Poiema Gals

A blog of theatre, art and culture.

[poiemagals]

A Weekend To Remember

Last weekend, the four Poiema Gals and one Poiema Gal Sister took a road trip to celebrate the upcoming marriage of Melissa Heagy and Mark Blackwood.  Poiema Gals have been known to love a good surprise, and the stagette weekend was no different.  We had the entire weekend away planned and Mel had no idea where we were taking her or what we would be doing.  Our trip took us to Fernie, Lake Kookanusa, and Cranbrook.  Each day we gave Melissa clues in a vintage photo album about what was to come.  A fujifilm instant camera was the perfect accompaniment, allowing her to document the trip and fill the album as we went.  What I loved most about the weekend, was the spontaneous, unplanned fun we had.  Yes, our plans were brilliant (Japanese dinner, dancing all night, lounging by a lake) but it was the random games of grounders, the abrupt stops to go jump in a new lake, the fully-committed improvisation of songs, the impromptu heart to hearts detailing what each of us love most about the rest- these are the things I will remember.  For Monday, we had planned a 2 hour bike ride from Cranbrook to Kimberley on a beautiful trail, but awoke to thunderstorms.  No problem.  We played cards, swam in the pool playing Marco Polo and having jumping competitions, watched a movie, went to a café, and finally played the scariest game of Sardines I've ever experienced.  (Candice, your parents have a terrifyingly dark and eerie yard when the sun goes down.)  The rain didn't make us skip a beat.  "Ah well," we thought, "just an opportunity to do something else exciting."  These trips remind me how lucky I am to have the friends I do.  It makes me pause to appreciate the moments I share with them, and how important these relationships are in my life.  It was brought up on the trip how people, girls included, view women as dramatic, catty, or selfish, and how saddening this is.  Girls are great.  I hope that everyone can be surrounded by women just like the ones I have who they can laugh with, share with, and lean on.  Congratulations, Melissa!  Thank you for letting us be a part of your day! -B

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Good Women, Good Company

As Poiema Gals, we have been working together as a group since 2008, though we weren’t calling ourselves Poiema until 2009.  And although we consider ourselves to be a company in most senses of the word, we have not yet incorporated. Now in our 5th year of operation, we have decided to look into becoming a society.  Lucky for us, Edmonton has fostered a lovely inter-disciplinary arts community that is interested in the success of everyone!  Edmonton artists want everyone to succeed, realizing that we aren’t competing against each other for audiences or popularity, but that the more successful someone else’s company is, the more people will continue coming out to community arts events. So as we begin to embark on our incorporating journey, we were blessed to have Ainsley Hillyard of Good Women Dance Collective join us this past Tuesday evening at Remedy Café.  She generously shared her successes and failures with us imparting a breadth of knowledge that she spent over a year researching.  Even after our 2 hour long conversation, she continued to go the extra mile, emailing us resources and ensuring we know we are welcome to call her if we have anymore questions along the way. Stay tuned over the next year, as Poiema starts another leg of our journey, continuously moving towards bigger and better things. We are definitely in a good company in Edmonton, what a wonderful community we have here.  I am so proud of the Edmonton arts scene!  Love you guys, may one person's success be a victory for all. -S

