SheWolf Sacred is a collective empowered group of womxn in Chicago, IL that express themselves through dance, music, poetry, flow arts, and the cultivation of community. While adhering to COVID -19 restrictions their gatherings have taken a new face: a 4 part online series. The first part, Summoning on 1/26/2021 opened with Brissa Del Mar (she/her) calling in Mother Earth, Father Sky, and the compass directions. This is She Wolf Sacred’s vision of new beginnings for 2021. New beginnings of music, dance, community, and love were summed up, “We are the connectors.”
To the sounds of a running creek, the sounds of an awakening spring, E’a (she/her) gets our blood pumping. Once we check in with our own body, E’a (she/her) takes it to the next level with drums and sounds that you can’t help but spring from your seat or tap your feet to. We are incited to the spirit of this performance. The sounds give way to fireflies and magical mystery as Coelti’s (they/them) laugh cuts to the next portion.
How neat that we get invited into each of these performer’s homes! I feel like I should buy them dinner first. If understanding happens in a container, we get the best of all containers with a SheWolf experience.
Coelti (they/them) gives a spoken word that ponders, “Prayer suits the disposition of the human being and how and where and when and why we do this.” Her laughter is infectious and we wander from home along with her. At his point in the performance, I feel a part of the circle, like a desired part of the circle and a strong sense of belonging.
Laksha (she/her) up next celebrating the new year with her traditional Indian dance, the Bharatanatyam. The movements are so ornate and intricate, it inspires me to consciously move my body and tell myself, I am worth it. Beautiful lines drawing our eyes to the harmonious duality stretch and glaze, stretch and glaze. We are nearing the halfway point of this evening’s performance this is to gaze upon the SheWolf in all her glory. We are deep in the den now.
The variety show continues to the dance club with JC Space Radio (she/they). Group participation is the name of the game. Maybe I can’t move like E’a or Laksha but this looks like fun. Christine leads us in a tapping exercise while frequencies play sure to sanctify and unify the experience amongst all participating. The rhythm clears the space for the new things coming as we all pushed away space, made room, and made way for the future. By this point, we had all rolled out of our slumber, even the sleepy elves.
Radia (she/her) brought us back to a calm quiet clean cello with her dance. Molly Denninghoff on cello accompanies Radia (she/her) as “Song summons the dance. The dance summons you.” Inherent shapes appear as she flexes and forms. It is your birthright to beautifully decorate your space. Traditional but original all in the dewdrops on the grass. Her singing reminds us that women learn from each other. There is always something new to learn. Some people teach. What a blessing that is. All these thoughts of the divine feminine swell as the performance crests near the closing.
The final performance of the evening belonged to Edith (she/her) of Pachacamak Folk Foundation. Her heartfelt gratitude speech to open her portion was overwhelming in emotion and the richness that is femininity. As she danced an indigenous Ecuadorian folk dance, the Chalinas, I was imbued with thoughts of what it truly means to be a woman. For me, women dance for their families. Edith (she/her) spoke of her ancestors long gone and still here today. Long gone or recreated families plant seeds together they work the fields together they crush the grapes, the harvest the gardens. Women are vessels of the water of life. How refreshing to know this series of healing and transformation will carry on as I think we all could use some guardrails going into 2021.
The luscious next installment will be 2/20: Re-Claiming. Howl with us as She Wolf rises. Until we can meet again in person let’s reach out and touch each other’s soul for an hour.
Check out the Re-claiming performance this Saturday, February 20.
