Merigar 30

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

The Big Night

The big night arrived, ours was the third concert of the festival and while I didn't get any photos I have borrowed these wonderful shots by Paolo Fassoli of just some of the performers in our concert.

Adriano Clemente

Jasna Jovicevic

Harvey Kaiser and Rita Rae

Mark Eagleton

Livio Brasi

Alex Pollack, Nelida Saporiti, Alex and Valery Tolstov

The Merigar Singers : Christiana De Falco, Naomi Zeitz, Kathy O'Connor, Gabriela Arnon, Alma Rechou, Anna Bartenstein, Laurie Marder, Nelida Saporiti, Rafael, Rita Kaiser, Jan Cornall, Jose Andres with Harvey Kaiser conducting.

Mother and daughter Gabriela and Alma

Rafael

Yours truly - Jan Cornall

Jan Blumenroth (Berlin) with his punk song - Happy Birthday Merigar

Jaka and his Fire band play on into the morning

Monday, August 8, 2011

The Gift of Creativity

After presenting all the gars and lings with a commemorative gift Rinpoche announced he had a gift for every person present. We all lined up to receive a signed card in Rinpoches hand writing saying . "Thank you for your presence here!"

No it's not the annual Dzogchen ball... only the Russian and German dancers lining up..

The gorgeous Nelida (Argentina) looking on.

My family - Steph and Miro with their gift.

Elly and Asher (my godson) with theirs.

The final show begins. First a song from Tibet (which my camera missed) and a dance from China (Hung).

The Venezualan dancers hit the floor

Israeli dancers...

The extraordinary Russian dance of the birch tree.

the Lindy Hop swing dance..

Gabriela and I caught Sebastian's Lindy Hop sailor hat.

The incredible Spanish troupe!

Another dance group from Eastern Europe

All the dancers (more than I captured here) came back on and joined the Spanish dancers swaying gently before Rinpoche to the sound of waves breaking on a shore.

Rinpoche watched enthralled and intrigued. He thanked everyone for coming so far and working so hard to make such a great festival.

Then it was time to adjourn to the Yellow House for anniversary supper and party!

Gabriela, Livio and Franco set the beat..

Rita Rae shows her stuff..

Harvey Kaiser blows that horn..

And doo-wahs still rule ok!

Bloggers Note:
I was unable to photograph the three concerts on camera but you can see some You Tube clips on the channel of tranzidanz:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkKQVPlEv3E&feature=related
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk2RJX0kCb0&feature=related
as well as fantastic photos by Paulo Fassoli on the Trentennale Merigar Facebook page.
A DVD is being produced of the whole event.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Singing The Vajra Dance

Each afternoon we would go down to the Vajra Hall to practice singing and playing the Song Of The Vajra as a live accompaniment to the dancers.

Singers and dancers arriving...

Musicians Pancho and Valerie setting up. We also had Alex on guitar, Harvey, saxaphone and Rita on finger cymbals with more singers and musicians joining us as the days went on.

Prima Mai, Adriana, Stoffelina, and others warming up.

Singers Naomi (USA) and Rita(USA) in fine voice.

Let the dance begin...

On the last day of the festival we arrive to practice in the Gonpa. Constantino joins us on sitar, Franco on drum and Rita has upgraded to triangle.
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Nelida (Argentina, in the doorway) will join us along with Elvira and Kathy and many more.

Des looking suave in his V dance costume..

Stoffelina hydrating...

Singers, musicians, dancers - ready. Rinpoche watches on (far left)

The Path of Equilibrium

On the Saturday and Sunday mornings of the festival friendship meetings were held in three villages, Arcidosso, Castel Del Piano and Santa Fiora. I spoke about storytelling at the first Santa Fiora meeting alongside with journalist Raimondo Bultrini(Italy), Biodynamic farmer,Enrico Brusa (Italy), Novelist, Des Barry (UK), Wildlife director, Niso Cini (Italy) and archeologist, Michele Nusccioti (Italy).