Please join us with actor Jim Carrey, Eckhart Tolle, Marianne Willliamson, Barbara Marx Hubbard, and more! BELLA GAIA performs a short 10min sample during 6:30 GATE2 event
The live events begin at 9:00 AM Pacific Time USA, Saturday, February 4th
Daytime Event
GATE Transformational Story Conference
“Awakening Spirit Through Transformation”
9 AM to 5 PM PT www.gatecommunity.org/storycon
And then, in the evening, the GATE 2 celebration begins at 6:30 PM –
Evening Event
GATE 2: “Only a New Seed Will Yield a New Crop –
A Celebration of Transformational Entertainment, Media and Arts”
6:30 to 11:00 PM PT www.gatecommunity.org/gate2
An 8min BELLA GAIA video will be featured at the Exhibition of the Eye on Earth Summit in Abu Dhabi Dec 12-15. Eye on Earth will address the crucial importance of environmental and societal information and networking to decision-making.
For Press:
“Your Beautiful Earth – BELLA GAIA – Visualizing The Changing World for Rio+20”
BELLA GAIA is an awe-inspiring multimedia presentation created by award winning filmmaker, composer and violinist Kenji Williams. The BELLA GAIA video, Your Beautiful Earth, BELLA GAIA, Visualizing The Changing World for Rio+20 tells the visual story of the relationship between Earth and Humanity, as the world gets closer to the Rio+20 conference in June 2012. BELLA GAIA successfully simulates space flight and illustrates our beautiful but changing planet, taking the audience on a spectacular journey around the Earth, using space flight simulation, high-end data visualization, and gripping music. BELLA GAIA explores the interconnection of humans and nature, by using the media-rich languages of today to present audiences compelling visualizations of the latest scientific data, the environment, and humanity’s impact on nature in a way that taps audience’s emotional intelligence, to engage the world as it prepares for Rio+20. “Rio+20 is an opportunity to define where we want to go, in a positive and engaging way, and BELLA GAIA is a vehicle to open up these new worlds we can work towards” – Kenji Williams, Founder Director BELLA GAIA
NASA FUNDS BELLA GAIA
EDUCATION PROJECT “BEAUTIFUL EARTH”
PROJECT BRINGS IMMERSIVE VISUAL EXPERIENCE CENTERED AROUND
SPACE TRAVEL, EARTH SCIENCE, AND NATIVE AMERICAN WISDOM
TO CLASSROOMS AND SCIENCE CENTERS NATIONALLY
(Syracuse, NY) – September 19, 2011 – Educator David Kolb defined all learning as the “process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience.” With the current economic challenges and the loss of creative scientific and engineering work to other nations, never before has an experiential, transformative model of learning for science, space travel, and geography been so critically needed. Recognizing this tremendous need, NASA has awarded a half a million dollars to a new 3-year science education project called Beautiful Earth, which uses the space flight simulation performance “BELLA GAIA” combined with Earth science, Native American storytelling, data visualizations, and music to engage youth in Earth science with the first multidisciplinary program of its type. This revolutionary educational model will celebrate its national launch on October 4th, 2011 at the MOST Science Museum in Syracuse, New York.
Beautiful Earth connects students with a profoundly global perspective of Earth as seen through the eyes of Astronauts. By successfully simulating space flight and the transformative “Overview Effect” that Astronauts experience, and integrating emerging scientific data from NASA scientists with the shared knowledge and wisdom of Native American educators, audiences are rapt by the feeling of being in space. By engaging students and the public emotionally and cognitively, Beautiful Earth aims to attract students to the rigorous study of Science, Technology, and Engineering and Mathematics disciplines and to encourage people to be effective stewards of the Earth for decades to come.
Valerie Casasanto, Principal Investigator of Beautiful Earth and education specialist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, says, “Beautiful Earth helps viewers to observe the interconnectedness of everything on Earth in fundamentally new ways. It educates audiences about how human activities are influencing global processes and motivates them to think about what actions need to be taken to support a healthy environment.”
Beautiful Earth was awarded the grant through NASA’s Science Mission Directorate Competitive Opportunities in Education and Public Outreach for Earth and Space Science (EPOESS) Program and is a partnership between NASA, the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), Remedy Arts/BELLA GAIA, and five partner science centers. Native Earth Ways and Spaceship Earth Scientist will be the first two modules in a series of three “Beautiful Earth” experiences.
