1PM – PARADE START- RIVER SPIRITS INITIATION – @ Irish Hunger Memorial in Battery Park City Park @ Vesey Street
STEWARDS OF THE RIVER CEREMONY
Hudson River Park Trust, Friends of Hudson River Park, The River Project, Lower East Side Ecology Center, LILAC Preservation Project, Riverkeeper, Solar One, Clearwater, and Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance
HONORING OF THE LENAPE INDIANS :
“RIVER ARIA” by Joule L’ Adara
BIO: Joule L’adara is an Experimental Vocalist, whose music strives to bridge the gap between cutting-edge avant-garde arts practices and heart-based healing modalities. She is the host of “Sounding Circles Radio” on the Contact Talk Radio Network- a platform for sharing conscious sound. Joule has performed in Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Opera and RedCat at Walt Disney Hall, Los Angeles.
http://www.myspace.com/jouleladara
BIO: The Silver Cloud Singers are an inter-tribal Native American singing & dance troupe weaving the traditional with the contemporary of Native song & dance. Silver Cloud has been honored to perform at the commemoration ceremonies for the Year of the Indigenous People’s at the United Nations, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, The Public Theater, The Apollo, Roseland, the Theater at Madison Square Garden, Trinity Church, The American Museum of Natural History, The Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and the American Indian College Fund Flame of Hope Gala. Silver Cloud was also proud to open for Midnight Oil and Joan Osborne at the Ritz as part of Earth Day celebrations held in Los Angeles and New York City in March 1993. http://www.silvercloudsingers.com/
1:30 PM – HUDSON RIVER POEM & MOVEMENT OF THE ESTUARY – @Rockefeller Park in Battery Park City Park at Murray Street (in front of The Poets House)
Return of The Sun: “Neptune’s Daughters” “A Shikse a Sheigetz a Tallis and a Dreidel” Artistic Director/Choreography: Rina Rinkewich Music by: Robert Cornwell and Rafael Frank
“Waltz in G” Choreography by: Meghan Frank and Rachel Frank Music by: Rafael Frank and Marjan Helms
“Dance of the Dandelions” Choreography by Rina Rinkewich in collaboration with the dancers Music by: Robert Cornwell and Rafael Frank Dancers: Marie Carstens, Meghan Frank, Rachel Frank, Gina Healy, Jessica Rogers, Rosita Roldan. Musicians: Michael Frank ( Guitar), Rafael Frank(Violin)
Special thank you to Warren Spielberg, Producer, for his support and the title.
Return of the Sun is a modern dance company directed by Rina Rinkewich, M.F. A. since 2000.
www.returnofthesun.org
“A Hudson River Poem” A Reading of Poetry Written in the Poets House Children’s Room by Mike Romanos
BIO: Rina Rinkewich, M.F.A. founded the modern dance company Return of the Sun in 2001. In addition to her choreography, Rina leads New Moon Dancing Workshops for women of all ages and levels of experience. These inspiring dance classes promote self-expression and well-being through movement and the arts. www.returnofthesun.org
BIO: Michael Romanos is the Children’s Room Coordinator at Poets House, a 50,000 poetry library and literary center located in Battery Park City. He has an MFA in poetry from Columbia University.www.poetshouse.org.
2:00 PM – HISTORIC STEAMSHIP RIVER SONGS – @ Pier 25 between Franklin & N. Moore Streets on the Lilac Steamship Boat
Historic Steamship River Songs– Church Street School for Music and Art Choir
BIO: Church Street School for Music and Art Choristers, under the direction of Richard Younger, will present songs in celebration of the river. Church Street School art students will also create costumes using sustainable material to enhance the choristers’ performance.
Solar Power Anthem Song: ‘Rising” & “Hummingbird.” by Haale Gafori
BIO: Haale Gafori is a musician and poet and the lead singer of The Mast (TheMastMusic.com). She has toured all over the country and in Europe at various venues, including the Bonnaroo Festival, Carnegie Hall, and Preservation Hall. She released 2 EPs, and a full length album under her name entitled ‘No Ceiling’ which the Boston Globe called ‘one of the year’s most memorable releases.’ With percussionist Matt Kilmer, she launched The Mast in 2010, and the duo released their debut album ‘Wild Poppies’ in 2011. She’s working on more recordings, videos, and songs and currently living in Brooklyn.
http://www.haale.com/bio.htm
2:15 PM – DANCE OF THE RIVER GRASS – @Boardwalk between Laight & Vestry St.
