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Press Release for Tribe of Doris 2011

The intercultural summer school, festival and global jamboree returns
9th–14th August - Black Down Hills, Devon

The world’s most vibrant intercultural exchange of acoustic music, dance, song and ceremony returns to its beautiful Devon site once again for its 19th year from Tuesday 9th till Sunday 14th August with a tantalising new line up of workshops and performances, featuring teachers from all pockets of the globe.

This year’s highlights include renowned South African gospel singer Pinise Saul; authentic Moroccan Gnawa trance musicians and dancers, Jil Gnawa; African dance and drum legend Nii Tagoe from Baka Beyond; flamenco dance sensation Felipe Algeciras, and celebrated Sufi Whirling pioneer Sheikh Ahmad Dede who travels the world spreading his ‘whirling love power’ to the masses.

A special treat this year will be Mexican shaman Itzcoatl Papalotzin, best known in Europe as Agustin, who will conduct shamanic ceremonies and rituals, give shamanism workshops and teach empowering physical movements and breathing exercises derived from Carlos Castaneda’s Tensegrity teachings.

As ever, learning from these and many other amazing teachers will be the core activity bringing 40 + workshops a day in drumming, dance and voice, intermingled with a wealth of open mic performances, spontaneous jams, indigenous ceremonies, fireside gatherings and creative youth activities, in addition to a spectacular roster of evening showcase performances. The youth area proffers a thrilling diversity of activities, from theatre, circus skills, metal work and trampolining to hip hop, rap, poetry and digital recording.

For those that want to relax and revive there’s a wellbeing zone, yoga, tai chi, other movement classes and the ever popular sauna.

Workshop highlights from the Latin countries include Flamenco dance and song, samba reggae, Brazilian maracutu drumming and dance, Toltec shamanism and Orisha song. From the Middle Eastern arena: Sufi whirling, tribal belly dance, derbouka drumming, Egyptian stick dancing, Klezmer dance and Jewish niggum singing. From Africa: djembe drumming, Sabar dance and drum, traditional and contemporary African dances and songs. Other highlights include English folk songs, polyphonic singing, Tibetan song, Indian melodies and song. Workshops cater for all levels of experience, from beginners to advanced students.

‘What’s so magical about Doris is its amazing cultural diversity,’ says Siobhan Kierans, one of the festival’s founders. ‘People say they feel at home here, no matter what their cultural roots. The act of learning and sharing through music, dance and ceremony creates a feeling of belonging that you don’t get from passively consuming ‘’other cultures’’ at most world music events.’

The festival’s climax is a spectacular showcase on the Saturday night, when the many workshop groups come together to present what they’ve learnt in a series of vibrant performances.

‘Doris creates peace and happiness by communing through music, dance and song,’ declared veteran African drummer Adesose Wallace winding up last year’s Sunday morning closing ceremony. ‘This is the future, one tribe.’