artists
show: Sistahood Film Festival: XX-Rated Crimes
Aaron graduated from Capilano University with a Diploma in Film Production. Since then he has worked in many areas of film, from pre-production to post. He loves all aspects of the business, although he aspires to become a Cinematographer. He also enjoys directing and editing. Aaron is a down to earth and easygoing guy. He looks for any opportunity to help his friends on projects supporting a worthy cause, or just a reason to have some fun doing what he loves.
show: Can't Stop Won't Stop
Stevie Wonder was Master Blaster Jammin' and Kurtis Blow had just let the world know about The Breaks; but at the time, Alice was taking her first tentative steps on the sun-drenched beaches of northern California. Rather surer steps brought her north of border and despite stints in Toronto, Boston, and one very long stint in Calgary, she now calls Vancouver home.
Inspiration came in many forms and though Alice now wears the headphones, when she was younger, her brother was the one with a pair of turntables and a mixer, not to mention a pile of 80s pop and rock records. Luckily, the music didn't make much of an impact at the time. Years later, her friends were the ones wearing the headphones - a near vampire in her night owl tendencies, Alice befriended a host of local DJs, and became a regular at many of Calgary's more musically discerning club nights along the way. She gives credit to her friends for not only exposing her to varied musical and DJ styles, but giving her the confidence and opportunity to start DJing herself.
A rising talent on the Vancouver scene, Alice can currently be found behind the dusty stacks at Beatstreet Records (439 West Hastings), and hosting Fiction Saturdays at Fiction Wine bar, located at 3162 West Broadway with a blend of electronic beats and soulful melodies that has quickly gathered a devoted audience. With impeccable taste, Alice unearths the finest songs: House, soul, funk, hip hop, nujazz, downtempo, and the occasional drum'n'bass - No genre is left unheard in her search for tasty musical treats.
show: Myrtle Silverspot: Kitchen Confidential
What’s in a name? Alison or All Is Sound is interested in the notion that natural body rhythms become harmonically resonant with each other through collective rhythmic entraining and in the ways we bring about these states of freedom and healing through vibration. Sound creates her reality before material or physical manifestations. It inspires all else; seeps through to the unconscious & beyond and changes everything. Alison has spent her lifetime exploring all things onerous and sonorous playing with and for, from ages before four, material manifestations including voice, flute, double bass, guitar, cello and taiko drums covering genres undefined. (Eastern Ontario Concert Orchestra, Belleville Bach Choir, BCI Jazz, Katari Taiko, Soundscapes, Nosila, Damage Control, Nucleus, Satya) In her present pleasures, computer tech and cellos’ fx coalesce seeking to give new potentials space to become. Sculpting sound around the moving language of the body, giving identity and character, creating depth and interpretation in order to engage the witness in A telling of The story.
For You are and I am a
per son > of sound.
All my vibrational relations.
show: Sistahood Invitational Poetry Slam
As a spoken word poet, Amanda Heibert has been on the Toronto Poetry Slam Team six years running. As part of the Toronto Poetry Slam Team, she has toured across Canada and the United States performing in high schools, drop in centres, libraries and live music venues. Since 2003, she has performed over a hundred shows in the Greater Toronto Area. She has also been featured on CBC’s ‘Wordbeat’ and the University of Toronto’s ‘CIUT’ hosted by Nik Beat.
As a playwright, Amanda has written and produced two full-length plays. The first of these titled ‘Definitely Dead’ was brought to the Havana Theatre in Vancouver for a two-week sold out run with a cast of ten and rave reviews in the ‘Georgia Straight’. Her second play, a one-woman production titled ‘Confessions of a Girl Next Door’ was also staged at the Havana Theatre again to sold out audiences and outstanding reviews.
As an actor, Amanda has worked on various film, television and theatre projects based out of Vancouver, Toronto and Los Angeles. Most recently, she has worked as a lead on the project ‘BLINDNESS’ directed by Fernando Meirrelles (City of God, The Constant Gardener). BLINDNESS is due for international release in August of 2008 where Amanda will star alongside Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Danny Glover, Gael Garcia Bernal and Canada’s favorite: Don McKellar.
show: Monstrous Beauty: A Co-Creative Cabaret
Amber Dawn (a.k.a. Trala La) is a feminist smut purveyor. She’s toured three times with the notorious Sex Workers’ Art Show, edited an anthology of femme porn “With A Rough Tongue”, and co-organizes East Van most outrageous dance party – the Odd Ball. She is excited be teaming up with Rika Moorhouse and returning to the Sista’hood cabaret stage.
http://www.myspace.com/amberdawntralala
show: Her Jazz Noise Collective and Sista
Anju makes sounds and noises. She plays in some local projects and is self-taught on a few instruments. She likes fixing things that don't work, or making things work in ways they're not supposed to.
show: Sistahood Film Festival: XX-Rated Crimes
Anna Ast grew up in the tree lined hamlet of Willowdale, a suburb of Toronto. Once she discovered Queen street, she was corrupted forever.
She briefly lived in London England, attending Central Saint Martin's School of Art and Design. She realised that :
A. $800 Canadian a month didn't cover much more than Tesco rice pudding and potatoes and
B. “Art” and “school” are two words that really don't belong together.
Eventually she went to VFS, because they take everyone….and you learn stuff.
In her working life she moved from bartending at a Goth club (which is far less exciting than it sounds) to bike messenger ,where she had to lose her fear of conversations in elevators and discovered her love of extreme discomfort.
Eventually finding work in her field she bounced back and forth from editor to assistant editor on various projects and eventually started editing animation. Anna loves hockey more than life and is an avid cyclist. She also wants to race cars because she wants to spend $100,000s to risk her life.
Anna is working towards becoming a professional writer and hopes her scripts get made but not butchered.
show:
Buy tickets now: http://www.vtixonline.com/event.php?event_id=8
Philadelphia native Bahamadia has lived and breathed music for years. Infact, many influential musical scholars credit her as being one of the original MC's to gain Philly international acceptance in the "hip-hop" community in a major way. Initially a Dj, Bahamadia switched trades when MC's such as Sha-Rock(FUNKY 4+1 MORE), Lady B, and Salt & Pepa entered the rap game. Becoming one of the most sought after lyricists on the underground scene, Bahamadia earned the respect that allows her to declare in freestyle verse, "I'mma rap fanatic...phenomenal at it a syllable savage written or off the cabbage this chick is bananas." Her formidable rhyme skills, unceasingly honed since the earliest days of rap, and her progressive musical outlook, make her more than just an incredible MC. Bahamadia is an innovative talent acknowledged in various musical genres as a forerunner of tomorrow's music.
While Bahamadia has been consistently active in the recording industry since her introduction in 1996, she has (amazingly) only two solo album releases to her credit. First was the now "classic" EMI Records release "KOLLAGE", which she described as "various sound blends and textures of my interpretation of hip-hop music that encompasses topics of importance to me." "KOLLAGE", which was the first LP ever written/co-produced entirely by a female hip-hop artist, generated the 1996 SOUL TRAIN LADY OF SOUL award nomination for BEST NEW R&B/RAP ARTIST. Bahamadia 's second solo project, the critically acclaimed "BB QUEEN", was released in the year 2000 on the indie label Good Vibe Recordings. "BB QUEEN" was also the debut of multi-talented Virgin Recording artist Dwele.
In addition to being a respected songwriter/producer, Bahamadia serves as a positive role model for, and mentor of, many upcoming artist. She is a regular participant in educational lectures at universities, as well as in music conferences and seminars. She has been a contributing writer for Stress Magazine in New York City. Her historic weekly radio show at Philadelphia's 103.9FM, "BAHAMADIA'S B-SIDES"(circa 1997-1999), reigned as one of the highest rated radio shows in Philadelphia. " BAHAMADIA'S B-SIDES" gave Philly radio listeners their first taste of then unknown artist like Eminem, Mos Def, and many of the Rawkus Records roster of artist during the late 1990's. In a nutshell, "B-SIDES" showcased underground talent worldwide and served as a template for taste-maker forums such as "Now Hear This" presented by fellow Philadelphians, The Roots. In Bahamadia's words, "the show was designed to nurture grass-roots culture."
Bahamadia has collaborated with a wide variety of her musical contemporaries. Although many of these collaborations have resulted ingroundbreaking creations (for example, the track entitled "NEW FORMS", produced by MERCURY AWARD winner Roni Size, was the first "Drum-n-Bass" track to feature a rap vocalist), they mostly came about in distinctly organic fashion. Simply put, "sonic gems" were created because of musicians' mutual respect for each other. These works include songs with Lauryn Hill, Morcheeba, Sweetback(Sade & Maxwell's band), Towa Tei, The Roots, King Britt, Ramsey Lewis(Jazzmatazz, Vol.2), Talib Kweli, Erykah Badu, MC Lyte, Zap Mama, and more. When asked why she chooses to work with such an eclectic range of artist, Bahamadia explains, "I do it in order to push the envelope and stop the music from being stagnant".
Not only in demand for concert performances throughout the United States, Bahamadia had been invited to participate in many overseas tours, embracing fans in Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Holland, England, France, Poland,Austria, and Australia gaining a global "cult" following based on integrity & skill.
