October 1
Harry A. Merlo Field
University of Portland
corner of Willamette Blvd. and Portsmouth St. in Portland
$8-$18

Come support the Portland Pilots and see shireen & Indigo perform their well-loved flaming acrobatic fan act! The Pilots are currently #5 in their league...show your love!

September 24-26
Reed College Sports Center
3203 SE Woodstock Blvd.
Portland, OR 97202
$20-$35

The Portland Juggling Festival is one of the largest regional juggling festivals in the United States, with jugglers from around the world and down the street joining together to share their knowledge and show their skills. We will be teaching workshops in poi, partner acrobatics and stilts at the festival, come play with us! Expect workshops for beginning, intermediate, and advanced jugglers, and vendors of every variety of juggling prop as well as The Juggling and Vaudeville Extravaganza at Benson High School.

The Extravaganza is a family-friendly show featuring the best of local and national juggling and variety acts in one live performance. This year's Extravaganza will showcase talent from around the globe including Doug Sayers, Bronkar Lee, Poetic Motion Machine, and Bekka Rose, as well as local performers Rhys Thomas, Michael O'Neill, Charlie Brown, and Curt Carlyle.

September 17-19
Adventure Cove at Camp Clark (Camp Meriwether)
17500 Cape Lookout Road
Cloverdale, OR 97112
only $65 for the whole weekend!

Pacific Fire is a NorthWest regional Flow Arts gathering at a picturesque camp in the forest along the Oregon coast. Come focus on your art and leave the distractions of the busy world behind.

We are open to all skill levels, from beginner to expert and everyone in between.

We have invited some amazing teachers to share their craft with you: Sage (Austin, TX), Noel (Oakland, CA), Zan (pictured right) & Aurora (Oregon), shireen (Portland), Isa of the Temple of Poi (San Francisco, CA), Leslie Rosen (Seattle, WA), and many more.

While tickets are sold out to this event, there are people trying to sell their tickets. Please contact shireen directly to request tickets to this event if you are interested.

July 30-August 1
Horning's Hideout
North Plains, OR

Holy wow, what a lineup! If you've already got a ticket, expect to see Brandon of the Spinsterz stilt walking all weekend long, teaching workshops, toting his wagon full of our goodies and participating in an epic Incident on Saturday night. If you don't have a ticket, be ready to trade your first born child, as they are in high demand.

Come play with us & the peacocks at 1 of only 3 venues SCI is playing this year!

July 30-August 1
Mount Pisgah, Buford Park Recreation Area
outside of Eugene, OR

Come join shireen & Kricket at the Spinsterz' booth for a magical weekend in the realm of the faerie! We'll be vending our wares and playing with toys all weekend, so drop by the booth to say hi, then stay and play a little.

At Faerieworlds, we invite you to enter the Realm as your magical self and release the beautiful, magical faerie spirit that's inside you!

July 9-11
Veneta, OR
Friday night fire show at dusk in Pyrate's Cove (parking lot)
Girl Circus on WC Fields Stage 6:30p Friday, 2pm Saturday & Sunday

The Oregon Country Fair creates events and experiences that nourish the spirit, explore living artfully and authentically on Earth, and transform culture in magical, joyous and healthy ways. Whether you come to Fair to purchase beautiful handmade crafts, eat delectable food, watch amazing performances or to share information, for 3 days in July, the woods are full of it.

Come celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Girl Circus with us on WC Fields stage, or find shireen in Chela Mela playing with poi when it's not show time. And don't forget the Friday night fire show in the parking lot at dusk- it's free and open to the public.

See you at the Fair!

July 4
Spruce St. Park, Cannon Beach, OR
fire show at 9:15p

Cannon Beach is doing it's part to minimize environmental problems on their beach- by hiring us to do an amazing fire show in the hopes that folks will no longer feel the need to go down to the beach to light off mass fireworks on the 4th of July!

Come see the amazing new fire show put on by SkBaM! Circus Project, a collaboration of masterful & experienced circus performers from all over the state of Oregon, including yours truly. Comprised of some of the top performers in our fields, we delight crowds of all ages with our playful and innovative performances, including astounding flaming feats, flying hula hoops, acrobatics, stilts and a daring finale ~ don't miss it!

June 18-20
East Bonney Lake, WA
Admission $5-$40, VIP tickets available
fire show Saturday night

All's Faire is cross genre festival mixing fantasy and history for children and adults. Enjoy the multiple stages, fighting arenas, merchant row, wandering entertainers and practitioners of various crafts. All's Faire is conveniently located 45 minutes south of Seattle in a majestic wooded park offering RV hookups, indoor plumbing, and hot showers. Come for the day or camp for the weekend and enjoy the after party and night life.

And don't miss the amazing new fire show put on by SkBaM! Circus Project, a collaboration of masterful & experienced circus performers from all over the state of Oregon, including yours truly. Comprised of some of the top performers in our fields, we delight crowds of all ages with our playful and innovative performances, including astounding flaming feats, flying hula hoops, acrobatics, stilts and a daring finale ~ don't miss it!

And please use the referral code "flamebuoyant" when you buy your tickets!

June 12
along Mississippi Ave. between Shaver and Fremont. The street will be closed to traffic.
3:00p parade

Cirque du Cycling is a celebration along Mississippi Avenue every June. The event features an Art Bike Parade, a Family Ride, a high-speed bike race, two beer gardens, an art installation, free bike parking and much more. Cirque du Cycling is a benefit for Albina Youth Opportunity School.

Come cheer on the crazy bikes while shireen & Kricket strut our stuff on stilts for the parade! Plenty of family-friendly activities fill the rest of your day on Mississippi, so come out & support bikes in your community!

May 21-23
Staver Locomotive
2537 NW 29th Avenue, enter at NW 30th

When a group of Portland's circus women joined forces last October, they knew their trapeze flying, hand-balancing, jaw-dropping, talent-filled, all-female debut show would be a hit.