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Pecha Kucha

While it costs quite a large dollar to go to a Ted conference, you can see them on the internet for free.  Or, if like me, you want to be in a room surrounded by hundreds of other people getting fired up and inspired by their fellow human beings, then you could head out to Pecha Kucha for only $15. Similar to Ted Talks, there are a variety of speakers speaking on any number of topics.  The difference is, each speaker only gets 6 minutes and 20 slides each lasting roughly 20 seconds. I attended the Vancouver chapter of Pechu Kucha with a few friends on June 13th for the first time.  The main theme was “Around The World” and featured native Vancouverites sharing the work they are doing around the world.  One guy was developing a water filter to give to families in developing nations, another volunteered at an elephant sanctuary, another was founding girls soccer clubs around the world and the list goes on.  The innovation, hard work, and what seemed to be random happenstance, came together to create something beautiful and inspirational.  These people’s small hopes to change one person's life, teach soccer, or take photos, lead to the changing of communities, countries and entire lifestyles. Pechu Kucha has put a fire in my belly to live beyond myself, keep dreaming, and get connected to the silent voices in my heart that are leading me towards whatever it is that I will do to help better the world around me. This all leads back to the wonderful accomplishments of people immediately in my world, like the Fashion For Freedom fundraiser that my fellow Poiema Gals pulled off with major success.  Who knows, maybe us Poiema Gals will be up on a stage at Pecha Kucha in Edmonton or Vancouver one day to talk about the things that we have been doing, and hopefully all the lives we are positively affecting.  I’m so proud of my fellow Poiemians and privileged to count myself among them.  Can’t wait to see what great things come out of your lives, ladies.  I love you so much. Find a Pecha Kucha event near you, and be inspired.  -S

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LONDON (Ontario) FRINGE!

Candice and I arrived last Sunday in London, Ontario for our first Fringe Festival of the year.  We didn't tour our show, Middleton: a folk musical, last year and we were itching to be back on tour.  This is also the first time either of us have been to this beautiful city.   Poiema Productions is producing Candice's one-woman show, Anatolia Speaks, written and directed by Kenneth Brown.  We had a preview the day before we left Edmonton, and it was the first time I had seen the play.   What a beautiful piece of theatre.  The writing is brilliant and Candice completely becomes Anatolia, an immigrant from Bosnia living in Edmonton and working at Superstore.  She shares heart-wrenching stories of the life she has left behind, as well as touching hopes and dreams of the life she has started and will continue to build.  The play puts an immigrant’s life into perspective- especially the things that happen to them before they immigrate.  We are extremely lucky to be living in Canada, free to do as we please with a surplus of food and water to fuel us as we go. Anatolia doesn't take anything for granted and celebrates the life she has now without throwing away her past.  She has every right to be an angry, cold, dark person after going through life in war-torn Bosnia and her difficult travels to get here, but instead she is uplifted, joyful, and hopeful of what is to come.  Her personality and outlook is a breath of fresh air and will capture anyone she shares her story with.   We opened the show last night and it went great!  Our audience was responsive and Candice received a standing ovation, well deserved I might add.  We were in a wonderful article about Ken Brown (and the 5 shows he's involved in here) and put in the list of the top 10 buzzed about shows in the London Free Press so I'd say we are off to a great start here in London!  It doesn't hurt that the show is written by Ken Brown, not only our teacher and mentor, but also the man who has taken part in the Fringe Festival since the year after it's creation.  He has written or co-written over 30 produced plays!  It is a huge honour to produce one of his shows.   London has been so good to us and we are sure it will continue to show its love throughout the Fringe.  Break legs everyone! -B ---Other shows to check out at the London Fringe: "Minding Dad", "Grumpus Gets Revenge", "Be A Man", & "Danny and the Deep Blue Sea"

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Sasquatch!

                                     Two Thursdays ago, I started my long 1206 km journey to the Sasquatch Music Festival in the Gorge Amphitheatre, Washington.  Packed into the Toyota Matrix along side me was my wonderful boyfriend, a tent, some clothes, and a bunch of disposable cameras, ready for a weekend celebrating music with other like-minded people.  This was my first camping festival I had ever been to and I wasn't sure what to expect.  I pictured lying on the grass on a blanket in the warm sun in front of a gigantic stage soaking in all my favorite songs.  I wasn't too far off.  Other than being relatively unprepared for the camping portion- forgetting rain gear, cooking tools, warm clothing, and games/books to keep me occupied during the day- it was a magical weekend.  

