"Seeds is comparable to a full course meal. You have your appetizer, your entrée, and most of all you have your desserts. You appetizers come from the women introduced to you throughout the community. It gives you a start into the world ahead of what you see now. It gives you guidance and a place to start growing. Your entrée is the full art and beauty of belly dance. It is a unique opportunity and a great insight to something different, hopeful, beautiful and worthwhile. And finally, your desserts are the people around you sharing this one of a kind experience and they are the real relationships you build from this program. The Seeds program is sweet, satisfying and delicious, and by the end you are already ready for the next course."
~ Maria Heath, S.E.E.D. graduate Class of 2009
~ Maria Heath, S.E.E.D. graduate Class of 2009
THE PROGRAM
Incense is a S.E.E.D. program:
(Self-esteem, Empowerment and Education through Dance)
This award-winning youth mentoring dance program was originally established by Founder/Director Myra Krien in 2001 to present to youth the finest instruction in Ethnic Dance Arts along with programming that promotes self-discovery and self-actualization, provides mentorship at a very high level and prepares young women for Independence. Stephanie Bolton has been certified to teach this program and is the first to introduce it on the Big Island of Hawaii. This program is a project of Mana Ke'a Sanctuary, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving as a vehicle of health, wellness, & sustainable conscious living on the Big Island of Hawai'i.
Incense accepts 10 girls (ages 12-18 years old) for 3 hours 2-3x a week :
Either
Monday & Tuesday - optional Wednesday
Morning Group 9:00am - 12:00 noon
Afternoon Group B 1:00pm - 4:00pm
or
optional Wednesday - Thursday & Friday
Morning Group 9:00am - 12:00 noon
Afternoon Group 1:00pm - 4:00pm
12 Week Fall program, Second week of September - third week of December 2020
Each group will consist of maximum 10 girls 2-3x a week
On Wednesdays both morning or afternoon (4-10 other girls added to their usual group) will be receiving presentations from a community mentor (all mentors will be screened and temperatures taken, they'll also be required to wear gloves & masks) and non-contact activities that day.
(you can register online- keep scrolling down for form)
Watch this video to learn more:
http://pomegranatestudio.org/index.php?page=video-2
Read these articles to learn more:
http://pomegranatestudio.org/index.php?page=press-2
(Self-esteem, Empowerment and Education through Dance)
This award-winning youth mentoring dance program was originally established by Founder/Director Myra Krien in 2001 to present to youth the finest instruction in Ethnic Dance Arts along with programming that promotes self-discovery and self-actualization, provides mentorship at a very high level and prepares young women for Independence. Stephanie Bolton has been certified to teach this program and is the first to introduce it on the Big Island of Hawaii. This program is a project of Mana Ke'a Sanctuary, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving as a vehicle of health, wellness, & sustainable conscious living on the Big Island of Hawai'i.
Incense accepts 10 girls (ages 12-18 years old) for 3 hours 2-3x a week :
Either
Monday & Tuesday - optional Wednesday
Morning Group 9:00am - 12:00 noon
Afternoon Group B 1:00pm - 4:00pm
or
optional Wednesday - Thursday & Friday
Morning Group 9:00am - 12:00 noon
Afternoon Group 1:00pm - 4:00pm
12 Week Fall program, Second week of September - third week of December 2020
Each group will consist of maximum 10 girls 2-3x a week
On Wednesdays both morning or afternoon (4-10 other girls added to their usual group) will be receiving presentations from a community mentor (all mentors will be screened and temperatures taken, they'll also be required to wear gloves & masks) and non-contact activities that day.
(you can register online- keep scrolling down for form)
Watch this video to learn more:
http://pomegranatestudio.org/index.php?page=video-2
Read these articles to learn more:
http://pomegranatestudio.org/index.php?page=press-2
THE MISSION
To provide a safe, constructive, loving environment for young women after school & in so doing, to mentor them in order to create healthy and strong individuals who are socially and fiscally responsible to themselves and their community. This is accomplished through the vehicle of dance, specifically Tribal Style dance, talking circles, journal writing/artistic visual journaling and presentations.
