The Gratitude Gathering: Artistic Offerings
NOTE: This event is part of The Gratitude Gathering Retreat, which starts the evening of Nov. 20.
To register for this event: click “RSVP”, and you will be redirected to The Gratitude Gathering Retreat Registration page.
After a long day of discussions, meditations, and workshops, take some time to reflect and unwind with an evening of artistic offerings, hosted by Bea Martino. Performers include: Sasha Soreff, Margarita Castro McCabe, Rebbekah Vega-Romero, S.C. Says, Cida Vieira, Zina Bethea-Dawson, Isaac L. Thompson Jr. and Arlee Leonard.
Meet the Host & Performers:
Beatrice Antonie Martino
Beatrice (Bea) Antonie Martino (she/her) is a Reimagine event producer and Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary installation artist, choreographer, and grief activist. She specializes in crafting site-specific, multi-sensory experiences and interactive environments that hold space for introspection, emotional processing, and community connection. Working at the intersections of live performance and technology, she uses video art, projection, movement, and choreography to build worlds that encourage holistic engagement with our shared humanity. Her current work explores individual and collective relationships to grief and mourning, and seeks to create new healing rituals to honor the dead.
Bea's academic background includes B.A. degrees with honors in Dance and Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an M.A. degree from New York University Gallatin School of Individualized Study (Artistic Thesis: What Remains: Ritual Spaces for the Contemporary Mourner). Driven by multiple experiences of significant personal loss, Bea has been exploring themes of grief, memory, loss, and identity in her creative work since 2007. In a society where death and grief are marginalized, she believes that we need to make more concerted efforts to create communal spaces in which people can process these experiences through ritual.
To engage with Bea’s work and learn more about her upcoming projects, please visit: https://www.beatricemartino.com.
Sasha Soreff
As Artistic Director of Sasha Soreff Dance Theater, Sasha has been creating and sharing multigenerational, participatory work on stages and in community for close to twenty years. Her work has been presented at an array of New York and New England venues, including Dixon Place, HERE, the Queens Museum of Arts, The JCC in Manhattan, and in performance by students at the Ailey School. She teaches at Gibney Dance Center and The International Partner Dance Intensive has been a frequent guest teacher at NYU’s Initiative for Women with Disabilities. Her classes and workshops are spaces of movement, storytelling, empathy, and playful curiosity. A Maine native, she studied modern dance at North Carolina School of the Arts and received a BA from Barnard College.
Rebbekah Vega-Romero
Rebbekah is a New York City native, a true Gryffindor, a proud member of Actor's Equity, and a triracial Latina bruja. A YoungArts award-winning writer, Rebbekah graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor’s in English Literature and Theatre Arts. Rebbekah has a wide-ranging career as an actress, most recently wowing Seattle audiences with her "luminous" portrayal of Maria in “West Side Story” at the 5th Avenue Theatre. She is the writer and star of the upcoming short films, “The Question,” and “Ring of Fire.” While theatre is on pause, Rebbekah has launched a virtual tarot practice (Ruby’s Realm Tarot) and commenced work on her first book of poetry and photos, entitled El Amor and Other Drugs. Most recently, her poetry has been featured in The Quaranzine Zine. Rebbekah hopes her work will inspire other mixed-race girls to realize that “there’s a place for us.” Visit her virtually at www.RebbekahVegaRomero.com or on social media @RebbekahVR.
S.C. Says
Andre Bradford, a.k.a. S.C. Says, is an Austin based National Champion slam poet who has been performing slam poetry since 2013. He's toured and featured at venues and universities across the country, and his work has been featured in the Huffington Post, The Edge radio, The Culture Trip, Write About Now, and Blavity. He is a two time Austin Poetry Slam Champion, a three time Texas Grand Slam Finalist, and is the creator and host of the Twitch channel The Poetry Stream. He also once popped a bag of popcorn without burning a single kernel, which is arguably one of his greatest achievements.
His poetry covers a gamut of topics ranging from being mixed race, to gun control, to mental health awareness, to never settling in relationships. Slam poetry is an art form he loves due to its raw vulnerability and its ability to cultivate transparency and dialogues into many different walks of life.
Cida Vieira
Cida offers a safe space where her Brazilian Soul ignites everyone to express their joy and freedom. She has always been passionate about bringing change to the world and found that her most powerful contribution was going to be through dance, a more visceral experience through which individuals can connect breath, body, mind and emotion. Born at the heart of the dance circles of Brazil, Cida has choreographed and performed in the US and abroad with musicians including Xuxa, Ray Charles, Daniela Mercury, and Airto Moreira. In addition, Cida teaches conscious dance workshops, supports women through individual therapeutic sessions, and has led the development of women groups internationally through WWWE (Worldwide Women's Wisdom Exchange).
Zina Bethea-Dawson, U.S. Army Veteran
Zina served as a Combat Medic. She spent the majority of her adult life caring for others; fellow service members while active and family upon separation from duty.
From as early as she could recall, creativity was interwoven into her life’s journey. Every form of textile artistry peaks her interest to the point of formal training and execution. Seeing a smile is the elixir that energizes her passions. Whether it’s a quilt , hand tooled leather accessory, or a custom piece of jewelry. Give her a needle and thread, and magic will happen.
Joy is a mission for Zina as she uses humor in her written work with Women Veterans Empowerment and Thriving. Where experiential expression is the medium of camaraderie and healing.
Arlee Leonard
Jazz vocalist Arlee Leonard is the daughter of New Orleans musicians David & Roselyn, and has been on stage most of her life. As a vocalist and bandleader Arlee has performed all over the world, been on television and radio, and self-produced her debut CD “Wild Honey” on her SolaJazz label. This well-reviewed debut features 7 originals and 5 classics, showcasing Arlee’s stylistic and vocal range, and features a host of world-class New York musicians.
In addition to her love of performing and her mission to foster more love in the world, Arlee continues to expand her repertoire as a human being. She is an ordained Interfaith minister, a certified Sound and Music Practitioner, a registered Music Together teacher, and a Feminine Power Coach-in-Training and Facilitator-in-Training. Arlee is inspired to empower women to free their voice as she continues to boldly share her own. Arlee is based in Brooklyn, NY.
