II. Voice of the Rockies-Findings

So What is the Voice of the Rockies?  As expressed by participants inspired by Institute presenters and presentations

We are the voice

We are all bigger and better than we can ever imagine ourselves or others to be….like the Rocky Mountains

Possibly Mother Nature speaking

Aspen trees- we are connected to each other/nature

Big Sky-expansive/Big Mountains

Rule Breakers

We too are animals-therefore connected to earth

The dirt/ground that makes the voice (grounding)

Wind/weather

Rock stacking-Balance-Flow

Seeing the universal qualities of everything

Responding to changes

Bending yet strong

Storytelling of the earth-stop talking and start listening

Energy-land is a muse

Observation

Humbling/empowering

We know how to be ourselves

Sense of wonder

Senses!

Mystery

WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF “THE VOICE OF THE ROCKIES?” (expressed by presenters from the Arts)

TIM and ERNIE (music)

• Family is an inspiration
• Folklore from the South was an inspiration for their music
• PLACE: John Denver, Rocky Mountain High – put us on the map
• Cowboy music/Western music
• Banjo was the propeller for Ernies
• Ballads
• Headless chickens are an inspiration – can live for 2.5 years without a head
• Melody comes first
• Number systems are used to write their music and chords
• Dance is a different rhythm source
• Story is an inspiration
• Ballads and stories….might be a Rockies theme

ABBY  (Dance)

• Inspiration of taking someone on a journey
• Colorado is a big dance community – open to innovative dance
• Overlap of the design of dance – similar to visuals arts
• Starting big, adding gestures, creating areas of contrast
• Also similar in that you want to direct the eye/audience gaze
• Revision
• Taking something that you know and make it your own
• Techno ready….(the audience/students are ready, schools/dance companies are not

ANITA (Poetry)

• Connection to nature
• Visual draws you in and takes shape through words
• Rich, thick descriptions
• Might not always be beautiful – might be painful
• Trusting the language is important
• Poetry is an oral performance and an oral tradition – should always be heard – not done only in the studio
• Connection of poetry to the visual arts
• Color (has a big voice), texture, contrast
• Poetry is ALIVE and WELL

PETER (Art and Art Education)

• The phenomena of the place of the Rockies might not just be the ‘furniture’ of the space
• How the things bend into the essence of the place
• And…..