Natick Community-Senior Center, 117 East Central St. Natick
Yoga for Young Kids & Their Adults
Friday’s on-going
11:30am-12:15pm
McAuliffe Branch of the Framingham Public Library
746 Water Street
Bring a mat or blanket and water.
Free. Funded by a grant from the Framingham Cultural Council.
Celebrating Cultural Diversity in the Arts at Temple Emmanuel of Chelsea
Learn about the amazing art of flamenco and shout a few ¡Olé’s!
Saturday June 18
2:00-3:30pm
Temple Emmanuel’s social hall at 60 Tudor Street in Chelsea
Free. Funded by a grant from the Chelsea Cultural Council.
The Program starts at 10:00am with CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN WORLD MUSIC, then CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN COLLAGE ART and culminates with CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN FLAMENCO DANCE.
My day starts with an 11-minute Sa Ray Sa Sa meditation.
This version is to be practiced on the Full Moon, but I was so inspired by this meditation for Saturday’s full moon (5/4/2019) that I am continuing with it, for at least 40 days.
This version of the meditation is a key to opening the flow of Kundalini. The new awareness will give you the authority to make the right choices to conquer the ugliness of life. You will be peaceful and secure.*Yeah, I need this!
Mantra:
Sa Ray Sa Sa, Sa Ray Sa Sa, Sa Ray Sa Sa, Sa Rang
Har Ray Har Har, Har Ray Har Har, Har Ray Har Har, Har Rang
Mudra and Movement:
Start with hands flat together in Prayer Pose at the Navel Point. Breathe in.
Sa Re Sa Sa, ascend the palms up the center front of the torso passing all the chakras, about 4·6 inches in front of the body
*Passing by Heart Center, begin to open the hand mudra to resemble a lotus flower; fully open by the time the hands reach the level of the Brow Point. (The open lotus has the base of the palms together, the little finger tips touch and the thumb tips touch. The rest of the fingers are spread open to express an open lotus flower.)
*The full path up coordinates with: Sa Ray Sa Sa, Sa Ray Sa Sa, Sa Ray Sa Sa, Sa Rang
4. Har Re Har Har turn the fingers to point down, with the back of the hands touching
*It is a reverse Prayer Pose. Slowly bring this mudra down the chakras in rhythm with the music until the fingertips reach the Navel Point on the sounds Har Rang. Then turn them around and begin again.
*The full path down coordinates with: Har Ray Har Har, Har Ray Har Har, Har Ray Har Har, Har Rang
Eyes: Focus at the tip of the nose, eyes are 9/10th closed.
Mudra: Elbows are by the sides, forearms are at a 45° angle, with the fingers at the level of the throat. The exercise begins with the palms facing down.
Alternately strike the sides of the hands together. When the palms are face down, the sides of the Jupiter (index) fingers touch, and the thumbs cross below the hands, with the right thumb under the left.
When the palms are face up, the Mercury (pinky) fingers and the Moon Mounds (located at the base of the palms) touch.
Yogi Bhajan said that the thumbs crossing in this way (right under left) is the key to the meditation.
Mantra: Har
Chant continuously from the navel, using the tip of the tongue (pronounced “hu-duh”).
Time: Continue for 3-11 minutes. To end, sit quietly and reflect on the vibration of the mantra.
Set for the Nervous System and Glandular Balance*
This kriya is for reducing stress and fortifying the mind and body to effectively respond to change in a healthy way.
*I am doing all the exercises in this kriya for 3 minutes each. It is a very powerful kriya and after doing the full sequence on day-one, I decided to break it down so my body and mind are more prepared and can sustain this for a 40 or more day challenge. Please remember to breathe and rest between each section. I find that to end, I breathe in through my nose, with closed eyes, I roll my eyes up to look at third eye, and hold my breath for 10-15 seconds. I also make sure to have a gentle neck lock and root lock**. I like to notice the colors that appear before my “eyes”-noting their relation to the chakras. I then continue to breathe normally and rest for another 2-3 breaths before I continue on.
**I describe the sensation of the neck lock as a subtle lifting-up behind the ears to create a long back of the neck and of the root lock as a gentle pulling-up on the muscles of the “seat” as if to try and lift yourself off the floor.
Sit in Easy Pose with the arms extended straight out to the sides parallel to the ground. The palms are facing up. Begin to move only your Saturn finger (the middle finger) up and down rapidly. Using a powerful breath, inhale as you raise the finger and exhale as you lower it. Continue rhythmically, coordinating this movement with the breath for 7 minutes. This exercise stimulates the pituitary to create a balance between the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems.
Remain is Easy Pose. Stretch the arms out in front parallel to the ground. Place the left hand over the right interlacing the fingers with the palms facing down. Begin to rapidly swing your arms from side to side, moving the head and neck in the same direction as the arms. Keep the elbows straight. Continue coordinating the movement with a powerful breath for 5 minutes. This exercise makes the body very flexible. It also strengthens the chest muscle and stimulates the lymph nodes in that area.