Now that she has helped set the stage for Philadelphia artist and other practitioners of her idea of "quality" hip-hop to get their just due, she is ready to do the same for herself. Family and community before herself? Bahamadia wouldn't have it any other way!
http://www.myspace.com/bahamadia
show: Monstrous Beauty: A Co-Creative Cabaret
Brigee.K is a power house MC's who decorates the mic with their rhyming
quickness and thought evoking lyrics. Brigee is driven by her deep passion and thirst for collective energy. Crowd UNITY and participation is the driving force that keeps there motivation fresh and the freestyle sessions sharp. From hip hop to soul, jungle to drum and bass, dancehall to grime this women captivates audiences from coast to coast with her genera less styles and effortless transitions. From consciousness to party rocking jams Brigee.K is a force to be seen and heard.
show: Sistahood Cabaret: Grand Mamas
New York Burlesque sensation Burgundy Brixx has been seen in all the hot Burlesque shows in New York City, and now has shimmied her inimitable style to over to Vancouver, BC, where she also is the producer of the west coast edition of the weekly burlesque show Kitty Nights www.kittynights.com. A professional singer and dancer for many years prior to becoming a burlesque artist, she's performed all over the world with the Radio City Rockettes show and as a lead singer on cruise ships. Burgundy created her tribute to Gypsy Rose Lee in New York City in 2006 with Ixion Burlesque www.ixionburlesque.com. The show was curated by Ixion's founder, Albert Garzon, and played to sold out crowds at Mo Pitkin's and Coney Island. www.burgundybrixx.com
http://www.burgundybrixx.com
show: Sistahood Cinema: Exquisite Cinematic Corpse
Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) is a small, long-legged owl found throughout open landscapes of North and South America. Burrowing owls can be found in grasslands, rangelands, agricultural areas, deserts, or any other dry, open area with low vegetation[1]. They nest and roost in burrows, such as those excavated by prairie dogs. Unlike most owls, burrowing owls are often active during the day, although they tend to avoid the mid-day heat.
show: Re:Birth - The Two Sisters
Design dreamer, imaginator, rhythm rider, clarinet cryer, tap dancer, romancer, soul singer, fire flinger. Candice moves through life creating clothing, costumes, circus theatrics, fire dance productions, cabaret style song and dance numbers, and musical ensembles.
show: Sistahood Cabaret: Grand Mamas
A Skwxumesh woman from the village of Sla7an in North Vancouver, Cease has been a media artist for close to 15 years, and recently she began illustrating children's books and performing interdisciplinary theatre.
show: Myrtle Silverspot: Kitchen Confidential
www.underconstruction001.blogspot.com
show: Sistahood Cinema: Exquisite Cinematic Corpse
Charlene was born and raised in Vancouver but her family hails from
Manitoba and Ontario. She is Algonquin, Mohawk, Ojibwa, Cree, Potawatomi
and Metis; she likes to acknowledge the massive amount of Tipi-Crawling
and Blood Mixing that went on in her family history by introducing herself
as a Al-Mo-Oji-Cree-Otami-etis.
She is a proud mother to one son who she says is the best thing to happen
to her and who helps her in keeping her two feet planted firmly on the
ground.
She has traveled the world as a fashion model but decided to retire and go
back to school. She recently completed a Bachelor of Arts degree from UBC
and is trying to find her rightful place in the world.
She is open to suggestions, so since her friends think she's funny she
figured she would give performance arts a shot. Let's just see how funny
she really is, because as we all know looks aren't everything.
show: Monstrous Beauty: A Co-Creative Cabaret
Senorita Chica Boom has been seductively weaving her cultural and sexual identity through burlesque, alternative dance, theatre and street performance across nation. Her sexual and cultural hybridism gives voice to an intentional revolutionary style of performance that depicts her duality of consciousness, with one foot in Mexico and
another in Gringolandia. Chica was crowned with the prestigious title of Ms. Gay Latina 2005and 2006 and has appeared on numerous publications featured not only as a burlesque performer and also for her contributions to radical woman of color organizing.
show: Sistahood Cinema: Exquisite Cinematic Corpse
Claudia Morgado Escanilla was born in Santiago, Chile, and graduated from Concordia University. She has directed such short films as Spit It Out! (92), Savour Me (98), Bitten (02) and No Bikini (07).
show: Re:Birth - The Two Sisters
Cris Derksen is a young half-cree classically trained cellist, she has played in professional concert halls, outdoor festivals, overseas, on the streets, in crummy bars and classy venues, working with a wide variety of musicians such as Tanya Tagaq (throat singer), Kinnie Starr, and Kanye West. Cris is currently using a loop station and effect pedals to create a multi-dimensional sphere of sound. She uses her cello and voice to layer melodies constructing a song form that is uncharted for most classical players.
show: Monstrous Beauty: A Co-Creative Cabaret
Producer/performer Crystal Precious is well-known for her trademark curves and incomparable stage presence. Mixing up her favorite combo of 80's flavored satire and true vintage glam, the self-declared Queen of Sass slips effortlessly from classic golden-age tributes to old-school jams by incorporating smooth vocals or hip-hop stylings to her burlesque numbers. Also a full-figured model for Sweet Soul Designs, Bodacious and Bon Bon Style, she has danced in nearly every venue in the city, toured the US and has booked shows for underground cabarets, corporate events and television spots. Her production company, Precious Productions, is co-presenter of the Vancouver International Burlesque Festival and has produced the Sweet Soul Burlesque shows since the troupe's formation in 2003.
http://www.myspace.com/crystalprecious
show: Benu - by D'bi Young
d'bi.young
d'bi.young is an afrikan-jamaican-canadian visionary who has performed, published, and lectured internationally. an award-winning dubpoet, writer,
and theatre practitioner, she has produced five dubpoetry albums, authored two dubpoetry collections and is the playwright/performer of the double dora award-winning, one-person show blood.claat. d'bi.young recently launched the radical arts centre anitAFRIKA! dub theatre. she is presently completing her first theoretical publication on dubpoetry.
d'bi.young - music
hailing from the trenches of maxfield avenue kingston 13 jamaica and the concrete jungles of toronto city canada, d'bi.young stands firm as the hybrid-oasis where roots-rock-reggae meets dub-poetic-politix, infused by dangerous dancehall riddims and funked out punk [rock]. she is the future of dub poetry today. lyrically d'bi.young's dancehall.rock is profoundly feminist, humanist, analytical, spiritual, sensual, and sexual. as capitalist oppreshun increasingly globalizes, resistance necessarily needs to do the same. her music is a celebration of global resistance. survival. hope and love!
d'bi.young workshop - the storytellers' integrity
d'bi.young's workshop is suitable for anyone interested in storytelling be it through writing, performing, directing etc. this workshop explores the seven founding principles of dubpoetry and dubtheatre: the use of language, rhythm, orality, political content, urgency, integrity, and sacredness as mediums of social change through storytelling. together, participants explore resources located within an afrikan-oral-storytelling-traditional-herstorical context of critical analysis; promoting the ideas of accountability and responsibility between storyteller and community; the artist as leader and revolushunary keeper of the sacred. everyone who considers themself a storyteller is welcome. come with your stories in heart and some writing material.
http://ww.anitafrika.com
show: The Remedy 2009
Dalannah Gail Bowen is an African-Canadian/Cherokee actor, singer, playwright and community activist in the Downtown Eastside.
Her one-woman play “The Returning Journey” documents her journey from the streets to the stage. Her recent cd release “Mamma’s Got The Blues” is receiving airplay around the world and songwriting acknowledgement. Her song written for the missing & murdered woman ‘And I Cry’ was a finalist in the International PeaceDriven Songwriting Competition .
Dalannah, whether speaking before the United Nations Special Rapporteur on homelessness or walking the alleys in the downtown eastside, continues her community work and is currently leading the initiative to create the Downtown Eastside Centre For The Arts.
show: Zaki Ibrahim, Dawn Pemberton, DJ Buzy B & Vital Divine (Tribal Fusion Bellydance)
Vibrant, genuine and soulful, Dawn Pemberton has deep musical roots that take her powerful voice from gospel and soul to jazz, funk and world music. She has become a staple of the Vancouver music scene and can often be found tearin' it up as a vocalist, teacher, facilitator, choir director and hired gun for live and studio performances. A passionate songwriter and performer Dawn crafts her music with a sense of adventure, quirkiness, and serious groove and shapes it into her own unique and dynamic package.
Tight, expressive and bold, Dawn and her band will hit you where it counts, funk you up and make you say "Go ‘head!"
Dawn's band is:
Mike Ardagh (drums), Myles Bigelow (percussion), Derek Difilippo (bass), Tom Hancock (guitar) and Max Zipursky (keys)
http://www.myspace.com/dawnpemberton
show: Ora Cogan Album Release / e.s.l.
"Formerly of the Vancouver indie pop outfit Mother Mother, Debra-Jean is branching out as a band leader. Her voice has an impact that comes from somewhere very deep, very honest, that alternately draws you in and catches you off-guard with its directness.
Check out Deb's live session at CBC
http://www.cbc.ca/radio2/cod/concerts/20081127creel
www.myspace.com/debrajeanspace
show: Can't Stop Won't Stop
DeeCruII: tha west coast chapter. . .
We are the active presence of women in hip hop. . . inspiration exchange? Absolutely! Our love of competition is tempered by a strong belief in the importance of respect, inclusion and cooperation. Through our collaborative choreography and freestyle flava, we express empowerment through body movement. Sistas, rise up!
Bgirl Aly Paws
Aly a.k.a Paws has been b-girling for 8 years. She started with gymnastics at a young age and since then has developed key fundamentals: Balance, charisma, and strength. These skills enable her to perform at a high physical level while enjoying the music and creating her own style. Spending the last few years travelling across Canada and the USA with the "Vans Warped Tour 2004" as well as performing the last 4 years at Sistahood. She has produced, taught, battled, and performed in several hip hop shows. She has a passion for the culture and encourages self expression and creativity. In the past she has represented herself as an independent artists, Pear Crew and COTC. Now currently she has formed a new crew with a collective of 2 other b-girls called Dee Cru II.
Bgirl Nams
Naomi Melissa Canales is a freestyle homegrown talent from Saltspring Island. Choreography and performing are her passions for her creative and personal expression. Coming to Vancouver 7 years ago, she has furthered her dance journey by attending dance classes of various styles as well as jamming with her friends in an informal environment.
Bgirl MissChief
Dance continually cycles amazing people and experiences into my life; be it through travel, collaboration, stage performance, busking, knowledge exchange, or freestylin' on any dance floor. My search has brought me to classes & workshops as varied as Bharata Natyam, Congolese, Flamenco, Modern, Jazz, Ballet, Belly andwithoutadoubt Breakin'! I firmly believe that dancing brings us into the NOW. . . a reminder that we experience through our senses and rhythm is life.
http://www.decyphercru.ca
show: The Remedy
A class of her own – former mechanical engineer turn - dancer, actress, contact juggler, mime, clown. She's a rising talent in Vancouver's entertainment industry, pushing the limits to innovative performance. She has been invited to perform for local events such as Tomorrow Collective's Brief Encounters, Dances for Small Stage, PRIDE Main Stage, North Shore Women's Centre's Hot Lips '07 and Crimson Cabaret '08, AIDS Walk Vancouver, Science World's giant piano performer and so many more.