Taking a cue from a legendary "strong woman," Portland's most powerful, most talented female circus artists have united under a common goal. Their mission? To blow audiences away with amazing feats of strength, skill and beauty.

May 6-9
Cutter Scout Reservation
Santa Cruz, CA

There is only 1 word that can even begin to describe what is about to happen in the old growth forest, high in the mountains of Santa Cruz: EPIC!

FireDrums is about bringing fire arts and drumming communities together to share knowledge and help introduce those interested in perusing these arts and is open to everyone at any skill level.

Saturday, April 10
Zoomtopia, 810 SE Belmont
1-2:30p Poi: placing petals and spinning mandalas
3-4:30p Partner Poi
5-7p Spin Jam! ($5 suggested donation if you do not attend a workshop)

It's been 2 years since Zan taught a workshop in Portland, and my, how things have changed! If you are looking for something new to work on, you must attend these classes. Stick around for the spin jam afterward, and be sure to invite your friends!

Zan has been performing and teaching poi for 6 years. He created The Encyclo-Poi-dia instructional DVDs and has taught workshops around the world to all levels of poi spinners.

Zan and Aurora have been pursuing and innovating partner poi for three years and are on the forefront of what's possible with two people and four poi. They have a gusto for teaching and life, and are just fun to be with. Watch a routine of their partner poi to see what this class will be about.

Friday, March 12
Da Vinci Middle School
2508 NE Everett
7:30pm
Tickets on a sliding scale: $10-25 adults, $5-10 youth 12 & under
Advance ticket holders get reserved front-section seats!

Clowns without Borders offers laughter to relieve the suffering of all persons, especially children, who live in areas of crisis including refugee camps, conflict zones and territories in situations of emergency.

Don't miss this yearly event featuring the very finest in Portland's wild physical theater and new circus community, featuring Leapin' Louie, Rhys Thomas, Flamebuoyant Productions, the Nomadic Theatre Co., Angel Ocasio, Omar Vargas, and much more! Hosted by William Batty with live music by the Shoehorn Hat Band.

This will raise money for sending performances and workshops to thousands of children in Haiti who will be in tent camps over the next year. Portland has for 12 years been arguably the strongest center for Clowns Without Borders of any city in the US. Bring your checkbook!

February 7, 4pm
Echo Theatre, 1515 SE 37th

An amazing collection of acrobats, ninjas, aerial artists and clowns gather together to support our acrobatics teacher, Stefan Furst.

Injured this summer in a windsurfing accident, he is facing a painful and expensive process toward regaining strength and health in his shoulder. Stefan is extremely physical, as an LMT, gymnastics and acrobatics instructor, avid bicyclist, triathlete and father of 2.

We decided it was the least we could do to help support him, since he spots us all the time. Come support & enjoy the family friendly show!

November 28 - January 3
Echo Theatre, 1515 SE 37th
Tickets: $20-$32, discounts available

This show is based upon the antics of a beautiful orange tabby named Sunny Lu. It is touching, exhilarating and silly. See the extraordinary human members of DO JUMP! create a one room feline circus before your very eyes. This show includes trampoline furniture, flying human cat toys and live original music from rock & roll to classical.

Artful, athletic and hilarious, Tiger Lilly and Sunny Lu is great for audiences of all ages.

Events from 2009

December 11, 2009
Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan St
$7 at the door

Filmmaker Erin Connelly will be presenting her documentary on Circus Artemis along with other films done by the students of NW Documentary.

It's a really exciting night that usually packs the Mission floor and balcony. The stories can be about anything and everything-past stories have included Roller Derby, Voodoo doughnuts, Pez collectors, a gay gun club, radical cheerleaders, and even banana slugs.

Audience members are treated to a filmmakers' Q&A, live music, and a storytellers' after-party. The night also includes performances by Polaris Dance Theater and Circus Artemis' own Daniela Steiner and Kyoko Uchida, don't miss it!

December 6 & 20, 2009
6205 NE Failing St.

Come get your shop on & keep it local at this handmade gift sale!

A great place to pick up circus toys for the ones you love, including hoops, poi, instructional DVDs and stilts, plus jewelry, glass art, photography, sock monkeys and wreaths. There really will be something for everyone, so stop by & support your local artists!

Friday & Saturday, October 16-17, 2009 at 8 pm
Sunday, October 18, 2009 at 7 pm
920 NE Flanders
Tickets: $10 advance, $15 door, kids up to 10 pay their age

Taking a cue from a legendary "strong woman," Portland's most powerful, most talented female circus artists have united under a common goal. Their mission? To blow audiences away with amazing feats of strength, skill and beauty.

Circus Artemis features the absolute finest female circus acts Portland has to offer, not to mention live music and a raffle of ridiculously fun prizes. And it will all take place in a unique, supportive atmosphere where women artists can shine.

Our stellar lineup includes aerial acts of all kinds, contortion & hand balancing, poi spinning, clowning and stilts, plus live music from the women of Pie for Breakfast String Band and our amazing MCs Mayra Acevedo & Sarah Farrell.

Prepare to be dazzled and inspired, see you there!

Find out more about Circus Artemis.

October 9, 2009
3753 N. Mississippi Ave.
6-10pm, fire show around 8:30pm

Portland designer Jennifer Thomas, who has been peddling her Northwest-flavored fashions at Dragonlily and other Portland boutiques for years, has opened a sleek shop on Mississippi Avenue to showcase her label, "Jet." Come check out her clothing line, the new shop, and the fire show.

September 25-27, 2009
Reed College Sports Center, 3203 SE Woodstock Blvd.
$20-$35 for the weekend, day passes available $10-$15
Juggling and Vaudeville Extravaganza included in registration or $8-$16 at the door

The Portland Juggling Festival is the largest regional juggling festival in the United States, with jugglers from around the world and down the street joining together to share their knowledge and show their skills. Expect a big show Saturday evening, workshops for beginning, intermediate, and advanced jugglers, and vendors of every variety of juggling prop.