THE GOALS
For each girl -
To find her own voice and be able to listen to it.
To have better self-esteem and confidence.
To be able to plan and achieve goals, generate choices, create options,
resources and support.
To be ready to face financial independence.
To have respect, appreciation and be able to care for her own body.
To respect, appreciate and be able to care for others in community.
To respect and appreciate diversity and culture.
What goes on? Glad you asked! Girls learn to Dance, Journal, Discuss issues, & get expert advice from guest speakers...
THE GOALS
For each girl -
To find her own voice and be able to listen to it.
To have better self-esteem and confidence.
To be able to plan and achieve goals, generate choices, create options,
resources and support.
To be ready to face financial independence.
To have respect, appreciation and be able to care for her own body.
To respect, appreciate and be able to care for others in community.
To respect and appreciate diversity and culture.
What goes on? Glad you asked! Girls learn to Dance, Journal, Discuss issues, & get expert advice from guest speakers...
Learn to Dance!
In this program girls will learn Tribal Style Dance . This Dance style fuses ethnic tribal movement from various parts of the world into a creative dance vocabulary that the girls will learn to speak. It incorporates movement from dances of Polynesia, India, the Middle East, North Africa, and Spain. In this dance style there is no choreography but each girl learns the cues that indicate which movement is coming next- in this way, they can create art-on-the-spot by following and leading each other in dances that look prepared. This dance style encourages teamwork in this way, as the only way to "win" (look accomplished) is to work together, submit, listen, & cooperate. Each girl learns to lead the group & to follow. With understanding the "rules" in this dance sport, come many opportunities for the girls to learn the importance of community and creating art. This dance style is very earthy & fun & requires no prior dance experience for participation or quick success. The movements learned wear beautifully on and are accessible for every body type, supplying gratification and validation to promote a healthy positive body image.
Learn Art Journaling
Girls will be encouraged to keep a journal to help them learn to hear their own voice. As this S.E.E.D. program is being run by a professional mixed media artist, girls in Incense will get a special journaling experience unique from any other S.E.E.D. program: they will be taught the art of not just writing but visual journaling. Girls will learn some interesting artistic techniques to help them express themselves through image as well as written words, combining text and image to create rich and creative explorations of self-discovery. These journals will become a treasured keepsake of their experience & journey through this program.
Talking Circle
After every dance session, the girls will join together in a talking circle. They will be asked various questions to stimulate discussion and enhance their critical thinking skills. This portion of the program not only helps girls to learn to participate in a discussion civilly, where not everyone may agree but they know that this is a safe place where their ideas will be respected and they can speak freely. Girls begin to learn to articulate their ideas more effectively as a result and gain the confidence to feel more comfortable speaking in public. Throughout the program, girls will forge close friendships with their peers because of the great deal of intimate time shared, dancing, writing, and sharing their thoughts.
Mentorship
At the very beginning of the year we have girls fill out something that asks them about their interests. Throughout the course of the program, we invite guest speakers from our community to come and talk to the girls about the things that interest them, nutrition, health, fitness, financial responsibility, budgeting, vocational planning, etc. These guest speakers are volunteers who we perceive to be successful at or experts in the fields they come to speak on. It is a really remarkable opportunity for a girl, for example, who is interested in fashion to get to meet a real fashion designer in our community who can answer questions about the kind of things that girl should know if she wants to pursue a career in that field. Forming these kinds of connections can not only motivate girls to become more serious about their work in school but also inspire them to plan ahead for their futures. They may learn of careers they had never heard of before as well because of the interest of a peer, and develop new interests. All of the information is the kind that I know we all wish we knew before embarking on independence- and this is exactly the preparation we want for these girls before they set out on their own.
