDs (Self-esteem, Empowerment and Education through Dance), was originally created by dancer/teacher Myra Krien to help young women “blossom” through their adolescent years. In it’s 9th year, the program has been such a success that in 2007 Krien decided to take the program national.
The mission of SEEDs is to mentor young women to become healthy, strong individuals who are socially and fiscally responsible to themselves and their community. In addition to teaching the girls Tribal Style Belly Dance, the program incorporates talking circles, journaling and presentations by diverse professionals who discuss their work and how they have become what they are. The girls are asked to think and talk about their fears and commitments, and taught how to set and accomplish their goals. This dance program has been a lifesaver for the many teens who have participated and parents see how highly evolved these young women become as a result of their participation in the program.
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Tucked away in one of the most beautiful and pristine areas of California, the town of Idyllwild is located in an area that was once simply called, “Strawberry Valley” for the abundance of wild strawberries which border the natural creeks in the area. Lily Rock, the distinctive granite monolith that looms above the quaint, still unincorporated village has long attracted climbers, hikers and naturalists alike. Many a climbers have trained on this rock in preparation to ascend some of Yosemite’s most difficult climbs.
