Category: Recent News

The monthly e-newsletter selects about 5 news posts with this category. Priorities are news relevant to a wide number of people and especially of interest to visitors or new folk.

You can do it – making salsa with Raul and Isabeau

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You Can do it–We Can Help

You can do it - Members share their enthusiasm and expertise
You can do it – Members share their enthusiasm and expertise

Raúl is originally from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. He has been living in Vancouver for over 30 years and continues to share his love of Mexican food with family and friends. Isabeau is Raúl’s spouse and the happy beneficiary of Raúl’s love of cooking.
Raúl and Isabeau live in Vancouver with their two teenagers and their always-relaxed cat.

Join Raúl and Isabeau to learn how to make easy Mexican salsa.  No cooking experience necessary!

Raúl will prepare the salsa live so you can follow along (and then enjoy your masterpiece for lunch!).

To make enough salsa for two people, please have the following ingredients at the session:

  • 2 tomatoes
  • 1/2 cucumber (peel it ahead of time)
  • 1/4 small onion (white or purple)
  • 1 bunch cilantro (you will only need 1/4)
  • 1 lime
  • 1/2 Jalapeno pepper OR Serrano pepper
  • pinch salt
  • pinch black pepper

You will need a cutting board, sharp knife, and little bowl in which to put your salsa.

Kids and youth very welcome to join us – their adults will be responsible for use of sharp knives.

Circle Dance – Together apart

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Are you missing our circle dance gatherings? Our good friends Darlene and Frances put together a playlist of dances that are familiar to many in their Ladner Circle Dance Group. I danced “with” them on Friday night (as I do usually on the last Friday of each month).

My contribution was putting together a youtube playlist. Dance instruction is (when available) put before the music. If you’re not familiar with the dance, maybe just improvise some of the steps. We always say, “There are no wrong steps, only variations” so this is a good time to do your own variations.

www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3mkCp0CAnhnIldO9ESg8BcEV9uUrr0fs

Here’s what Darlene and Frances sent out.

Hello Ladner Dancers,

Frances and Darlene have prepared a “Blossom!” Spring dance program for those who wish to listen or move to dances and music familiar to the Ladner Dance Circle.  Some of the music videos have beautiful images to enjoy too.

The world situation is challenging and affecting us in many ways.  Dance is our connection to each other, to community, to other places/other people, to our precious earth and beyond.  Dance is grounding and healing.  Please join the Ladner Dance Circle in your own home with your heart, intentions and prayers whenever you have the time and energy to connect with these suggested dances/songs (or your own favourites!).

Grab a scarf or two (for Winds on the Tor) and a candle (for My Prayer and Sending You Light) before you begin to dance…

Blessings in the dance of life,

Frances and Darlene

PS It would be lovely to know if you dance or listen along with us.

Breathe deeply!   enJOY

Here Now Lyrics (excerpts):

This spiral dance of joy and grief

Here now, the body breathes

Here now, the laughing, crying

Here now, the birds and dying

Here now, this tale unfolding

Here now, the circle holding

Here now, blessed be

These hands that form a sacred ring

Here now, blessed be

These feet that dance, these hearts that sing

Here now, blessed be

The flowering of the living tree

Here now, blessed be

This light that flows through you and me

Here now, be here now,

We’re here now

Here Now

Choreographer:  Paul Boizot, UK

Album:  Invocation

Artist: Jaiya, BC, Canada

Listen:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5vf0YrPmw4

Dance:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=slkD2QcfJRw

Heartbeat Drum Song

Choreographer: Ciann and Manitoulin Island Sacred Circle Dance Group

Music Origin:  Native American. The song is in a compilation of Tutelo and Saponi languages, now extinct dialects of the Sioux nation

Music Title:  Mahk Jchi

Artist:  Ulali

Listen:  youtu.be/bOn4vIybDU8

Steps:  Dance can travel to the right or left.  If traveling to the right:

R side, L together (to the right) X3, L side (going left), R touch.  Repeat.

Lyrics:

Lyrics translation:

Our hearts are full and our minds are good
Our ancestors come and give us strength
Stand tall, sing, dance and never forget who you are
Or where you come from

Healing Waters

Choreographer:  S. Raschke

Music Title:  Song to the Mother

Album:  Fire Prayer

Artist:  Denean

Listen: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue3BH2GLV08

Dance:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=SM358HFD8HY

Suvetar (Goddess of Spring)

Choreographer:  Kevin Meyers – USA

Album:  Sjofn

Artist:  Gjallarhorn – Sweden

Listen:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ4sqv7OHrg

Dance:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIp7R6VgBVM

Irish Dance (Honouring St Patrick’s Day)

Music:  your choice of Irish music

Steps:  skip and have fun like the children in this video  www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCRzuMPzk4E

Or if you want more of a challenge, then enjoy dancing this dance…

Music:  Irish Tipple

Choreographer:  Barbara Driscoll

Dance:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d999sixJneo

Winds on the Tor (Fresh Spring winds)

Choreographer:  Glastonbury Wed. eve dance group

Music Title:  Young Brown Cow (traditional)

Artist: unknown

Listen:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRVDOktkCVI

Dance:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFVVmPqxB4k

Suggestion:  dance Winds on the Tor with a scarf or two and be playful

Pachelbel In the Garden (sounds of Spring)

Choreographer:  Sun Meditation steps by Bernard Wosien matched to this music by Frances Rose, BC, Canada

Album:  Dan Gibson’s Solitudes, Exploring Nature With Music, Pachelbel in the Garden

Artist:  Dan Gibson

Listen:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzDVZzIIcy8

Dance:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2xGiqPDaq0  (Sun Meditation steps)