I'm not sure when my workshops are going to be yet, but you'll probably find Kricket teaching stilts, me teaching poi & both of us instructing partner acro. Come join us!

Complete festival registration gets you in to all activities for all three days. This includes over 30 workshops, the welcome party, door prizes, vendors, Club Renegade, open juggling, and the Big Show on Saturday night. There is no pre-registration! Just show up and have fun!

September 19 & 20, 2009
Cathedral Park, St. Johns, OR
Tickets $6-$15, advance tickets available, children 2 and under FREE!
10a-10p Saturday, 10a-6p Sunday
Fire performance 8:30 Saturday night

You'll be immersed in the the best of pirate culture as Cathedral Park transforms into a bustling dock-side village full of wandering buccaneers, redcoats, clowns, jugglers, and balladeers. Come see the fire show Saturday night at 8:30p in front of the Quarterdeck Stage with yours truly and the Mud Bay Jugglers!

This year, you can be a part of Pirate History as they attempt to beat the Guinness World Record™ for "The Most Pirates Gathered in one Place".

September 19 & 20, 2009
9137 NE Crooked River Dr.
Terrebonne, OR 97760
check website for ticket details
play area open noon-4p each day

In my ongoing quest to provide so much circus to the planet that I'm required to be in more than 1 place at a time, Flamebuoyant Productions present the circus skills play area at the Smith Rock Detour. Since I'll be swashbucklin' at the Pirate Festival, Brandon from the Spinsterz will be on hand to help you & the kids learn to walk on stilts, hoop, spin poi and climb on each other when you're not climbing on Smith Rock.

This fundraiser for the park and conservation groups includes skill clinics, a slackline competition, the Reel Rock film tour and all kinds of climbing competitions. Come check it out!

July 31-August 2, 2009
Mount Pisgah, Buford Park Recreation Area
outside of Eugene, OR

Come join me and the Spinsterz for a magical weekend in the realm of the faerie!

We'll be vending our wares (including stilts!), playing with toys and hosting workshops all weekend, so drop by the booth and say hi.

In response to unprecedented advance ticket sales, Faerieworlds has sold out it's former location at Secret House and will now take place at Mount Pisgah in the beautiful Buford Park Recreation Area, just outside of Eugene, OR.

Get your tickets early, and come rock out with your wings out!

July 24-25, 2009
Camas, WA
FREE!

A family festival featuring vendors, wine & microbrew street, kids street, a grand parade, bath tub races and so much more!

I'll be walking on stilts on behalf of the library, and walking in the kids' parade on Friday. Come join in the fun!

July 17-19, 2009
Just outside of Salem, OR

Emrg+N+See is Oregon's premier outdoor, underground, visionary summer festival.

Experience three days & nights of cutting-edge electronic & live music, stunning art, transformational workshops, and more wonderful people than you'll meet in a lifetime!

Wander through this beautiful venue and meander the walking labyrinth we're setting up, or find us lounging by the pond up the hill... I'll have lots of time to play and spin, so come say hi!

And don't forget to look for Brandon's wagon with all kinds of toys on it, including my poi!

July 10-12, 2009
Veneta, OR
Friday night fire show at dusk, Stage Molimo
Girl Circus on WC Fields stage at 6pm Friday, 2pm Saturday & Sunday

This year, the legendary Friday night fire show will take on whole new proportions, as we dance on a new stage performing to a chorus of 50 and professional singers performing the opera Carmina Burana. Whoa!

Kricket and I will also be performing with the Girl Circus again. This year, we're working with our friend Brittany to build a whole new act on a whole new apparatus. Live original music, amazing talent, cute little girls...how can you resist?

When I'm not performing, you can usually find me hanging out in Chela Mela playing with poi, so strap on your fairy wings, come find me and say hi!

July 2-5, 2009
Quincy, CA
poi workshops at 6pm Friday-Sunday
fire performances Thursday and Saturday at midnight and 1:15am

The High Sierra Music Festival is a four-day music and camping festival that features a stellar line-up of national and international performers and is considered one of the finest showcases for emerging artists in the country.

Returning once again to High Sierra as a vendor, performer and instructor, shireen will be teaching daily poi playshops on the lawn. On Thursday and Saturday nights, Flamebuoyant teams up with the Spinsterz and special guests to create pure flaming spectacle with a dash of the absoludicrous.
Come check us out!

Wednesday, June 24, 2009
3029 SE 21st Ave.
Portland, OR
2-9pm
FREE!

Good things will be happening all day at People's Co-op when we close the street to traffic and celebrate our community!

Amidst the weekly farmer's market you'll find music, stilts, games with yours truly and a fire show at nite... why not come join in the fun?

June 22, 2009
625 NE 4th Avenue
Camas, WA 98607
4-5pm
FREE!

Last year I taught poi in the sunshine, this year Kricket & are teaming up to help kids, teens and their parents walk tall on stilts. Come join us in the cool of the library, pick up a book and "Express Yourself" with the teen reading program!

Friday, June 12, 2009
Wonder Ballroom
128 NE Russell Street, Portland, OR
21 & Over. $20.00 advance, $25.00 day of show.
Doors at 9p, show at 9:30p

I am honored to be dancing onstage during Shpongle's Portland show in one of ArcheDream for HumanKind's amazing blacklight costumes.

You have to check out this show, it will blow your psytrance mind!

April 30-May 3, 2009
Cutter Scout Reservation
Santa Cruz, CA

There is only 1 word that can even begin to describe what is about to happen in the old growth forest, high in the mountains of Santa Cruz: EPIC!

FireDrums is about bringing fire arts and drumming communities together to share knowledge and help introduce those interested in perusing these arts and is open to everyone at any skill level.

That said, this year's Firedrums is going to be more off the hook then ever before, with some of the best known performers and teachers from all over the world.

April 25, 2009
City Repair's EarthDay Celebration
Wallace Park /Chapman School
NW 25th & Quimby
parade at 1pm

Please dress up like a kritter and join the parade as we frolic through the Earth Day crowd. Stilters and musicians are encouraged too!