Sitting in Easy Pose, extend the arms straight out in front, parallel to the ground. Make fists of the hands with the thumbs tucked inside touching the fleshy mound below the little finger. Keeping the arms and hands straight, bring the left arm up as the right arm goes down. Continue alternately moving the arms up and down forcefully, coordinating the movement with forceful breathing for 8 minutes. This exercise works to balance the parathyroid gland and stimulates weight loss.
Butterfly Pose. Sit with the soles of the feet pressed together. Draw the feet into the groin, keeping the knees as close to the floor as possible. Interlace the fingers and place the hands in the lap.
Inhale and raise the arms up over the head while simultaneously drawing the knees up towards the center of the body. Exhale and lower the knees and arms down to the original position. Continue rhythmically coordinating the movement with powerful breathing for 8 minutes. This exercise balances the prana and apana, and sets the navel point.
Expressive Movement Workshop: ¡Olé Namaste! Yoga & Flamenco for Every/Body Workshop
SUNDAY OCTOBER 28th.
Release Your Inner Dancer!
¡Olé Namaste! Infuses the movements, breathwork and meditation of yoga with the music and dance of flamenco.
This workshop is fully accessible and can be done in a chair or standing and affords participants the opportunity to explore and experience the joy of movement and expression of two arts within a supportive, creative environment, regardless of experience and/or abilities.
Pre-registration encouraged.
$20 pre-registered or $25 at the door.
Register at info@openspiritcenter.org or call 508-877-8162
For more information, please contact Eve Costarelli AdamAnt_Eve@hotmail.com
We will start on mats (or chairs if needed) and move on to dance. Participants may wear hard bottomed shoes or sneakers for the dancing.
Workshop will be held in Edwards Hall at Open Spirit. 39 Edwards Street, Framingham, MA.
“Through their new referral service for dancers with disabilities, the Boston Dance Alliance strives to break down barriers to inclusion. I was thrilled to see their action become a reality when I received an interview for and then earned the position to teach a 5-week accessible youth flamenco class at the Cotting School in Lexington. This is a chance of a lifetime, affording me the opportunity to share my love of flamenco with this inclusive community. Thank you BDA for increasing cultural equity and access to dance for diverse communities!
~Eve Costarelli, owner and founder, Always Be Dancing Expressive Arts: Yoga and Flamenco for Every/body
Boston Dance Alliance is committed to opening doors to dance. Our free referrals for dancers with disabilities and those who want to work with them are only possible because of your generous support.
Every donation of $50 or more gets you the benefits of membership!
Share in the success of the organization honored this year as one of the four best small nonprofits in the state by the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network.
I am proud to announce that the Boston Arts Consort and the Cambridge Center for Adult Education are presenting the music of Enrique Granados at ArtWeek Boston.
THE BOSTON ARTS CONSORT
& THE CAMBRIDGE CENTER FOR ADULT EDUCATION
PRESENT
Join the Boston Arts Consort and the Cambridge Center for Adult Education for an evening of uniquely Spanish music, art, and food in celebration of the great Catalan composer Enríque Granados. Hear some of his most famous works; get a glimpse of the artwork of Francisco de Goya whose paintings inspired Granados’ greatest pieces; and learn about the composer’s dramatic life story through specially-selected photographs from the Museu de la Música in Barcelona. We’ll begin the evening by enjoying authentic sangria and “bocaditos” (little tapas) prepared by personal chef and Spanish culinary expert Luis de Haro.
With Margarita Campos, Barcelona University lecturer; Eve Costarelli, Interpretive Spanish dance; Christian Figueroa, tenor, Liz Leehey, clarinet; Ed Milan, dramatist; Linda Papatopoli. pianist and director; Clara Sandler, mezzo-soprano; Devin Ulibarri, Spanish classical guitar
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016
PRE-CONCERT RECEPTION 6-7PM CONCERT 7:30-9PM
SPEIGAL AUDITORIUM
56 BRATTLE STREET, HARVARD SQUARE, CAMBRIDGE MA 02138
Rocio Molina, no words can describe what I saw, heard and felt when you performed. I can only say wine, broken glass, rag doll and tambourine. You are flamenco in every strand of your being, pure essence, pure light. My soul cannot thank yours enough.
From the first time I experienced you, when you danced inside the box (we just call it the box dance) I knew for sure you were the epitome of flamenco for me. Your body is so full of expression. You morph between the flamenco of yesterday, the flamenco of today and the flamenco of the future, bringing in a kaleidoscope of rhythms, emotions and energy. Intense movement, sparkling energy, grounded down deep into the floor to sudden statue-like stillness, but even within that moment of absolute peace, life is emanating from your pounding heartbeat and the trails of energy that remain from what came before.
