I am forwarding this from my friends Maureen and Shinjo. Both are expressive performers I have seen on many occasions:

hello dancing and meditating friends,

i am very excited about this upcoming event that i am co-leading with zen monk butoh dancer Shinjo.
the attached pictures are her dancing at the amazing hand carved indonesian pagoda that graces the exquisite land we will be gathering on.
would love to connect with you there or anywhere in the dance!
happy solstice...be well, maureen


ROOT AND FLOWER: Life and Butoh
A 5-Day Dancing Meditation
with teachers Shinjo and Maureen Freehill

September 3-7, 2008
At An Exquisite Vashon Island Sanctuary
with Indonesian Pagoda, Beautiful Gardens with Asian Antiquities,
Meadows, Ponds, Indoor and Outdoor Studios and Stages

Practices Include:
Butoh
Zen Meditaion
Dance in the Landscape
Body/Mind Training
Contact Improvisation
Live Performance

Join us in this exquisite Vashon Island, WA sanctuary as we dance between studio and temple; daily life and spiritual practice; awakening both mindfulness and vibrantly playful presence. We will share nutritious meals and all aspects of "temple" life in this deep exploration of non-seperation with self, other beings and all of life. We will close with a public performance on Sunday.

This intensive retreat is designed to enrich and enlighten our daily lives and practices of butoh, performing arts, bodywork and/or meditation. Contact us for an application--enrollment limited.

Program Fee: 300 dollars if registered with paid deposit before August 6. 400 dollars after August 6. Food and lodging 100 dollars. Work study discounts available for low income students and artists.

ALSO: Attend a Full Moon Performance at the Sanctuary on August 16 (contact Shinjo for more information)

For questions and application please contact:
Maureen at www.maureenfreehill.net

About the Teachers:

SHINJO is an ordained Zen monk who lived at Sogenji Monestery in Okayama Japan for 11 years studying under Shodo Hirada Roshi. Shinjo trained in Butoh under Kazuo Ohno, Katsura Kan and Min Tanaka. She formed her own butoh group "Stillwater" before entering the monestery where she continued dancing and began solo work and performances. She has taught butoh classes and workshops in Paris, Poland, Japan and currently on Vashon Island, WA, where she is beginning a life of integrating butoh with Zen practice.

MAUREEN FREEHILL is known for innovative ways of fusing eastern and western practices of somatics and spirituality and viewing performance as a vehicle for personal, cultural and global awakening. She has been a performer and somatic/dramatic art instructor for over 25 years. She holds an MFA in Directing/Asian Performance Yoga Teacher Certification. She lived, studied and performed for 5 years in Japan with butoh masters Kazuo and Yoshito Ohno. She teaches and performs locally and internationally including events with Katsura Kan, Akira Kasai, Koichi Tamano, and Noh master Kanze Hideo.

PS...feel free to forward this to interested others...