PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

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

BELLA GAIA Founder and Director Kenji Williams Interviewed by Nicole Blackwell, Performing Arts Series, JCCC (View original post)

Let “BELLA GAIA” (“Beautiful Earth”) take you on “an exploration of the relationship between humans and nature and how culture, music and dance are all human expressions of the living universe.”

Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011
Performance: 7 p.m. Yardley Hall
Pre-Show Talk: 5:30 p.m.
Kenji Williams, violinist
Buy tickets online.

You’ve said that an astronaut’s transformative experience of seeing the earth from space inspired you to create “BELLA GAIA.” Can you elaborate? Which astronaut? How did you come to have that conversation with that astronaut? What, more specifically, did the astronaut tell you?

In 2005, I was sponsored on a trip to witness the launch of the Russian Soyuz rocket, on its way to the International Space Station. (Watch Williams perform at the launch.)

Photo: Denver Museum of Nature and Science

On this trip, I met American NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, who had lived on the International Space Station for six months. I asked him what changed when he went into space, and he told me that before he went to space, his favorite planets were Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, but once he went into space and looked out the window of the space station, he completely fell in love with planet Earth, and Earth became his favorite planet.

He told me of his profound transformation seeing the Earth from space, and had a profound realization of how unique and special our home planet really is to make it habitable for life. His appreciation for our planet grew from this experience – which is called the “Overview Effect” – an experience and transformation shared by countless astronauts.

I just got really inspired by this story, and it got me thinking, “How can I bring this transformative experience to those of us who can’t go to space?” Thus began my journey of making “BELLA GAIA.”

However “BELLA GAIA” has truly grown in an organic way – as it encompasses much more than just space – the show explores human culture, and our relationship with nature through live performance and fantastic data visualizations – it is an exploration of how humans and our ecosystem are interconnected and share the same destiny as we enter the Anthropocene era – the current geological epoch in which humans are the driving force of change to the Earth’s ecosystem.

How many people were involved in creating “BELLA GAIA,” and how long did it take you to complete the project? How did you choose the images and video clips audience members will see during the presentation?

For a while, “BELLA GAIA” was a solo operation, until I found support in what I thought was the most unattainable place — NASA.

I was invited to present my idea and a rough demo version at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and found a critical champion at NASA, Valerie Casasanto, who tirelessly fostered my growing relationship with NASA scientists, educators, and eventually Headquarters. NASA scientists began giving me their scientific visualizations, and as we began surveying audiences at “BELLA GAIA” performances, we learned surprising things that have shaped the content of “BELLA GAIA.”

The project is essentially a continual work in progress, as it is regularly updated with new content from NASA as they are continually gathering more data every day.

We began doing education workshops after the “BELLA GAIA” show, and this became a template for “BELLA GAIA’s” education platform, titled “Beautiful Earth.” This project has recently been funded by NASA for about $500,000 for three years.

An example of one of these education modules can be seen online.

We have a fantastic team; educator Ronan Hallowell, NASA scientist Thorsten Markus, and Native American astronomer Jim Rock – and also the NASA Scientific Visualization Studio that makes custom visualizations with us.

Apart from NASA, The Baum Foundation, provides integral development support, and Christie Communications provides public relations support. We have National Geographic photographers (James Balog), and other incredible talent, contributing imagery to the project.

The Hubble Telescope department, “The Space Telescope Institute,” has created custom 3D renders of far away nebulas (nebulae?) and supernovae. The Denver Museum of Nature & Science was also one of the first collaborators – hosting the very first performance in 2007.

“BELLA GAIA” has an integral team for operations, such as Laurence Singer and Kaori Noriyasu. We work with high-end Earth visualization software company SCISS and welcome any filmmakers to submit content from around the world.

At the upcoming show at JCCC on Nov. 3, you will see seven performers – as “BELLA GAIA” takes you on an exploration of the relationship between humans and nature, and how culture, music and dance are all human expressions of the living universe.

Each performer will solo their craft, for different countries visited in the show: Egypt (dancers Irina Akulenko and Lale Sayoko, and Lety ElNaggar on the Nay or Egyptian flute), New York (Kristin Hoffmann – voice, Lety ElNaggar – saxophone), Japan (Yumi Kurosawa on the 20 string koto), and India ( Deep Singh on tabla and voice, with dancer Irina Akulenko).

