Universal Grooves on the Surf Coast-Hot Club Swing 27 July 2013

Enjoy these photos of the great night we had with Hot Club Swing at Universal Grooves. Many thanks to Surf Coast Arts Inc. Regional Arts Victoria and also to the UGrooves committee. We wouldn't have these great nights without your generous support. Wild Side Pics www.philhinesphotography.com.au

Local songstress Jen Nicholls, started the night off

During the day we had a singing workshop with Jen Nicholls and got to perform "RAGGMOPP" Go Jen, do more singing workshops, we loved it!!

And the band that pumped out a continuous non stop beautiful array of songs from the Swing era.

“Hot Club Swing capture a warm, swinging all-string sound taking audience hearts and imaginations captive….the band’s intuitive and empathic interplay is a feature of their live set.” The Age.
The quintet features: Ben Calderazzo (leader/guitar); Phil Smurthwaite (violin); Rob Gador (double bass); Jeremy Bourke (rhythm guitar), and Nadine Joy (vocals) and is inspired by the original masters, Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli with influences from more modern groups such as Latcho Drom & Bireli Lagrene.

No gender distinctions in this dance

Out international swing dancers, Lotte and Matthew Riddle took us for a Swing basics dance workshop at the Wild Moves Camp and had us dancing relentlessly dancing all night. Their passion for this dance style is unmatched!!

Ekow Crentsil "Funny Boy" was of course in on the action

and so was everyone else. Duets by Sabiena von Es and Greame Perry

Always room for individual Boogie Woogie

And all in together

To top it all off, the band was totally impressed with our groovy crowd. Go Universal Grooves on the Surf Coast. Forget dancing in your own lounge room. Get to a UGrooves World Music and Dance concert. Next one November 16th with Asanti Dance Theatre from Ghana

Lotte and Matthew Riddle will teach you some smooth moves on the night to get you up and Swing dancing.
Or come to their dance workshop during the day 11.30am and 2.45pm @ Ocean Country Park 100 Duffields Rd, corner of Fernbach's Drive, Torquay.
Contact Jacqui to book: 0409 025 062

An opportunity to sing with Jen Nicholls on the night if you come to her singing workshop during the day at 4pm. @ Ocean Country Park 100 Duffields Rd, corner of Fernbach's Drive, Torquay. Contact Jacqui to book: 0409 025 062

This was our second Universal Grooves interactive performance for the year. The idea is to provide our community with World Music and Dance experiences where professional artists can teach simple songs, chants, rhythms and moves to the audience for the pleasure of engaging with them in performance. Or the audience can choose to simply relax and observe and be entertained  in a lounge room concert performance. It is an insight into the stories that artists share about their creative journey.

There is always a supporting local Surf Coast artist who will perform first and they usually would share a similar instrument or genre to the guest artist. 
Our guest artists may also run workshops in conjunction with Wild Moves or Singing for Fun.

Refreshments are available in a relaxed atmosphere. Lots of parking. Easy access into the hall.

Many thanks to the Surf Coast Shire's Community Grant 2010, for helping to get the event up and running. Since then we have also gained community grants for the ambient lighting in the Bellbrae hall, sound curtains and a Universal Grooves banner. Major thanks to Surf Coast Arts Inc and  Regional Arts Victoria, without their generous support our concerts would never get of the ground!! Thanks to all our volunteers from Wild Moves for helping to form the Grooves Committee and organising these fun-filled events where you can sing, play and dance alongside professional performers. 

Here is what a few people have said about Universal Grooves on the Surf Coast

Michele Barnes from Singing for Fun about  

Valanga and Andrea Khoza

What a fantastic night this was. Firstly the opportunity to be up close and personal with such inspirational performers, and to experience their amazing harmonies and rhythms together. Then to be guided to join the music with my very well spent $5 hired drum, so that I could be part of the sound, was amazing. It was great too, to see others invited on stage to play guitars and other instruments. Both Valanga and Andrea showed such warmth and support for this interactive experience. Clearly they both have wonderful skills and a belief in music as a shared experience for all. Thanks to Universal grooves for bringing this rich interactive cultural experience to all of us on the Surf Coast. 

Sabiena Van Es from Wild Moves about  

Asanti dance theatre

I just loved dancing with these guys. They brought their whole family and their kids couldn't keep off the stage. It encourages other children to join in as well. Full on high energy traditional African dance and acrobatics that you just have to hold your breath. Joining in with the drums was easy, we just had to follow Appiah who helped us to hold a rhythm. As a dancer with Wild Moves we could get up and show the Africans what we do with African dance on the Surf Coast. Great night, hope there is going to be more.

...And more there shall be ....

"Moonah" Sentinels of the Surf Coast_Torquay Festival 2 December, 2012

Moonahrinas, Angela, Kellie, Jacqui, Fran, Rumi, Hailey, Erica, Mokielie and Sophia are the Guardians of the Surf Coast that look after and protect the Moonah trees.

The Moonah Regeneration spirits call and come out to dance with the Moonahrinas

Moonah spirits are always taking care and protecting the Moonah tree and the environment. You cant see them but they are busy every night making sure the tree's branches are flexible enough to withstand the environmental elements of the Surf Coast...including tourism!!

Every Full Moon you may be able to see them come out and dance in the place where the water meets the land. They are elemental sprites with pointy fingers, toes, noses, chins and hair that grows into small Moonah branches. This is for camouflage so that no one can see and disturb them while they are busy doing their important regenerative work in Mother Nature's Circle of Life

Students from Bellbrae PS, Torquay College, St Therese PS and Montessori Kinder wrote messages of Peace on our Moonah Tree of Life. After the Festival the Moonah Tree of Life toured the Surf Coast schools and even made it into the Geelong Pako Fest Parade

Moonah Mothers, Chele Buggy and Jacqui Fenwick are the Guardians of reproduction and look after every leaf as it unfolds and grows. They work hand in hand with Mother Earth, who constantly rebirths herself in all living things.