Presenting Danzaora & Vinática as part of World Music/CrashArts 2016 Flamenco Festival, Rocio Molina, along with singer and mandola José Angel Carmona, guitarist Eduardo Trassierra and palmas and percussionist José Guerrero “Tremendo”, has created a show that allows her unique artistic voice to be heard loud and clear, so that it is cannot be confused with any other danceable language. To say she is the perfect flamenco dancer would to be putting Ms. Molina in a box. No, she is all dance, not just the Spanish arts such as flamenco and Spanish classical but also crump, tap, African, yoga, and modern. She speaks her own language yet is able to make us comprehend meaning with just a tilt of her head, the stamp of her foot or the long arching back-bend almost touching the floor with the back of her head, bringing to mind Classical Indian movements from Kathak and Bharatanatyam . Ms. Molina embodies effort and ease; fire and ice; the tangible world and the spiritual world.
The show begins with Ms. Molina, standing, at first what seems stock still, center stage, in a beautiful asymmetric dress. The musicians enter, talking, preparing; we the audience enter, talking, shifting, settling. Then as all of our energy stills and our eyes are drawn to her figure on the stage, only then do we notice the glass of wine tilting menacingly in her hand and the long rope in her other hand, wrapped tightly around the neck of an old ceramic jug. In the composition with the lit-up tambourine, Ms. Molina conjurs up Arabia, Egypt and Africa, creating rhythms that just echo the past while shedding light on the future of the possibility of sound. I have not seen anyone play the tambourine like this since a night, long ago, when Simon Shaheen, oud and violin virtuoso, introduced me to the intricate rhythmic ability of the tambourine’s skin and bells.
For Ms. Molina, everything has the possibility of creating rhythm. Her feet as they strike the floor, an old jug being dragged, breaking glass, a wine bottle being struck repeatedly like an anvil, and inevitably the gritty sound of broken glass crushing underfoot. It was so dramatic when the artists stood around a table, which seemed actually to be a cajón, and created rhythms with their intense finger rolls, knuckle raps and a flurry of foot stomps. To see Rocio’s face break into a smile when they were in a particular sweet spot, playing off each other, the lines blurred between what they had practiced and what just came up from the spirit of the moment was entrancing. Her face often severe or placid was often punctuated by a radiant smile, giving life to the impish “El Duende”, the spirit who brings to light a heightened state of emotion, expression andgenuineness that permeates her soul.
Rocío Molina is the embodiment of flamenco’s past, present and future. She and her company bring together the complex patchwork of flamenco’s history weaving it into new material by bringing with them each their own eclectic blend of musicality, artistry and above all character.
Youth Flamenco on Wednesdays; Classes start Wednesday September 10th, 2014 @ The Dance Complex, 536 Mass Ave., Cambridge, MA
Youth Flamenco 1 (ages 5-10); 4:00PM The class is designed for children aged 5 to 11 with zero to 1 year of flamenco dance experience. This class includes basic technique of flamenco dance to include correct posture, hand, arm, and foot placement. The student will become familiar with basic flamenco vocabulary. The course will include exercises that will develop the clarity of the students’ footwork, develop their upper-body to lower-body coordination. Basic castanet playing exercises are practiced. Repertoire will be taught. Required attire: leotard or fitted top, castanets, flamenco shoes and skirt for girls. Castanets and flamenco boots for boys. Pre-Registration for Fall-Winter 2014 session, as well as Winter-Spring 2015, contact Eve Costarelli AdamAnt_Eve@hotmail.com for more information. No drop-ins.
Youth Flamenco 2 (ages 9-16); 5:00PM Two years of dance experience required. This class offers Flamenco technique to improve posture, hand, arm, and foot placement. Exercises that will improve clarity of the students’ footwork, upper-body to lower-body coordination as well as stamina and endurance are included. Medium to complex footwork and choreographic variations are taught. Required Attire: Flamenco shoes, flamenco skirt, leotard or fitted top, castanets. Other dance accessories may be required such as Spanish hat, mantón and fan, when necessary. Pre-Registration for this Fall-Winter 2014 session, as well as Winter-Spring 2015, contact Eve Costarelli AdamAnt_Eve@hotmail.com for more information. No drop-ins.
Inclusion Yoga (ages 6-10) and Tween/Teen Yoga on Thursdays: Classes start Thursday October 2nd, 2014 @ Open Spirit Center, 39 Edwards St., Framingham, MA
Inclusion Yoga (ages 6-10); 3:45-4:35PM This inclusion class will help children with Autism, special needs, and typical learners to feel comfortable with all people, noting that everyone is different and that’s OK. The class combines breath work, movement, guided meditations and a deep relaxation period to help children learn to be aware of their thoughts, emotions and what their bodies say. This specialized program is designed for typically developing children, and children with special needs, including but not limited to; Autism, ADD/ADHD, OCD, Anxiety, PDD, Sensory Processing Dysfunction, PTSD, CP and DS. Students must be able to take verbal instructions and follow along in a group setting with support. Pre-Registration for this Fall session, as well as other sessions throughout the year, are availablehttp://www.openspiritcenter.org/. Led by Eve Costarelli. $90 for the Fall session, no drop-ins.
