Woodward Reservoir 2016

<SG15   OE17>

Symbiosis 2016 felt like home. Three events in one location has been the longest tenure for our nomadic band of creatives, builders, and wackadoodles and we truly settled in to make this experience special. Hosting the back-to-back events of SG15 and SG16 allowed us to fix some logistical challenges and focus more on the creative aspects of the experience as we dove deeper into immersive experiences.

An important metaphor of SG16 was the bridges. The peninsula vibe of Woodward brought with it many benefits yet also many challenges. Going from one finger to the next was quite a hike so we enlisted the help of Bamboo DNA to build two bridges that served to integrate our wonderful playground. A key intention of Symbiosis from the beginning was to bridge communities of people who happened to like different styles of music but had interests in permaculture, arts, and healthy living. The bridges allowed people to more easily move between stages and interactive zones so the event itself felt much more united and accessible.

SG16 saw a great pivot into immersive spaces and more developed and multifaceted educational offerings. Vandana Shiva, Winona La Duke and Wade Davis highlighted an amazing collection of luminaries hosted at the Hub. Our yoga and dance classes were alive with zeal and zest while our permaculture playground was packed with inspiration and practical lessons. Guerrilla Science brought a whole new element to daytime edu-tainment and the hacktivist village brought about incredible minds from the edge of technological revolution while the elemental altars and indigenous skills areas taught our fellow humans to some of the earliest insights and developments of civilization.

In the evening, JP Sears entertained with his deft satirical critique of ‘transformational living’ and then joined self-created guru Kumare for an exploration in how they became SO ENLIGHTENED! A hilarious panel on the ‘reality of Flat Earth’ was followed by the Fungineer experience mixing puppetry with zany skits, improv, and groovy beats. Evening education turned wacky at Symbiosis University while the Stripping Container provided a safe space where all sort of folks felt comfortable shaking their stuff for strangers.

Performers punctuated the entirety of the grounds as Vau de Vire Society erected the Tortona for the first time. The 12,000 square foot circus tent transported us back to the Barbary Coast as aerialists, contortionists, fire dancers and more enlivened the area with beauty and comedy while amazing us with feats of dexterity and physical strength. Tourettes Without Regret had us rolling with side-splitting humor, Festival the Show provided a lens into the festival experience we all have and performances by Wanderlust Circus, Rose City-Acrodevils, Fou Fou Ha and more firmly transported us far from default world into a reality in which anything was possible.

There was also MUSIC! Desert Hearts blew the doors open on Thursday and a steady stream of techno and trance emanated from the Grotto. The debut of the Fringe Stage was highlighted by Gramatik, Beats Antique, Taku, Santigold and the artful FKA Twigs, while Swimbiosis sprawled into myriad new dimensions peaking with a Rab sunset experience featuring a rich cornucopia of dancing, swimming, mermaids, floaties, and even a wedding. While the days were hot, the night life was en fuego as epic stage shows and throbbing dance floors saturated Woodward with sweat, beats, and good cheer.

Besides the physical bridges, the metaphorical bridge of SG16 stretched all the way to Oregon as the eclipse was waiting for us right around the Bend. New relationships were forged and existing ones were strengthened as we moved closer to what would be the peak experience of our production career.

Woodward Reservoir 2016

Symbiosis 2016 felt like home. Three events in one location has been the longest tenure for our nomadic band of creatives, builders, and wackadoodles and we truly settled in to make this experience special. Hosting the back-to-back events of SG15 and SG16 allowed us to fix some logistical challenges and focus more on the creative aspects of the experience as we dove deeper into immersive experiences.

An important metaphor of SG16 was the bridges. The peninsula vibe of Woodward brought with it many benefits yet also many challenges. Going from one finger to the next was quite a hike so we enlisted the help of Bamboo DNA to build two bridges that served to integrate our wonderful playground. A key intention of Symbiosis from the beginning was to bridge communities of people who happened to like different styles of music but had interests in permaculture, arts, and healthy living. The bridges allowed people to more easily move between stages and interactive zones so the event itself felt much more united and accessible.

SG16 saw a great pivot into immersive spaces and more developed and multifaceted educational offerings. Vandana Shiva, Winona La Duke and Wade Davis highlighted an amazing collection of luminaries hosted at the Hub. Our yoga and dance classes were alive with zeal and zest while our permaculture playground was packed with inspiration and practical lessons. Guerrilla Science brought a whole new element to daytime edu-tainment and the hacktivist village brought about incredible minds from the edge of technological revolution while the elemental altars and indigenous skills areas taught our fellow humans to some of the earliest insights and developments of civilization.

SG16 saw a great pivot into immersive spaces and more developed and multifaceted educational offerings. Vandana Shiva, Winona La Duke and Wade Davis highlighted an amazing collection of luminaries hosted at the Hub. Our yoga and dance classes were alive with zeal and zest while our permaculture playground was packed with inspiration and practical lessons. Guerrilla Science brought a whole new element to daytime edu-tainment and the hacktivist village brought about incredible minds from the edge of technological revolution while the elemental altars and indigenous skills areas taught our fellow humans to some of the earliest insights and developments of civilization.

In the evening, JP Sears entertained with his deft satirical critique of ‘transformational living’ and then joined self-created guru Kumare for an exploration in how they became SO ENLIGHTENED! A hilarious panel on the ‘reality of Flat Earth’ was followed by the Fungineer experience mixing puppetry with zany skits, improv, and groovy beats. Evening education turned wacky at Symbiosis University while the Stripping Container provided a safe space where all sort of folks felt comfortable shaking their stuff for strangers.

Performers punctuated the entirety of the grounds as Vau de Vire Society erected the Tortona for the first time. The 12,000 square foot circus tent transported us back to the Barbary Coast as aerialists, contortionists, fire dancers and more enlivened the area with beauty and comedy while amazing us with feats of dexterity and physical strength. Tourettes Without Regret had us rolling with side-splitting humor, Festival the Show provided a lens into the festival experience we all have and performances by Wanderlust Circus, Rose City-Acrodevils, Fou Fou Ha and more firmly transported us far from default world into a reality in which anything was possible.

There was also MUSIC! Desert Hearts blew the doors open on Thursday and a steady stream of techno and trance emanated from the Grotto. The debut of the Fringe Stage was highlighted by Gramatik, Beats Antique, Taku, Santigold and the artful FKA Twigs, while Swimbiosis sprawled into myriad new dimensions peaking with a Rab sunset experience featuring a rich cornucopia of dancing, swimming, mermaids, floaties, and even a wedding. While the days were hot, the night life was en fuego as epic stage shows and throbbing dance floors saturated Woodward with sweat, beats, and good cheer.

Besides the physical bridges, the metaphorical bridge of SG16 stretched all the way to Oregon as the eclipse was waiting for us right around the Bend. New relationships were forged and existing ones were strengthened as we moved closer to what would be the peak experience of our production career.

<SG15   OE17>