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Rockin’ down the rabbit hole

Clearing Music Festival celebrates music and friendship in the bushes

By Sharon Miki

tanding in woods in the middle

of nowhere—amidst the cheer of

people reunited, the giggles of girls
dancing in bikinis, and the iridescent
glow of bubbles floating through the
chlorine-blue sky while a rotating line-up
of musicians kill it on a rough and ready
stage—you can’t help but feel like you’ve
entered a different and better world.

The Clearing Music Festival took
place on July 23 in a clandestine clearing
in the South Surrey woods, bringing
together nearly 400 friends, strangers
and music-lovers of all ages for a unique,
intimate festival experience.

Originally conceptualized by a
group of guys exploring a wooded area
on a family property—literally clearing
a space of wood and bush to create a
performance-ready area in the forest—the

Clearing Music Festival became an
annual gathering for local musicians and
friends in the know from 2000 to 2005.
After a six-year hiatus, organizers decided
to resurrect the tradition this year bringing
together several bands for a private, day-
long extravaganza.

The 2011 festival featured the funk,
rock and country stylings of Dangerwolf,
Tastycles, Jordan Carrier, Mary’s
Gunns, Murray Band, the River Bottom
Boys, Silent spring, Shatterproof 604,
Soundstem and DJ McMillion. The line-
up was largely an homage to the original
performers in the early 2000’s events—
many of the bands this year included
members from Clearing bands of the past.

In addition to the music, the
Clearing cooked up some interesting
culinary choices for festival-goers.

While traditional favourites like burgers
and hotdogs kept people full, unusual

treats like bear-meat smokies and bear
pepperoni were also popular menu-items.

For those willing to suffer adventure
for their lunch, one the Clearing’s fan-
favourite features was the infamous
“Cheese Hole,” in which the hungry are
forced to crawl through a maze in the
bushes. Their reward? A mini-clearing
where grilled cheese sandwiches and
other treats are served.

Festival founders—now no longer
boys whacking through the bushes, but
men with families in tow—have high

  
   

 
 

hopes for the event in the future. While
all agree that the exclusivity of the private
event is part of its charm, plans are
already in the works for improving the
venue, :

The Clearing Festival might not be
the biggest event you’ll attend, but the
atmosphere of friendship and whimsy is
most definitely worth searching through
the woods for. If you can’t find a ticket for
next year, just follow the music. It’ll be
rocking.

 

Shake your body like a belly dancer
Build up your confidence at CONFIDANCE

By Julia Siedlanowska

| ocated on 107-1320 Kingsway
Avenue in Port Coquitlam,
CONFIDANCE studio offers
dance lessons ranging from Ballroom to
Hip Hop, but due to popular demand, their
man niche has become belly dancing.
Over the last decade, belly dance has
gained popularity in the West, and evolved
into new forms like American Tribal Style
and Tribal Fusion (a fusion of belly dance
with innovations from different styles
like hip-hop, break-dance, cabaret, and
burlesque that make it more accessible to
Westerners). However, main instructor
and founder of CONFIDANCE Francesca
Anastasi Hardman teaches mostly the
more traditional styles. This summer, the
studio features a series of workshops in
their “Bootcamp,” focusing on elements
like dynamic dance combinations,
elegant arms and hands, and my personal
favourite, an introduction to props. Last
week’s lesson featured an introduction to
using zills (finger cymbals), veils, canes,
and more. Due to a large interest after the
workshop, Hardman plans a choreography
class on Sundays in the fall including
veils and possibly even Isis wings! (I hear
Brittney Spears used wings in her last
concert... I’m not sure if that is enticing
or repulsive, but it just goes to show the
growing interest in the art form).

Having started dancing at a young
age, Hardman is an exceptional instructor.
She breaks down the moves so that even
your grandmother could learn to belly
dance (though I’m not sure you’d like to
see it happen). With the true belief that
everyone can dance, Hardman brings

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in an atmosphere of inspiration, and the
studio truly lives up to it’s name. Bringing
in instructors from the local belly dance
scene and around the world, the studio has
hosted workshops by male dancer Nath
Keo, and even stars from the Bellydance
Superstars.

The clientele comes in all shapes,
sizes, ethic and age groups. So if
you’ ve ever been curious to put on your
Bojangles, shimmy your bootie into a
drop in class. If it peaks your interest,
the fall will feature classes for all skill
levels, with the goal towards performing
in the (optional) year end show. Whether
you perform or not, belly dancing is a
wonderful way to get fit- you don’t just
shake that belly and bum, you flex it!

For more information on dance
lessons (belly dance, or other) visit www.
confidance.com

 

 

Spirit of the Fraser

‘Fraser River and the Gulf Islands’ takes over the Amelia Douglas Gallery
By Angela Espinoza 1lam—5pm. Even after the Cultural Crawl
has ended, “Fraser River and the Gulf
Islands” will remain in the gallery until
September 9, welcoming us into the new
school year with a cultural experience.
There will also be a closing reception
from 4:30pm—7:30pm on September 8,
and Campbell will again be in attendance
at 10am on September 9 for one last talk
on his remarkable exhibit.

hroughout the month of August,

artists throughout all of British

Columbia will have a chance to
show off their work. The annual BC
Cultural Crawl began on August 1 and
will continue until the 31, highlighting
over seventy communities across our
lovely province. From the 13-14, it will
be New Westminster in the spotlight,
allowing locales to visit art galleries,
attend concerts, and, amongst other
events, view historical sites. The main
goal of the Cultural Crawl is to give BC
residents a better understanding of our
artistic heritage, and to inspire us with the
beauty that surrounds us.

One of the stops of the Cultural
Crawl will be specifically at Douglas
College. During the New West portion
of the event, local artist Jack Campbell
(80) will have an exhibit displayed in
the Amelia Douglas Gallery (located
on the fourth floor). Campbell, whose
works (according to his personal website)
focus primarily on using watercolours
and acrylics to form a stain glass
effect, has expressed a deep connection
with the Fraser River; the exhibit in
particular is entitled “Fraser River and
the Gulf Islands”. Part of what goes
into Campbell’s unique style is his
manipulation of shapes and colours.
For example, jagged, triangular lines of
yellow, green and blue form a beautiful
river scene in his piece, “Spirit of the
Fraser”.

During the event, Campbell will
be in attendance at the gallery between