River Grass Dance
Dancer Credits: Simone Coonrod, Liz Donvan, Stephanie Gross, Giovanna Rizzo, Kellie Schweon
Music: Scott O’Toole www.scottotoole.com
Grass Skirts by Artist in Residence: Michele Brody
Grass for Skirts Provided by: www.unionsquaregrassman.com
BIO: Simone uniquely combines athletic training, music education and a natural gift for musical movement to create a studio “where artistry meets fun”. A competitive gymnast throughout university, Simone was voted most valuable team gymnast for her champion status and performance panache. With a BA in Music Education and a Masters in Performance, she is a freelance harpist in the metropolitan area. Simone is one of the pioneers of the resurgence of swing dance in Manhattan in the 90’s and has won numerous competitions. Her mentor has been Frankie Manning, Legendary Lindy Hop Master. Performance groups she has been a member of include The Big Apple Lindy Hoppers, where she was known for her aerials, Hop, Swing & a Jump, and Swing Time. www.swingingwithsimone.com
BIO: Michele Brody Costumes-River Grass Skirts, Elemental Energies, Oyster, Oyster Toadfish, Diamond Back Terrapin, American Eel, Blue Crab, and the Seahorse: Michele Brody, will work with our participants to create a series of river grasses skirts, and living/growing costumes. Her work includes public art, ephemeral installations, and living sculptures, with glass, concrete, steel, copper pipe, fabric, hand-made paper, light, water, and growing plants. Michele has had one-person shows in Germany, Costa Rica, France and New York City. She received grants from the Pollack Krasner Foundation, New York Foundation for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts. In the Spring of 2006 she completed 2 permanent public installations in the Bronx, for the MTA Arts for Transit Program and through the Public Arts for Public Schools Program. She has a BA from Sarah Lawrence College 1989 and an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1994. http://www.michelebrody.com
2:30 PM – TRIBUTARY RIVER DANCE – @ Pier 32 Pile Field (@ Watts St.) in Hudson River Park
“Kathak River Dance” is proudly performed by Ashyka Dave, Shefali Jain and Dien Magno to tell the modern stories of water and politics through the ancient art of Kathak, a classical dance from northern India.
Students and disciples of Kathak master and guru Pt. Chitresh Das.
In their piece “Kaliya Daman,” a serpent demon has taken control and is polluting the river, a natural resource villagers rely. The young boy Krishna, against the pleas of his friends, bravely dives into the river to retrieve a lost wooden ball. A fierce battle ensues with Krishna subduing the serpent who promises to cease polluting the river and lifts the triumphant Krishna out of the water.
BIO: Dien Magno, of NYC, began studying with Pt. Das in 2001 at San Francisco State University. She loves Kathak’s natural merging of seemingly unrelated concepts – like math with emotion and ancient mythology with current events – and is working toward bringing her mentor’s teachings to New York.
“Pranam,” “Guru Sloka” and “Pancha Bhuta”: choreography by Pt. Chitresh Das. “Kaliya Daman”: choreography and music by Pt. Chitresh Das.
For more info visit www.kathak.org and www.chhandika.org.
2:45 PM – WATER DANCE – @ Canal street in Hudson River Park –
Global Water Dance uses participatory art-making to raise consciousness about environmental problems and how to bring people together to work on solving these problems. Using Rudolf Laban’s technique of Movement Choirs (the earliest of flash mobs) choreographers create dances which not only move the participants in unison and individually, but also invite the observers to participate. Visit www.globalwaterdances.org for more information.
BIO: Dr. Martha Eddy, CMA, RSMT uses body consciousness to enter the realm of water protection. She helped to found the worldwide event www.GlobalWaterDances.org that brought 60 countries together in June 2011 (and steadily growing for June 15, 2013). She directs Moving On Center in NYC and teaches somatic (body-mind dancing and awareness) through www.DynamicEmbodiment.org . She leads movement choirs for conferences and events with a focus on the global environmental crises, avidly joining the ‘what the frack?’ movement. She’ll be speaking on the role of dance in water issues at the 92ndStY on May 11th as part of Movement Talks. Keep an eye out for other projects of hers like HydrationDaze on Kickstarter.com She is also well known for her work with cancer recovery – www.MovingforLife.org
3:00 PM – PADDLE BOARD DANCE- @ Southside Pier 40- below Houston Street
Paddle Board Dance: Alice Farley Dance Theater Paddle Boarders: Michael Ingbar, Claudia Patino Tarlow, lilliana Kuhn with paddle boards from New York Kayak Company
BIO: Alice Farley, the Bessie Award winning dancer/costume designer features a choreographed dance of kayaks and paddleboards with giant elemental river puppet-masks. Boat participants include: New York Kayak Company, The New York Harbor School and independent kayakers and paddle boarders.
