BRATTLEBORO — Belly dancers from across Vermont and New England will come together Saturday, April 23, at 7:30 p.m., at the Vermont Jazz Center for the third annual Goddess Rising, a night of celebration and ritual honoring fertility, renewal, growth, birth, and the goddesses of spring.
More than a dozen belly dancers will debut theatrical dance performances inspired by the blossoming of spring.
The Goddess Rising roots were planted in the fall of 2013, when Kelsey Captolia Indziniak, a belly dancer and instructor, approached Cyndal Ellis and Shanta Lee Evans-Crowley with the idea of putting a spotlight on belly dance in a New England-wide event.
Three years later, the founder and her event partners are still at it, inviting individuals into the world, culture, and magic of belly dance. This year's event is special because Captolia Indziniak is leaving the area for a short sabbatical to start SEEDS, a program dedicated to self-esteem, empowerment, and education through dance and mentorship.
“We are sad to see Kelsey go but happy about what she is bringing back to the community,” said Evans-Crowley. “ I feel honored to have been a part of Kelsey's Goddess Rising vision and she is one of our many local gems.”
Ellis, Sobo Studio manager, dance instructor, and co-founder of Al Amal Belly Dance Company, said Captolia Indziniak's vision has inspired the growth of the belly-dance community.
“Our local and regional belly-dance community is growing, and with it public knowledge of the form,” she said. “Goddess Rising has been key to this growth. I'm expecting a true blossoming of artistry and community with this year's event.”
True to the Goddess Rising format, the day is focused around belly-dancing opportunities before the night of performances.
From 1 to 2:30 p.m., attendees can take the workshop “Goo and Layers” at the Jazz Center with Amity Alize, learning about connecting, completing, and melting movements.
Aria Michaels Paradise will run another workshop, “Participation Mystique and the Ecstatic: Ritual and Transformation” from 2:45 to 4:15 p.m. at the same location.
The second workshop is an exploration of techniques and exercises for body, mind, and spirit as participants learn to access the power of the ecstatic, its connection to participation mystique, and ways to harness its energy during performances. The workshops are $25 each or $45 for both.
Evening performances will feature Amity Alize (New Hampshire), Jessica Salazar Pichette (Massachusetts), Ayla Cengi (New Hampshire), Aria Michaels Paradise, Al Amal Belly Dance Company, and some surprises.