Dianna is currently training for her intense 75 show-tour in 2 months this spring, traveling her TAKE A CLOSER LOOK solo show all throughout BC schools.
www.diannadavid.net
show: Can't Stop Won't Stop
If you've never been fortunate enough to attend a Bles-sed event - which
would be strange since she's been the pre-eminent female hip hop and R&B
DJ in Vancouver for the last six years - you're in for quite the
revelation. All it takes is for her to drop the needle and, as if guided
by a higher power, the petite powerhouse is at again, making party
people dance and smile. And now, what others have heard may not be all
that you get. An unquestioned authority on all things old school,
Bles'sed has opened up, incorporating an impressive range of different
musical genres into her already divine flow. All you gotta do is hit the
floor to receive your blessing, so what are you waiting for?
http://www.myspace.com/djbles_sed
show: Zaki Ibrahim and guests
Sistahood Cabaret: Grand Mamas
Beth Allen also known around Vancouver as DJ/MC Buzy B, has been rocking out for 5 years. She started collecting records before she had a record player and loves to get lost in record stores digging threw the dollar record section. Her passion for all types of music can be heard in her sets as she might drop an old school rock tune or maybe some jazz. Her focus lies in Hip Hop, Soul and R&B. She spends her days studying Jazz vocals at Vancouver Community College so one day she can step out from behind the tables and on to the mic.
http://www.myspace.com/buzybeth451
show: Ora Cogan Album Release / e.s.l.
"If Charlie Chaplin wrote songs with Bjork to be the soundtrack for a Tim Burton film, their collective musical result would come close to resembling the goodness, timelessness and otherworldliness of E.S.L."Denise Sheppard, music journalist (Rolling Stone, Amazon.com)
E.S.L. are a band of gypsies, performing uniquely orchestrated songs inspired by everything from polish cabaret to Neil Young, Beastie Boys and The Velvet Underground. Their chemistry translates into magical live performances that range from roaring gypsy-punk dance numbers to heartbreaking ballads.
The Vancouver-based group was formed in 2005 when Marta Jaciubek- McKeever (Polish-born pianist and singer of Girl Nobody fame) and Cris Derksen (half-Cree cellist who's performed with Kanye West, Tanya Tagaq and Kinnie Starr) found musical kinship in each other; Joy Mullen joined on drums (The People Verses) soon after and fiddle-playing gypsy heartthrob Diona Davies (Po' Girl, Carolyn Mark, Geoff Berner) eventually rounded out the quartet.
E.S.L.'s music takes listeners all over the emotional map, from the whimsical silent-movie-esque "Prove Me Wrong" to the lush cello sounds and vocal ache of "Side By Side" to the traditional Polish stylings of "Czarne Oczy" (which translates into Dark Eyes). The group combines a playful songwriting style with the incredible chops and melodies to keep the music unique and interesting, both for themselves and their listeners.
As far as the credentials are concerned E.S.L. is one of those rare projects when respected musicians come together to challenge each other in brand new ways: both Marta J-McK and Diona Davies have been classically trained on their instruments since the age of four, as was Joy Mullen, who studied performance and jazz drumming. Cris Derksen recently graduated from UBC with a Performance Degree in Cello. In February of 2006, E.S.L. released a limited edition EP Hawks House to much critical acclaim. Since then the band has been featured on APTN's "Beyond Words" showcase and on full rotation on CiTR. The group was also honoured by being invited to perform at Dawson City Music Festival in the summer of 2007. Their LP "Eye Contact" released on Jericho Beach Records is garnering rave reviews across Canada and full support from the CBC.
http://www.eslband.com/
show: Monstrous Beauty: A Co-Creative Cabaret
Emily Rosamond is an installation artist and educator whose work spans
drawing, sculpture, writing, performance and video. She has an MFA from
Simon Fraser University and currently teaches at SFU and tutors at Emily
Carr Institute. A former competitive synchronized swimmer and professional
belly dancer, her work often involves imbuing everyday objects and spaces
with movement, real or imagined. Her most recent installation work explores
the depiction of architectural space as an act of "digestion," an opening of
form that provides opportunity for reflection on the construction of social
spaces and relations. Recently, she has been tickled by the idea of
character-based installations. Her show "Patron Saint of Waterskiers" opens
at the Richmond Art Gallery in July.
show: Sistahood Cinema: Exquisite Cinematic Corpse
Erin Laing: writer, director, producer
Birthday Girl is the first professional short film from writer-director Erin Laing. In 2006 Birthday Girl won the grand prize for Cours Écrire Ton Court!, a major Quebec short-film screenwriting competition. Before working on this film, Erin was an assistant to directors Darren Aronofsky (The Fountain) and Stephen Gyllenhaal (Time Bomb) and she studied film production at the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema in Montreal. Erin is currently developing her first feature film.
show: Sistahood Film Festival: XX-Rated Crimes
Erin Lee has been an editor since she was born. Curse or blessing, It originates from a constant theme song that plays 24/7 in her mind. If you see her strutting down the street with unusual swagger, it is because she hears an Isley brothers track deep down in the back of her head. Other times she is either skanking, shuffling or running like hell, but rest assured there is an accompanying score. Being a fan of action, sci-fi, exploitation, and even popular music videos-- you may see her dancing by herself, casting spells, or conspiring to punch people in the face with great dexterity. Living in the bay area you may see her doing all of this while alternately sipping on malt liquor and wheat grass.
Erin is originally from Miami, FL, and she has had the fortune to work in and around the Caribbean, where her paternal family originates.
Past production credits include international commercial spots, documentaries, in-flight videos, and large-scale music festivals, where she is credited with roles such as producing, editing, motion graphics, associate directing and creative online directing. Currently she owns a small production company that focuses on the underground, and (for money) produces web videos for small businesses.
She is currently living large on the streets of downtown San Francisco.
show: IWD Celebration featuring Favianna
Favianna Rodriguez is a celebrated printmaker and digital artist based in Oakland, California. Using high-contrast colors and vivid figures, her composites reflect literal and imaginative migration, global community, and interdependence. Whether her subjects are immigrant day laborers in the U.S., mothers of disappeared women in Juárez, Mexico, or her own abstract self portraits, Rodriguez brings new audiences into the art world by refocusing the cultural lens. Through her work we witness the changing U.S. metropolis and a new diaspora in the arts.
Hailed as "visionary" and "ubiquitous," Rodriguez is renown for her vibrant posters dealing with issues such as war, immigration, globalization, and social movements. By creating lasting popular symbols - where each work is the multiplicand and its location the multiplier - her work interposes private and public space, as the art viewer becomes the participant carrying art beyond the borders of the museum.
Rodriguez has lectured widely on the use of art in civic engagement and the work of artists who, like herself, are bridging the community and museum, the local and international. Rodriguez's has worked closely with artists in Mexico, Europe, and Japan, and her works appear in collections at Bellas Artes (Mexico City), The Glasgow Print Studio (Glasgow, Scotland), and Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Los Angeles).(for more of Favianna's bio, check her website)
http://favianna.com/
show: Sistahood Film Festival: XX-Rated Crimes
Fenny Kuo was born in Taiwan and rasied in Texas. She used to skip school to go to the museum. Later, she skipped college for work. Eventually, she decided to give college a shot, and from there she spent several years burning her brains out on complicated, layered problems while trying to work on social justice issues. She is now taking a break from that tangled ball of yarn to indulge in the creative act of making videos. When creating video works, she relies heavily on her life experience and on her understanding of the wide-ranging cast of characters she has met and known.
show: Sistahood Invitational Poetry Slam
Fran Bourassa is a poet/artist/performer and contributing writer to numerous anthologies including Sono Nis Press -Breaking the Surface and the North Shore Writers Association Millennium Anthology - Shore Lines - (Lines from her poetry are included as part of the art work for the exciting new Public Library in Lynn Valley). She was awarded a Scholarship to Banff Wired Writing Studio, twice a delegate for the BC Festival of the Arts and has been a feature at many venues including Word on the Street: Poet’s Corner. She is the recent winner the North Shore Writers Festival contest and a number of Pandora’s Collective Poetry contests. Fran lives and works on the North Shore and co-hosts Word Whips; the North Shore Edition - a monthly writing prompt series.
show: Sistahood Cinema: Exquisite Cinematic Corpse
Gabrielle Hill is a Metis artist living in Vancouver. She likes to draw stories about people she meets and places she goes.
show: Monstrous Beauty: A Co-Creative Cabaret
Gwen Haworth is a transgender filmmaker, editor, and instructor. She has degrees in psychology and Film Production, and trained as a director’s intern with the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television. She was a programmer and board member for Out on Screen. Haworth’s experimental documentaries re-envision the subgenre from a humanist perspective, embracing a point of view approach, that quests for communal understanding & empathy. She has created Not Kokura, Road Movie (working title), and She’s a Boy I Knew. When not making films, Haworth divides her time teaching film production, working at an emergency homeless shelter, and DJing
show: Her Jazz Noise Collective and Sista
This is an experimental music network for women in Vancouver. We are determined to help create an inclusive noise community and supportive space for women to meet and experiment musically. We hope this project will be a catalyst for the formation of more female-based groups in this genre. We are trans-inclusive, please and thank you! No experience or commitment it required - just the desire to try... This is not a band, its the beginning of a more radical, open, posi-core community invested in dialogue about gender, power and personal experience.
show: Monstrous Beauty: A Co-Creative Cabaret
boring? uninterested? Jeanie explores life with a zest and energy that is hard to match. Her desire to leave no stone unturned means that her explorations are as varied and diverse as her imagination. A photographer, a performer, a musician, Jeanie strives to make all of her expressions meaningful and reciprocative. As a drummer, Jeanie has been with Sawagi Taiko for five years, and continues to learn today as she did the first day she stood in front of the drum.
show: Myrtle Silverspot: Kitchen Confidential
Jenny Craig journeys from Bowen Island to motorcycles in Vietnam, sipping tea with Monks in Laos and friends in Sarajevo. She is an actress, travel advisor, youth facilitator, emcee, visual artist and lover of beautiful moments. Recently she performed and directed in Brave New Playwrights @ UBC, produced and SM's Super Patriots and Morons with Amnesty International and taught @ UBC kids camp and VanDusen nature programs and emcee'd the Psychedelic Muse Salon. You can find her at dramdiva11@gmail.com .