BIO: Alice Farley Dance Theater creates theatrical productions, dance extended through sculptural costuming, illusion, puppetry, stilts and circus skills. Outdoors they create imaginary landscapes for public spaces, a dream life for architectural and natural environments. They have performed for World Financial Center, The Whitney Museum, The Smithsonian, Lincoln Center, The Henson International Festival of Puppet Theater as well as festivals around the world.www.alicefarleydancetheater.com
3:15 PM – HENRY HUDSON’S SOLAR STEAMBOAT- @ Leroy St. in Hudson River Park- just below Christopher St. on Queen of Hearts Boat
The New York City Street Players Present “Henry Hudson’s Solar Steamboat,” Directed by Drew Vanderburg The NYC Street Players: Joel Esher, Anne Hartung, Annabelle Meunier, Siobhan O’Loughlin, Emily Peterson, Anna Stefanic, Elinor Thompson, Drew Vanderburg
BIO: Drew Vanderburg is a Brooklyn based director, designer, poet, and musician. He makes art that jumps, jives, bumps, breathes, and yells. He reminds you that you are made of love. The New York City Street Players are humans who play in the streets. They stage events throughout the city to challenge society’s relationship to its surroundings, and to point out that the theater is not a place but a voice.
3:30 PM – OYSTER PLANTING CEREMONY & Dance- Pier 45 @ Christopher Street Pier in the Hudson River Park
Dance “Shakti” Performed by Art of Motion Ensemble, www.artofmotion.org
Choreography by Lynn Needle/Costumes: Annie Hickman and Lynn Needle/ Dancers: Austin Jarred, Jessica Lavorgna, Kent Lindemer, Lynn Needle
Recorded Music: Mickey Hart
BIO: Lynn Lesniak Needle, Founder/Artistic Director of Art of Motion is a former Soloist in the Nikolais Dance Theatre. A recipient of the Dance Magazine ACDFA National Award for choreography, Lynn has performed and taught internationally, worked in documentary film and enjoys teaching dance, yoga and collaborating with artists. Her work with dance partner, Kent Lindemer has resulted in a recent sold out evening of modern dance and theatre.
Kent Lindemer, M.F.A. is an Emmy Award winning performer and former principal dancer and collaborative choreographer with Pilobolus Dance Theatre,1989-2000. He founded Integrative Somatics in 2000, providing therapeutic Bodywork, Yoga and Dance training nationally and internationally. His collaborations with Lynn Needle explore the complex worlds of relationship, nature and myth.
Oyster Planting Ceremony with the River Project http://www.riverproject.org/
3:45 – TAMING OF THE TRASH TRICKSTERS & RIVER CLEANSING – @Bow Notch Semi-cricle Bridge at 10th St. in the Hudson River Park
Performers: Kaeshi Chai, Alura Lewis, Crystal Stein, Angie Polanco, Kim Sonsky, Kierra Foster-Ba, Nancy Eder, Debbie Divine, Linda Thitavong, Kelli Anne Hornichek
Bio: P.U.R.E. (Public Urban Ritual Experiment) is an international community of dancers and musicians dedicated to positive change. Co-founded in 2004 by Kaeshi Chai, PURE engages in annual guerilla street performances and a full length dance theater show called PURE Reflections: Beauty Reimagined about body image. pureglobe.org, purenyc.org
4:00 PM – LIVE FISH RELEASE! – Pier 46 @ Charles Street in Hudson River Park –
Sara Peattie & The Puppeteers Cooperative:”The Rights of Spring: The Revolt of the Water Dragons”
Original music by Himalayas.
BIO: The Puppeteers Cooperative specializes in community workshops, giant puppets, pageants, and parades. It includes The Back Alley Puppet Theater, which operates the Puppet Free Library, Puppaganda, which works in toy theater and video, and The Construction Section, which builds puppets and masks. It also runs an informational website about making giant puppets:
http://puppetco-op.org/
Thank you to: The Puffin Foundation, Materials for the Arts, and The Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre.
