Dalton Sessumes
Fire and juggling and lights, oh my! Imagine “The Wizard of Oz” inspired by Cirque du Soleil and the result could be Florida Flow Fest 2023: Illuminated, a daylong demonstration and celebration of movement arts happening Sunday, January 15 at Esplanade Park in Fort Lauderdale.
Presented by Monkey Dust Productions, a Florida based design and production company that producese these events across the US, Flow Fests are a nonprofit project, fiscally sponsored by Fractured Atlas, a New York based national nonprofit.
The Florida event invites participants to watch and to try their own hand at circus, yoga, dance, drumming and more. Artist-instructors from around the world perform and lead workshops for disciplines in which peak performance and a higher state converge in the phenomenon called “flow.”
Flow Fests creates an educational and playful space for exploration and growth; novices and wizards alike can sign up for workshops on Memphis Jookin, Jamaican dancehall, sun wheel chakkars, drum circles, and juggling, to name a few. Flow Fest attendees learn from greats in their fields, including Florida festival special guest Dalton Sessumes, a fire, smoke and light artist who debuted a mind-blowing LED Leviwand and drone performance at Art With Me Miami.
Flow Fest hoops by Andrea Sarcos
In six states on different dates, Flow Fests are fluid in nature, typically changing forms, but at their core lies a strong emphasis on health, wellness and community. “We are serving communities and audiences nationwide through the growth and spread of Flow Fests, free public interactive arts experiences and workshop festivals,” Casandra Tanenbaum, Flow Fests director and “alchemistress,” told PureHoney. “These festivals bring together nationally and internationally touring instructors of multicultural arts to provide wellness activities for all ages and skill levels.”
“Play is important at every age,” Tanenbaum added. “This is not just for kids.”
Entry is free at the Fort Lauderdale event, which offers a bigger-than-ever menu of free courses alongside more than 30 paid workshops designed for intermediate and advanced learners. The festival wraps with a two-hour instructor showcase performance. Flow fanatics can also sign up for a pre-festival master class happening on Saturday, January 14 at Fun in Motion Toys headquarters in Dania Beach.
Florida Flow Fest runs 10am-8pm Sunday, January 15 at Esplanade Park in Fort Lauderdale. flowfests.com ~ Amanda Moore