show: The Remedy
Jerilynn is triple threat as a Executive Director,Hip Hop Emcee,
Director of performance. She is 23 years old, and hails from theNuxalk
and Cayuga Nations. She is an advocate for youth voice and expression
for the last 7 years. Jerilynn is the Executive director of
Knowledgeable Aboriginal Youth Association (KAYA). KAYA is a youth
driven organization that advocates for youth voice, representation,
and participation. In 2006 she won the youth award at the Greater
Vancouver Urban Aboriginal strategies Awards because of her
involvement and contributions with the Vancouver Metro Area. Some of
her contribution includes sitting on Councils such as the Urban
Multipurpose Aboriginal Youth Council (UMAYC) Unified Aboriginal Youth
Collective (UAYC), and developing theatre productions with native
youth in eastside of Vancouver. She also uses hip-hop music for
social change. Her Emcee name is Jb the Firstlady "Using my words to
go upwards/ not backwards" are lyrics that describe what JB tries to
convey in her music. Lyrically motivated music with depth, meaning,
and style. www.kayaweb.net
--
http://www.myspace/jbthefirstlady
show: The Remedy 2009
Jb is triple threat as an Emcee, director of performance and actor. JB has performed over a hip hop 100 shows in and around Vancouver. From club shows to Annual general meetings for community organizations. Spreading the words of empowerment and her perspective of a Urban indigenous women in canada. She is 24 years old, and hails from the Nuxalk and Cayuga Nations "Using my words to go upwards/ not backwards" are lyrics that describes what JB try's to convey in her music. Hip Hop is her chosen avenue of expression. Lyrically motivated music with depth, meaning, positivity like none other. Jb reveals a gene of hip hop she calls "Cutie Empowerment HIP HOP". Jb wants young indigenous women to feel proud,inspired, and to finally see someone on stage that looks like them. Since there not to many Canadian indigenous women represented in mainstream media. Lastly Jb is likely the first lady you'll every see b-boxing (making beats with her mounth)
show: Sistahood Cinema: Exquisite Cinematic Corpse
Like the intuition implied by synchronized movement, Jess Hill's music reminds you of something you thought you'd forgotten. Anchored in the tendencies of folk, blues and jazz, Jess tells stories: cyclones and downpours, hovering birds, white skies. Seven years ago, she picked up a careworn guitar. A little while later she grabbed hold of a banjo. Since then, she has collaborated with acclaimed spoken word trio Tons of Fun University at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival and played to spellbound audiences in cafes, bars and living rooms from Vancouver to Cape Town. 2006 marked the release of her first full length album Road. In the dim light of midnight living rooms and in the hearts of singing shadows, Jess Hill is building something beautiful.
http://www.myspace.com/jesshill
show: Sistahood Invitational Poetry Slam
Jill Binder is a spoken word artist who has performed and featured all over Canada and the U.S., as well as abroad. When she lived in Toronto, she ran several shows and ongoing series, most notably "WordPlay: Poetry/Music Fusion Playtime" and the "Head to Head Haiku Deathmatch."
http://www.jillbinder.com
show: Sistahood Cabaret: Grand Mamas
Jillian is a queer theorist by day and a silks aerialist and trapeze artist by night who hopes to one day run away with the circus. She has trained with Vancouver's Circus West and with Frequent Flyers in Boulder, Colorado, and is a member of the Great Northern Way Aerial Club. She has awed Vancouver audiences at the Roundhouse, The Majestic and the WISE Hall. Together with writer, Amber Dawn, Jillian will be performing and interactive aerial women's history lesson at Grand Mamas.
show: Sistahood Cabaret: Grand Mamas
Jodaiko is a Japanese percussion ensemble comprised of women from professional Taiko groups throughout North America. Founded by Tiffany Tamaribuchi in 1988, the ensemble has toured internationally, appearing at a number of cultural and women-focused events. For the past three years they have been thrilling audiences in Vancouver with their exuberant spirit and powerful sound, appearing at the Powell Street Festival and also in sold-out concerts at the Roundhouse and the W.I.S.E. Hall in conjunction with the Pride in Art Festival.
show: Sistahood Cinema: Exquisite Cinematic Corpse
Julia Kwan studied film and psychology at Toronto's Ryerson Polytechnic Univeristy. From there she studied at the Canadian Film Centre and completed her short film Three Sisters on Moon Lake. Her script for Eve and the Fire Horse was given the Charles Israel Screenwriting Prize for best screenplay at the 2001 Writer's Guild of Canada awards.
show: Sistahood Invitational Poetry Slam
Julie Parrell has been a member of the Winnipeg Poetry Slam team several times and currently resided in Vancouver molding young minds as an early childhood educator.
show: Monstrous Beauty: A Co-Creative Cabaret
Julie Saragosa plays with a pastiche of film - making, materials, styles - sprinkling in
auto-biographical moments. Veiled by fiction and obscured by experimentation, magical spells cause dispellation through an intense ritualized process. D.I.Y. dreamworlds parody and poke fun at 'serious art', lighten the mood, burn for hope and change."
show: Sistahood Cinema: Exquisite Cinematic Corpse
Katrin Bowen directs films with themes of identity and belonging ranging from documentaries about Mennonites and rap to visual poetic short films.Her latest project is a feature script she wrote called "Off Course" which has been optioned by Keatley Entertainment and is currently in development.Katrin is also slated to direct the sexy and hilarious feature "Love Bites" this spring. This project is produced by Cheryl-Lee Fast of Fast Productions.
http://www.geocities.com/katrinbowen/bowenarrow.html
show: Sistahood Film Festival: XX-Rated Crimes
In the last six years, Kimara has spent her time as a filmmaker in Vancouver and Toronto.
She has worked in various aspects of production, specializing in post where she has had many years experience as an editor. She has been part of documentaries such as "Make Some Noise" (CBC), "Making the Cut" (Global), and most recently "The Way Home", a film about a homeless musician living in the Downtown Eastside.
Originally from Saskatchewan, she has a great respect and understanding of all parts of Canada. Kimara has an affinity for aboriginal and women's struggles and continues to tell these stories through her documentary films.
show: Re:Birth - The Two Sisters
Krista Lomax [vj:krash:hazzard] is a motion vfx designer and video artist who has collaborated and VJ'ed with a diverse array of artists and labels including Aphrodite, Coldcut, Freq Nasty, Asad Rizvi/Reverberations, OM Records, Crystal Method, Voltaic and Kuba Oms.
Lomax's work has been featured in a variety of festivals including Toronto International Film Festival, FUSE at the Vancouver Art Gallery, New Forms, LIVE Biennial Performance Art Festival, Shambhala, Illuminares Festival of Light and Parade of the Lost Souls.
Collectives she has joined forces and produced with include A440Hz, Rhythm Visual & Sound Society, The Al Neil Project and Factory Nights @ Snap Gallery.
With over 30 television and feature credits to her name, Lomax's work has been commissioned by Brightlight Pictures, Stargate Atlantis, Insight Film Studios, Shavick Entertainment, Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival and LG Electronics in addition to being featured in music videos for Michelle Boback, Suzy Solar and TV Heart Attack.
http://www.myspace.com/krashhazzard
show: Sistahood Invitational Poetry Slam
Krystle Mullin’s distinct raspy voice may well be taller than she is (she stands only 5’3) but a lack of vertical height hasn’t stopped this spoken word artist from reaching unimaginable heights in a short period of time. She has been performing for just over a year and has already toured across Canada, been a member of the Toronto Slam Team and implemented a program that integrates spoken word poetry into Ontario high schools. Krystle’s style and rhythm borrows from folk, hip-hop, and hillbilly practicalities.
show: Re:Birth - The Two Sisters
Amanda's ancestral name is Shamentsut. She is of Squamish and Nisga'a decent.She is 26. She is a multi talented artist who models, acts, writes poetry and scripts. She is a professional native singer and dancer and Hip Hop entertainer, Amanda has had various jobs coordinating and administering events, festivals and fundraiser. She helped organize the 2006 National Aboriginal Achievement Awards, VanGala 2006, and works for the Aboriginal Youth Ambassadors and VCAPC. She sits on several boards, including KAYA, IPAA and the YAC for Redway BC.
She has performed at venues like: Shambala/ mainstage, Sisterhood ( a few years back), GM Place Inauguration, Under the Volcano, World Urban Forum Global stage, Vancouver Folk Festival, Tribal Wizdom, just to name a few. This year she will be recording her debute album
show: The Remedy
Piece is a soul & intellect-igniting poet, emcee, producer and community activist hailing out of Seattle, WA. Her work in Spoken Word and Hip Hop both as performance and as tool for the empowerment of young people has the serious power of a dedicated genius. She is Executive Director of the Think Big Foundation, which supports learning in the areas of athletics, arts, and academics, and co-founder of Aim for Peace, which creates writing and music workshops for youth using urban arts and culture. Check her new album Street Smartz: The Story of A True School B-Girl.
http://www.myspace.com/pieceproductions
http://www.piece.be
show: Her Jazz Noise Collective and Sista
Les Beyond is a one-woman solo attempt/experiment to confuse sound further. Droning feedback, oscillating loops, psychic trance-inducing layers, occasionally mixed with post-post-rock vibes.
show: Sistahood Cinema: Exquisite Cinematic Corpse
An Anishinaabe filmmaker from southern Ontario, Lisa Jackson's first
short film SUCKERFISH-a stylized documentary about her relationship with her
mother and aboriginal identity-screened at over 50 festivals and has broadcast
nationally on CBC and APTN. Her most recent documentary RESERVATION SOLDIERS explores the relationship between aboriginal youth and the Canadian military and aired on CTV's "W5 Presents" in late 2007. In 2004 she was awarded the ImagineNATIVE Alliance Atlantis Mentorship Award and in 2005 the Vancouver Arts Award for Emerging Media Artist. Prior to this time, Lisa spent several years researching and production coordinating award-winning educational programming for Knowledge Network. In addition to developing future projects, she is working with the National Film Board's "Our World" program to train aboriginal youth in digital
storytelling using their traditional languages. Lisa studied Film at Simon Fraser
University.
show: Beautiful Dreamers
Little Woo is a performance artist and spiritual teacher who enjoys sharing inspiration and transformation through diverse art forms. Be it dance, music, shadow puppetry, storytelling, healing workshops or community building, her work is playful, heartfelt and transcendent. She has taught or performed on stages ranging from the Sistahood Festival, Workless Party Carnivals, Parade of Lost Souls to the Living Vision Retreat and the Hollyhock Summer Gathering. Little Woo is the founder/facilitator of Epic Alchemy workshops and the creator of Burlesque Yoga. She has been profiled for her innovative ethos in media such as the Georgia Straight, Vancouver Sun Newspaper, Shared Vision Magazine and CBC Radio. Visit
www.littlewoo.org
show: Beautiful Dreamers
Little Woo is a performance artist and spiritual teacher who enjoys sharing inspiration and transformation through diverse art forms. Be it dance, music, shadow puppetry, storytelling, healing workshops or community building, her work is playful, heartfelt and transcendent. She has taught or performed on stages ranging from the Sistahood Festival, Workless Party Carnivals, Parade of Lost Souls to the Living Vision Retreat and the Hollyhock Summer Gathering. Little Woo is the founder/facilitator of Epic Alchemy workshops and the creator of Burlesque Yoga. She has been profiled for her innovative ethos in media such as the Georgia Straight, Vancouver Sun Newspaper, Shared Vision Magazine and CBC Radio.