All ages welcome to join in the fun!

April 4 & 5, 2009
Bamboo Grove Salon
134 SE Taylor St.

Alien Jon is one of the most innovative poi spinners in the world right now, and he's coming to Portland to share his knowledge with us!

Beginners will learn an invaluable framework upon which to build their personal poi style, and advanced spinners will discover any holes they may have in their foundational form.

This is a series of workshops you don't want to miss!

Saturday, April 4:

Sunday, April 5:

Saturday, March 21, 2009
Bosssanova Ballroom
722 E Burnside
show starts at 10pm
Tickets $15 online and $17 at the door.

Enjoy Portland's finest dark art performers at this night of the strange and exotic. Excite your mind with stunning performances by magician Reed McClintock, Blaze, Rachael Reckless, body suspension troupe Transphormium, aerial by Kyoko and fire performances by shireen and Wake Angel.

Friday, March 20, 2009
Da Vinci Middle School
2508 NE Everett
7:30pm
Tickets on a sliding scale: $10-25 adults, $5-10 youth 12 & under

This is an annual highlight of Portland's variety theater/new circus scene featuring Portland's top jugglers, acrobats, eccentric comedians, and clowns, all to benefit Clowns Without Borders-USA.

Portland has for 11 years been arguably the strongest center for Clowns Without Borders of any city in the US. This year the benefit will finance at least two projects to Haiti, led by local performers, Sarah Liane Foster (Nomadic Theatre) and David Lichtenstein (Leapin' Louie, Wanderlust Circus). On these trips professional performers will donate their time to bring shows and workshops to communities in Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere even before it was hit by four hurricanes over the past year.

Come be entertained and support this amazing work!

Saturday, February 28, 2009 10am
Sunday, March 1, 2009 10am & 5pm
COG Factory
532 SE Belmont St., Suite#202

Come have tea with us, learn about the Habitats Project and how you can get involved!

There are so many opportunities for community members, artists, performers, and schools to work together to create this interactive show and school program. No matter age or skill set, we have stuff for everyone to do!

This presentation will include detailed information about what the Habitats Environmental Project is, and will specifically address the various opportunities to get involved in the project.

*Ring the buzzer, bring a pillow or chair to sit on, we'll provide the tea and the inspiration!*

We are presenting this information 3 times, so you can hear about our project, then you can tell your friends that they should to come too!

Thursday, February 19, 2009
Juggling Gypsy
1612 Castle St.
Wilmington, NC 28401
7-8:30pm, fire jam after
workshop only $15, fire jam is free

Join shireen at the Juggling Gypsy for an all-levels workshop before the weekly fire and drum jam.

This is a great chance to brush up on your poi skills, learn some new tricks and work on your transitions. Class curriculum is based on who attends, so bring your friends and your questions, and let's spin together!

Stick around after the workshop for fire dancing, food, drinks and fun!

Friday, February 13, 2009
9 NW 2nd Ave. (@ NW Couch St.)
fire shows at midnight, 12:30 am & 1 am

The theme for the night is "Heaven & Hell." Come shake your angelic or devilish booty on the dance floor & show your love for the fire!

November 29 - January 4
Echo Theater
1515 SE 37th Ave
Tickets $20-$32

New works, old favorites, and daily surprises, featuring a fabulous new version of the classic Do Jump! piece, The DOORS. Acrobatics, aerial dance, live original music by Klezmocracy...An evening of pure Do Jump fun!

Events from 2008

November 15, 2008
Watershed, 5040 SE Milwaukie

Your regionals are pretty excited about the possibilities with the space, lots of room for installations, camps to set up shop, room for art cars, and burn barrels to stay warm at night!
And they need volunteers...

September 26, 2008

Oh yes, we are the half time entertainment for West Linn's Homecoming Game. Epic!

September 26-28, 2008
Reed College Sports Center
Admission $10-$35, weekend passes available

You will not believe how jam-packed this festival is. In true Portland style, the jugglers at Reed consistently put on one of the best gatherings around for throwing things and having fun. Not only am I teaching 3 workshops, but this year's Extravaganza at Benson High School is an unbelievable collection of talent: legendary jugglers Thomas Dietz, Tony Duncan, Reid Belstock, Stanford Juggling Research Institute, Unicycle artist Kaori Matsuzawa, SANCA Youth Circus, as well as local favorites Rhys Thomas, Charlie Brown, and Curt Carlyle. Whew!

September 20-21, 2008
Cathedral Park, St. Johns
Admission $6-$20, weekend passes available

We're so excited to be a part of the Portland Pirate Festival this year, and we're sharing the stage with the legendary Mud Bay Jugglers on Saturday night! Also entertaining you scallywags are our friends Jugglemania, Amazama and Nomadic Theatre Co., bellydancers and more. Come check it out under the the majestic St. John's Bridge.

September 12-14, 2008
Laytonville, CA

Earthdance, the Global Dance Festival for Peace has grown to become the world's largest simultaneous music and dance event. The celebration for world peace and unity, set amidst a beautiful old growth oak forest, features 5 stages of entertainment, global artisans market, late night cinema, healing village, Kidlandia, speakers forum, activist alley, workshops, all night music cafés and much more!

August 25-31, 2008
Black Rock City, NV

Ah, Burning Man. The smell of the playa, the dust in everything, fire spinning all around you, the epic art and performance... what more is there to say but...

come support oregon's conclave!

August 1-3, 2008
Veneta, OR

Come join me and the Spinsterz for a magical weekend in the realm of the faerie!

August 2, 2008
Portland Children's Museum
4015 SW Canyon Rd
Portland, OR
1-2:30pm
free with museum admission

Body Rocks is family fitness fun! Activities include partner acrobatics with members from Flamebuoyant Productions, hooping and more. Bring the kids and work up a sweat together!

July 28, 2008
625 NE 4th Avenue
Camas, WA 98607
4pm
FREE!