Sun Meditation (Equinox ~ balance of light and dark and connection to Findhorn)

Choreographer:  Bernard Wosien, Findhorn

Music Title:   Arioso from Cantata BWV 156 J.S.Bach

Listen:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeaSfoTnz0o

Dance:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2xGiqPDaq0

Bells of Norwich (A dance of hope ~ all will be well again)

Choreographer:  Collin Harrison, UK

Artist:  Sydney Carter

Listen:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUnMnpFQ0Wo

Dance:  (See step notes at bottom of this email)

Offering Govand (Traditional dance steps to celebrate love and life)

Choreographer:  Traditional steps matched to this music by Shakeh Major Tchilingirian

Origin:  Western Armenia

Music Title: Offering

Album:  Treasures

Artist:  Night Ark

From World Circle Dance Day 2019 globalcircledance.com/2019

Music:drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ev7ACSAS57YjpU8SLh_njnTLRk8Wld6a

Dance video:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9CfzqG5Qlc

Notes:  drive.google.com/file/d/1fS6UfjEMfyYKOk2oyw-MUCA0w4XpKzGI/view

My Prayer (candle dance)

Music: Greek

Music title: Prosefhi

Album:  Odos Nefelis’88

Artist: Haris Alexiou, Greece

Listen:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UNQ7Il8wG0

Dance steps:  3 forward steps, 1 sway back, candle in left hand toward centre, right hand on left back heart space of person in front or when dancing alone put right hand on your heart.

Lyrics:

Translation of the lyrics to My Prayer (Prosefhi)

Prayer

Give me a line so that I can walk
Give me a name so I won’t get lost
Give me a dream, a dream to hold on to
Give me a vision to help me resist.

Give me a child to make my confessions to
Give me a kiss to wash away the evil
Wake me in the morning with a song
which would bless my life. 

Hold your own prayer in your heart as you dance ”My Prayer”…

When you have finished dancing, face centre

Sending You Light (candle meditation)

Artist: Ana Hernández & Fran McKendree

Album:  Sending You Light

Listen: open.spotify.com/album/1mrHsXaltDPY8WbkiOamIV

Movement:  stand still or move your candle or move your body….

As the music plays, meditate with your candle

Lyrics:

I am sending you light to heal you, to hold you. I am sending you light to hold you in love.

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BELLS OF NORWICH STEP NOTES

  • V-hold, Facing to the right, moving to the right:  Step Right, Left, Right slip step (Right, slip together Left, Right), Left slip step (Left, slip together Right, Left)
  • Facing centre:  step side Right, Left close to the right
  • Repeat, mirroring steps to the left
  • “Bells”…rock in on the Right foot, rock out on the Left foot(repeat 3 more times).  Arms rock in and out too.
  • Turn slowly in place:  with right hand on heart and left hand up, take 4 steps over the right shoulder Right, Left, Right, Left
  • Bow slowly:  hands on heart or in prayer position
  • Repeat
  • Last cycle ends by repeating “Bells” rocking, turning and sealing the hope filled dance with hands folded over the heart.

Kids Art Gallery

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Since January is Imagination Month it’s a good time to fill this space with photos of creations and creators.

This is our art-board space where doodles, drawings, artwork of any kind can be shared and displayed. If you’ve made something you would like to see here, send it to Kiersten or Mary Bennett.

Featured image by: Hawk, Charlotte, Arthur, Leonard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Send Video Greetings for Sundays

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UCV is up and running with online Sunday worship service. The virtual video greetings from members and friends around metro-Vancouver were a welcoming and heartening part of the service and we want to keep it going! 

For this week’s video (March 29) how about sharing “How IS everyone keeping busy?” Short and sweet—15 seconds max.  It’s a treat to see you and your families and know you’re well!  We will share these during the “turn to your neighbor” segment of the service. Send it by midnight Saturday for the following Sunday service! 

If you have a smartphone or tablet, just open up your camera, flick it over to video mode and then flip the camera to selfie mode so you’re in the frame. Then press the record button and say a few words with those around you (remember, less than 15 seconds please). 

When you’re finished, click the sharing icon (square with an arrow pointing up on Apple devices, dot to two dot triangle on Android) and then email that video to us at video@ucvrefugees.ca. 

That’s it! We’ll broadcast what we receive on Sunday morning and it would be a real treat to see familiar smiling faces. 

Here’s an example video. 

If you’re not sure about how to email a video, if you think you’ll have trouble viewing the service on Sunday morning from vancouverunitarians.ca, or if you’re struggling with Zoom for a church online event, please let us know here and we’ll be in touch to help you get connected. 

How to get help with how to use Breeze

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This post complements the one John Henderson published yesterday: Breeze Usage Instructions. It doubles as a plug for the post about a bang command for UCV on DuckDuckGo, which is how to find out about anything that may be covered on the UCV website.

“how to use Breeze” —John Henderson (!ucv)

click on the links in parentheses above and below

see also – thanks again to John – “how to use the UCV website” (!ucv)

DuckDuckGo bang commands (!?) link to search results for words they follow when the commands are in parentheses, for words they precede when they are not​, as here​: !ucv bang command

Staff Appreciation Dinner

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This year’s Staff Appreciation Dinner hosted by UCV’s Board of Trustees was a lovely evening. The tables in the Fireside Room groaned with an impressive variety of good food, trustees and staff happily sought out at least two people they had never spoken to before, a few people managed to get a quiet bit of business done on the side, and the clean up team was both cheerful and efficient. Congratulations to Sheila Resels for her hard work on organizing the evening.