http://www.littlewoo.org
show: Sistahood Invitational Poetry Slam
Lucia Misch grew up at an astronomical observatory in California, and has been writing and performing spoken word in and around that state since she was sixteen. She was the 2007 and 2008 South Bay Youth Slam Champion, and has had the honor of being part of three San Jose youth teams. She recently moved to BC, where she has been consistently impressed by the warmth and enthusiasm of the Vancouver arts scenes. Lucia is fond of dinosaurs and fresh fruit, and is thrilled to be part of the Sistahood Celebration 2009!
show: Her Jazz Noise Collective and Sista
A collaboration between experimental artist Aja Rose of IN-FLUX and East Vancouver Chanteuse Ora Cogan
show: Sistahood Invitational Poetry Slam
"Magpie Ulysses has been a member of three Vancouver poetry slam teams, including two Canadian champion teams at ‘The Canadian Festival Of Spoken Word’, and is the winner of Vancouver's 2008 CBC Poetry face-off. Her "confessional poems hit hard and take the reader through intense visceral terrain but never wallow" Robert Priest, NOW Magazine. Magpie has performed at word and music festivals, poetry slams, high schools, fundraisers, colleges and house parties across Canada and throughout the United States. She spits hot fire and is always happy to see you."
http://www.myspace.com/magpieulysses
show: Old Time Social Dance with The Haints Old Time String Band and Marian Rose
“My greatest thrill is to watch people’s delight as they learn to do dances that have delighted generations before them. Once the fear falls away, they fairly explode with the joy of it all!”
For the past decade, Marian Rose has devoted her professional life to reviving the venerable tradition of folk and social dance through school programs, teacher workshops and community parties. Armed with a bejeweled accordion and a well-honed, theatrical teaching style, she works magic in a crowded dance hall or elementary school gym, turning everyone into confident, enthusiastic dancers in an astonishingly short period of time.
Marian grew up in a rural prairie town where youngsters learned to dance by imitating the adults at weddings and socials. Born into a musical family, she began playing for dances at the age of twelve and has continued (with the traditional sabbatical for teenage rebellion) until the present day. Click here to see a shot of the Rambling Roses in the late 1960’s.
Through years of travelling and research, Marian has amassed an eclectic repertoire including folk dances, singing games, squares, contras, and couple dances, with a special interest in Canadian dances, which she regularly teaches in both English and French.
In addition to her dancing expertise, Marian is sought after as a performer, recording musician and accordion teacher in her home town of Vancouver, B.C. For six years she served on the board of the Massachusetts-based Country Dance and Song Society and is the author and publisher of the popular ‘Step Lively’ series of dance resources.
http://www.marianrose.com/
show: Can't Stop Won't Stop
Calgary born artist Mary James produces a unique and divergent brand of hip hop that has grouped her with artists such as Kelis & M.I.A. Her live show is classic and retro - adding elements of blues, jazz and live instrumentation. Mary James explains: “My music is hip hop & dark R'n'B with a drizzle of punk soul.” She has attracted the interest of labels EMI, Urbnet Records and Koch Canada.
In 2006, she became the artistic manager for three-time Juno awards winner Moka Only. Mary James toured with him throughout 2006 & 2007 and assisted in the release of his albums; The Desired Effect (part 2), The Station Agent and Vermilion.
Mary James has established herself as one of the most active ladies on the west coast working in underground hip hop. Collaborating with California producer Oh No The Disrupt on her well-received demo “The School of James” and working with popular Toronto artist DJ Nana (DJ for Zaki Ibrahim) are just a couple of the reasons why.
However, most recently Mary James has extended her talents to also include film work by releasing a DVD called Lover, Lover Down which features a collection of self-directed music videos ‘Love Me’ ‘All My Ladies’ & ‘Blue’. Mary James has been featured in various videos, print ads and T.V movies including, The Other Women directed by Jason Priestley (Beverly Hills 90210 & Barenaked in America). She also appears in the new CBC primetime drama Wild Roses.
Mary James can be heard regularly as a reoccurring guest-host on CJSW radio in Calgary. Deezuz and Vancouver-based producer LoKeyNote are amongst the producers on Mary James upcoming release titled Elevator, which is a fusion between hip hop and soul.
www.maryjames.tv
www.myspace.com/maryjamesrecords
show: Sistahood Cabaret: Grand Mamas
Maryanne has had her hands and feet firmly mashed into one form of art or another from toddlerhood. Since completing her dance degree at SFU she has practiced professionally in both contemporary and queer arts communities as a dancer and choreographer, with smatterings of theatre, music, film, and multidisciplinary work thrown in for good measure. Maryanne believes in the politics of performance (being a fat, queer, Asian dancer helps in this regard). She focuses on making performance accessible to more people by creating and embodying dance that reflects unique bodies, cultures, and spaces.
show: Can't Stop Won't Stop
Dance continually cycles amazing people and experiences into my life; be it through travel, collaboration, stage performance, busking, knowledge exchange, or freestylin’ on any dance floor. My search has brought me to classes & workshops as varied as Bharata Natyam, Congolese, Flamenco, Modern, Jazz, Ballet, Belly andwithoutadoubt Breakin’! I firmly believe that dancing brings us into the NOW. . . a reminder that we experience through our senses and rhythm is life.
show: The Remedy 2009
Christie lee is from the Musqueam and tseilwahtuth nations of Vancouver and currently attends the aboriginal studies program at Langara Collage. Since an early age she has expressed many sides of her creativity through art and film and now through music. Christie has a mini album titled the "siem sampler" On this you will find hip hop music relating to aboriginal youth, culture and teachings. Not only does Christie use this tool as outreach for those, but also she raps in her ancient musqueam dialect. She has preformed for the president of china in Beijing and for Chuck D of Public Enemy when he visited Vancouver. Also for numerious communities and venues in and around Vancouver & BC. Christie is also in the studio working on her next newly created songs. Currently she also works in youth engagement for the Knowledgeable Aboriginal Youth Association ( KAYA)
http://www.myspace.com/sistercrunch
show: Sistahood Invitational Poetry Slam
Missie Peters hopes her words keep you up at night. She hopes they follow you to work and sit with you on the bus until they stop being her words and become your own. Missie is a member of the Victoria-based poetry collective Tongues of Fire, and an editor of this season's edition of Sparks. She also dabbles in improv theatre.
show: monica lee bnd and pawnshop diamond
Easy to listen to, hard to ignore, this prairie girl will warm your heart, soothe the tired mind and get you out of your chair. Energetic, inspiring and intimate music full of lush piano, soulful vocals, warm viola, tight drumming and soaring guitars. Like other genre-defying artists such as Wilco and Aimee Mann, Monica Lee draws from the great melting pot of music - country, folk, blues, jazz and a wee bit-o-gypsy too, freely fusing them together into something both classic and excitingly new. Monica Lee is joined by the multi-talented Marc L'Espérance on drums and back-up vocals, and virtuosic guitar hero Jesse Waldman.
http://www.monicaleemusic.com/
show: Soul Selection 2009
"From the second Monica McIntyre's bow hits the cello, it starts to sing...She pulls, tugs, strums, and riffs, building powerful chords and melodies in perhaps the most unorthodox manner seen in a cellist yet." All this she does while singing lyrics so finely crafted that they read like poems. Monica's deep textured voice can lull and soothe or incite an audience to shout encore. Some have compared her to Jimi Hendrix, Cassandra Wilson, Nina Simone and Lauryn Hill. "If you have yet to experience the power and magic that is Monica McIntyre, whether on record or through her dynamic live performances, this is a great time to be a music fan..."
Monica McIntyre is a cellist, vocalist, and lyricist who started playing the cello at the age of 7. Monica, originally from Hyattsville, MD, studied classical cello for 11 years. After graduating from the College of Design Arts at Drexel University, she returned to her first love music and released her debut album Blusolaz in October 2003. Monica has performed at numerous events throughout the country, most notably: The Black Women's Art Festival™, The Philadelphia Fringe Festival, Soul Sista's Jukejoint™ and The 215 Festival. In 2004, she was featured in Philadelphia's BInformed Magazine and City Paper. Bars of Gold, is Monica's newest single released in August 2005 from her forth coming album, Abuse.
http://www.monicamcintyre.com
show: Myrtle Silverspot: Kitchen Confidential
Mutya is a multi-disciplinary and independent dance artist, actress, voice-actor, vocalist, choreographer and visual Artist. She is an instructor of a dance fusion called "Free Form Footwork" It is a fusion of Modern, Hip-Hop, Contemporary and Contact Dance. She recently has been accepted for the Technical Internship at VIVO which starts in March and will provide hands on experience with film and audio editing programs and hands on experience with technical support for film and live events. This internship also coincides with the Signal and Noise Festival and she is very excited to be on board at this time. Some of her most recent performances include From Where We Speak, an Urban Ink production where she was a mentor for youth and cast as an actor in a few short plays that were written by youth from Galiano and Kuper Island and performed by professional actors and dancers and some of the writers themselves. This was presented on Galiano Island and at the "Heart of the City Festival". At the end of February Mutya performed her music at "Crossroad Slam", a Black History Month slam poetry event commemorating black and other racialized histories on native land, also produced by Urban Ink Productions. Currently, she is working on releasing an album this year and a couple multi-media works showcasing her music, dance and video. In the summer Mutya will be dancing solo in a choreographed work with dancer and choreographer Ronya Lake.