The campsite is a short trek away from the festival grounds and so when Friday arrived, we joined the herd of people excitedly walking the marked trail.  As we entered the gates, I could see we had arrived; we had made it to Sasquatch!  But it wasn't until we stood at the top of the hill that it really hit me, looking down on the lawn, the stage, and behind it- the Gorge.  Tears came to my eyes at the beauty of it all.  The grass plunged down the hill to the huge stage and the view was breathtaking.  The Gorge had beautiful walls of rock surrounding waters that were calm and still except for the occasional boat or sea-doo carving the glass.   Music.  Here are some of the bands I got to see:  Vampire Weekend, Bloc Party, The Tallest Man on Earth, The Dropkick Murphys, Postal Service, The XX, The Lumineers, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Elvis Costello, and best of all... MUMFORD & SONS!  I had caught their Rexall Place show the day before I left Edmonton, and seeing them only made me more excited to watch them again at Sasquatch.  We started making our way to the front about three hours before they were scheduled to take the stage.  Luckily, we were surrounded by very friendly people we could chat, laugh, and rap with.  That's one thing about Sasquatch: you meet tons of great people.  Mumford & Sons did not disappoint.  Seeing them up close was amazing.  I love seeing a band enjoying themselves on stage.  I like to know that they are having as much fun as the audience is.  I sang the words to every song and jumped and clapped along with the whole mass of people who have been touched by their music.  It was one of the best experiences of my life.   So yes, the port-a-potties (their brand of choice was Honey Buckets) and the rain and the chilly weather was no expense when it came to the once-in-a-lifetime experience I had.  I'd like to give a special thank you to my boyfriend, David Dempsey, for going out of his way to get me to the front for Mumford & Sons, and for making sure I had one of the best weekends of my life.   -B

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It's all over.  Our first annual Fashion For Freedom event is done and what an event it was.  Thank you to all our attending guests, sponsors, designers, models, volunteers, and donors. With your help, we were able to raise $7428.60 that goes straight to The A21 Campaign: an organization that aims to abolish human trafficking in the 21st century.  Thank you to everyone who made the night such a success.  If you couldn't make it out, let me tell you a bit about the evening's activities and make sure you check out the full gallery of photos here, all taken by Brittany Paige Photography.   //Guests were greeted in the lobby by strange looking hosts in pale skin and black lipstick, where they could grab a drink and some appetizers as they mingled with other guests, shopped at the merchandise booths, and bid on an array of silent auction items.  Car parts hung from the ceiling and mannequins dressed in anything-but-fabric adorned the room.  Then it was show time.  People took a seat in the theatre and the lights went down.  A video began that highlighted the topic of discussion for the evening.  "Human trafficking is a modern day holocaust" were the first words on the screen, sending chills down your arms, arousing a sense of unrest, and a passion for change.  The video played on to inform that there are more slaves in the world today than at any other point in human history, with an estimated 27 million in bondage across the globe.   As the screen started to play a music video, the lights faded up and dancers appeared with a moving performance of loss, grief, fight, and hope.  Then the beautiful and magnetic Candice Fiorentino, who emceed the evening, appeared on stage to kick off the main event - the fashion show.  Music played by DJ Derrick Johnson began as the models fiercely walked the runway in innovative designs made with coffee filters, silk flowers, mylar, and confetti.  Nothing was conventional.   Jessica Corbeil took to the stage, to fulfill the true intent of this event, and enlightened the room about The A21 Campaign and the many victims of human trafficking.  She talked about the horrors that most of us have never heard about, and also the power we all have in us to help.  Jeremy Blackwood sang an original song, "She's Loved," that he wrote specifically for Fashion For Freedom.  The song was melodically beautiful, yet the content was heavy with a victim's dark story of abuse, loss, and terror.  The presentations came to a close and it was time for door prizes and to announce the winning designer.  Tessa Stamp won a flight for 2 anywhere in North America for her incredible hat and coat design made from Atlas pages.  Congratulations, Tessa!  And so the event ended, and the support and donations received far surpassed our expectations, truly conveying the eagerness of the community to congregate around a worthy cause. We can’t wait to do it again next year.//   Please visit www.fashionforfreedom.ca for all the information on our first annual event, as well as updates on next year's Fashion For Freedom.  There is a full gallery of the night's activities, as well as all the designs.  We'd like to give a special thank you to J Crew who provided all the jewelry and accessories for each model, Volume Salons for providing hair styling, MC College for providing Make-Up artistry, City Life for the perfect venue, and Kosmos Restaurant and Lounge for the delicious food.  Above are just a taste of the photos from the event.  All photos by Brittany Paige Photography. -B