Beautiful Earth’s collaboration with NASA, BELLA GAIA and other partners delivers a new immersion into the education experience that integrates art, science, and Native American wisdom to create a moving emotional and cognitive connection between the viewer and our planet Earth. It was designed to encourage youth to become “connected”, responsible stewards of the Earth and is an outgrowth of Kenji Williams’ acclaimed BELLA GAIA Living Atlas Experience performed across the globe since 2008, connecting youth and the public to the grandeur of the planet and inspiring a deeper interest in Earth and Space science.
The NASA approved project will be delivered to youth and the public in live presentations in planetariums, through in-person workshops at science centers across the United States, and broadcast on television and online. Students will interact with prominent NASA scientists and Native American educators to gain access to new tools that will increase their scientific literacy in relation to Earth science.
The Beautiful Earth program includes:
A live musical performance of BELLA GAIA by Kenji Williams with video of orbiting visualizations of Earth from space, and customized data visualizations specific to the local region of the particular museum.
Hands-on interactive education workshops for local students and community members.
Data from current NASA missions, such as the recently launched Aquarius to study salinity of the oceans, a critical factor in global climate processes.
Valerie Casasanto explains that “By integrating art with science, a much bigger education goal can be achieved, especially when you bring in specialists to explain the data that scientists are gathering about Earth systems like forest fires, sea surface temperatures and polar ice. Combining imagery, music and science is a powerful tool for educators to help students become inspired and to achieve absorption. The program will also introduce further NASA opportunities such as student internships, engagement in NASA missions, and citizen science.”
About Beautiful Earth
Beautiful Earth: Experiencing and Learning Science in a New Way (Beautiful Earth) (http://www.bellagaia.com/connect/), based on Kenji Williams’ BELLA GAIA audio-visual experience, is a unique education program and partnership between NASA, the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), Remedy Arts/BELLA GAIA (www.bellagaia.com), and five partner science centers across the United States (The first partner is the MOST Museum in Syracuse, New York (http://www.most.org/) with the participation of the Onandaga Nation School (http://www.onondaganationschool.org/). The program builds and expands upon 14 successful events test-piloted with NASA, including the Digital Learning Network (DLN) Earth Day Events in 2009 and 2010 (http://tinyurl.com/2ckg2rh).
The Beautiful Earth project originated from the collaborative work of director and composer, Kenji Williams, UMBC/NASA education specialist Valerie Casasanto, and Native American Studies scholar and educator, Ronan Hallowell. Other core team members include Dr. Ana Prados, an atmospheric chemist at NASA Goddard/UMBC; James Rock, a Dakota science teacher and cultural educator from Minnesota; and Dr. Thorsten Markus, Head of the Cryospheric Sciences Branch at NASA Goddard and Project Scientist of upcoming ICESat-2 satellite mission. Beautiful Earth presents BELLA GAIA in a new forum that provides a deeper learning experience for K-12 students by combining the live experience with workshops by top NASA scientists, data visualizers, and Native American scientists and educators. Beautiful Earth translates Earth science into the media languages of the 21st century by using the BELLA GAIA experience to engage students in a way that seamlessly synthesizes science, art and education.
About Christie Communications
Christie Communications is a full-service branding, public relations, marketing, advertising agency dedicated to helping ethical businesses, entrepreneurs, and socially conscious organizations broaden their impact through effective communication services. It is a company based in philosophy, driven by passion, and known by its results.
For further information about “Beautiful Earth” or for media related inquiries, please contact: Alissa Sears
Christie Communications
(805) 969-3744
email at alissa [at] christiecomm.com
Working with the Goi Peace Foundation, Kenji Williams, BELLA GAIA will appear at the UNESCO Youth Forum at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris France on Oct 19, 2011.
The show will collaborate with youth from around the world, in the General Conference room at UNESCO Headquarters. More Details found here
UPDATE: Video Clip BELLA GAIA collaborates with Youth performing spoken word live.