I'm teaching a poi class at the Camas Public Library for the teen reading program. Send your kids to play with me, and have them pick up a book on the way out. I'll have plenty of poi, so what are you waiting for?

July 18-20, 2008
Just outside of Salem, OR

Emrg+N+See is Oregon's premier outdoor, underground, visionary summer festival!

Experience three days & nights of cutting-edge electronic & live music, stunning art, transformational workshops, and more wonderful people than you'll meet in a lifetime!

Wander through this beautiful venue to the vending area, where I'll be playing with the Spinsterz.

July 11-13, 2008
Veneta, OR
Friday night fire show at dusk in the parking lot
Girl Circus on WC Fields stage at 6pm Friday, 2pm Saturday & Sunday

This is my all-time favorite festival. The legendary Friday night fire show is now FREE and open to the public, and Kricket and I will once again perform trapeze and stilts with the Girl Circus.

When I'm not performing, you can usually find me hanging out in Chela Mela spreading the love of poi, so strap on your fairy wings, come find me and say hi!

July 3-6, 2008
Quincy, CA
poi workshops at 6pm Friday-Sunday
fire performances each night at 12:00am and 1:15am

The High Sierra Music Festival is a four-day music and camping festival that features a stellar line-up of national and international performers and is considered one of the finest showcases for emerging artists in the country.

Returning once again to High Sierra as a vendor, performer and instructor, shireen will be teaching daily poi playshops on the lawn as well as performing with members of the Spinsterz and Instruments of the Now for some epic fire shows on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

May 24 & 25, 2008
Flow Form Movement Studio
5040 SE Milwaukie Ave (at Mitchell St.)
Portland, OR 97202

Come learn staff from one of the world's best performers and teachers!

MCP is coming back from Scotland to instruct us in the ways of contact staff, double staff, partner work and routine building.

This is a series of workshops you don't want to miss!

May 17-31, 2008
At the Newmark Theatre in the Portland Center for the Performing Arts
7:30pm, Sunday matinees at 3pm
$35/$29.50 adults, $30/$25 youth (5-12) and seniors (62+)

Adapted from Gaviotas, A Village To Re-invent The World by Alan Weisman, ¡Entusiasmo! uses a provocative blend of sensuous aerial dance, breathtaking acrobatics, humor, live music, along with a traditional dramatic narrative, to tell the incredible and inspiring true story of Gaviotas, Colombia.

¡Entusiasmo! features live traditional Colombian music by Los Llaneros and live original music by Portland composer Joan Szymko.

"A Triumph... Tolerance, understanding, inventiveness and vision... These qualities light up ¡Entusiasmo!" (The Oregonian)

May 1-4, 2008
Cutter Scout Reservation
Santa Cruz, CA

FireDrums is about bringing fire arts and drumming communities together to share knowledge and help introduce those interested in perusing these arts and is open to everyone at any skill level.

That said, this year's Firedrums is going to be off the hook, with some of the best known performers and teachers from all over the world. Come play with us!

Saturday, April 26, 2008
Sherwood Hall
Salinas, CA
3pm
free!

Come watch shireen of Flamebuoyant Productions and Brandon of the Spinsterz team up with members of Nocturnal Sunshine from Santa Cruz to wow the crowd at the Resource Fair in Salinas, CA.

Sunday, April 20, 2008
Flow Form Movement Studio
5040 SE Milwaukie Ave (at Mitchell St.)
Portland, OR 97202

Learn staff, contact staff and double staff from some of the most talented, innovative and experienced instructors in the field, the Vucan Crew from Oakland, CA!

Advance registration strongly suggested, but not required.

Portland's Earth Day event consists of 3 solar powered stages of entertainment, 150+ local and sustainable businesses and environmental organizations, a kid's village, better transportation fair, bike rides, a seed and plant exchange and so much more!

Look for shireen performing with local acro favorites Kazum, as well as walking tall throughout the day with our new group of female stilters! Come join us for a parade, and bring the kids!

March 21, 2008
The Echo Theatre
1515 SE 37th Ave.
8 pm
free!

DoJump! is opening their Friday night workout for the first ever adult student showcase. Expect to see trapeze, partner balancing and acrobatics by students 16 and older, including Kricket and yours truly. Best of all, it's free!

March 15 & 16, 2008
Flow Form Movement Studio
5040 SE Milwaukie Ave (at Mitchell St.)
Portland, OR 97202

Featuring Zan from Instruments of the Now

Join us for a fun and educational weekend of circus skills workshops! Learn from professional instructors while building strength, balance and coordination.

Most classes are appropriate for all ages, so bring your kids!

Take 1 workshop, get additional workshops for $5 bucks off each! Yoga not included. Family discounts available.

Saturday, March 15

Sunday, March 16

Sadly, this event is no longer happening.

February 24, 2008
The Tulen Center (next to Silver Moon Brewery)
20 NW Greenwood Ave.
Bend, OR 97701
for registration contact Brandon, 503/ 737-7842 or brandon@thespinsterz.com
12-3pm

Come join us to balance and climb on your friends! Develop trust, connection and playfulness while you learn how to share weight with others, and get lifted right off the ground!

We'll start with a warm up including partner stretches, then move to inversions, partner balances and acrobatics, finishing up with a group pyramid or 2.

All skill levels welcome, no experience necessary.

Come with a partner, or meet one at the workshop.

January 22, 2008
North Star Ballroom, 635 N. Killingsworth Ct.
Program begins at 6pm

Planned Parenthood is bringing out politicians, activists and yours truly to get fired up about the 35th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. If we don't fight to keep our right to choose, Washington is ready to decide for us that we don't need it anymore.

Come enjoy food, drinks, live music and a theatrical fire performance and support those fighting for the right to choose!

January 1, 2008
Echo Theatre, 1515 SE 37th Ave.
1-5 pm
by donation

This almost-annual Portland tradition is a chance to celebrate the New Year in style by throwing some balls and clubs in the air, swapping stories of holidays run amok, and pawning off the last of that fruit cake on your unsuspecting friends. There's nothing else open, and nothing else to do on New Year's Day, so let's juggle and be merry.