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Check out Poiema Gal Candice Fiorentino and model, Andrea Klassen, on this morning's Global TV News talking about our upcoming event, Fashion For Freedom.  The event takes place this Saturday, April 27th and all proceeds go to The A21 Campaign which aims to abolish human trafficking and aid the victims with safe houses, vocational training, and prosecuting the traffickers.  Go to www.fashionforfreedom.ca for all the details and to find out how you can get tickets!

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Fashion For Freedom - 1 Week Away!

We are one week away from our much anticipated event, Fashion For Freedom!  The girls and I have accomplished many different tasks while planning this event: hiring a caterer, finding entertainment, volunteers, a venue, media coverage, equipment rental... this list goes on and on.  The evening will be filled with tons of great people, delicious food, fun beverages, silent auction items, merchandise for sale, and the main event: the fashion show!  If you don't already know, we've asked 20 local Edmonton and area artists to create two pieces of raw couture each using anything-but-fabric. (I.E. paper, plastic, metal, tape...) We are expecting some very creative pieces and, from the few we've seen so far, the audience will not be disappointed.  To add to the fashion show fun there will be dancers, singers, speakers, and a beautiful short film. (Check out a teaser of the film made by Joses Martin on our Facebook Page.)  The most important part of this night is that all proceeds go to The A21 Campaign, an organization that exists to abolish injustice in the 21st Century.  They help rescue and provide the victims of human trafficking with a safe and comforting environment, with access to medical and psychological care, vocational training, secondary education assistance, counseling and access to legal assistance. What is so heart-warming is how many people have come forward with generous offers to help, donate and volunteer.  We've received emails from strangers who, having planned similar events, offer us advice.  We've had companies donate exciting silent auction prizes such as an iPad, Chanel Sunglasses, Handmade Jewelry, and a flight for two anywhere in North America.  I'd like to give a special shout out to Poiema Gal, Candice Fiorentino, who is the heart and soul of this project.  She has been planning to throw an event of this grandeur for years now and it has finally come to fruition.  She has worked extremely hard in every aspect of planning this event and I believe she is a big part of why so many people want to be involved.   Fashion For Freedom will take place Saturday, April 27th.  Doors open at 6:30pm.  Check out www.fashionforfreedom.ca for more information and how you can get tickets.  We hope to see you there! -B

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Youth Slam

Well, don’t you just love it when you started writing something, saved the document somewhere and then can’t remember what you titled it?  Well I don’t. 

Thats okay, I’ll just start again.  Who doesn’t like a fresh start?  I don’t.  Just kidding. 

Last Tuesday, (like two weeks ago Tuesday) I went and saw my first slam poetry battle as part of the Hullabaloo Youth Poetry Slam Competition in Vancouver. There were teams from different high schools who competed individually and in groups.  As I saw all the kids using big words and alliteration to try and capture their life as they experience it, or their take on world problems and solutions, I was fondly reminded of a time when my life was full of the same type of passion.  When I was their age, I thought I knew things, and I don’t mean historical facts.  I thought I knew things about the world and how it ran.  The truth is I was very innocent (still am in lots of ways I think), but what I lacked in experiential knowledge, I made up for in determination and enthusiasm. 

I am currently under the mentorship of a well known publicist in town, Ellie O’Day, helping to promote the IGNITE! Youth-Driven Arts Festival, and I am again surrounded by youth (of which I am still considered to be part of at the moment) and I am inspired by the amount they take on, and their talents that they work hard at cultivating. 