BELLA GAIA on the BIG SCREEN PLAZA – Chelsea, New York City. July Schedule Below
LISA (Leaders in Software and Art) partnership with Big Screen Plaza will be screening various works of artists, including Kenji Williams’ BELLA GAIA content. Full Information: http://softwareandart.com/?p=610
Content Playlist:
Ocean Cloud/Wonder Woman’s Invisible Plane Anne Spalter
Gyre 29 Mark Stock
Bella Gaia (Excerpt) Kenji Williams, Remedy Arts LLC
Lux Flux Eva Lee
Fire Cloud/Wonder Woman’s Invisible Plane Anne Spalter
Sinurti Mark Stock
Graphite Cloud/Wonder Woman’s Invisible Plane Anne Spalter
Mapping: 23 Minutes, 23 Tongues (Excerpt) Asya Reznikov
Smoke Water Fire Mark Stock
Winter’s Veil Eva Lee
Rota 9_5c Mark Stock
Dream Cloud/Wonder Woman’s Invisible Plane Anne Spalter
Stain (125_1c) Mark Stock
Video of NASA Space Shuttle Atlantis, on her final journey to space. Taken from Mission Control building, Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
Kenji Williams with members of the Bella Gaia (Beautiful Earth) NASA education team: Valerie Casasanto and Thorsten Markus (NASA), Roxanne Gould, and Native American Astronomer Jim Rock – who worked with Valerie to bring aboard the first Native American microgravity experiment in space, growing Tobacco seeds on Space Shuttle Atlantis.
BELLA GAIA kicks off the US State Department event of President Obama’s exchange program at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum in Washington DC to exemplify engaging ways the U.S. presents science education.
The White House Blog mentions Bella Gaia:
Head of NASA, Charles Bolden, accompanied by US senators and NASA personnel give a standing ovation for BELLA GAIA Live. Details below Kenji Williams performs a standing ovation BELLA GAIA LIVE show at the Congressional Auditorium, for the 50th Anniversary of TIROS, the first Earth weather satellite. Newly integrated time-lapse imagery of melting glaciers from National Geographic photographers James Balog, and Gulf Oil spill photography by Daniel Beltra intercut with near-live satellite images of the oil spill from space.
The show was followed by presentations by James Balog and Dr. Waleed Abdalati. Hosted by Senator Mikulski, with other congressional and space industry personnel in attendance including head of NASA Charles Bolden, and the AIAA. Special thanks: Golden Pyramid of Peace. Featured music track by Yumi Kurosawa.
The US State Department is planning a series of events in Sept – Oct 2010, including a BELLA GAIA show as part its “Exchange Programs” for Muslim Entrepreneurs and Delegates. President Obama mentions this program in a recent speech:
April 26th:
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT THE PRESIDENTIAL SUMMIT ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, Washington, D.C.
6:05 P.M. EDT
“The United States is launching several new exchange programs. We will bring business and social entrepreneurs from Muslim-majority countries to the United States and send their American counterparts to learn from your countries. (Applause.) So women in technology fields will have the opportunity to come to the United States for internships and professional development. And since innovation is central to entrepreneurship, we’re creating new exchanges for science teachers.”
“CO2 Cube” – a project of Millenium Art and Obscura Digital ‘Powered by’ Google & YouTube, features BELLA GAIA video content and live performances by Kenji Williams. BELLA GAIA’s presence on the Cube and COP15 conference sponsored by Opus Novum.
Navigate Slideshow below:
This Cube (1 Ton of CO2) represents what 1 person in industrialized countries emits in 1 month, – and Americans emit 2 tons per month.
Special Thanks to Mia Hanack, Executive Director, April Minnich, Deanne La Rue and Obscura.
The Cube is floating on St. Jorgens Lake at the Tycho Brahe Planetarium in Copenhagen.
Never have I dreamed of collaborating with Ballet dancers, but the self-creating nature of how BELLA GAIA evolves never ceases to amaze me.
I have just returned from Manila, Philippines, where the vision of Maribel Garcia of the Mind Museum, put me and Ballet Philippines on a fantastic collision course that exploded into an electro opera Earth-Space ballet theater for 1500 people at the announcement of the launch of the Mind Museum. The Mayor, sponsors, and Ayala were some in the audience. What makes this even more incredible is that some of the dancers lost their homes by the recent typhoon and flooding that happened just a week before this show. It was this event, and the work of choreographer Gerald Mercado that kept them going. This event was followed by two shows at Ayala Malls. Thanks to all at the Mind Museum, Ayala Malls, and all the sponsors of this event. Enjoy the photos… more to be posted soon as they come in.
‘BELLA GAIA in Fulldome Panorama – WORLD PREMIER in San Francisco!’, ‘Please join us in the World Premier of the Fulldome panorama version of BELLA GAIA Live!
