On September 24th, 2022, the Rotary Centre for the Arts (RCA) took over Kelowna’s Cultural District for RAE – The Roving Audience Experience. For the second year in a row, the RCA brought together groups of artists, from painters to dancers and poets to buskers, for free performances at different locations around downtown Kelowna. Every corner of the Cultural District was buzzing with activity, and we were so excited to bring these artists to you! 

“RAE was a great success this year,” says Chelsea Boan, the RCA’s Community Engagement and Events Coordinator. “We reached our goal of showcasing a variety of different cultures, and we believe through vast collaboration from artists that typically would have never shared a stage, we got to see our community come together in a new and innovative way."

The star of our Indigenous Hotspot was Dani Lion, with fashion stylings from Syilx Smokin Braidz. Dani Lion is a Secwepemc First Nations artist with a distinctive style of indigi-pop and EDM.  With her unique sultry urbansoul, pop, and trap style, she embodies the soul of an old jazz singer. Her voice captivated the audience all night long, combining her immense stage presence and confidence for an incredible performance. There is an idea that Indigenous culture can only be perceived in a traditional fashion. Dani Lion showed the community that indigenous music is accessible and something that can be appreciated by everyone. 

 

Photo by Holly Lisson-Smith

Our Street Art Culture Hotspot brought live DJing, live art, and live dance together with Vinnie the Squid, Lucas Joel, and Manny de Jesus. Vinnie the Squid has been mixing for over 25 years and has shared the stage with some of the biggest names in Hip Hop, House and Bass music. Classically trained as a turntablist and party rocker, Vinnie never sticks to one style or genre. He put on an amazing performance and had the crowds dancing the night away. Painting live street art was Lucas Joel – an artist who mostly depicts abstract images from his own homelessness and addiction. While dealing with these hardships in his life, he began painting as a way to cope. Now, he has sold pieces to galleries and collectors all over the world, and the works he created at  RAE had people stopping in their tracks. Manny de Jesus is a seasoned street-style dancer from Hamilton, Ontario, and has been performing on stage since he was a kid. His experience with improvised movement has led him to host shows, choreograph routines, and win  open-style competitions across Canada. We were excited to have him perform freestyle dance and encourage others to join in to accompany Vinnie’s tunes! 

 

Photo by Holly Lisson-Smith

At our Slam Poetry Hotspot, The Poetry Elf, NAV, and Ken Shaw brought their spoken word performances to the street. The Poetry Elf took the stage by storm in 2017 with her unique cadence and style. Well known for pushing the boundaries of performing arts, she enthralled passers-by with her well-crafted poems. Joining her was NAV, a poet who writes to speak. Crafting stories from free verse poetry, he created moments of connection with each person in the audience. Similarly, Mackenzie “Ken” Shaw recited showstopping poems for the crowd of RAE participants. Ken is a writer and maker who’s performed in many local open mics and slams, and as the sad and sexy drag king, KENDONTCRY.  

Cellist Olivia Walsh, violinist Narumi Higuchi, and FLOW Dancers Gypsym Rose Movement Art and Dani Michelle serenaded Downtown Kelowna with a mix of classical music and movement in our Classical Infusion Hotspot. Olivia Walsh is an accomplished cello player who has played with the Okanagan Symphony, the Kamloops Symphony and is a member of the Royal Conservatory of Music College Examiners. Narumi Higuchi started playing the violin at the age of 6 in Japan. She has perfected her craft by studying with Jacques Israelievitch at the Royal Conservatory and has held the position of 2nd violin for the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra for a decade. The two musicians teamed up to create a stunning performance of live classical music, accompanied by Gypsym Rose Movement Art.  Gypsym Rose is a free-style movement professional – using a variety of props and dance styles to keep audiences enthralled. Countering the notion that classical music and performances can only take place in a specific framework, the Classical Infusion Hotspot showed the community that there are innovative, cohesive, and beautiful ways to make performances new and unique. 

 

Photo by Holly Lisson-Smith

Right outside the doors of the RCA was our Spanish Culture Hotspot. Everyone who passed by couldn’t help but dance to the sounds of Kelowna’s favourite Latin ensemble, Major Mambo. The group brought a taste of classic Latin hits from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Mexico, and the world to downtown Kelowna. Joining them was Mission Dance Company’s Artistic Director Tanya Vadurova and her talented crew of dancers. Mission Dance produces annual local and touring performances of The Nutcracker and Swan Lake as well as fall and spring mixed programs, and have often done these performances in our Mary Irwin Theatre!  

 

Photo by Holly Lisson-Smith

Performing through the evening was the ever-popular Michael Stanley Edward Elliott, known as The Kelowna Busker. Michael is a dream-pop singer-songwriter with decades of experience performing for audiences all over Canada. This experienced wordsmith gave passers-by an incredibly captivating show. 

Were you lucky enough to catch Inner Fish Theatre’s BikeRideCollective passing through each Hotspot? This group of Kelowna artists/performers collaborate to create live, outdoor art. The group engages with the public using work that is site-specific, site-responsive, and which arrests, interrupts, or promotes conversation. For RAE, the team rode across downtown to act as “town criers”, recruiting attendees.  

“The Roving Audience Experience did this town a service. That was a proper community art project” said community member Miguel Palma. The RCA wants to thank all our community members for making RAE possible, as well as our wonderful staff and volunteers, the Downtown Kelowna Association, Tourism Kelowna, BC Arts Council, Stingray Radio, and Peak Technologies. And we can’t forget about the food trucks - Bunny Hug Food Fresh, Burger Boss, and Scooters Ice Cream, who provided everyone with delicious treats throughout the night! Thank you to everyone who came out to support this unique showcase of artistic talent.