Bring family or friends. Bring a snack or treat to share, or not. Bring a musical instrument, or not. Bring juggling props and other toys to play with.

See you there!

Events from 2007

December 31, 2007
320 SE 2nd Ave.
9 pm-9 am, fire dancing from 9:30-11:30 pm
$25 at the door
21+

Let loose the events of the past and enter the horizon of a new present this New Year's Eve in Burning Man style! Portland's own Black Rock Boutique and MonkeyPuzzle combine forces to present two floors of sights and sound where the liminal phase betwixt "then" and "now" hold only opportunity.

With fire dancing, circus performances, too many dj's to list and breakfast provided, it's like you never left the playa!

Creative black tie and steampunk regalia encouraged.

December 7-30, 2007
At the Newmark Theatre in the Portland Center for the Performing Arts
7:30pm, Sunday matinees at 3pm
$29.50 adults, $25 youth and seniors

I will be helping Do Jump with ticketing for their annual holiday show at the Portland Center for the Performing Arts. This year the show will be in 2 acts, "The Best of the Do Jump Holiday Show" featuring new and reworked classics, and "At Such a Dizzy Height," the company's interpretation of the work of Marc Chagall. This is great non-traditional holiday entertainment that's fun for the whole family, not just the kids.

Look for Kricket on the trapeze in Act 2 in her debut performance with the company!

9 NW 2nd Ave. (@ NW Couch St.)
fire shows at midnight, 1 am & 2 am
Friday nights at Risque

Come heat things up at Risque, Barracuda's Friday night party.

It's also Ladies' Night, with a free cover for ladies before midnight. So come early, get a Tiki style frozen drink and shake your booty on the dance floor!

check website for times, venues and pricing
November 1-4, 2007

This is Portland's first annual celebration of women, art and community. Offerings include music events, a film festival, workshops and a community marketplace.

Come see Jaine burn it up right before Team Dresch's reunion show at the Wonder Ballroom on Friday!

Back to Calendar

ON AIR, 1300 N. River St. under the Fremont Bridge
October 20, 2007

Come out, rain or shine, to participate in the parade, live music, kids activities, dancing, and of course, a fire show with some of Oregon's best performers!

Check out the website for more info...

Reed College Sports Center, Portland
September 28-30, 2007

I'll be teaching a couple of workshops at the PJF this year-- look for a poi skill share and a partner acro workshop.

The Juggling Festival is always a great time, and gives novices and experts alike the chance to meet, throw things around, balance, spin and try new props. The Saturday night Extravaganza at Benson High School is a rare chance to experience the best of local and national juggling and variety acts in one live performance.

There is a fee to join in the fun at Reed, and a separate ticket price for the big show on Saturday night. Check out the website for more info...

Laytonville, CA
September 14-16, 2007

Come join Outer Spiral for this 3 day camp out celebration for world peace and unity. Set amidst a beautiful old growth oak forest, Earthdance features 5 stages of entertainment, global artisans market, late night cinema, healing village, Kidlandia, speakers forum, activist alley, workshops, all night music cafés and much more!

Black Rock City, NV
August 27- September 3, 2007

If you don't know already, this year's theme is the Green Man. Ripe with mythology and ecological messages, this year's theme encourages participants to creatively pursue sustainable celebration.

Oregon is once again bringing the best fire performers the state has to offer with our biggest conclave ever! Check in with the Fire Conclave Convergence on the Esplanade on Saturday to find out where we'll be performing in front of the man, and come support us!

Waterfront Park, Portland, August 10-12, 2007
fire performance Saturday 9:30, Fountain Stage
Adults $7 at the gate · Children 12 and under FREE

The Bite is chock full of great food, wine, beer and local music. I'll be fire dancing to live music by members of Vivid Curve at 9:30pm with my new friend Ashley. Come check it out!

Veneta, OR
July 21-22, 2007

This will be my first year at Faerieworlds, but I've been hearing about this sweet little festival for years now. Look for me at the Spinsterz booth, or at our roaming cart.

Come join us for a magical weekend in the realm of the faerie!

Veneta, OR
July 13-15, 2007

This is my all-time favorite festival. From the now FREE and open-to-the-public legendary Friday night fire show, to performing with the Girl Circus to hanging out in the meadow spreading the love of poi, this is what I look forward to all summer. Strap on your fairy wings, come find me and say hi!

Quincy, CA
July 5-8, 2007

The High Sierra Music Festival is a four-day music and camping festival that features a stellar line-up of national and international performers and is considered one of the finest showcases for emerging artists in the country.

Returning once again to High Sierra as a vendor with Outer Spiral, shireen will also be teaching daily poi playshops at the Peace Pavillion as well as performing with members of the Spinsterz and Instruments of the Now for fire shows on Thursday, Friday and Sunday.

Sunday, July 1, 2007
at Conduit Dance
in the Pythian Building, 918 SW Yamhill Avenue, Suite 401

A full day of object manipulation!

12:30pm-2pm Spinning with Hoops for Beginners, Dustin Hubel
2pm-3:30pm Intermediate/Advanced Poi, Dustin Hubel
3:30pm-5pm Single Staff, Fire Groove
5pm-6:30pm Contact Staff, Fire Groove
7pm-8:30pm Double Staff, Fire Groove

Back to Calendar

Techno-Tribal Dance, nights in the Grace Pavillion
Sonoma County Fairgrounds
Santa Rosa, CA
June 8-10, 2007

The annual gathering that is the Harmony Festival convenes once again in the heart of Northern California to bring together the best of leading-edge music, art, and culture.

We will be vending at the night shows in the Grace Pavillion including the now legendary Techno-Tribal Dance. We'll have some great new toys to play with, come find us all lit up across the hall from the main entrance!