San Francisco Morrison Planetarium (California Academy of Sciences)
July 2nd – Two Shows:
7:30 pm
8:30 pm
Get your tickets now before it sells out!
Click below, and simply buy a ticket for the evening (6pm). Once you enter, you will have a choice of which showtime you would like to pick, but don”t delay!
(23, ‘Event: NASA DLN – BELLA GAIA to network live with schools’, ‘Earth Day, April 22nd
Kenji Williams will be presenting a BELLA GAIA performance and Q & A session with 20 schools across the country via NASA”s DLN (Digital Learning Network) program. Live video teleconferencing connections will be setup with schools across the country, with a live performance and discussion with high school and middle school students across the country.
Please contact info@bellagaia.com if you are a school teacher or administrator and are interested in participating.
24, ‘Press: NASA DLN session Press Coverage
Press Coverage of BELLA GAIA at NASA DLN on NASA Goddard”s Home page: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/home/index.html
Employees at NASA”s Goddard Space Flight Center celebrated the center”s numerous conservation efforts in recognition of Earth Day on Wednesday, April 22, 2009. One of the day”s highlights was a presentation on Goddard”s Digital Learning Network. The DLN teamed with director and violinist Kenji Williams to present an out of this world experience known as BellaGaia (Beautiful Earth).
This one-of-a-kind multimedia journey of Earth, as observed from space, combined Williams”s music with NASA imagery. BellaGaia was presented to students and teachers around the world during two webcasts from the Goddard studio.
Other activities included a morning presentation on the impact of urban growth on local metropolitan areas. Presenters included Jeff Masek, Lahouari Bounoua and Laura Rocchio of Goddard‚ Biospheric Sciences Branch. Goddard‚ environmental conservation programs and some Earth science missions were on display. During the Recycling Olympics event, employees challenged their recycling knowledge. The activity brought a better understanding and awareness of the various materials that are recycled at Goddard.
Later, Goddard employees ventured outside for a showcase of the center”s environmentally friendly vehicles. Employees learned about carpooling options, bus routes and other commuter programs.
Closing the Center, 2009 Earth Day celebration was a special 50th Anniversary presentation about Goddard‚ land use over the past 50 years. Alan Binstock, Goddard master planner, shared images of Goddard‚ past land use and plans for future land use.
Earth Day at Goddard does not end on April 22. Planting of native greenery in the rain garden will take place after Earth Day on April 30th. The Rain Garden will beautify Goddard‚ landscape and facilitate the infiltration of storm water into the ground to filter pollutants and allow groundwater resurgence.
On May 5, employees are invited to help remove invasive plants that pose a threat to local wetlands. Goddard‚ Earth Day team will teach about invasives and why they are detrimental, and how to identify the three species of concern.
Goddard”s Earth Day bike rally will also be held in May. Originally scheduled for April 22, the event was postponed due to rain.
Earth Day was born in 1970 as a result of attempts by former Wisconsin Sen. Gaylord Nelson to include conservation on the political agenda. It was declared a day to express environmental concerns and increase conservation.
For all of Goddard‚ Earth Day activities, visit: http://earthday.gsfc.nasa.gov
21, ‘Press: GreenMuze Interview with Kenji Williams
GreenMuze Staff “Kenji Williams is a world-renowned, award-winning musician, filmmaker, music producer, and classically trained violinist who combines visual media with music to tell a story of planetary consciousness and spiritual evolution. He is a prolific, and some say genius musician. In addition to his music, he is also the composer and producer of six albums, director of fifteen films and music videos, three feature length projects, and several multimedia theatrical live shows.
Kenji Williams continues to push the boundaries of audio-visual art and performance. We caught up with Kenji online to ask a few (well quite a few) questions about his magical form of philosophical and life-changing musical performances.
MEGASTAR is a new star projection system created by Takayuki Ohira. It is officially ‚the world’s most advanced planetarium projector‚ according to the Guinness Book of World Records. It is thus an extreme honor to have collaborated with Mr. Ohira and his breathtaking Megastar system at a private BELLA GAIA preview event in Tokyo organized by our new Tokyo http://bellagaiajapan.wordpress.com/“>BELLA GAIA JAPAN team.