Other Benefits of Incense
Each girl will receive a set of finger cymbals when she enrolls. In Tribal Style Dance, girls learn to play the finger cymbals while they are dancing. Creating music while dancing to it, increases musicality and quick thinking. It is also simply beautiful and pleasurable to learn to play an instrument. They will also learn rhythms on the dumbek (goblet drum).
Costuming is also an enticing draw to many girls. The costumes we wear have an exotic appeal as they are influences by the faraway cultures that inspire music and dance. We teach girls to make their costumes because learning basic sewing skills can truly be a Godsend for a teenage girl. I'll explain why: so often in today's society people buy their clothes instead of make them, resulting in many girls trying to fit their bodies into clothes that were made for a generic "average" concept of a figure. No matter our size, height or shape- each person's body is very unique and it can be degrading when our bodies do not fit perfectly into the clothes we find to buy. Imagine the world of distraction that can be lifted from a teenage girl's mind when she learns simple tricks that she can do herself to make her clothes fit HER body. She can enter the classroom knowing she looks nice and concentrate on her test, instead of concerning herself with a shoulder strap that continues to fall down or a wet pant leg that was too long and dragged in a puddle. We teach them these skills by making costumes but the tricks can apply to anything they need to alter for a better fit.
Another aspect of our costume is that is serves as a merit system by which the girls can measure their success in the program. They receive different elements of ornamentation for their belt each time they successfully learn another family of movements. Sewing this badge onto their belts creates a deep satisfaction of achievement- much like wearing one's wealth. These belts display their hard work and are meaningful to the girls because they can see the belts go from a basic wrap transformed by the end of the year into an elaborate adornment they will be proud to wear. All materials to do this will be provided.
Girls will perform in a student salon at the end of the program. This is the only performance required of them and the girls can invite their friends and family. The purpose of this program is not to create performers- it is to enrich the girls lives by giving them support, respect, and inspiration. However Tribal Style Dance is a lot of fun and many girls may develop a lifelong passion for dance, like Ariel Poling. She was one of the first girls to go through the very first S.E.E.D. program started in Santa Fe in 2001 when she was a teenager. I met her at the 2011 teacher training for S.E.E.D.s....
"I am a SEEDs graduate from the very first SEEDs program in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I was only 14 years old when I graduated from the program and I have forever since believed that SEEDs helped me become the confident, community orientated, responsible, caring and talented dancer I am today. I have a tenacity of faith in the program and I know that there are many young women on [Hawaii] who could benefit from what it has to offer.
This program changes lives. More and more teens turn to drugs, drinking, sex, and crime to occupy themselves after school. This program is something that I know will offer teens an alternative that is just "coyote enough" (as my teacher would say, meaning "edge-y enough") to attract them and hold their interest."
-Ariel Poling, teacher of the Sudeeka S.E.E.D. program on Kauai
Costuming is also an enticing draw to many girls. The costumes we wear have an exotic appeal as they are influences by the faraway cultures that inspire music and dance. We teach girls to make their costumes because learning basic sewing skills can truly be a Godsend for a teenage girl. I'll explain why: so often in today's society people buy their clothes instead of make them, resulting in many girls trying to fit their bodies into clothes that were made for a generic "average" concept of a figure. No matter our size, height or shape- each person's body is very unique and it can be degrading when our bodies do not fit perfectly into the clothes we find to buy. Imagine the world of distraction that can be lifted from a teenage girl's mind when she learns simple tricks that she can do herself to make her clothes fit HER body. She can enter the classroom knowing she looks nice and concentrate on her test, instead of concerning herself with a shoulder strap that continues to fall down or a wet pant leg that was too long and dragged in a puddle. We teach them these skills by making costumes but the tricks can apply to anything they need to alter for a better fit.