Outlaws, 722 SE Burnside
June 1, 2007 9 pm-2 am

This year, shireen helps to open Portland's annual Dark Bellydance Showcase. Featuring the best fusion dancers and DJ's from across the country, this is a tribal bellydance event of the highest caliber.

Manzanita, OR
May 18, 2007 9pm

CART'M Recycling, a non-profit community organization, runs Manzanita's free recycling drop-off center as well as a resale store specializing in used building materials, household items, books, toys, tools, hardware, art/craft supplies, electronics, furniture and all manner of eclectic and excentric items.

Yoji the flaming ninja and shireen head out to heat up the coast...join us at the Dump!

near Santa Barbara, CA
May 11-13, 2007

Lightning in a Bottle is a 3-day green music festival with 3 stages, diverse musical acts and never-before-seen performance spectacles among 40 acres of oak trees just 30 minutes north of Santa Barbara.

Come find shireen and the Spinsterz in the yurt for your new spinning toys!

Cutter Scout Reservation
Santa Cruz, CA
May 3-6, 2007

FireDrums is about bringing the global fire arts and drumming communities together to share knowledge and to propel these burgeoning art forms forward.

Join Flamebuoyant and the Spinsterz for a wonderful weekend of spinning to kick off the festival season!

Dante's
1 SW 3rd & Burnside
April 29, 2007
8pm
$10 advance, $13 at the door, 21+ only

Come watch me duke it out with Portland's best fire performers for the title of "Fire Entertainer of the Year." This will be a show not to miss!

Opening performance by Firerotica including Miss Ty Fyre, Germany, Fire Ninja and Peach.

Watershed, 5040 SE Milwaukie
April 28, 2007
Doors open at 9pm
$10

This will be a fun evening with fire dancing, live music, a May pole dance, homebrew and other reminders of our connection to the earth in this blossoming season.

Woodlawn Park
NE 13th Ave. & Dekum St.
April 21, 2007
10am-10pm
FREE

Come see the amazing array of entertainment, kid's activities, bike resources, vendors and so much more to celebrate Portland's eighth annual Earth Day.

Come early to see our friends Kazum on the Manta Ray stage, and look for shireen walking tall around the park!

Watershed, 5040 SE Milwaukie
April 15, 2007
7pm

Any performer who is interested in participating with Portland's part in the Oregon Conclave needs to come perform at the Show Me.

da Vinci Middle School Auditorium
2508 NE Everett
March 23, 2007
7:30pm
$10-20 adults, $5-10 youth 12 and under

Portland's finest and funniest vaudevillian performers have come together in support of this great cause.

Clowns Without Borders is an international organization which offers laughter to relieve the suffering of all persons, especially children, who live in areas of crisis around the world, including refugee camps, conflict zones and territories in situations of emergency.

Portland is a hub of active CWB volunteers, and this annual benefit is their main source of funding.

Echo Theater
1515 SE 37th Ave.
March 17, 2007
Fun-A-Thon 4pm-6pm, $10
Performance 7:30pm-8:30pm, $30 including Fun-A-Thon and Ball
Ball 8:30pm, $15

To celebrate Do Jump's 30th Anniversary, they are doing a one-of-a-kind short performance and having a fancy dress ball.

They are also having a fundraiser called a Fun-A-Thon, and this is how it works:

I have chosen an activity for 2 categories in the Fun-A-Thon. One is standing in a scale on my friend's shoulder for as long as I can, the other is doing a partner acro flip with Kricket we've nicknamed "the machine" as many times as we can in a minute.

I am looking for pledges for one or both of these activities. Please help by offering your pledge: per second (I'm already up to more than a minute!), per flip or a total donation, you choose! Whatever you can afford will help ensure that Do Jump will be able to keep defying gravity for another 30 years!

To sponsor me in any amount, please send an email to me directly.

Watershed
5040 SE Milwaukie
March 4, 2007
noon

Everyone's invited to co-create the magic we'll spin on the playa this year... we need fire dancers, safety people, drummers, photographers, videographers, adoring fans...

If you are interested in joining the conclave, whether you can come to the meeting or not, please get in touch with me directly so I can add you to our announce list.

Watershed
5040 SE Milwaukie
March 3, 2007
5pm-5am
FREE

Meet up on Saturday, March 3 with Burning Man theme camps and conclaves, other projects, groups and businesses, and anyone else who shows up to "fly their banner." Our part at Aphelion is to discuss fire at the new space, and begin planning on how we want to handle the fire department in relation to this building.

Sojourn Theater
215 SE 9th Ave.
January 3-4, 2007
Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 7:30pm
Sliding scale $10-$20

This showcase of Portland's best circus talent is about the past and future, coming and going. The show includes aerial dance, contortion, juggling, partner acrobatics and fire, and proceeds will help my friend Mee Seon pursue her vision of utilizing the body as an artistic element at Parsons School of Design in NYC.

Events from 2006

Tequila Ole
3905 SW 117th Ave., Beaverton
Fire show at 12:30 am

Come join me to say goodbye to 2006 at Tequila Ole for a night of live music, belly dancing, snake dancing, fire and more! They'll be giving away a trip for two to NYC plus free drinks for the first 150 people through the door. Sounds like a good way to kick off the new year to me!

December 2 & December 9, 2006

11am-1pm
Poi & Performance
If you spin for an audience, for hire, or would like to, this workshop is for you. The material is a distillation of performance training, busking experience, and professional shows. Spinners of all levels will benefit from instruction in crowd interaction and connection, tricks of the fire performance trade, tips for effective practice sessions, new approaches to expressive movement, ideas for visually appealing poi dance, spinning to music, and a group of impressive leaping/jumping moves.
Learn what it means to be an entertainer. A course notes handout is included for this detailed information. You WILL put on a better show after this workshop.

1:30pm-3:30pm
Poi Technique Workshop
This is the tech class you've been waiting for, with a focus on 1-on-1 coaching to correct the subtleties of technique. All levels are welcome; the class content is dependent on participant ability, and will be tailored to best suit the group.
We'll work on some new concepts like shots, meltdowns, planar rotation, and going beyond the behind-the-back weave. Time permitting, the class will move into tangles, flowers, under-the-legs and dodging daggers based on group preference. If you don't know what these are, you definitely want to. You won't be disappointed by this workshop and the new doors it opens for you.

