Music And Movement At Cal-Wood
July 25-28, 2008
Preparing for the group performance of "Movement: Stories From A Kinetic Community". Photo by Robby Robertson.
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Forty five men from throughout Colorado met July 25-28, at the Cal-Wood Retreat Center in Jamestown for the first ManREACH statewide gathering of 2008.
From Friday night's opening circle to Saturday evening's Community Celebration to Sunday night's Circle of Friends, music and movement were everywhere.
Friday evening, musician Ted Shinn from Canon City helped open the gathering by performing Camping Trip, an original song he wrote after attending his
first ManREACH gathering at Camp Kiwanis in 2007. Click here to listen to Ted's song.
Saturday night saw the debut of Movement: Stories From A Kinetic Community. Over two dozen men participated in the group performance, a story of the
men who come together at the ManREACH gatherings then go their separate ways only to be called back to community once again. Movement was a musical celebration of the
energy that flows through and around us, and how we can amp it up and benefit from it.
Donning glow-in-the-dark necklaces and bracelets (not always worn around necks and wrists), the men performed as a group before heading solo into the
surrounding forest then returning as a group for the finale. Whether moving to the music separately or together, each man was a glowing rainbow of colors that lit up the
night. It was a sight to behold and one not soon to be forgotten.
Sunday evening offered music around the campfire in addition to movies and a massage workshop in the main lodge. Other activities during the gathering
included two Community Conversations, one about how to create a more gay-affirming community, the other about the benefits of belonging to an intergenerational community.
Over a dozen men participated in each of these lively discussions. Two additional workshops, one on Gay History and Gay Identity, the other about Herbology, also were well
attended.
As always, there was plenty of time to relax and enjoy the company of new friends and old acquaintances. Once again, the Fabulous Food Faeries outdid
themselves, offering up a sumptuous spread of home cooked meals and delicious deserts. Combine all this with nature walks, volleyball, heart circles and stunning views of
Longs Peak and Rocky Mountain National Park, and you have the recipe for a fun, moving and memorable summer gathering. Who could ask for anything more?
La Foret is next, September 5-8, in Colorado Springs!
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