Photo credit
Phoenix Olivia www.phoenixolivia.ca
Make-up: Corsini Walker
http://www.myspace.com/moonpulse
show: Monstrous Beauty: A Co-Creative Cabaret
from Vancouver and San Francisco (Belva Stone)
Mystress Fyre, Belva Stone, always wanted to run away with the circus as a child. Over the years Belva began to realize that she WAS her own circus! Armed with her poi, a hula hoop, water bottle and a rola bola . . . . and a lighter, she has been storming stages with her fire acts for the last seven years! Clowning has been a new interest to Mystress Fyre as. . . well...really, what goes better with hula hoops n rola bola's than a clown! Belva has been incorporating her clown into her fire act for the last three years and it's been met with great success from fellow fire performers and audiences all over the West Coast!!
http://www.mystressfyre.com/
show: Myrtle Silverspot: Kitchen Confidential
Nadia Chaney believes the sublime centre of the universe can be found at the heart of every moment. She works as a poet, emcee, musician, arts- empowerment facilitator, writing coach, social justice activist, budding novelist, and multimedia visual artist who loves to dance and imagine. She performs with two Vancouver based bands: in.stead, an all-female acapella hip hop experiment, and BPM, a dirty fusion of bhangra, dancehall and hip hop. She lives at the Main Artery in East Van. Myspace.com/bpmsound and myspace.com/nadiachaney…for arts empowerment www.beatboard.org
http://www.myspace.com/nadiachaney
show: Myrtle Silverspot: Kitchen Confidential
Once upon a time there was a girl named Naomi who loved to listen. And the more she listened the more she understood that the world was full of stories and that these stories offered not only entertainment but also solace and inspiration. She began to tell stories from dinner tables to classrooms, from Jerusalem to Southern India. From hospices in Vancouver to the Swiss Alps, new words and old tales found each other.
Naomi has twice been an artist in residence for the Vancouver School Board, as well as being awarded a residency through the ArtStarts in Schools programme. She has facilitated workshops in Morocco, Switzerland and for PhD students at the Cortona conference in Tuscany, Italy.
“I am thrilled to be part of the Sistahood Kitchen Confidential. I hope that through our words, images, bodies, spirits and minds, we will have conjured a work that is timely and relevant. The systems around us teeter on the verge of collapse due to our near-sighted actions, and it is through solidarity and love that we can once again find the clear-sight and confidence to live by the beauty latent in all of us.”
show: Can't Stop Won't Stop
It wasn't until the age of 15 when NaRai (who was born in Seoul, Korea, and adopted at 9 months by Canadian parents), learned that her name was a Korean expression meaning "to sing.” By this time, she had long since been writing, recording, and performing her own music. Her R&B group was already busy making a name around Vancouver for being hard-working, and was drawing attention from some major contributors on the production and choreography side. And they would subsequently garner serious interest from certain industry heavy hitters. “Being in a group taught me a lot” says NaRai. Still, she was not being creatively fulfilled, and soon decided to branch out on her own. Part of defining her own sound was jumping head-first into production and composition. Her classical training in piano, combined with her natural affinity for music and a stint at Columbia Academy (for recording and engineering), made this a natural progression; so she began building her own songs from the ground up, very carefully creating the unique sound she has developed today. This sound can not be placed in a one-dimensional box; it contains Soul, Hip Hop, Rhythm and Blues, Jazz, and anything else worth mentioning, thanks to her clear vision and the help of some talented local beatmakers.
Her debut album, “Color On Your Canvas,” is due out Spring 2008, and promises to be a leap back into the sincerity and emotional simplicity of Motown’s golden era (its heaviest of many influences), yet a giant step forward into uncharted musical territory. She will tackle subject matter that other artists wouldn’t get close to, but her incomparable vocal range and head-nodding tracks make it seem accessible for the most conservative listener. Most importantly, the album will speak for itself. Despite the amount of effort and dedication it has taken her to get to where she is now, NaRai knows she has only seen the tip of the iceberg - she faces her bright future with confidence and optimism, knowing that only more hard work will get her to where she belongs. That and a whole lot of soul.
NaRai
Singer/Songwriter/Producer/Artist
You can check my music out at:
http://www.myspace.com/naraimusic
http://www.myspace.com/goddessmusiq
show: Ndidi Onukwulu
Ndidi Onukwulu likes to write songs.She likes to sing the songs she writes, she likes to wear ridiculous dresses and dance around and sing the songs she writes for other people.
Ndidi Onukwulu is a blues/soul singer. From the jazzy bounce of "Forever SZ" to the hard-rockin' punch of "SK Final," from the spooky lament of "Wicked Lady" to the traditional voice-and-drum gospel wail of "This May Be The Last Time," she's steeped in the blues, and talented enough to make you feel it.
Onukwulu left home at an early age and wound up in New York City to pursue her singing career. Starting out by singing a capella on the city's open mic circuit, she encountered some hip-hop and blues players. She'd sing on their albums; in return, they'd work on her songs. After leaving New York for Toronto, she sang in a rock band, then in an electronic one called Stop, Die, Resuscitate. It was great training for her voice, but Onukwulu ultimately stood by the music that first inspired her. "I could sing many ways, and I would," she says. "But when the time came for me to do what I wanted to do, I had to swallow my fears and begin to create the music that that existed inside of me as raw as it was. I had to tap into the sound and tones that I'm inspired by and try to understand them bring them to life."
Thus came her debut No, I Never, on that record Onukwulu proved she can wrap her silky voice around anything from country blues to her own rootsy salon sound.
Her Sophmore release "The Contradictor", all about focus, training that formidable silk edge on everyone's private pain, and contradicting the anguish with a full, upbeat, resonance. The Contradictor is personal and universal, built on Ndidi's songwriting mining the extremes of intimacy. with the bigger sounds and tones she is most interested in uncovering. These are songs of heartache, heartbreak, and longing. 'Not nice,' as she says, but as full as these can be. And as rich. ."
.
Of course, blues will be the soul of all she does. Its a music made to transcend the pains and sorrows of daily life. "I think that's why I love it so much," says Onukwulu. "It's what I do."
http://www.ndidi.ca
show: The Remedy
Seven soulful singing women offering up an acapella stew guaranteed to kick you in the pants! Singing everything (and I mean everything) from Cuban Carnival music and tragic Russian love songs to sweet Mandarin flirtations and wrenching Appalachian protests. The harmonies are complex, the arrangements original and the songs are in at least seven different languages. The mission: to promote joy, love and happiness through singing and - if possible – to save the world. Is it possible? We say YES.
www.shirleys.ca
http://www.myspace.com/thenoshitshirleys
show: Sistahood Invitational Poetry Slam
Olivia Berger-Hawthorne is a sometimes sparkly alien, mystical magician of the piano, a defender of potato rights and a member of the 2007 Vancouver Youth Poetry Slam team.
show: Ora Cogan Album Release / e.s.l.
Ora, a darling of the independent music scene In Vancouver, Collaborating with Folk and Experimental artists alike and Co-Founding "Her Jazz Noise Collective" and "Cornerstone" an A cappella gospel quartet . With the help of The Be Good Tanyas, Ora recorded the album "Tatter" In 2007. At first made with covers she fashioned out of flea market record sleeves, and later re-issued with two additional tracks recorded live from her stint as an opening act for Be Good Tanyas throughout Western Canada. "Tatter" received international critical acclaim, and Ora went on to tour extensively throughout North America. She is often compared to artists such as Karen Dalton and Devendra Banhart and has shared stages with the likes of Tanya Tagaq and Vashti Bunyan while immersing herself in the festival circuit including: The Vancouver Folk Music festival, Hallelujah festival in Portland, Oregon and The Mission Creek Festival in San Francisco, and Tanned Tin in Spain.
Ora Cogan's latest album "Harbouring" was recorded in Vancouver and released on Borne Recordings in October 2008. Shortly after the release, Ora completed a successful tour throughout Spain, Portugal, Austria, Poland, The Czech Republic, Germany, Holland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, France and England and will be touring throughout Europe and North America in April 2009.
“Most folk artists face the difficult task of distinguishing themselves from the dime-a-dozen singer-songwriters and the bedroom floor recording-types. The former may not want to distinguish themselves at all, however. Folk is, after all, a tradition of reworking and reinterpreting existing songs. The latter is generally more precious, fragile and complete disposable bullshit. Ora plays true folk, the kind that is strong and tells stories with a sense of urgency, be it heartbreak or revolution. This album is gorgeous, bitter sweet, and incredibly powerful.” Cameron Reed - Only Magazine
http://www.oracogan.com/
show: monica lee bnd and pawnshop diamond
In a fast paced, technology-driven world of fleeting trends and digital diversions, Pawnshop Diamond offers something that never loses value – storytelling with a groove. Featuring Katie Ormiston- guitar/vocals, Nina Fleming- piano/vocals, Dave Taylor- electric guitar, Lynn Saffery- bass guitar, Lucas Schuller- drums. Sharing the bill at the with seasoned performers like Corb Lund, Sarah Harmer and Michael Franti and Spearhead, Pawnshop Diamond digs into the roots of rock and roll and evokes tradition in songs that drift effortlessly through the present.
http://www.myspace.com/pawnshopdiamond
show: Sistahood Invitational Poetry Slam
RadaR is a poet and performer, currently residing in Victoria, BC, Canada. She has toured across Canada with her band Odditory Presence and as a solo performer. She has been an active member of the Canadian poetry community since 2005.
show: Sistahood Cinema: Exquisite Cinematic Corpse
rena del pieve gobbi has lived in Vancouver, Canada since 1994. She is an alumni of Emily Carr Institute of Art + Design.In 2002 she received grants from Cineworks, a Vancouver Independent Filmmakers Society, and The B.C. Arts Council to make the film, 'interception'.Her influences include Maya Deren, Stan Brakhage and David Rimmer.A body of work including three abstract films depicting violent sexual assault through the closed eyes of the victim.The films depict the emotive content of sexual violence and deconstruct the position of the viewer as a voyeur. Evoking memories causing each viewer to translate the narrative out of personal memory.emories causing each viewer to translate the narrative out of personal memory.
http://www.rena.ca
show: Sistahood Cinema: Exquisite Cinematic Corpse
Riel Hahn Comedienne
funny. smart. sexy. the perfect mouth. alarming brain. issues with authority figures. superiority complex. inferiority complex. loves to be the centre of attention, hates to compete for attention. will wait for no one. except you.
http://www.myspace.com/rielhahn
show: Monstrous Beauty: A Co-Creative Cabaret
Rika Moorhouse is a queer, mixed-race happa Japanese activist. She is a core coordinator for the Powell Street Festival – a celebration of Japanese Canadian arts and culture. Classically trained in piano, Rika began taiko drumming and fue flute in 2006. She is the newest member of Sawagi Taiko, Vancouver’s only all-women taiko group.
show: Sistahood Invitational Poetry Slam
Sara Bynoe is making a career at making fun of herself from 5 years ago. She began by creating www.TeenAngstPoetry.com a comedic database of horrible poems people wrote when they were teenagers. The endeavor spun off into hosting Teen Angst comedy nights and then editing an anthology Teen Angst: A Celebration of REALLY BAD Poetry (St. Martin's Press). Performing at the High Performance Rodeo in 2006 to a sold out crowd is her career highlight. She's been compared to Carol Burnett several times for her show Sparkle Bunny: The Last Raver Dancing. Currently Sara is working on an anthology of Art School Journals. She acts, writes, and likes to makes people laugh while standing up.
www.SaraBynoe.com
show: Sistahood Invitational Poetry Slam
Sasha Langford is a member of the 2007 Vancouver Youth Poetry Slam team and is currently going to school at Simon Fraser University
show: Sistahood Invitational Poetry Slam
Sasha Langford strives to tell politically-minded stories through her poetry, often in a non-linear fashion with the goal of challenging the audience to come to their own conclusions. Most recently, Sasha Langford was chosen as the 2009 Vancouver representative for the Women of the World Poetry Slam this March in Detroit, Michigan. Sasha was selected as one of five poets to represent Vancouver in the 2008 CBC Poetry Face Off, opened for Canadian Folk Music Award nominees the Fugitives as part of the 2007 Jewish Book Festival, and is also the current Vancouver Erotica Slam champion.
show: The Remedy
A dashing compendium of mixed media tales from the heart movement of Earth Momma warriors and crying babe Empresses of seven sacred women, in the middle of it all
what do we offer this World as ourSelves?
in this moment, just as we are.
