Global Water Dances 2023: Stories from the St. Vrain

• What: Join us for an intergenerational, multicultural morning of dance, live music, and storytelling that celebrates and educates about the St. Vrain Creek! This is a free outdoor performance and community event celebrating the human and environmental stories of the St. Vrain, with a community meal and mingle to follow.

  • Stories from the St. Vrain is a Longmont-based art, science, and health project celebrating the human and environmental stories of St Vrain Creek. Through innovative performances, art, science, and education, the project strengthens the connection between citizens and water while addressing important related topics of water scarcity, protection, stewardship, cultural relationships, and community action needed to address the health and safety of our water and our people.

  • On June 10th, 2023, Stories from the St. Vrain joins the international event, Global Water Dances, where dancers worldwide use the universal language of dance to celebrate and raise awareness of local and global water issues. Global Water Dances events have happened in Boulder County since 2013. This year, join us at Golden Ponds Nature Area at 9:30 a.m. for an intergenerational, multicultural morning of dance, music, and storytelling! Free and open to all ages and abilities with trail accessibility and Spanish interpretation.

  • Stories from the St. Vrain director, Maren Waldman explains, “By bringing people together across expertise, age, cultures, and through bringing them outside to Nature, this project tends the soul work of remembering Nature’s role in our lives individually and collectively; and the social work of learning what we need to do, alone and together, to take care of the wild places….so they, in return, take care of us.”

  • Stories from the St. Vrain is producing an ongoing series of free, interdisciplinary, intergenerational, multicultural experiences throughout the summer and fall that will inspire, educate, and connect the community around the centrality of the St Vrain Creek to Longmont’s resilience.

  • Click here to learn more about the project, and here to learn more about events specific to children/families!

• When: Saturday, June 10th; 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

• Where: Golden Ponds Nature Area; 2651 3rd Avenue, Longmont, CO, 80503

• Parking:

  • Limited Parking available onsite. Please plan ahead and carpool, walk or bike!

    1. Park in the Golden Ponds parking lot and along the south side of 3rd Avenue. Overflow parking at Roger's Grove (15 min walk to Golden Ponds).

    2. ARRIVE EARLY to allow time for parking. Our event will begin promptly at 9:30 a.m.

• Accessibility:

  • The event takes place along 1 mile of concrete and flat gravel trail at Golden Ponds.

    • The trail is accessible for wheelchairs, strollers, and wagons. Please no bikes or pets for this event.

  • Many of our artists are bi-lingual, and Spanish interpretation is provided.

• What to Bring:

  • Bring water, hat, sunscreen, walking shoes, and a picnic lunch to enjoy after the event at the community meal.

  • Bring anything else you need to be comfortable walking and stopping along a 1-mile walk over a 2 hour period.

  • This event is fully standing/walking:

    • You are welcome to carry your own picnic chair to sit down when watching the performances.

• Featured Professional Artists:

  • Maren Waldman, Lead Facilitator & Vision Carrier

    • Dance artist, educator, bodyworker and entrepreneur

    • Global Water Dances, Postcards to the Earth, and volunteer on the City of Longmont’s Equitable Climate Action Team (ECAT)

  • Mimi Ferrie, Production Assistant, Children’s Program Director, Arts & Public Health Researcher

    • Movement educator, performer, community leader, producer, and arts & health advocate

    • Founder/director of Anima Arts Youth Performance, Arts in Public Health graduate student with the University of Florida’s School of Arts in Medicine, Executive Director of Wild Heart Dance, and Co-Director of New Breed Dance Company.

  • Melinda Harrison

    • Choreographer

    • Co-founder and Executive Director of NatureMoves, co-facilitator of the Embodied Arts Training (EAT), and principal creator and artistic director of WilderDance Retreats (WDR)

  • Dexter Payne, Music Director

    • Musician

  • Elisa Garcia

    • Musician, Dancer

  • Constance Harris

    • Choreographer

  • Julio Amida, Crew Director

    • Choreographer

    • MiChantli Crew

  • Jesse Manno

    • Musician

  • Oliver Jacobson

    • Musician

  • Mario Jose Olvera, Opening prayer and dance

    • Danza Mexica, Grupo Mexica Tlahuitzcali, MiChantli

  • Read more about all their incredible work and talents on our PARTNERS PAGE.