Welcome to Tangerine Pond

Photographs by Charlene Miangolarra
       Held once again in the breathtaking Roberson Dance Studio at the Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, this year's Performance Workshop featured Kathleen Cantone, folkloric dancer and dance coach who brought us to a crossroad of history and culture as well as dance and percussion.
       A Chicago Public School teacher, Kathie has also studied folk and ethnic dance, Orientale, classical and folkloric drumming and performs with the Middle East Music Ensemble of the University of Chicago, directed by Issa Boulos.
       Through a melting of percussion, singing, dance and history, Kathie's treatments of cultures were new and exciting experiences for those in attendance. Caribbean, Syrian, Turkish and Eastern European traditions came alive with sometimes the smallest of instruments - thimbles and saucers, wooden spoons, bright silk scarves, simple drumsticks. Even our voices, led by the prima - the Afri-Caribe wooden drum that signals the count, began to feel like a link to the past. Sound is universal. And so is dance.
       Our event was complete with the arrival of more friends and a wonderful Greek meal provided by Chef Sue Flynn of New Smyrna Beach.
       For a still-photograph documentary of the event, please visit our guest artist page featuring the works of photographer Charlene Miangolarra.

For more information on the facilities at the Atlantic Center for the Arts go to www.atlanticcenterforthearts.org

The power of poetry. It's surprising. It surprises the poet, most of all.
       Poets will tell you that poems almost spill from their heart unbidden. Stars align and truth takes shape in the form of words and the most they can hope for is a way to capture them. The difficult part is being brave enough to share them.
       The dozen poets who met on the porch of Tangerine Pond in the spring of 2007 were indeed brave folk. Most had never read their work in public, let alone publish for any eyes other than their own. But in the safety of these surroundings they could speak their words and share their works, some that had lain quiet in a drawer, sometimes for decades. It was a most remarkable day.
      And it was a pleasure to publish our first anthology - 34 poems by the following 7 poets:
Norma Blackman, Marge Clauser, Kim Emert, Steve Gutshall, Ted Tooney, Wally Wilson and Anne Burnett Wyma.

Poetry on the Porch, Volume 1 was a limited edition created for those participating and for their personal distribution. A second volume is planned for 2008 and information on conducting this type of workshop is available by contacting us at TPAC@tangerinepond.org