Seven Sacred Sisters: momentary female soul - Curated by Christyn Hall whom can be reached at "cmhally_720@hotmail.com" for more information on prices, artists, and showings.
Artists include:
Christyn Hall
Patricia Cournoyer
Nadia Chaney
Shauna Eve
Evalyn Sorrentino
Gina Botelho
Phoenix Olivia
show: Sistahood Invitational Poetry Slam
Shannon Rayne recently relocated to Vancouver from Winnipeg. She has performed on the Winnipeg Slam Team and was a performing member of the Young Lungs Dance Exchange - a collaborative improvisation art collective that combined spoken word with music and contemporary dance. Shannon's writings explore messy kitchen, love and women-centered concerns all performed with a slightly softer touch than what is typically associated with spoken word.
show: Sistahood Invitational Poetry Slam
Shannon Rayne is a story teller, playwright and poet playfully diving into her work with a unique ‘quiet fire’ bringing a feminine sensitivity to serious and silly subjects. Shannon was a performing member of the Young Lungs Dance Exchange contributing prose and poetry to improvised live performances and competed on the Winnipeg Slam Team in 2006. Since moving to Vancouver from Winnipeg last fall, her work has earned her a place in the Vancouver Story and Poetry Slam semi-finals. Her first one act play was produced by Sarasvati Productions to celebrate female playwrights in Canada. Shannon teaches and facilitates writing workshops in high schools and for the Fearless Writers Circle. She is working on crafting new poems for her first manuscript and for her first art show on the theme of ‘recovery’ through multi-media and visual representations of her words.
http://www.myspace.com/shannonpoetry
show: Can't Stop Won't Stop
Originally from the East Coast of Canada, now based out of Vancouver, She is an up and coming DJ on the Vancouver circuit. Growing up in a house-hold filled with funk and soul, She quickly acquired a love for music. From funk and soul, a love for hip hop developed and her journey into music began.
As a DJ, her style ranges from the roots of today's music; classic funk, disco and soul, but She also crosses genres of West Coast and Chicago House, funky mid-tempo Breaks and of course Hip Hop and R&B. Through her persistence and passion, She has been able to rock the decks along side some of the West Coast's finest DJ's, and on an international tip, she has played with the likes of Cut Chemist, formerly of Jurassic 5 and Brooklyn's own DJ Ayers and DJ Eleven of The Rub.
Currently, She is the manager of Canada's #1 record store, Beatstreet Records.
She holds down the following weekly DJ residencies in rotation; The Payback! Saturdays at Bayside Lounge, Fridays at Granville Room, Fridays at The Reef, as well as being a resident DJ with the Hastings Set & FlyGirl Productions.
Promoting under the moniker of Steady Rockin' Productions since 2008, She has worked closely with the Sista'Hood Festival to produce an annual Bonnie & Clyde Style break dance battle.
On top of her skills on the decks, she is also the host and creative director of The Word! TV. The Word! is a web based TV series that revolves around thought provoking hip hop culture. The show has been running for one full season, with 9 episodes released in 2008.
The second season of The Word! will be dropping at the end of January 2009 and will feature bigger names and more in depth coverage of Hip Hop culture. Having been collecting interviews with the likes of Hieroglyphics, R.A. The Rugged Man, Grand Analog, DJ Z-Trip and more, this season promises to be an exciting one.
Staying true to delivering thought provoking music and memorable events to the Vancouver music scene, She has proven to be to be a confident business woman in many respects.
Myspace: www.myspace.com/shespinsfunk
Blog: www.steady-rockin.blogspot.com
The Word! TV: www.getgrounded.tv
Beatstreet Records: www.beatstreet.ca
show: Sistahood Cinema: Exquisite Cinematic Corpse
Skeena Reece is a performance artist, humourist and arts
administrator. Recent founder of the Native Youth Artists Collective,
she hopes to translate her skills to benefit the upcoming generation
of artists. See www.myspace.com/skeenareece for show dates or email
skeenareece@hotmail.com for booking.
www.myspace.com/skeenareece
show: Sistahood Film Festival: XX-Rated Crimes
Stonefoxx Dance Crew: Sexy, rugged, all female. This diverse dance crew continually keeps its audience engaged when taking to any stage. A Stonefoxx performance is a self choreographed raw, but sassy, hip hop showcase that creates a new definition of sexy.
Formed in Vancouver, Canada, this group had a unique start. Out of pure boredom, member, Jen Oleksiuk (founder/director of Stonefoxx Dance Crew) called up some of Canada’s top female dancers to perform just for fun. After just one performance, the name Stonefoxx spread fast in the entertainment community. Soon they became, not only Vancouver’s leading dance group, but also one of the best and most sought after groups in all of Canada.
Although the forte of Stonefoxx members are in hip hop and urban dance, their talents and skills in other dance forms are extensive. Stonefoxx’s choreography and dancing ranges from freestyle, old school, locking and popping to salsa, west coast swing, lindy hop, modern, contemporary, jazz and tap.
Their combined credits include: working with Janet Jackson choreographer/dancer Tina Landon, Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson dancer Kelly Kono, and choreographer Shane Sparks from the movie “You Got Served” and television series “So You Think You Can Dance” & “America’s Best Dance Crew”. They’ve worked along side/with artists: Ciara, Chingy, The Black Eyed Peas and Naughty By Nature; shows with: Talib Kweli, Keisha Chante, Shawn Desman and Jordan Knight; danced in: commercials for Coca Cola, television shows “ The L Word”, “The Romeo Show”, “Bulging Brides”, “MTV Select” and movies “Center Stage 2”, “Cinderella Story 2”, “Kickin It Old School”, “White Chicks”, “She’s the Man”, “The Goodbye Girl” and “Reefer Madness”.
Stonefoxx members include: Natasha Gorrie, Maiko Miyauchi, Laurin Padolina, Kathryn Schellenberg, Shauna Smith and Jen Oleksiuk. They have taught, performed and trained inVancouver, New York, the United Kingdom, Germany, California, and Africa.
http://www.stonefoxxdancecrew.com
show: Myrtle Silverspot: Kitchen Confidential
With a background in animation and visual effects, Electrabelle creates custom imagery specific to each event.
When married with the more traditional style of the straight-up projection screen, we arrive at a stage design that translates both visceral video content and emotive light rhythms. This is the current aesthetic that Electrabelle strives for.
http://www.electrabelle.com
show: Sistahood Invitational Poetry Slam
Susan Cormier has been an artist-in-attendance at the herland feminist film festival, a founding editor of Rain City Review magazine, and a representative of Western Canada on the SlamAmerica performance poetry tour. Her print work has won or been shortlisted for such awards as CBC’s National Literary Award, Arc Magazine’s Poem of the Year, and the Federation of B.C. Writer’s Literary Writes.
show: The Remedy
This is Vancouver's first true all-female hip-hop dance crew. With their special brand of hip-hop influenced by a variety of street dance forms such as house and b-girling, they manage to maintain their femininity while showing power and strength in all their performances. Their choreography is based on an ideal that girls should dance like girls, even though hip-hop dance has commonly been perceived as a form that should be executed with a street toughness. The SVS Style Dance Crew shows that it can be performed with the same amount of intensity, be stylish and sexy at the same time, but still be able to leave some things to the imagination.
www.svsstyle.com
show: Sistahood Cinema: Exquisite Cinematic Corpse
Tamara Unroe is a performer, a maker of objects, and a
community-engaged artist. She is inspired by the moments where we
relinquish control … either to an object (a puppet), gravity, or a
split second of poetry. She has worked with artists and communities
both locally and internationally as a puppeteer, stilt dancer, teacher,
and designer. Tamara believes in building art with community and
building community with art. Previous projects include puppet
productions at the Bangkok Fringe Festival, the Hoontown Puppet
Festival in Bangkok, puppetry and aerial dance at the Dream Parade in
Taipei, the Shadows Project, a shadow puppet play about addiction with
residents of the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver (produced by Vancouver
Moving Theatre, designed by Tamara Unroe), and most recently a
collaboration with contemporary dancer Delia Brett for the Brief
Encounters cabaret (produced by the Tomorrow Collective). Current
projects include gathering a community of puppeteers to create the
first Reckless Glove Festival of Animated Objects in Vancouver, and the
Arts, Health, and Seniors project (a three year residency at Strathcona
Community Centre doing puppetry with a group of Cantonese elders)
show: Sistahood Cinema: Exquisite Cinematic Corpse
Tania Willard is an artist from the Secwpemc Nation, her work has been
exhibited at a local grassroots level, gallery and artist run centre's and
internationally. Willard lives in Vancouver and has been a part of many
aboriginal organizations and arts groups, currently she is editor of brunt
magazine with grunt gallery. Her work, in painting and printamking,
concentrates on narrative and the power of story to re-create histories,
understanding and points of intersection between cultures.
show: Sistahood Cabaret: Grand Mamas
Tara is an actor-writer-puppeteer. Select stage credits include Leading Ladies (Gateway Theatre),The Shakespeare Show (Monster Theatre, Pick of the Fringe Vancouver), Volpone (United Players), Mini Masterpieces (Monster Theatre), Beautiful Child (UBC Players), Buss-A-Move (Performance Kitchen Theatre), and Werewolves (Pi Theatre). She is a co-founder and artistic director of Sticky Fingers Productions, with whom she has co-created and performed in Down the Drain (a puppet traumedy), Swamp Lake: a stormy puppet ballet and Fluffy 10th Street: Confessions of a Dirty Puppet. This summer, Tara will tour her one-woman, multi-puppet show Lavignia: a modern fairy tale of gigantic proportions.
show: The Remedy 2009
The word “haint” is a southern expression for a spirit or ghost. These Haints are Erynn Marshall(Victoria, BC), on fiddle, Pharis Romero (Horsefly, BC) on vocals & guitar, and Jason Romero on vocals, banjo, guitar &uke (Arcata, CA). We play traditional old-time fiddle & banjo tunes (mostly from Kentucky, West Virginia or Mississippi and beyond), old-time vocal duets with stringband accompaniment, silver dagger ballads and more. We have a penchant for tunes old, quirky and twisted as well as great, archaic songs that have almost been forgotten.