Another aspect of our costume is that is serves as a merit system by which the girls can measure their success in the program. They receive different elements of ornamentation for their belt each time they successfully learn another family of movements. Sewing this badge onto their belts creates a deep satisfaction of achievement- much like wearing one's wealth. These belts display their hard work and are meaningful to the girls because they can see the belts go from a basic wrap transformed by the end of the year into an elaborate adornment they will be proud to wear. All materials to do this will be provided.
Girls will perform in a student salon at the end of the program. This is the only performance required of them and the girls can invite their friends and family. The purpose of this program is not to create performers- it is to enrich the girls lives by giving them support, respect, and inspiration. However Tribal Style Dance is a lot of fun and many girls may develop a lifelong passion for dance, like Ariel Poling. She was one of the first girls to go through the very first S.E.E.D. program started in Santa Fe in 2001 when she was a teenager. I met her at the 2011 teacher training for S.E.E.D.s....
"I am a SEEDs graduate from the very first SEEDs program in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I was only 14 years old when I graduated from the program and I have forever since believed that SEEDs helped me become the confident, community orientated, responsible, caring and talented dancer I am today. I have a tenacity of faith in the program and I know that there are many young women on [Hawaii] who could benefit from what it has to offer.
This program changes lives. More and more teens turn to drugs, drinking, sex, and crime to occupy themselves after school. This program is something that I know will offer teens an alternative that is just "coyote enough" (as my teacher would say, meaning "edge-y enough") to attract them and hold their interest."
-Ariel Poling, teacher of the Sudeeka S.E.E.D. program on Kauai
Instructor: Stephanie Bolton
Stephanie Bolton is an award-winning professional mixed media artist who grew up on the Big Island graduating from Makua Lani Christian School in 1998. She has her BA in Fine Art. She studied figure drawing, Renaissance Art History & print making in Orvieto, Italy where she lived with 5 fiesty nuns in a beautiful hilltop convent. She also attended Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. She has taught Art in both public and private schools. Stephanie has been studying various ethnic dances since she was 17 years old. She has been teaching BellyDance in West Hawaii since 2009. She is founder of the Nouveau Gypsy BellyDance format and troupe. See www.stephaniebolton.com for her adult class schedule.
Stephanie has deep love and passion for bellydance and has been a continuing contributing writer for Zaghareet Magazine, and Fuse: a tribal and tribal fusion bellydance magazine. Her work has also been featured in Culture Flux Magazine, Somerset Studio: mixed media magazine, Somerset Gallery magazine, Yallah Magazine, Ke Ola Magazine, At Home: living with style in West Hawaii, The Real Word. Hawaii, and she has been featured on the cover of two UK bellydance publications: Mosaic Magazine & Majency Magazine (debut issue).
Stephanie travelled to Santa Fe in June 2011 to become certified to teach the S.E.E.D. program. Here is what the creator of the S.E.E.D. program, Myra Krien, says about Stephanie:
“Stephanie is a lovely soulful dancer,
phenomenal painter and
a woman deeply committed to her family
and the young women of her community.”
-Myra Krien, creator of the S.E.E.D. program
Stephanie has deep love and passion for bellydance and has been a continuing contributing writer for Zaghareet Magazine, and Fuse: a tribal and tribal fusion bellydance magazine. Her work has also been featured in Culture Flux Magazine, Somerset Studio: mixed media magazine, Somerset Gallery magazine, Yallah Magazine, Ke Ola Magazine, At Home: living with style in West Hawaii, The Real Word. Hawaii, and she has been featured on the cover of two UK bellydance publications: Mosaic Magazine & Majency Magazine (debut issue).
Stephanie travelled to Santa Fe in June 2011 to become certified to teach the S.E.E.D. program. Here is what the creator of the S.E.E.D. program, Myra Krien, says about Stephanie:
“Stephanie is a lovely soulful dancer,
phenomenal painter and
a woman deeply committed to her family
and the young women of her community.”
-Myra Krien, creator of the S.E.E.D. program