Rhythms of Life

This past Saturday, The Idisi were guest performers at the Women's Drum Center Annual benefit concert "Rhythms of Life" at the Jeanne d'Arc Auditorium at St Catherine's University.

If you are not aware of the Women's Drum Center..I HIGHLY encourage you to check them out.

www.womensdrumcenter.org

The center is a vital part of our arts community in St Paul and the Twin Cities at large. The wondrous women who inhabit the many different drum technique classes, ensembles such as Drumheart, Women Who Groove, HeartRHYTHMS, and Million Women Drum Circle are truly women with Change in their hearts, and on their minds.

The concert was a wide spectrum of rhythms and drumming styles, and included  The Idisi performing several songs with various drummers. Most of the songs featured being from West Africa such as Yemaya, Baba la gumbala, and the beautiful ensemble piece we all did to end the show, Oya De, celebrating the Goddess/Orisha Oya, and the Winds of Change.

The entire evening was one of celebration, amazing skill, vibration, and joy. The featured dancers also brought such grace and beauty to the stage, I could not help but beam the entire time.

As I stated to my Idisi chicas at our centering pre-show chat...we had a lot of "twatenal torque" (I am so trademarking that) on that stage..and it was glorious!

The audience was ready to play and were warm and inviting. The Idisi had a fantastic time. It was also beautiful to be invited to sing a channeled solo piece at the opening of the show with Cheri Bunker's frame drum women. It was truly special and moving for me.

I am heartened, literally, by the resurgence of women stepping forward and taking the reins to enact change in the world. I see so many women who have entered their Crone stage leading the way, as if to say "Come sisters, we have much work to accomplish, let my wisdom be a beacon". As a women embarking upon my 40's...and finding myself in a leadership role I did not expect to be in...it gives me comfort to know so many are coming forth to be a force for change in a very Divine feminine way. Through community, through our open hearts, and through the arts....these gentle..but fierce... Winds of Change usher in a Great Remembering of what is possible for us all.

These Winds keep us all moving forward, however slow, despite the barrage of "you can not/should not/will not's" from the prevailing dualistic mentality.

I endeavor to keep my Faith strong that we WILL, because events such as this remind me...we always DO.

Thank you Marisa Cuneo-Linsly, Cheri Bunker, Krissy Bergmark, and all the fantastic drummers of the Women's Drum center for including The Idisi in your celebrations. May your organization celebrate many more years of community service, and keep the rhythm of Life going strong.

Namaste'
Dayna Jean Wolter
The Idisi -Founder and Director

 The Idisi perform again on Sunday, April 29th, 2012 at Patrick's Cabaretin Mpls MN at 7pm-9pm
as special guests of Pirates of Dreamtime.

 Join us for "Beltane Dreams: Songs of The Ether" A Sacred Sonics Performance and Ritual

For tickets click here

a posting from wyld woman, Finding Her Voice....

Ever walk into a room of 15+ women without feeling the tension of some sort of group drama or gossip session going on in the corner or judgement? 

 

Not me, not really ever, till I walked into my first rehearsal of The Idisi. 

 

I remember my text that day to Dayna ... "What are you going to do to me, I can't sing". She lovingly laughed and said not to worry. 

 

My anxiety level before walking through that door was through the roof. I walked into the room and remember feeling safe, very odd for me considering I was going to be opening my pie hole to a bunch of women I didn't know!  So many times I have walked into a female dominated enviroment and it was just saturated with judgement. 

 

Not this group, not these women. It is through this safe environment and with these strong and loving women, that I believe I have finally found my voice. It is definitely a journey, ongoing, exciting, and scarey. But I know that my sisters have my back.

 

My voice is not just one of song. Close friends, family, and my husband have all noticed a change in me. I am more confident and more vocal. I believe, now, I can do anything...and it is not decided upon success or failure, but if I had the strength and courage to try my best. And if the outcome was not what I wanted, do I have the strength to learn from it without beating myself up about it and try again...yes, I can say now I do. 

 

And that is a product of being apart of this group, spending time with these women, and SINGING. 

 

I am looking forward to seeing what other doors will open while on this journey. Even moreso, I look forward to hearing from my sisters new doors that will open for them! 

~signed, a wyld woman called Finding My Voice

....all Hail the Technological Age....

Greetings!

 Welcome to The Idisi's new blog...shiny!

This will be a joyous place of sharing...with any number of voices being heard...as we are wyld womyn after all.

We are looking forward to sharing our journey, lessons, trials, and blessings with as many as care to read. 

I , Dayna Jean, as Founder and Director of this chorus of womyn, am delighted to invite you to grab a cuppa, include us in your blog-o-sphere, and read all about the adventures this sisterhood as  we sing our way through the Universe.

And who knows..MAYBE, just maybe...if you are open to it...and Goddess's song calls to you in your Heart...you just might find your wyld side too....

Namaste'
Dayna Jean