Rhythm Keepers:  Bruce Bateman, Allen Reeves and Rob Godden

Moonahrinas: Rumi, Sophia, Fran, Hailey, Erica

Demir Aliu, grounding the Moonah's dance to the earth with the sound of the Daf drum

Our beloved Moonah tree that twists and bends, slowly over time, being shaped by the elements and forces of wind, heat, rain and drought on the Surf Coast. Still great to sit and climb in so don't cut them down

Jacqui, Chele, Glenda and Kellie making their Moonah costumes out of recycled clothes and materials

Inspiration for the musical soundscape came from our Surf Coast legendary ambient rock band, Moonah. Their music weaves in all the elements of our beloved sense of place

Kellie Whiskin guided us along in our sewing of our Moonah costume with Liz Hines, Jacqui Fenwick and Emma French

We tested out our Moonah costumes at Wild Moves studios to make sure our chosen colours of the tree and sea captured the air and wind as we danced, giving length to the movement as we whirled in the blustering breath of the sea air. This is Jacqui Dreessens, choreographer for Wild Moves reaching to link to the next branch to represent strength and solidarity in our Torquay community

An abstract Moonah tree was designed by Kellie Whisken and made by her partner, Samuel Zsombok to represent the twisted but resilient branches

Wild Moves Moonah Sentinels of the Surf Coast

Looking towards Point Danger we all witnessed the explosive fireworks at the end of the performance above our beautiful Moonah trees that we love sitting under when it is freezing cold or stinking hot

Moonah Mothers - Chele is about to give birth and Jacqui has since given birth to a beautiful boy, Pheonix. Dance plays a part of every stage in the life of a Wildmover

More Moonah Mothers: Chele, Kellie, Jacqui Fenwick and Fran

Jacqui leading the drumming as we took Moonah Sentinels of the Surf Coast, to the Geelong Pako Fest. We managed to get on Channel 7 News for our one section of fame. One person asked me what nationality we were?

We took all the messages of the primary schools to Pako and Moonah Mother, Jacqui and her boys, Angus, Paddy and newly born Phoenix

Moonahrina Fairy, Fee Crawford checking that Moonah Mother and her clan were safe on the Fagg Bros truck.

Rhythm keeper, Allen Reeves made sure we kept timing in the parade

Thanks Rob Godden for organising Wild Moves truck with Keith Fagg, our Mayor of Geelong

The real Moonah Tree of Life. Our Sentinel of the Surf Coast

Wild Moves under our beloved Moonah Trees where we hold our Full Moon drum and dance circle each month at Cosy Corner. Many thanks to our photographers, Cormak, Dipika, Lyndy, Rob and Jacqui

The following article was written for the GAIA Gazette (Goddess Association in Australia)http://www.goddessassociation.com.au/

 

Wild Moves International
Rooted to the Earth and connected to the Universe…

Director: Jacqui Esi Tweba Dreessens
Mobile: +61 4 09025062
Email: jacqui@wildmoves.com
Web site: www.wildmoves.com
http://www.wildmovesevents.blogspot.com/

 

 

Wild Moves classes for 2013

CENTRE FOR WILD MOVES

If you can ride the swell, you can jump on the beat!!

100 Fernbach's Drive at Ocean Country Park, Ocean Views in Torquay
(off Duffield's Rd and inbetween Jan Juc, Torquay and Bellbrae

4.00 - 5.00pm DRESS-UPS and RHYTHM GAMES using percussion

For the creative child within, 5 – 8 years plus one parent (if you would like to join in). Dance with lots of props, instruments, songs and creative movement experiences through story telling and poetry. This is a meeting place for friends where the drums and your body do the talking!!

5.00pm - 6.00pm CREATIVE DANCE, DRAMA and DRUMMING

Geared towards upper primary kidz, who like to play fast and furious, with a wild sense of abandon grounded in disciplined techniques of hand and stick drumming with body awareness. 8-12 years or Grades 4 - 6. Music and drama games are included for memory building and performance confidence. Creative movement and gestural language are explored through traditional African  and popular dance. Drums provided.

6.00 - 7.00pm AFRCIAN STICK and DJEMBE DRUMMING

Traditional drumming from across the African Diaspora focused on developing skill and techniques for hand drumming on djembe and kpanlogos. Stix drumming from the Ewe, Ashanti, Fanti, Degarti, Ga-Agdame people of Ghana will focus on drumming as an ensemble. Learn how the drum patterns lead the dancer to tell the story. Beginners to advanced welcome. Drummers are invited to stay and practice your drumming skills for the dance class.

7.00 - 8.00pm Stylin' Afrique popular and traditional DANCE for all ages

An open class in the many styles of African dance, ranging from Hip Life, Hip Hop, Dancehall, Brakka, Timbalada, Soukous, Jazz Ballet, Afro-Contemporary and traditional dances from across the African continent. A strong emphasis is placed on body alignment and polyrhythmic body isolations grounded in the pelvis. Ballet barre is included for flexibility and length of movement with the contraction and release of energy within the torso.
 Get connected to your power centre

Teachers: Jacqui Dreessens, accompanied with live percussion, Wild Moves or guest African tutors 

Investment
$120 children full term only
$140 adult classes for the full term or $250 for both drum and dance
$145 block of 10 casual classes
$15 casual class or $25 for casual drum and dance

Wild Moves International
Rooted to the Earth and connected to the Universe…

Director: Jacqui Esi Tweba Dreessens
Mobile: +61 4 09025062
Email: jacqui@wildmoves.com
Web site: www.wildmoves.com
http://www.wildmovesevents.blogspot.com/