Saturday, October 21, 2006 2pm-???
City Repair warehouse on Mississippi

Did you miss Burning Man this year? Do you yearn for the days of crusty playa boogers, dust in every crevice and people doing strange and interesting things wearing strange and interesting costumes? Do you miss the ring in your ears of the megawatt sound systems? Come to decompression!!!

This is still coming together as I write this, so I'm not sure of the details yet. So far, I know I'll be teaching a poi workshop at some point, and fire performing at night.

Check out http://portlandburners.tribe.net/ or http://www.burningmanportland.com/index.php for more information as plans develop.

October 13 & 14, 8pm
October 15, 7pm
October 19-21, 8pm
October 22, 2 & 7pm
Performance Works NorthWest, 4626 SE 67th, near Foster Rd.
Adults, $10, kids $7
Reservations/Info: 971.219.5781

I will be helping out my hilarious and wonderful friends pull off this show, so come support your local clowns. I may even get to play a unicorn!!!

Saturday, October 7, 2006
6PM Doors, 7PM Showtime
Bagdad Theater, 3702 SE Hawthorne
$6, All Ages

Indigo and I have been selected to perform in the Mercury's Pizzaz! talent show. While they won't let us do fire in the theater (who cares about that movie screen anyway?), they will give us a little mood lighting for our glow toys. Apparently, louder cheers from the crowd win over the judges, so we're counting on you to come be as rowdy as we know you are! Plus, there's beer and pizza. What's not to love?

Friday, October 6, 2006 9 pm
Eugene, OR

I know I put this on last month's schedule, but they had construction issues and decided to reschedule. So, once again: Join Indigo and I for more flaming acrobatic dance, and check out the link for a virtual tour of the lovely courtyard we will perform in.

September 15-17, 2006
Laytonville, CA

Outer Spiral is back at it for our last festival of the year. Join us at this camp out Celebration for World Peace and Unity, set amidst a beautiful old growth oak forest, featuring 5 Stages of Entertainment uniting Jamband, World, Conscious Lyricism, Electronica, Reggae and Folk.

The highlight of the Earthdance International event is a synchronized dance floor link-up, when the specially created song, “The Prayer for Peace” is played at every event across the world at exactly the same time. Morning in Australia, sunrise over the Himalayas, midnight in London, afternoon in California - the universal prayer is a powerful moment that unifies our intention for a peaceful world.

“Give Peace a Dance”

Sept. 2, 2006
Black Rock City, NV

No, I will not be going to Burning Man this year. Michelle Suess has been an excellent shin this year, and has truly made the Oregon Conclave a state-wide effort. Bring me back a bunch of playa dust and stories of adventures, and I'll see you when you get back.

August 25-September 4, 2006
Oregon State Fairgrounds, Salem, OR
$4-$9 at the gate, less if tickets are purchased in advance

Flamebuoyant Productions teams up with the Oregon Country Fair to add a little flair and excitement to the State Fair this year. We'll be putting on workshops, performing with fire and lots, lots more. The fire show is inspired by Asian music and movement with Yoji Hall, Draco, Jen Knipling and me. Come by and say hello if you're not out burning a man in a desert somewhere.

August 9-14, 2006
Salmo River Ranch in Salmo, BC, Canada

From the website:

Artistic and musical talent, imaginative costumes and remarkable individuals fuel the vibe of Shambhala, sowing the seeds of inspiration in a safe haven where nature and artistic expression entwine. Shambhala is a journey, an adventure, a life altering experience, and not least, a place to just let loose and dance, dance, dance.

With six originally-themed stages built to showcase world-class DJ's, bands, MC's, and other live entertainment, this is the crucible of artistry and musical mayhem. This is the zenith of modern underground entertainment. This is Shambhala...

Outer Spiral will be vending, dancing and enjoying the vibe of the beach and at this festival in the Kootenay Mountain range.

July 17-23, 2006
Oregon Convention Center

This year, the IJA decided to bring the best of international juggling to us! Come on down for one of the shows, or join us for a whole week of throwing, flinging, spinning and balancing various objects. Look for Flamebuoyant performing in Portland's showcase, as well as in the Toys of Light show. I will also be teaching a workshop or 2, and hanging out throughout the week.

shireen and Indigo at Pasha Restaurant

Saturday, July 15, 2006 11:15pm
19 NW 5th Ave.
$5 at the door

Join Indigo and I at this wonderful Middle Eastern restaurant and nightclub in Old Town for a night of hookahs, fire and belly dancing.

A Midsummer Night Masquerade
a fundraiser for Siren Nation

Saturday, July 15, 2006 9pm
Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison
$8 in costume, $10 without

The night's festivities will include fire spinning by Flamebuoyant Productions, live multi-instrumentalist electronica by Sugar Shortwave, DJ Saffronica spinning groovy dance tunes and a special appearance by Jen Folker of Dahlia.

July 7-9, 2006
Veneta, OR

Once again, Kricket, Indigo and I will be performing with the Girl Circus on W.C. Fields stage at 6pm on Friday, and at 2 in the afternoon on Saturday and Sunday. The 3 of us will be performing trapeze and partner balancing, and Indigo and I will perform a new flaming balancing act, so come check out the show (with live music!).

If you've got a pass, look for Indigo and me in the fire show on Friday night-- we'll be debuting our new poi act. If not, you can usually find me spinning poi in Chela Mela Meadow during the day. Come by and spin a little!

June 29-July 2, 2006
Plumas Fairgrounds, Quincy, CA

Flamebuoyant Productions returns to High Sierra for more music, poi workshops and fire performances than you can shake a stick at! I'll be doing poi workshops Friday-Sunday 6-7pm as well as performing on Thursday and Sunday nights for the late night shows.