L ifestyles EDITOR NICO HERNANDEZ

THE VOICE, THURSDAY, OCT. 20, 2016 5

Poetry Collective shares works In open mic nights

Collective also runs

workshops for adults undergoing drug and alcohol rehabilitation

By MICHELE PAULSE

uthor Chelsea Comeau has been [Ph eccrsin an open mic night poet- y for the past five years because reading her poems to an audience and listening to the work of other poets in- spires her writing — and has helped her through a difficult time.

Comeau, who has been writing poet- ry for 19 years, is not the only one to gain strength from the collective poet- ry series. Every week, poets from the Pandora’s Collective group share their poems in an open mic stage in the Twisted Poets Literary Salon event at Cottage Bistro.

“Sharing my poetry is therapeutic. It gets me writing because I like to bring new stuff every time I read,” said the 29-year-old at last week’s session.

Comeau’s work What You Leave Be- hind won a Leaf Press award in an Overleaf chapbook manuscript compe- tition in 2015. The collection of poems are about the loss of her uncle, who committed suicide.

The salon is part of Pandora’s Collec- tive, an initiative that promotes litera- cy and individual expression that be- gan the poets series in 2002. The event is one of six programs the community- centred organization offers.

The collective also runs poetry work- shops for adults undergoing alcohol and drug rehabilitation in Pacifica Treatment Centre. Workshop partici- pants brainstorm ideas and write poet- ry about many different topics, and have a chance to share it to the rest of the group.

“Poetry and the arts are very flexible and very malleable so they can be many things to many people,” said Ed- ward Epp, an artist and counsellor who attends the series.

Leanne Boschmann, a writing teach- er and series co-host who has been go- ing to the event for two years, said the salon gives poets a chance to read their work in an unrestricted space.

“This is a place where people can tell their stories and there’s no censor- ship,” she said.

“ MICHELE PAULSE photo Chelsea Comeau sharing her poetry at the stage of the Twisted Poets Literary Salon on Oct. 12.

EMELIE PEACOCK photo

Teresa Yu, Cherylann Buckman, Kendra Milne, Harmanie Taylor and Yolanda Weeks are dancing in an All Bodies Dance Class session

Dance class accepts every body

Inclusive sessions open for people with and without disabilities

By EMELIE PEACOCK

eople of all abilities gather and express their bodies freely in All Bodies Dance at the Sunset

66

Iwas Community Centre.

fairly The class is South Vancouver’s first inclusive dance class which welcomes new to the participants from all backgrounds, wheelchair ages, and abilities. Naomi Brand, co- . founder and facilitator of the class, and I kind started the inclusive dance project in 0 Vf felt like 2014 when she noticed Vancouver was . a very accessible city, yet few opportu- nities existed for people with differen my life ities existed f le with different was over abilities to attend a consistent dance practice. She aims to change people’s

HARMANIE relationship with their bodies. TAYLOR “What I’ve seen and what people DANCER Have told me is that it’s empowering, to

be in your body in a way that is expres-

sive and creative rather than just func- tional. Particularly for persons with disabilities,” said Brand.

Brand sees a potential for dance to promote an understanding between neighbours who may face different dai- ly realities.

“What we’re doing is potentially cre- ating community,” said Brand. “We are creating spaces that are welcoming and ways for people to change how they think about who is actually in their neighbourhood.”

Harmanie Taylor, assistant facilita- tor at All Bodies Dance, commutes from Port Coquitlam in her wheelchair to attend classes.

“T was fairly new to the wheelchair and I kind of felt like my life was over.; in that moment, I found life again,” said Taylor. “I found freedom in movement

that I never really had before, so I was hooked.”

Olga Podshivalova, a Langara alum- na, brought All Bodies Dance to the at- tention of the community centre when she was an intern there.

“T noticed that the Sunset Communi- ty Centre back then didn’t have any programs that would be suitable for people with disabilities. I hadn’t seen even a single person in a wheelchair at that community centre,” said Pod- shivalova.

Joe Wong, a recreation programmer of the centre, said about a dozen people attend dance classes. Half of the par- ticipants are from the Sunset area.

All Bodies Dance classes are held Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the centre, and they are free and open to the public.

Rain and school stopping Pokemon GO players

Players are discouraged to catch Pokémon due to school and cold weather

By CAITLIN O’FLANAGAN

and school season has put a damper on the Pokémon GO craze.

Pokémon GO came out in July and quickly became a phenomenon, with droves of | players sweeping through cit- ies to catch pokémon with their smart phones. But some aren't playing anymore due to the cold and rainy weath- er, and students have limited time due to school.

“T had a lot more time during the summer to go to different places to catch Pokémon where peo- ple tend to go a lot,” said Livena Tso, a first year fine arts student at Langara. “With school and the rain, the desire to play is not there anymore.”

David Gazin, a Langara alumnus, feels that the game is slowly dying out.

Ypres miserable fall weather

ii y ” fe

“Tt just seems that people are more reluctant to use their spare time to go out on colder nights and catch Poké- mon,” said Gazin.

James De Kova, an employee of the EB Games store in Oakridge, is still playing but has noticed a definite de- crease in players around the city, due

to a decline in interest as well as the

fact that the game becomes more challenging the further you progress.

“Tt lost a lot of its charm quite quickly,” said De Kova.

He’s seen more play- ers in the mall because Pokémon have been

appearing indoors

rather than out- doors. He’s hopeful that this move will keep people playing through the winter, and he doesn’t think we’ve seen the end of Pokémon GO.

“It’s only the first genleration] of Pokémon they’ve released so far. When they release generation two, which is for younger kids, more people will start playing,” he said.

FACTS an

50 million users since its release

There is a dating service for players called “Pokédates”

3 There is a Pokémon

GO bus in New York that drives players around

to Pokéstops for $0.99 and gyms for $24.99

4 An account has

been sold for £7,300

Source: www. unbelievable-

CAITLIN O' FLANAGAN photo A Squirtle in Oakridge Centre.

Pokémon have recently been spawning inside the mall.

facts.com