MEGASTAR can project 4.1 million stars (it is NOT digital) – stars so small that the Milky Way ”cloud” is made up of millions of dots only viewable with binoculars (INSIDE the planetarium dome). This night sky beats the Nevada desert skies at Burning Man – or any sky viewable from Earth! Only from Space could you see such detail. It was thus, a perfect collaboration with BELLA GAIA, and has highlighted the truly ”open source” nature of the BELLA GAIA project and its ability to easily adapt and collaborate with other fantastic artists and projects. BELLA GAIA is a vehicle, a new media channel for YOUR MESSAGE. Special Thanks to our Japan team for putting this amazing event together, and Victor/JVC for sponsoring the incredible 4K projector.
(16, ‘Photos from IAC Conference, Glasgow
Kenji Williams – Bella Gaia; featured at the Opening Ceremony of the International Astronautical Congress (IAC)
http://www.iac2008.co.uk/programme.htm”> Conference
in Glasgow UK.
“Just Beautiful. It really felt like I was back in space.”
- Piers Sellers, NASA Astronaut, Spacewalker (STS-112 Atlantis, STS 121 Discovery)
BELLA GAIA was performed live at the Smithsonian Folklife/NASA festival, followed by NASA Scientist presentations: Video: Rob Simmon (NASA) presentation, and Kenji after show talk
Scientist Steve Platnick from NASA Goddard, explaining to the audience the MODIS & Satellite imagery presented in Bella Gaia
Rob Simmon (NASA) presents a custom made slide show of MODIS satellite imagery pertaining to Bella Gaia
Smithsonian Folklife/NASA Festival- Kenji Williams speaks after the show
Video & Photos: Smithsonian Folklife NASA Galaxy stage audience reactions
What an incredible honor to be invited by NASA and the Smithsonian Institution to feature BELLA GAIA for NASA”s 50th anniversary celebration. We received such positive feedback, not only from the public who many said were moved to tears, but also from the top NASA scientists that joined me on stage, presenting and explaining the MODIS and satellite imagery used in Bella Gaia. I feel we are creating a successful recipe integrating audio and video that is having a profound impact on the audience – repeatedly. A very special thanks to Rob Simmon, Steve Platnick, Bob Cahalan, and Brian Markham from NASA for presenting on stage with me.
My deepest thanks to all within NASA and the Smithsonian Institution for helping make this happen! A special thanks to Oud player Shawkatt Sayyad, and dancer Lale Sayoko who joined me on stage during the Egyptian Nile River section of the show, attracting crowds at the NASA Galaxy Stage!
-Kenji
More Reactions:
“Bella Gaia reminded me of why I wanted to become a scientist at NASA in the first place” – NASA Goddard scientist
“With visualizations of fires in the Amazon and ice melts in the arctic, the message of our impact on the earth is made strong and clear without saying a single word and without being preachy.” – Patty Truchly, artist, ethnomusicologist, and mother
ÄùIt swept me away” – Smithsonian Staff
ÄúWe should have more programming like this” – NASA staff
‘Bella Gaia performed for 600 delegates of IPS conference.
Reactions
“It is was incredible, and so beautiful – very high quality show that I would love to bring to Brazil.”
- Luiz Sampaio, Omnis Lux Astronomia Projetos Culturais , Vila Mariana, Brasil
“I loved the performance at IPS! ”Wish I could”ve had my friends and family there to share it. Would love to see it again! The trailer doesn”t do it justice.”
- Lee Anne Ward – Sky Scan – IPS 2008 delegate
Video: Kenji Williams serenades Soyuz Rocket Launch in Kazhakstan, Russia’,
‘Kenji Williams serenades the Soyuz from 200meters away as the Soyuz rocket with 2 Russian Astonauts and 1 space tourist (Greg Olsen)
head for the International Space Station (ISS)
Project Genesis: Kenji Williams meets with NASA astronaut Mike Fincke’,
‘Kenji Williams meets with NASA astronaut Mike Fincke for the first time. Mike lived on the International Space Station for 6months.
Kenji: “what is it that changed when you went to space?”
Mike: “I was a planetary scientist, and my favorite planets were Jupiter, Mars, Saturn. But when I went to space, and looked out the window of the International Space Station, I fell in love with planet Earth. Earth became my favorite planet. I had a profound transformative experience.”
It was this meeting with Mike Fincke, that inspired Kenji to find a way to bring the experience of Earth from Space to those that can’t go to space. Bella Gaia was born.
BELLA GAIA kicks off the US State Department event of President Obama’s exchange program at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum in Washington DC to exemplify engaging ways the U.S. presents science education.
Sept 28, 2005
