What's Happening at Winter SolstiCelebration
For more entertainer photos, click here to see the media event photos download page.
Music
& Dance
Creating a sacred soundscape that carries the service through its deepest, most intimate moments, is an exceptional ensemble led by flutist Cornell Kinderknecht, with Quinn Eaker on didgeridoo, Craig Shropshire on udu pot drums and Ann Williams on Tibetan crystal bowls.
The evocative “Circle of Love” sung by Charity Lankford is deepened by the fabric dance of Monica Lecrone and Karen MacIntyre.
Combined choir members of Center for Spiritual Living’s Celestial Voices, and Unity Dallas’ Singing Unity, directed by Neil Mowles, move the audience with a truly unique version of “Amazing Grace” and rock the house with “Halleluiah Anyhow.”
Retro jazz singer Steve Leach and the Midlife Chorus present a laugh-out-loud singalong song about the humorous aspects of aging.
Lainey Bernstein enchants with her arranged medley of childhood songs and rhymes done scat-style, with the incomparable jazzy trumpet of Freddie Jones.
A lively, doo-wop acappella version of the rock song “Joy to the World” is brought to life by the Center for Spiritual Living’s Puppet Zone.
A joyous embrace of life is shown in a climax medley of uplifting R&B tunes, energized with soul by vocalists Gary Floyd and Kelly Brown, backed up by a smokin’ R&B band with Julie Bonk on piano and the snappy rhythm section of bassist Buddy Mohmed and drummer to be confirmed.
The high-energy West African sound of Michael Kenny and Drums Not Guns, with enthusiastic African dance by Jackie Murphy and friends, drives the finale as the audience dances through ceremonial gates into a new year.
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Spoken Word
Event creator Amy Martin serves as narrator and emcee for the service.
Twice Upon a Time Storytellers Gene & Peggy Helmick-Richardson bring to life a tale about the search for truth, based on a 1905 Carl Ewald story. .
An essay by writer Amy Martin on the wonder of stars blends with snippets of favorite childhood star songs sung by vocalist Shanti Michelle Webb, all carried aloft by the glissando harp music of Geoffrey Ricketts.
Rev. Petra Weldes of Center for Spiritual Living and trumpeter Freddie Jones are at play together to celebrate the most deeply lighthearted writings of the Persian mystical poet Rumi.
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Ceremony
Feel the power of large Japanese taiko drums by Taikodelic invoking the sacred space, with colorful elemental dance by Sultan’s Dreams.
Get caught up in the enthusiasm of the opening Joy Brigade whose ranks include hula hoopers and ribbon dancers, jugglers and hacksackers, mothers and children, people with puppets, a variety of dancers and a singing unicyclist. Performers include vocalist Lora Cain, yo-yo artist Valerie Oliver, tai chi artist Lane Cawthon and Creative Motion Circus.
Move to your inner groove in embodied conscious movement led by Jule Aguirre, Angie Dutton, Monica Blossom Hochberg and Heather Spiller-Gream, and assisted by Sultan’s Dreams and other dancers.
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Ritual
Participate in a “Community Beyond Time,” led by Rev. Petra Weldes, by speaking the names of and acknowledging those passed on in the prior year.
Three-minutes of silent meditation in “Solstice Passage” is wrapped by sacred music from the Cornell Kinderknecht ensemble and dance from Monica Lecrone.
Be a part of the web in a yarn-based “Weaving Joy & Wonder” ritual led in a most humorous way by Bryan Lankford and the Order of the Inner Circle.
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Yule Fest
The lobby and fellowship hall bubble with energy and activities before and after the Solstice Service. Arriving attendees are greeted by the Cosmic Carolers intoning an eclectic array of songs while brown-robed monks from the Order of St Francis & St Clare accept donations of food and winterwear.
Inside, after being greeted and blessed by the Wonder Women, participants can enjoy the South American-Celtic harp and recorder of Paracelt in the lobby and flute by Standing Bear in the Fellowship Hall. Get your picture taken with Father Winter (Ed Townley); photography by Jennifer Walz. Find a world of peace in the Peace Zone.
Interact with roving characters including the popular Mother Yule (Valery Guignon), Spirit of Peace (Alyce Payne) and the Boogeyman (Troy Young). Representing other cultures are the Druid (John Beckett), Wandering Druid (Rich Culver), and Mother Holda (Jennifer Culver), the Germanic goddess of Yule. Others include the Fairy Princess (Lucinda Lankford), the Kissing Wench (Star), the Kissing Rogue (Ted), and the cross-dressing Faerie Godmother (Scott Smith).
In the Yule Fest after the service, Covenant of the Goddess volunteers serve the communion soup and hot beverages. Earthspirit distributes pieces of the wonder web. Ancient Traditions hosts a dance and drum jam. As people leave, the Radical Faeries of North Texas offer to-go “Stirrup Cups” of hot chocolate or coffee along with a wish for safe travel home.
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Sponsorships, Program Ads & Auction
Winter SolstiCelebration’s first online auction! Get a great deal on a wide range of services, everything from business coaching to tarot readings. Or donate your talents, skills and passions to the cause.
Please join us as a sponsor or ad buyer.
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Help Promote the Fest
Click here to download event flier. Please print and post!
Media: Event photo download page.
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Volunteer with Us
Click here to join our volunteer Core!
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Stage & Production Crew
Event creator/scriptwriter: Amy Martin
Music directors: Eric Folkerth, Laney Bernstein, Neil Mowles and Cornell Kinderknecht
Staging director: David Fisher
Lighting director: Anne Kojan
Video director: Mary Beth Boehm
Stage crew: Kevin Foresman
Stage décor: Brandon Vines
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