Along the way, I have lost track of my teenage self, who was out to conquer the world.  I could attribute this to many things- the first being money, which instills in you the fear of ‘not enough’.  Also, there is the fear of age which I instill with the expectation that ‘I should know things.’  But that self analysis is not the intent of this reflection. 

Spending time around people with the passion like the high school kids I have encountered over the last few months, reminds me of a braver time and inspires me to get back there in spirit and march forward. 

P.S. This is relevant but also off topic, I am super into slam poetry now!

  - S

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Where in the World

Good day!  I have returned home from my extended and wonderful trip to Australia and Hong Kong.  Ah, the perks of having family all over the world.  Traveling has become an accidental hobby of mine, a passion I happened to fall into.  From year long backpacking trips with friends, to family visits 26 hours away, I've got to experience many different parts of the world. 

When I travel somewhere new, I try to live life like the locals: taking off my tourist shoes and discovering a local bar, a secret waterfall, or getting short-term jobs that most visitors don't get to experience.  I think the desire to find these things stems from our innate passion to fit in, to belong and feel like we're part of something.  I was talking to my sister about the importance of traveling and she stressed the fact that so many people don't do it.  Yes, many don't have family they can visit in exotic places, but some just don't want to either.  I hope that everyone has a time in their life when their curiosity brings them to a new place, out of their comfort zone, across the language barrier, and to a place overflowing with a new culture.  It teaches you humility, modesty, and respect.  Most of all, the experiences stay with you and become a part of who you are.   Happy traveling! -B

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How Sara spent her Easter Sunday!!

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Easter Time

It's Easter time, and I have just finished a thirty day yoga challenge!  My first one ever and, to be honest, I never thought it would be possible. But, here I am 30 days later and I am so much stronger physically, mentally, and emotionally.  The ambition boost you get when you accomplish something you committed to is invaluable.  With this item crossed off my bucket list, I also got to shed a limiting thought: 'I won’t be able to be very physically active due to my flat feet.' A though I have been holding on to since high school. But yoga is slowly helping to change my posture and strengthen the arches in my feet. I have also challenged the idea that good physical activity should be a struggle.  Yoga encourages you to relax in order to become stronger, and to release in order to go deeper.  I wonder what Easter means to you?  Does it remind you of the Energizer bunny commercials?  For me, it is the time of year where I pause to think about the burdens I am carrying that have long since passed their best before date. As I mentioned, yoga helped me to confront a few ‘that’s impossible’ thoughts and ‘i can’t do that’ comments.  Those comments serve, on one level, to keep me safe from failure.  If I never try, then I’ll never fail.  Problem solved!  But, being intimidated by the unknown, and deciding I could never produce an album, for example, because ‘I’m not talented enough’, ‘I don’t know enough’, or ‘I don’t have enough money’ are all fear-based thought patterns that stop me from realizing the fullest expression of who I am.  When I believe that ‘I don’t know enough’, I make an assumption that others know more than me.  But the truth, I often discover, isn’t that others know more to begin with, they are just brave enough to take a risk and make mistakes until they figure it out.  Easter reminds me to examine the limiting beliefs I have, nail them to the cross, and move forward a new person.  What junk are you carrying around? 