While striving to play this music with care we also add a bit of ourselves to the music. These are tunes and songs that got under our skin and made our hearts ache, and we hope that some our music might conjure up feelings for you as well. Every note has meaning for us. Sometimes we have gleaned tunes from favorite archive recordings; othertimes, we have been fortunate to learn our music first-hand from old friends - fiddlers or singers who are no longer with us. The music lives on, adapting and breathing in a living tradition.
The Haints Old Time String Band will be joined by Marian Rose as the caller for the Square Dance on March 28 at the Remedy. http://marianrose.com/
http://www.thehaints.com
show: Sistahood Cinema: Exquisite Cinematic Corpse
Edna Brown
Director: Katrin Bowen
9 minutes
When Edna Brown encourages her student Jenny to be a better writer, she crosses a line and finds herself the center of a fight for artistic expression.
Recently completed, Katrin's film brought together an all woman key crew and cast. This film premiered at the BC Women in Film Festival 2008.
Birthday Girl
Director: Erin Lang
13 minutes
Precocious Lindsay celebrates her twelfth birthday by staging her own funeral.
This film premiered at the Vancouver International Film Festival last fall. As the winner of Quebec's Cours Ecrire Ton Court! screenwriting competition, Erin was able to cover most of the production costs with the $55,000 prize.
No Bikini
Director: Claudia Morgado-Escanilla
8 minutes
Robin takes us back to one glorious summer, when she was seven years of age, which defined her spirit for the rest of her life.
This film has already screened in festivals around the world, including the prestigious 58th Berlin International Film Festival. She also recently took home the PlanetOut Short Movie Awards Grand Prize which is the world's largest cash prize for a LGBT film competition.
Smile
Director: Julia Kwan
18 minutes
The youngest daughter of a Chinese immigrant family recounts the events surrounding the taking of a family portrait.
This film premiered at the 2007 Toronto Film Festival and was also one of the five short Canadian films invited to screen at the prestigious 2007 Sundance Festival.
3 experimental films by Rena del Pieve Gobbi:
13 minutes
Degradation
The film maker finds herself transformed into pandora as she opens a reel of film and a clould of insects surround her. The disbursement and repercussions of incest are reprsented by the excrement, cocoons, dead bodies of moths and their larva.
Interception
Interception is an abstract narrative film made of dried fruit. It was inspired by Eve's expulsion from the Garden of Eden and explores the loss of innocence.
Insurrection
Hand painted film depicting violent sexual assault through the closed eyes of the victim. Taking the memory of the worst eight hours out of her life and spending 11 months distilling them into four minutes of abstract images.
http://www.clubzone.com/events/event87028.html
show: Monstrous Beauty: A Co-Creative Cabaret
Va Va Vonderbust is queerly a whole lotta woman! Busting out with energy, tenacity, and sass, she brings the stage alive. Known for her colorful costumes, over-the-top props and endearing endowments, Va Va struts and shimmies as audiences delight in her womanly shape.
show: Zaki Ibrahim and guests
Vital Divine
Tribal Fusion Bellydance duo Vital Divine mixes an intensely feminine and edgy modern fusion, blending old world vocabularies with new school styling. Vital Divine consists of two women committed to social justice, spiritual exploration, holistic health, and art activism. Amber and Laura found each other in recent years through their common love for tribal fusion bellydance, and were immediately inspired to collaborate. Vital Divine is their creative response, subverting socially constructed binaries with a multidimensional representation of femininity. What does it look like? Think: dark, earthy, antique modern circus performers from another planet.
Laura Albert doesn't remember when she first fell in love with dance, but the pictures of her as a wee tyke in a leotard are adorable. Her background in movement training consisted primarily of contemporary dance, jazz, ballet, and yoga before that fateful day when she took her first bellydance class and could no longer sleep at night. Her work as a dancer overlaps with her career as a community organizer, and she is deeply inspired by integrating art and social change. For Laura, this dance is a spiritual and political expression of feminine empowerment and celebration. Past performance highlights include the Vancouver Fringe Fest, the Dawson City Music Festival, and Shambhala. This is her second year performing with Sista'hood.
Amber Eastman is a life long dancer and creator of expressive movement. Daughter of a tai chi teacher, she began exploring the creative process of body awareness as a young child. She has studied an array of dance styles including jazz, tango, ballet and salsa but in the past five years she has discovered a new love for tribal fusion bellydance. This art form involves the fusion of styles from around the world into a single manifestation of the divine feminine. It is strong, sensual and inherently political. Amber is currently completing a masters degree in International human security and peacebuilding, and is dedicated to being an active proponent of positive change. She sees art as an important catalyst for this change, and has been passionate about finding ways to challenge conventional norms about femininity through dance. This has led her to perform regularly around Vancouver and North America as a tribal fusion bellydancer with the duo Vital Divine, and as a burlesque dancer under the alter ego persona of Delilah Dare. Amber feels blessed to have found such strong and supportive women in this community and is truly honored to be invited to perform at Sista'hood this year.
http://www.myspace.com/vitaldivine
show: Monstrous Beauty: A Co-Creative Cabaret
A potpourri of punk, performance creation and politics produced Your Little Pony. Her versatile style is an appetizing mixture of sultry, witty and fun. The Medusa of Vancouver burlesque has been turning audiences to gold for almost two years. A member of Sweet Soul Burlesque, she also freelances fire dancing, and stiltwalking. Her own Hot Saucy Productions has brought four years of Vancouver’s Sistahood Celebration's Cabarets, Vancouver Fringe Festival's The Party, Not Starring Peter Sellers, not to mention many sultry evenings at her underground venue, 7 Studios.
http://www.myspace.com/yourlittleponyburlesque
show: Sistahood Film Festival: XX-Rated Crimes
Zainab would like to thank God, her fiancé, family and friends for their unconditional love and support. She continues to write for both the theatre and film while perusing an acting career in Vancouver, B.C.
Film Credits; Get Rich or Die Trying for MTV/Paramount pictures; ‘Doomstown' for CTV and Protocol Entertainment's ‘Metropia', currently on Omni Television.
Theatre Credits include; Viola in the Canadian Stage Company 2003 production of Shakespeare's ‘Twelfth Night'. Various characters in the 2005 original workshop production of ‘The Real McCoy' by Andrew Moodie at the Factory theatre in Toronto, Ontario.
show: Zaki Ibrahim, Dawn Pemberton, DJ Buzy B & Vital Divine (Tribal Fusion Bellydance)
Zaki Ibrahim’s music is captivating and vibrant. It’s thick with poetics and
steeped in a delicious mixture of earnest emotion and social commentary.
Zaki’s path continues to progress, layering new experiences on top of each
other that uniquely influence her musical ventures, culminating in her most
recent project, eclectica (episodes in purple).
Zaki’s road has been paved with creative encounters that have propelled her forward – from a childhood steeped in musical influences, to performing at
Capetown’s historic Armchair Theatre, then touring Canada with South Africa’s Tumi and the Volume, the Roots and Bedouin Soundclash, to collaborating
with famed DJ/Producer King Britt, to now. It’s all been about connection.
To understand Zaki, one would have to follow the story as it is being written….
Born in Vancouver, BC and raised between South Africa and Canada’s West Coast, Zaki spent her life moving between two worlds and there was a constant cultural diversity blending her world together. Raised by South African father
and Scottish/English mother, her home was full of fruitful debate, musical
inspiration and societal education. Zaki explains “I grew up in an environment where knowledge and learning were key, there was just this constant awareness of what was going on around me and there was a significance attributed to
each experience.”
Music became a constant in her life. “I have early memories of music holding
this esteemed position in our household,” Zaki describes, “because most
music was banned in South Africa during Apartheid. There were these mixed tapes that went underground that became lifelines to the world around us.”
Each one of the tapes contained an eclectic mix from house music to jazz
to pop and became treasured symbols of infinite possibilities.
In her teen years, she began to connect with local artists, writing and
performing, gracing the stage of Capetown’s historic Armchair Theatre.
She discovered her commitment to continuing creative evolution and cultural
connections. ‘I was interested in the concept of art documenting experiences,” Zaki states. “I wanted to develop my self-expression while exploring my
musical community.”
http://www.zakiibrahim.com
show: Monstrous Beauty: A Co-Creative Cabaret
Zena Sharman is working on her PhD at the University of British Columbia. She's been involved with many events and cabarets as a host and/or co-producer, including The Odd Ball, the Sista'Hood Cabaret, and For the Boys. She's also a radio host on CiTR and CBC Radio 3.
show: Myrtle Silverspot: Kitchen Confidential
Zinnia’s triad of passions is: art, of the visual and performative kind, urban agriculture and social change. She spent her formative years in Montreal attended F.A.C.E. ( Fine Arts Core Education). Since moving to the Coast, Zinnia has developed as a visual and performance artist. Community social service work is a passion and a day job. She is working on combining all these passions into one amazing career
She spends hours in her living producing large mixed media canvases that colour her home but are yet too shy to make it out into the world. In the past two years Zinnia has performed in numerous cabaret events around town including Sistahood Cabaret and High School Confidential- an Out in Schools Fundraiser. Zinnia makes her home in East Van with her two cats, her garden and her chosen family.
show: Sistahood Cinema: Exquisite Cinematic Corpse
Zoe Hopkins is a writer and director. Her feature film, "Cherry
Blossoms" is currently in development with a Vancouver production
company, and was work-shopped at the Sundance Institute's Feature Film
Program. Her short film, Prayer for a Good Day, premiered at the
Sundance Film Festival. Another short, One-Eyed Dogs Are Free
premiered at the World Wide Short Film Festival, and received
Honorable Mention at the ImagineNATIVE festival. While her baby son
is napping, Hopkins is writing a new screenplay that she researched in
Iceland.
