"A celebration of music and dance"Bill and Livia Vanaver and Miranda ten Broeke came to Auroville in January 2015 to perform and hope to return in 2016. The Vanavers are the founders of the Vanaver Caravan and specialize international music and dance as a vehicle for coming together in celebration of human unity.
About the Vanaver CaravanMusician/composer Bill Vanaver and dancer/choreographer Livia Drapkin Vanaver established the Vanaver Caravan in 1972, and their love for the world’s diverse cultures and commitment to peace among nations continue to inspire artists, students, teachers and audiences. Equally at home in symphony halls, outdoor festivals, classrooms, school assemblies, and conferences, the Vanaver Caravan has captivated audiences worldwide with its celebration of American and International dance and music. The company has toured abroad extensively at private festivals, theaters and arts centers in France, England, Scotland, Belgium and Germany and for the U.S. State Department in Greece, Italy, Tunisia, and Cyprus. They have appeared at major festivals including the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, the Smithsonian American Folklife Festival, the Bienale de la Danse in Lyon, France, the Tanz and FolkFest Rudolstadt Festival in Germany, Harbourfront in Toronto, and the Sidmouth International Festival in England. The Vanaver Caravan’s broad repertoire covers percussive Appalachian clog dancing, featured in the “Pastures of Plenty” tribute to songwriter Woody Guthrie, and the Vanaver Caravan’s world dance and music show, “EarthBeat!” There are also reconstructions of works by modern dance pioneers Ted Shawn and Ruth St. Denis, and original choreography by Livia, with full orchestral accompaniment composed by Bill. The Vanaver Caravan has worked on many social action projects since their inception, including a collaboration with Friendship Ambassador’s Foundation, which brought the company to work at the Balkan Peace and Reconciliation Conference in Romania and Bulgaria. In 2002 the company created an arts and healing program for 9/11 victims that included workshops with children and adults. Currently, the company is working on the India Project bringing our Arts Education Program to Udapur, India. The Vanaver Caravan has also pioneered in-depth arts education programs throughout the U.S. for public and private schools, often creating a curriculum in conjunction with teachers and administrators. |
