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The Tofino Tree Festival is a week long event celebrating the importance and unique beauty of Trees, Forests and Nature found here on the West Coast of Vancouver Island (Clayoquot Sound).

Featuring the long-awaited premiere performances of the Aeriosa Dance production Habitats and Camouflage in collaboration with visual artist Sarah Fuller.

Habitats & Camouflage Collaborating Artists:

Artistic Director, Producer, Co-creator: Julia Taffe
Visual Artist, Co-creator: Sarah E. Fuller
Music Artist, Co-creator: Keri Latimer
Dancers, Co-creators: Meghan Goodman, Cara Siu & Julia Carr
Graphic Design, Wardrobe & Communications: Chandra Krown
Safety Director & Rigging Designer: Colin Zacharias
Head Rigger: Mike Flynn

Special Thanks:

Stephanie Hughes, Pablo Cesar Palma Calderon, Pete Clarkson, Stuart Ward, Natasha Tony, Julia Carr, Meghan Goodman, Cara Siu, Chandra Krown, Michelle Lock, Peter Jotkus, Tim Matheson, Lorelei Williams, Gina Alpen, Catherine Green, Ben Beens, Gisele Martin, Levi Martin, District of Tofino, Tofino Arts Council, Clayoquot Biosphere Trust, Tourism Tofino, Pacific Rim Arts Society, Long Beach Lodge Resort, Ucluelet Parks & Recreation, The Westerly News, Canada Council for the Arts, BC Arts Council, The Province of British Columbia, Manitoba Arts Council.

Tofino Tree Festival Land Acknowledgements: Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government and ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ Tribal Parks.

Aeriosa Dance Society is a certified ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ Tribal Parks Ally. We gratefully acknowledge the rights and title of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation. We create and produce our work in Ancient Gardens cared for by a community. Indigenous rights and principles, uplifted by Allies have enabled these forests to stand when so many have fallen. We celebrate the Tribal Parks, offering transformational experiences to our artists, guests and audiences.

To view the full calendar of events on the Tofino Tree Festival website,
click here

Newsworthy
Salmon Cycle

Excerpt of 'Salmon Cycle' performed in Dancing to Remember on April 30, 2022 at the Vancouver Playhouse

Before bringing last month's production 'Dancing to Remember' to a close, we wanted to share the program details with you in case you didn't get all the information at the show or were not able to attend the event.

To read program details from "Dancing to Remember' click on the image below

Featured Friends in Flight

Chandra Krown and Beth Russell in Maui, HI

I would like to introduce our newsletter readers to Beth Russell. She is an aerialist living in Maui, HI and she has a lot of skills and abilities. She is a certified rigger and has rigged zip lines and a variety of different scenarios. On Maui, she works for Rappel Maui as a guide taking visitors down waterfalls. She also teaches aerial arts and is a performing artist. To learn more about Beth Russell, click on her Instagram link below

Beth has an inventive mind and has developed two different apparatuses. On the left is the 'silk-ease' a combination between an aerial silk and a trapeze. On the right is a double lyra connected with chains called the 'chandelier'.

Beth was willing to take me up on the vertical dance creative exploration challenge. We considered dancing in the waterfall where she brings visitors with Rappel Maui.

However, with time being limited, we decided to drive upcountry and find a beautiful Jacaranda tree as they bloom into an exquisite purple in May. What good timing with the Tofino Tree Festival happening this month!

Click on the video below to watch our short creative exploration together. Even though Beth has hung in harnesses many times, this was her first attempt at 'Vertical Dancing' and as you will see, she is a natural.