I'm so excited about this new website! I owe BIG thanks to my old friend Mike Major of (www.majorcreativity.com) for his fantastic design skills and Lori Stammer (www.clientswebsitecompany.com) for her programming and search engine optimization prowess.
2010 is already shaping up to be a dynamic year, so the timing on this site is perfect. I just finished a weekend of World Rhythm Synergy performances combining the AquaDrums (www.aquadrums.com) in Manitou Springs, Colorado at the Manitou Arts Theater (www.themat.org). All four shows were sold out; the kids ate it up! I owe thanks to my great friend Rich Rychel (www.denvermusicinstitute.com) for loaning me percussion gear and Jim and Birgitta putting it all together at MAT!
Upon returning to Austin, I immediately traveled south to McAllen, Texas to deliver two Za Boom Ba modules for about 300 Spanish-speaking employees in the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School district.
Big thanks to my colleague and friend Kenya Masala (http://www.sourceconsultinggroup.com/zaboomba.html) and our PSJA contact, Lucy Vasquez!
Tomorrow is the real reward – Argentina! My friend Sean Hayden and I are going to explore this incredible country. We don’t have a set game plan yet, but I can just feel that it’s going to be “espectacular!”
1/4/10 Dan Egger-Belandria
Part of the gratification of traveling to Argentina was exploration and stepping outside of comfort zone. From Buenos Aires to Villa Gesell (beach) to Bariloche (Patagonia) – the country is a spectrum of beauty and cultural warmth. But there is nothing like home, and it’s great to be back in Austin.
Next week I’ll be involved in an artist residency in Texarkana, Texas through the ArtsSmart Program, which Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council, Inc. supports. I’ll travel from school to school each day, delivering my World Rhythm Synergy program to about 6 or 7 schools. This will be my third visit to Texarkana through TRAHC. These folks are wonderful!
Later in the month I’ll be on the south end of Texas – the Rio Grande Valley. The Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) selected me to present a total of 10 performances over three days, reaching approximately 3000 students. This is a special grant that Target gave TCA to help promote arts in schools.
Meanwhile, my musical partner Hector Vasquez and I are taking Sonido Sol into a couple of new venues here in Austin, including La Morelia (every Saturday in February from 6:30 to 8:30 PM), and Simplicity Wine Bar (every Thursday in February except the 11th from 7 to 10 PM). Hope to see you there!
2/4/10 Dan Egger-Belandria