Alex Wilson Legacy Fund
Funding in part for Tarab Retreat 2020
The Alex Wilson Legacy Fund fosters projects in the Boulder area in the spirit of continuing the lifework of Alex “Tink” Wilson.
For its first five years the organization operated as part of Boulder International Folk Dancers. In September 2017 the Fund became a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The funds distributed annually come from contributions made by the heirs of Alex’s estate and others.
We hope this opportunity will inspire many to develop and create both long dreamed-of and heretofore-never imagined projects.
We are creating the new folklife of our community every day!
New Normal Ensemble
Inspired by intensely interactive Retreats of Mendocino CA and Grand Lake CO
Two Historic Dance Weekends Near Grand Lake, Colorado:
Thirty years ago, Pete Jacobs accompanied belly dance weekends for Suzanna's Delvecchio’s 4 day retreat in Shadowcliff Center just outside of Grand Lake and Rafi'ah Ruyah held a retreat fundraiser for the Grand Arts Council with sponsor Cathy Walton-Smith and the Fellaheen Ensemble for 12 years.
Meanwhile Meg York was holding forth getting a Performance Degree at University of New Mexico, playing jazz regularly, and then got HOOKED playing for dancers at SCA haflas, Balkan Dance parties with Svirka and Goddess of Arno, Circus Luminous. and accompanied Flamenco Dance with Eva Encinias Sandoval at University of New Mexico.. She toured internationally with Symphonic Orchestras and Pablo Rodarte's Dance Espana...
Meg and Pete had both been basking in the incredible Mendocino CA Middle Eastern Music and Dance Camps, Eastern European Folklife Center Camps and were playing music with Nabil Azzam, Yuval Ron, Hal Aqua, Cameron Powers, Sherefe, and many, many others for dance.
Then, in 2017, Meg York and Pete decided to host a three day weekend in Colorado to keep the Mendo Camp vibe alive in the Rockies ... Meg's daughter had been to La Foret for formative Unity Youth Camps, so Meg approached La Foret... a historic venue with just the right ambiance to have a
"Mendo with out the Mosquitos"!
We were truly honored to have Deborah Newberg, Travis Jarrell, Rafi'ah Ruyah, Eva Cernik, Deepali of Roshni Organization, Omar Al Tabal, Hadgaba Klezmer Band, Farabi Persian Ensemble and the incredible Moroccan musician, Rachid Halihal at our First La Foret Tarab Retreat at in 2018! Last year, 2019 Eric Zang joined us. Please see our Past Artists page for more info
Tarab Retreat 2018 & 2019 at La Foret Retreat Center
This is our third year bringing Tarab to Colorado for Front Range Artists and their students. Our previous venue is breathtaking -- the 1928 log Ponderosa Lodge and Southwest style Chapel on campus at the Historic Unity Conference Center at La Foret.
Luckily we have incredible still photos from Diana Odem. Meg met Diana Odem at the Athena Project, and she's been our Tarab Photographer that catches the special moments... Check them out here under PHOTOS
2020 at Columbine Spiritual Center
Pete Jacobs has a close connection with Columbine Unity Center near Boulder, CO. When the Covid 19 Pandemic made it a struggle to host a camping event at La Foret, we asked Columbine to host a day of live streamed events with a live band and one dance teacher. We are thrilled with this lovely venue! We've had so many past glorious concerts with Sufis Beniyamin and Rabia Van Hattam, Yuval Ron, Key Jam Key Nepalese Classical, Farabi Persian Ensemble, and more...
THESE EVENTS ARE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC SO OUR ARTISTS CAN CREATE. However,
You may register to attend the Sunset Singalong on the Patio
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In this age of barriers, music and dance build
community bridges between the
past and the future by basking in the present:
Tarab is that magic moment of surrender to improvisation and immersion in music/movement.
We cannot demand Tarab occurs --
we can only hold space for ourselves, and let it unfold..
We'll do our best to share our events in an engaging way to lift everyone's spirits. Please join us!
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Sheltered Ensemble: The New Normal
Let's face it: We don't know when we'll be together again.
We are so LUCKY. Our Artists here in Colorado have chosen to shelter together and figure out how to host online acoustic world music events that maintain the live vibe with attendees. We have a few special guests for our short beautiful acoustic streaming events...join us to dance, sing, and play along...in gratitude... Pete Jacobs and Meg York