Winter Solstice Yoga Soundscape with Hannah + Aarona + Liron!

It’s Winter Solstice, when the sun is at its southernmost point in the sky. Whether you’re into a play on numbers or historical mystery, 12/21/12 is a special date, where it’s said to be the end of the Mayan calendar and the beginning of a new world. The Maya’s message is simple: ‘Our actions have created a world out of balance that must be rebalanced immediately in order for us to avoid more suffering…to humans and to all life.’ We are already seeing many changes. And this special day is a window to focus our energies, intentions, and prayers more fully and profoundly than ever before. As we explore the balance between motion and stillness in breath and body, Hannah + Liron, who have been collaborating for 7 years, will conduct the sound for this eve. Hannah Thiem on violin/electronic backdrops, (Copal, Nyxyss) is a soulful inspired artist stirring emotion and fluidity with Middle Eastern, Eastern European and Nordic flavors. She’s opened for The Rolling Stones, Bassnectar, Quixotic, and Shpongle and has been touring the yoga scene for some time. Liron Peled, on doumbek/Tuvan throat singing/sazytar, has worked with artists such as Balkan Beat Box and Omar Faruk Tekbilek. He is actively touring to inspire audiences by helping them reach altered states of consciousness naturally through music, combining sufi trance elements from the Middle East with Meditative Tuvan throat singing and the powerful and rich bass sound of dubstep and metal. This is a night to sweat your intentions, breathe your prayers, drop deep into body, and clarify direction.

Friday, December 21
Kula Yoga, Tribeca, NYC
@6:30p

Solar Yoga Power!

THANK YOU EVERYONE!!! Sunday, Nov. 18th’s Solar-Yoga Benefit was a HUGE success! What an amazing collective effort, and without even planning it specifically, a perfectly polar-balanced class: Aarona Pichinson and Ariel Karass teaching an inspired powerful class and myself and Raymond Sicam III playing beautiful compositions to accompany the movements. We collectively raised $1400 for Power Rockaways Resilience to continue bringing solar power to the Rockaways (with special thanks to our lovely ladies leading the donation booth: Dina Nur Satti and Dalia Ratnikas)!!!!! And a huge thank you to Kula Yoga Project for donating their space.

Just spoke personally on the phone to Walter Meyer (spearheading the Power Rockaways Resilience Project) who wanted to thank us for our generous contributions from this event. Turns out that now they’re able to make generators from scratch. Rather than purchasing already-made solar generators, they’re now able to source the materials directly and at below cost and create 2 generators for the price of one–so, the $1400 we raised is actually worth more like $2800-3000 in value as far as what they can buy with that!!!! Now that’s green change! Thank you to everyone who attended, contributed, and were a part of this awesome event!

You can still add your funds to their cause: http://www.indiegogo.com/PowerRockawaysResilience

And THANK YOU!

Sun Salutations to help bring Solar Power to the Rockaways!

Very excited for this special yoga event tonight (Sunday, Nov. 18)! Joining forces are yoga teachers Aarona Pichinson and Ariel Karass, accompanied by myself on violin and laptop, and Raymond Sicam III on cello and voice. It’s a live yoga and music class benefit to help bring solar energy to our neighbors in the Rockaways!

I’ve been doing a bunch of volunteer work in the Rockaways (with Occupy Sandy), devastated by Hurricane Sandy (still no electricity, power, heat), and power to the people who are on the ground doing clean-up and organizing supplies/donations to the thousands of people left with nothing there. But it’s incredibly beautiful to see so many people stepping up and coming together to make miracles happen–including bringing Solar Power to the Rockaways!

Kula Yoga Project – 28 Warren Street, Tribeca
Sunday, November 18 ~ class begins at 6:15pm
*Arrive at 5:45pm to make your donation and grab your spot
*There is limited space!

Join yoga teachers Aarona Pichinson and Ariel Karass along with violinist/composer Hannah Thiem and cellist/vocalist Raymond Sicam III for a benefit co-taught yoga class with live music. As New Yorkers, we all know how huge the impact of Hurricane Sandy has been and it’s a stark reminder of just how critical electricity is to our lives. For some, electric power is literally life or death: heat on a cold night, access to vital medical services. This is an opportunity to rebuild, grow, strengthen community, and find better and more balanced ways to live on our beautiful planet.

There are many things we can do to help in the aftermath, and we’ve chosen to support this amazing team, Power Rockaways Resilience, who are offering immediate aide of solar-powered generators, plus a smart working solution for the future. Those with less right now need our help. Come breathe, move, listen, and gather. This class is open to all levels and is completely volunteered. All donations go to the cause.

Here’s the cause we’re supporting: http://www.indiegogo.com/PowerRockawaysResilience

Go Yoga Green!!!!

Yoga!

Performing for a string of awesome events this month, mostly yoga-related! Very excited to craft my original soundscapes, and accompany DJ Drez in these unique settings!

9.22 :: 12p :: Flavorpill’s Yoga in the Park w/ Elena Brower + Aarona Pichinson, music by DJ Drez + Hannah Thiem
9.22 :: 7p :: Kula Yoga Williamsburg Sat Night Yoga + Music Event, music by Hannah Thiem
9.29 :: 12p :: Flavorpill’s Yoga in the Park w/ Rodney Yee + Colleen Saidman, music by DJ Drez + Hannah Thiem
9.29 :: eve :: Temple of Bass w/ DJ Drez, Hannah Thiem, + more! (at a beautiful farm 2hrs north of NYC on the Metro North)

xo
hannah

Wanderlust Festival: North Lake Tahoe, CA

photo: Marc Fong

Had an amazing time at Wanderlust Yoga + Music Festival in CA! So many wonderful connections and parallel universes. And many pop-up performances. Main stage with Quixotic Fusion was pretty incredible. Had a violin-off with Shane Borth, Quixotic’s amazing violinist, who welcomed me to guest with them. We performed on their song “Orion” + the opening song. Ms. Laura Scarborough, beautiful singer/synth/accordion/melodica extraordinnaire did my makeup (fancy white eyelashes, blacklight reactive body paint, etc), and I had such an incredible time up there on the main stage with them on Friday night. Beautiful stunning dancers, musicians, the whole show is such a visible spectacle. Anthony Magliano, director, chose some pretty badass headpieces for me to wear–black leather helmet, white leather mohawk. As if that wasn’t enough, after, had the honor to guest with Shpongle in front of thousands!! The track he chose was “When Shall I Be Free?”–perfect song. Middle Eastern melodies, trancey beautiful fusion. Felt so good to be up there!

Throughout the weekend, I found participated in a bunch of other unique and exhilarating performances:

• guesting with Andrea Brook and the Earth Harp at the Prana Shala
• guesting with DJ Drez at Schuyler Grant’s Sunday am class–such synchronicity!
• performing solo pool-side to close out the pool party at High Camp (post DJ Dragonfly‘s rocking set)
• performing solo at the Yoga Tree’s afterparty on Sunday with dancer Sofia Thom

(will post more photos as I have them)

Wanderlust Tahoe was such a convergence of beautiful amazing realized and on-the-path-to-being-realized beings. Great meeting ground for movers and shakers. After the festival, spent a few blissful days at Sierra Hot Springs truly connecting with my inner peace. Thank you universe!