Cortes Island has a new volunteer production company. According to their recent press release, Moon Dance Productions will pay travelling expenses, accommodation etc for bands coming to Cortes Island. They have already booked the Awakeneers for an Earth Day Contra Dance in Mansons Hall on Saturday, April 13th. A dance troupe will be coming on Tuesday, April 16th, and Elise LeBlanc with Sahara Jane on Saturday, April 27th.
“Music is soul food. Music is like air, we need it. Live music is a great experience. It’s a different kind of soul food, to get moving and to be present with these great artists. I think it’s really great for us to hang out together and have fun together. It’s bonding as a community and I care about the people who live here. I like seeing them, I like going out and I like the opportunity to do this. I think it is important for the overall health of everyone. You gotta get out and shake your thing every now and then,” explained Cora Moret.
“I want to see regular live music in perpetuity. I want to see Cortes Island be on that list of venues when bands are touring. When someone’s invited to come up to Quadra, I want them to know that Cortes is on that list too and to take that extra hop over and experience Cortes. Come join us too.”
Cora is the Chair of the Board for the Southern Cortes Community Association (SCCA).
“I pitched it to the board in the summer saying, ‘we should just have a monthly dance and live music.’ They said, ‘sure,’ but there wasn’t quite enough oomph to get it rolling.”
“Then Matt Cuscianna showed up saying, ‘I want to book all these bands.’ And I said, ‘Let’s do it together and have it under the wing of the SCCA and curb the cost a little bit of rent at least. Let’s form a group.”
“He already had the names of people who wanted to be involved.”
“We’ve got Sandy Keith helping train our sound technicians. He’s steadfastly refusing to be the sound tech, but really we are all under his wing. Shannon Marks, who’s involved with the Fireside Patio this summer. She’s taking a big role in the sound tech at Manson’s Hall. Colin Funk is involved, Paul Wolda and Louis Belcourt. Kalyani is helping with our ambience and decorations. There’s lots of keen individuals: Jemma Hicken, Aaron Ellingson and Dancing Wolf. We’re really excited to have participation from really skilled people and really experienced people in the realm of music.”
“Our volunteer group is dedicated to bringing live music and performing arts shows to Cortes, specifically to Mansons Landing, but we’re also focused on working with the Gorge and the Fireside Patio. We’ll be coordinating the events and just overall making a more wholesome live music scene on Cortes.”
“The Gorge really kicks off its summer season In June, so we’re doing our best not to book two big shows at the same time. We’re trying to coordinate as best we can and we’re also trying to fit in an extra show if we have someone come to the island. The Fireside Patio is having weekday music in the summer If Shannon’s booking a great act, maybe we can persuade them to stick around for a Saturday night show at Manson’s as well. We are working together to maximize what we can do.”
Dancers image generated by Midjourney, prompts by De Clarke
Cortes Currents: So what’s next?
“We do have the variety show coming up. We had planned it for next Saturday. We had our rehearsals just the other day and as it turns out, we don’t quite have enough acts for a wholesome show and we want to make sure this is a great show. So we’re going to do a little bit more legwork and wrangle up those acts because we know they’re on the island. It just takes a little bit of reminding people and saying, ‘okay, now’s your chance. Come on, bring your magic to the stage.’ We’re going to do that and reschedule that date. Coming up pretty soon, hopefully before the end of March. That’s going to be our first big kickoff fundraiser, but then we do have a bunch of acts already booked throughout the spring and summer, including Dylan Stone and Unfaithful Servants.”
For more info, or to get involved, email cortesmoondance@gmail.com
Top image credit: Band image by Midjourney, prompt by De Clarke
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