Tween/Teen Girls Yoga (ages 11-18); 4:45-6:00PM This class brings older tweens and teens together to explore how yoga can help them better understand and appreciate their changing bodies, relationships, and lives. Yoga can help tweens/ teens move through these often-challenging years and emerge with healthy ways to address stress and find balance. Classes will help empower teens and inspire self-awareness and body confidence, and are fun, upbeat, and non-competitive. Yoga poses, philosophy, breath work, meditation and journaling will be explored. This class also presents a wonderful opportunity for tweens/ teens to come together, laugh, and build friendships within the Open Spirit community. Pre-Registration for this Fall session, as well as other sessions throughout the year, are availablehttp://www.openspiritcenter.org/. Led by Eve Costarelli. $90 for the Fall session, no drop-ins.
Privates are available, slots are filling quickly. Flamenco and Yoga parties available for children and adults. Yoga Classes & The Common Core, Weddings and Corporate events available. Please inquire.
Eve’s other projects include:
Nourishing Teachers, Strengthening Classrooms Project @ the Framingham Public Schools; Framingham, MA
The Birth of Flamenco @ Young Audiences of Massachusetts; Greater New England
Yoga in the Park @ Ivy Child International; Worcester, MA
Core Yoga In Schools @ Brighton High School; Brighton, MA
Winter-Spring 2014 Youth Flamenco & Yoga Classes with Eve Costarelli Mondays: Youth Yoga (Ages 8+) 4:30-5:30PM Open Spirit, 39 Edwards St., Framingham, MA Wednesdays: Youth Flamenco (Ages 5-16) 4:00-5:00PM (Ages 5-10) Level 1 5:00-6:00PM (Ages 11-16) Level 2 Dance Complex, 536 Mass Ave., Cambridge, MA Thursdays: Youth Yoga (Ages 8-14) 3:00-4:00PM (please call to inquire 617-566-9642) DownUnder Yoga, 1052 Beacon St., Brookline Youth Flamenco (ages 4-12) 4:30-5:15PM (Ages 4-7) 5:15-6:15PM (Ages 8-12) *Brookline Location TBD; please call or email to inquire: 617-5216-1643; AdamAnt_Eve@hotmail.com
Bring The Birth of Flamenco to your school or community event.Discover the fiery art of Flamenco, a creation of the Roma (or Gypsies) who fused dance from Spaniards, music from the Moors and song from Sephardic Jews. Through movement, music and words, Eve Costarelli traces the origins of this emotive form from India to Andalusia. In addition to Flamenco’s rich history, students will learn about compás (rhythm) tacaneo (footwork) and the communication between dancer and guitarist. They’ll join in the performance using palmas (clapping rhythms) and jaleo (calls) and volunteers will be called upon to learn a few moves!
Please contact Jason Rabin at Young Audiences of Massachusetts for more information and scheduling questions. Workshops available. scheduling@yamass.org or call 617-629-9262
Eve is available for private/semi private/ family lessons, birthday parties for all ages, performances.
Come see Eve Costarelli and Anthony Tiriti Tran presenting “The Birth of Flamenco” on the Lily Pad stage (next to the Frog Pond) on Thursday July 18th and Saturday July 20th, both shows start at 12noon.
A revolutionary event is happening this July in the heart of Boston, one that promises to unite neighborhoods, citizens, and artistic communities throughout the city: Outside The Box.
From July 13th – 20th, the first annual performing arts festival will turn public spaces like the Boston Common and City Hall Plaza into performance spaces, with over 200 events showcasing the best of Boston and Massachusetts.
And one of the things that makes Outside The Box so revolutionary? Every event is completely FREE!
In true festival tradition, Outside The Box not only aims to unify the community, but to make art accessible to everyone. From theater to dance, the symphony to independent bands, classic to cutting-edge – whatever your preference, Outside The Box will intrigue you, draw you in, and introduce you to new talent. All you have to do is show up, and let our diverse programming do the rest.
Now more than ever is the time to support the city and show the world our talents, so join us this summer at Outside The Box, Boston’s MASSive performing arts festival.
The Birth of Flamenco today at the Douglas School in Acton, MA. This is my K-12 Young Audiences of Massachusetts program… performances and workshops! Why not add a little flamenco to your school’s day? Ole!
Rocio Molina, 
I Am Uniquely Eve 