“Earth Critters” by Linda Richards and Sons from Clearwater Organization
Fish Release with children Mermaid & Seahorses & Fish Queen: Elizabeth Ruff
Judy Sky Song during Fish Release
4:15 PM – River Rap – @Semi-circle bridge/ grass amphitheater @ Bank street in the Hudson River Park
Grumbling Gryphons-Slimy Sludge and the Trash Creatures
BIO: Grumbling Gryphon’s Traveling Children’s Theater, winner of the Connecticut Commission on the Arts Governor’s Arts Award is renowned for interactive environmental theater weaving marvelous masks, music, mythology and extensive audience participation. In Florida, The Grumbling Gryphons were instrumental in helping to get Amendment Three passed, which enforced the banning of net fishing. Other Grumbling Gryphons’ productions focus on multi-cultural awareness. Directed by Leslie Elias www.GrumblingGryphons.org
STEWARDS OF THE RIVER CEREMONY
Hudson River Park Trust, Friends of Hudson River Park, The River Project, Lower East Side Ecology Center, LILAC Preservation Project, Riverkeeper, Solar One, Clearwater, Gaia Institute, and Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance
4:30 PM – BOAT DANCE & HARMONIC CHANT CONCERT- @Horatio street (between Water Playground @Jane St. & Gransevoort St. Pier) in the Hudson River Park
Harmonic Chant Concert: Music by David Hykes, Award-winning composer, and contemplative music andmeditation teacher. Founder, Harmonic Chant and the Harmonic Presence work.
Boat Dance: Alice Farley, the Bessie Award winning dancer/costume designer features a choreographed dance on the river with costumed kayaks and rowboats.
Boat participants include: The Village Community Boathouse, New York Kayak Company, and The New York Harbor School.
Boats Provided by: Urban Divers
Kayaks: Harry Spitz, Margaret Mann, Debra Roth
Rowers: Friends of Sally Curtis
BIO: Alice Farley Dance Theater creates theatrical productions, dance extended through sculptural costuming, illusion, puppetry, stilts and circus skills. Outdoors they create imaginary landscapes for public spaces, a dream life for architectural and natural environments. They have performed for World Financial Center, The Whitney Museum, The Smithsonian, Lincoln Center, The Henson International Festival of Puppet Theater as well as festivals around the world.www.alicefarleydancetheater.com
BIO: Award-winning composer-singer and film composer David Hykes is the founder of Harmonic Chant, a vocal music of the spheres. He has collaborated with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Mind and Life Institute, exploring sacred sound, healing and meditation, and has presented and performed in countries, festivals and spiritual centers all over the world. He founded the Harmonic Choir, the western world’s preeminent overtone ensemble, in NY in 1975 and released 12 albums of music, including the best-selling overtone album of all time, “Hearing Solar Winds.” Esteemed collaborators and long-time Harmonic Choir members Timothy Hill, Seth Markel and Joel Bluestein, and percussionist extraordinaire Evry Mann will all be joining in. For more information, please visit http://www.harmonicpresence.org/
“Song for The Ocean”
BIO: Kristin Hoffmann is a singer/songwriter based in New York City. She grew up studying classical piano, opera, guitar and composition, and attended the Juilliard pre-college program. She is a featured performer at New York’s Caffe Vivaldi, is the singer for Bella Gaia, the Living Atlas multimedia immersive theatre experience, and is working with the dance group PURE, whose powerful piece Beauty Reimagined is set to her music. Kristin is also a musical spokesperson for ocean awareness and conservation, with her “Song for the Ocean,” and has recently released a music video of the song, created with the videographer/environmentalist and founder of Global Classroom, Colin Garland.
PARADE BANDS:
MANHATTAN SAMBA: New York’s longest-running authentic Brazilian samba drum ensemble, directed by Ivo Araujo, a master percussionist who has performed with leading samba schools in Rio de Janeiro, and was founded in 1990 by Ivo and Amy Duncan, jazz pianist, composer and leader of the band Brass Tacks. http://www.manhattansamba.org/
GRUPO KALUNGA NEG MAWON: is a musical dance ensemble that consists of members who have spent most of their lives researching and studying African culture in the Americas. Their aim is to preserve aspects of African tradition and identity existing in Quisqueya- Ayiti, known today as the Dominican Republic and The Republic of Haiti. http://www.myspace.com/grupokalunga