Have any past audience members contacted you via email, social media or otherwise to tell you about actions they’ve taken as a result of seeing “BELLA GAIA”? If so, can you talk about what they’ve done and how learning about their actions has made you feel?

One of the most memorable moments for me, was actually in person, where I was confronted by a climate skeptic strolling past the stage on the National Mall in DC – and despite a lively debate about climate change prior to the show, I asked him to just sit down and experience “BELLA GAIA.” He sat through the show, and afterwards, came up to me and said, “I think you actually changed my mind.”

Facts and figures often don’t have an effect on human psychology, and the only way to touch people is through the heart, and I believe this man actually had a change of heart. I have received many emails, and even drawings from children saying “BELLA GAIA” opened a completely new perspective of our planet, and that they will start recycling or caring for the planet more.

I have been so blessed with such positive feedback and actions and would like to develop “BELLA GAIA’s” online presence more so that it can become easier for people to take direct actions right after the show. We are developing this with the Baum Foundation now.

“BELLA GAIA” has a powerful way to touch people’s heart and emotion in a world inundated with left-brain information and politics. Ultimately I believe humans learn and act on how they feel, and not how they think, and this has been a missing piece of the conversation and news cycle on global environmental issues. “BELLA GAIA’s” take-home message is very simple: Your actions affect other things. If this message is deeply felt, it will pervade everything you do in your life, for the rest of your life; from decisions on what to buy, to career and relationship decisions.

What do you plan to do after you finish performing “BELLA GAIA” around the country?

Well, currently “BELLA GAIA” will never finish! It is living, breathing media that is constantly updated and evolving. We only have plans of expansion, and want to build this project to a sustainable business and movement. We have plans to make distributable movies for planetariums, IMAX, and TV/DVD, and also expanded live platforms like a touring symphony performance, and a Broadway theater show.

It is a dream project to be able to express my artistic vision, while also having a tangible impact on changing the world in a positive direction. I really can’t imagine working on anything else!

Ocean Futures interviews Bella Gaia founder, Kenji Williams

The Examiner.com 5-star review of BELLA GAIA. by Mark Riva:
http://www.examiner.com/la-in-los-angeles/the-poetic-vision-of-bella-gaia-review

FutureLounge.com:
http://thefuturelounge.com/2010/11/bella-gaia/

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:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/09/27/international-science-teachers-tour-us-cities-schools-part-new-beginning

BELLA GAIA Wins 2010 My Hero Film Award. Award Ceremony and Performance will take place in LA, at the USC Auditorium on Nov. 20.

Articles: Moving Pictures Magazine: ”

Space film ‘Bella Gaia’ wins MY HERO Award

http://www.movingpicturesmagazine.com/NewsViews/tabid/60/entryid/3887/Space-film-Bella-Gaia-wins-MY-HERO-Award.aspx

“ARTIST HERO: KENJI WILLIAMS  by David Kelly”
http://www.myhero.com/go/hero.asp?hero=Kenji_Williams_2010

Plum TV:

Aspen Times:

http://www.aspentimes.com/article/2010100729830

Aspen Daily News:

http://www.aspendailynews.com/section/home/141687

Blogs:
Earthwise
Practically Green

BELLA GAIA in the Blogosphere: Recent Reviews & Mentions from the BELLA GAIA Live 360 show at the 2010 SOA Symposium in Los Angeles:

Intel:

http://software.intel.com/en-us/blogs/2010/06/25/c3vision-lab-2010-state-of-the-art-symposium/

Soul Connect Now
http://www.soulconnectnow.com/blog/2010/6/29/state-of-the-arts-and-bella-gaia.html

______________________________________________

Meaningful Media
http://meaningfulmedia.org/get_involved.php?id=73

Kenji Williams, a Sidwell Friends School Alumni, (Class of ’92), returned for an October performance in front of the high school assembly auditorium. Sidwell’s spring issue featured the performance. “An out of this world Experience”. Choose to view in Browser, or download PDF