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Welcome to Hong Kong

          I write this post from the big, smoggy, happening city of Hong Kong, where I have been vacationing/working/enjoying myself for the past month.  My father being from here, I expected to visit maybe once or twice in my lifetime, but this is now my 6th time here.  My sisters both live here now, as do my adorable niece and nephew.  It is a wonderful place full of busy, ambitious and motivated people whose creativity is embraced and welcomed with open arms.  Everyone I meet here believes my 'vacation' will never end; that I will decide to stay here as they had when they were expecting to leave.  I can see why the've stayed.  It's an infectious city with millions of things happening at all times of the day and night and many friendly faces you seem to run into daily.  Most of the people I have met have moved here for an occupation or big opportunity and ended up loving it so much, they stayed.  Traveling around the world has been a big part of my life for the past 5 years and I am very aware how lucky I am to say that.  Seeing different countries and their cultures for extended periods of time has shown me alternate ways of life.  I try to take the things I appreciate from every place I visit and remember to use them in my own life, no matter where I am.  Hong Kong has taught me to be driven, Perth-friendly, Laos-outgoing, Fox Glacier-brave, Rome-strong... and Paris has taught me that I love pastries.  I am thankful for every experience, good and bad, that I have because I know they are building me into the person I will become. My flight is booked to come home April 4th.  Even though I'm not moving to Hong Kong as of now, I promise to take this slice of Chinese life with me when I go.  -B

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Fashion For Freedom Photo Shoot

        You may have caught the behind-the-scenes photos of our Fashion For Freedom shoot a short while ago that were posted on our Poiemagals instagram page by Poiema Gal Melissa.  Here's a deeper look into the hard work and behind-the-scenes fun that went into making this shoot a success.  For this special project, we recruited Brittany from Brittany Paige Photography with her mom, Marj Balser, to take our photos to a whole other level.  I decided to take some photos of the details that brought this whole day together, from the hair and make-up (done by the wonderful Erin Clemmer), to the lights, to the social networking.  Our location was a beautiful home built in 1914 that was being renovated at the time of the shoot.  A big thank you to Lydia Lawrence, Nadia Candido, and Claire Brandenbarg for being our fabulous models, and to Howard and Carmen Lawrence for sharing their home with us.  You can check out Brittany's professional photos on our Fashion For Freedom pages, the official Fashion For Freedom website, and on all the promotional materials for this exciting event.  The photos in this post are by yours truly. -B

Fashion For Freedom is an event in support of the A21 Campaign that aims to abolish human                           trafficking.  Saturday, April 27th.  For tickets or to find out how you can be involved, visit www.fashionforfreedom.ca. 

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Onward and Upward

I was going to write this week's reflection on all the casting call character descriptions I have been reading lately, in which 9/10 female roles specify the girl must be ‘sexy,’ ‘beautiful,’ ‘the girl next door,’ ‘attractive,’ or ‘thin.’ While only 1/10 male roles will comment on their physical appearance, and usually it will say, ‘burly’ or ‘muscular is a plus, but not essential.’ Then I would expound upon that idea by mentioning last week's ‘Girls’ episode that got a lot of controversy as Hannah had a weekend sexcapade with an attractive older doctor, and critics were having a hard time believing that that would ever really happen. However, thank goodness, I had a change of heart. Last night I went and saw three funny ladies who comprise ‘The Sweater Zeppelins’ perform in their first comedy sketch show, self written and produced. These women wrote intelligent witty comedy without making the use of the word 'F$%#'. That made me extremely proud. Go ladies. When you can’t find the work you want, you create the work for yourself. Talk about empowering. Then this morning, I spent some time looking at a birthday present a friend had made me a few years ago, and thought ‘this is just what I needed to keep my spirits up.’ My friend filled a mug which reads, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams”, with phrases like: “I’m so blessed to have you in my life.” “Your laugh is infectious.” “You're beautiful.” “I’d let you bite my arm.” (bit of an inside joke). “ I know everything that you do will be GREAT!” ...and the list goes on. Immediately my mood changed as I was filled with love and acceptance from someone who knows me inside and out, because she took time to empower me and encourage me with such loving phrases. So rather than ranting and raving about the way ‘society’ is bringing me down. I would like to comment on the power you and I all have to bring people up, by sharing some loving encouragement, or having the courage to do what we love and the persistence to make it happen. Thanks to the many wonderful people in my life who encourage and strengthen me, may I spend my efforts doing the same for others, rather than dwelling on the things that do not.

-S

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. @saravickruck creating a new web series. Stay tuned....

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Of to script writing class @saramcintyre Gas is 135.2, glad I ain't driving. (at Esso)