Uplift Festival & Retreat
Jul
24
to Jul 26

Uplift Festival & Retreat

  • Menla Retreat & Dewa Spa (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

A joyous weekend of movement, music, & community

The UPLIFT Festival is a retreat INTO life, a reminder that the magic we co-create here is not an escape from reality, but reality itself.

It is a sacred immersion into joy, embodiment, and connection guided by an extraordinary team of facilitators excited to share their gifts with you!

Join us for a magical 3 days and 2 nights at Menla Retreat Center in the Catskill Mountains — a place of ancient energy and natural beauty — where we will gather to dance, play, dream, and remember what it feels like to be fully alive, joyous, and embodied!

Uplift Your Body. Uplift Your Heart. Uplift the Collective.

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"Behind Closed Doors: Stories From the Time of COVID"
Sep
26
1:30 PM13:30

"Behind Closed Doors: Stories From the Time of COVID"

Behind Closed Doors: Stories From the Time of COVID is an interdisciplinary arts festival performing IN PERSON 9/26 @ 1:30pm at Unison Arts, New Paltz, NY, AND also shared virtually LIVESTREAM (on Zoom). Events include dance, live music, poetry, and a photography gallery!

During these last 18 months of the COVID pandemic, we have all lost connection to the daily lives and interactions we have with one another. The arts are no exception to this loss but we are proud to be surrounded by a community of artists who have proved resilient in the creation of art in unconventional ways and spaces. 

The arts are so important in our world - it is how we process our experiences, our relationships, and our connections to one another. The arts provide the space to develop understanding, processing, and reflection and can never be understated. During the COVID pandemic, we watched communities of artists around the world abruptly halt essentially in an instant.

We hope to use this festival as a celebration of what we have overcome, a reflection on what we have experienced, and an opportunity to reignite the artistry of our communities. 

Festival Schedule:

1:30 PM - 2:00 PM: Mingling, Visual Art Galleries, Live Music & Poetry Written By Request

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Seated Performances Of Dance, Live Music, & Poetry

4:00 PM - 4:30 PM: Audience Talk-Back / Q&A

UPDATE: WE MET OUR KICKSTARTER GOAL!! THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO CONTRIBUTED. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL

Our Kickstarter has officially launched and will only remain open until MONDAY 9/6!!

We opted to establish a Kickstarter campaign so as to properly compensate each of the 24 artists playing a role in the festival.

We are asking for any support you may be able to offer, big or small, whether it is a monetary donation and / or sharing with your friends and family. EVERY little bit helps!! Funding this project is a way to promote the continuation of the arts in a community that desperately needs it. We are so grateful for any contribution you may be able to offer!

Click this LINK to visit our Kickstarter Campaign

In addition, our EVENT PAGE is live and tickets are already being sold!! You can join us outdoors, IN PERSON 9/26 at 1:30pm at Unison Arts, New Paltz, NY or you can attend LIVESTREAM (join virtually through Zoom)!! Get your tickets HERE!!

OUR CAST:

Ashley Daigle — @ashleydaiglechoreography

Ben Brown — @hnd_tmpl

Brianna Rose — @badassfairygodmother

Britney Kimball — @britneykimball_

Chaery Moon — @mooncherryboom 

Christine Chanel — @christinechanel

DoubleTake Dance (Ashley Carter & Vanessa de Baños) — @doubletakedanceco

Irene O’Garden — @iogarden

Jessica Michal — @jess_m_michal 

Joanne Louis-Paul — @jazzingenue

Julia Foti — @juliafoti

Kelsey Lloyd — @kelsey_lloyd0412 

Kimberlee Gerstheimer — @kimberleemoves 

Leighann Kowalsky — @leighannkowalsky

Lissa Kiernan — @the.poetry.barn 

Oscar Antonio Rodriguez — @oscarantonio0704 

Pamela Kalechofsky — @misspaminstagram

Pierce Logan — @qwertpoetry

Robert Mitchell — @robertmitchellphoto

Sarah Anjali — @sarahanjalimusic

Sarah Gavilla — @sarahgav_ 

Sarah Xippolitos — @sarahxipchoreo

Sasha Malone — @sasha_malone

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Jun
29
8:00 PM20:00

Dreams Be Told: Virtual Viewing

“Dreams Be Told” is a 10-minute short film exploring the significance of dreaming. It is a collection of voices, movement, and art created to invoke thought and draw attention to this universal experience.

Whether or not we dream daily, we all know what it is like to wake up with fantastical stories, images of a varied reality, or perhaps remember nothing at all... but what does it all mean?

“Dreams Be Told” is a compilation of thoughts threaded together to reveal similarities and contrasting interpretations. 26 artists have contributed their unique perspectives on what dreams mean to them, some through verbal communication and others through movement. 

Zoom in at 8pm. The film will begin promptly at 805pm. At 815pm there will be the opportunity to ask questions or engage in discussion. Please join us for this FREE premiere viewing!

Thank you to these extraordinary artists for their magical contributions:

Angie Mormando, Ashley Daigle, Ava Abrandt, Ava Mormando, Ava Obermeyer, Babette Godefroy, Ben Brown, Brooke Obermeyer, Chris Temple, Darby Canessa, Deanna Hudson, Gina Mormando, Johanna Taylor, Joi Rychelle, Keith Partington, Kimberlee Gersheimer, Mikaela Brandon, Robert Mitchell, Sarah Gavilla, Sarah Ireland, Sarah Xippolitos, Shane Hutton, Tara Obermeyer, Thomas McCarry, Todd Henry

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