One of my main interests and passion in life has become twirlin' with fire toys. It really is infinite what you can learn and teach your body to do with these things! It all just feels so right! Other interests include making things like, of course, fire toys and good food, but also pottery, willow baskets, clothing, jewellry and all sorts of useful and beautiful items. I'm also into all sorts of great music, dancing, doing Yoga & Pilates and all kinds of other fun activities! Another interest of mine which I have turned into a business is gardening, especially using organic, companion planting and permaculture methods. I began the business in 2002 before completing three years of both Ecosystem Management Technician and Technology Diplomas at Sir Sandford Fleming College, in Lindsay, Ontario. However, much of my plant knowledge has been gained from my own studies, learning from others and hands-on experience in both gardening and in the many uses or benefits of native and naturalised plants of Ontario. Working hard for neighbours to maintain gardens and help with landscaping or other jobs, I've managed to make a meager living to support myself. I've stuck with this work for over four years now because I enjoy working outside with Nature all around. I have always felt a deep connection with Nature that has made me more aware of my surroundings and how fragile it all is. I truly believe that how we treat the Earth circles back to us because we are so interconnected with everything that nothing goes unaffected by our actions! So, this keeps me wanting and trying hard to do a better job of looking after the Earth, to be more gentle with her, and it is my hope that more people will do their part to help reduce their impact on her as well. The more of us that work to minimize our ecological footprint, the better off all Life on Earth will be! The fact that there is still so much beauty in the world gives me hope! :)
Music
I'm into all kinds of Music ~ Really! But nothing beats live music! Especially when you have the chance to perform with a great band and get to know some of the members! In fact the Wassabi Collective was one of my favourite bands even before I was invited to perform with them at Evolve Festival 2005! This opportunity came about when I happened to catch one of their shows at a local and more private venue. Here, I had the chance to talk with and get to know them a little. That's when Melissa, their lead singer and percussionist, asked me to join them at Evolve! Wow, what an opportunity! This is what actually gave me a real drive to practice more regularily with the staff. I wanted to be good enough to twirl fire with the Wassabi Collective! Now I've been booking myself into performing more with live bands, which has been exciting to say the least! A whole summer full of great Music lies ahead!!! :)
Movies
Ya, I like to watch Movies now and then. Some of the best movies I've seen lately are "Walk the Line", about Johny Cash & June Carter, "The Attack of the Ware Rabbit", about the claymation characters Wallace & Gromit, I thought this one was hillarious! And "Volcanoes of the Deep Sea", which is a documentry on deep sea volcanoes and the increadable unlikely ecosystem that they harbour! Another movie that is a must see if you haven't allready seen it is "The Corporation", a documentry about Corporations and how consuming their looming shadows are! Some of my all time faves are "Willow", "The Princess Bride" and "The Goonies". I could go on about Movies, but this topic really isn't that interesting is it?
Television
I don't really watch much TV, we only get about three channels that are all fuzzy out here in the country. However, I did get hooked on that "Arrested Development" series when someone lent me the DVD version of it. That was a hillarious show, it's a shame they cancelled it!
Books
Well, there's all kinds of good books out there. I would reccomend reading "The Legacy of Luna", by Julia Butterfly Hill. This woman is amazing in what she accomplished, she wrote this book about her experience in saving a Giant Redwood Tree called Luna, which she lived in without setting foot on the ground for over two years to save its life! Also, the series on "Ishmeal", I can't remember who by at this moment, but it's a little fiction and mostly fact. The only fictional part really is a talking Gorilla, called Ishmeal, who really makes you think in this book! I'll reccomend more as I think of them or read them. That's probably enough for now.
Heroes
I don't think I really have any particular hero, but I do respect and admire anyone who is virtuous in their ways and who knows what it means to nurture the Earth, others and themselves. Also anyone who makes me laugh or feel good is worthy of the hero label.
Vita the Twirlin Diva is a weaver of fire and light. All the way from Georgian Bay, near Owen Sound, Ontario, she's been practicing and performing with Poi, Staff and Hula Hoop for a few years now and has done several performances at events and festivals in Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Costa Rica. Vita has been hired to perform along side live bands, such as Antibalas (NYC), The Wassabi Collective (BC), Fort Knox Five (Washington, DC), The Slip (Boston, MA) and The Jimmy Swift Band (Halifax) to name a few.
Poi originated in New Zealand and is an ancient Maori dance practiced by both men and women to improve their strength, flexibility and coordination. Poi are two weights, either glow balls or kevlar fire wicks, on the ends of chains which are spun around the body in an expressive way to create beautiful patterns and visual effects. Poi has since evolved and spread around the world, growing more and more popular in recent years.
The origin of the Staff is unknown, but is also popular around the world for use in martial arts and fire twirling. The Staff is basically a long stick with kevlar wick at either end for dipping in fuel to light-up, then it's spun around the body in different ways, creating incredible visual effects similar to that of poi.
Vita has performed at many events and venues including the El Mocambo (Toronto, ON), the Attic (Halifax, NS), the Gypsy Co-op (Toronto, ON), at the Saugeen River CSA (Durham, ON), the Evolve Festival (Antigonish, NS), the Sunseekers Ball (Saint John, NB), Lose Yer Shoes Festival (Huntsville, ON), the Come Together Music Festival (Waterford, ON), the World Electronica Music Festival ~ WEMF (Tweed, ON), Harvest Festival (Cobourg, ON), Dufferin Groove Park ~ Night of Dread (Toronto, ON), Kensington Market ~ Pedestrian Sundays (Toronto, ON), Festival of Northern Lights (Owen Sound, ON), Liberty Village ~ NYE with the Irie Band (Toronto, ON), the Foundation (Barrie, ON), the Wax ~ Women of the World Fundraiser (Kitchener, ON), Santa Teresa (Costa Rica) as well as a few private events, weddings and showers. She has also been practicing now and then with the Zero Gravity Circus Juggling Club on Wednesday nights in Toronto and is currently looking to perform at many more events in 2007.
VITA WAS AT THESE FESTIVALS:
CHECK OUT VITA AT WEMF PERFORMING WITH THE JIMMY SWIFT BAND
..>
Check out Vita's up-comming show with the Irie Band:
Who I'd like to meet: Other Twirlers and Anyone interested in adding the Twirlin Diva to their event!
Vita! I miss you sooooo much! I know U don't look at this often... but yeah. I hope U had a great solstice party and stuff... :D I am having a girls night on Jan. 19th... I know it's far to come but think about it..! Love ya!!!
I just wanted to let you know that i got hacked and the comment below is not from me. Apparently it's a porn website. Ack. Please delete. I hope you are happy and healthy, Linda
Hey Vita! It's Ed from Frontier Town. It was awesome to see you perform and to meet you. Hit me back if you wanna hang out some time! P.S. I just added a song to my profile that was inspired in part by this weekend at Come Together. P.P.S. Whoever does your photography has mad skills! See ya.
