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TRIBAL FEST™ FAQ: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Please
print this out! There is a lot of information here!
WHAT
Tribal Fest™ is your not-to-miss event of the year! If you
go nowhere else, come here and be blown away! Tribal Fest is the
first and largest event of its kind anywhere in the world. It started
in 2001 and grows every year. We celebrate ATS, Tribal Fusion and
other alternative and cutting-edge dance and performance art. This
original Tribal Fest™ has inspired many other festivals around the
globe and remains the foremost in the industry. Some other events
in other countries even give plane tickets to winners of their competitions
to attend Tribal Fest™!
The bulk of our classes every year precedes The
Show and are held on Wednesday and Thursday. This is so you
may enjoy the performances from Friday through Sunday evening more
easily. Attendance from Wed. - Sun. is HIGHLY suggested for optimal
learning and enjoyment. I always include many of the “big name”
teachers as well as rising stars, so don’t miss out! Plan your vacation
and come for all 5 days.
Our numerous indoor and outdoor vendors carry “tribal-and-related-alternative”
goodies at this event, so you won’t see the usual beads-n-sequins
for miles that you see at many other events, nor will you have to
put up with classical music.
What you’ll
see at Tribal Fest™ are items that an ATS bellydancer,
tribal or other fusion dancer, folkloric, Indian, ethnic, Gothic
or just plain ol’ “I don’t fit into any categories” dancers AND even non-dancer-alternative
people would like to add to your collections. Our vendors are set
up all 5 days, so you can start shopping the moment you arrive on
Wednesday!
And, the Community
Center sells wine and beer (you don’t see that too often at festivals)
as well as the usual beverages.
We have wonderful
cuisine on-site all week, so between classes you can grab a bite,
as well as during The Show. You are allowed to bring in your own
food if you prefer (there are both delis and a Whole Foods Market
within a short distance of Tribal Fest).
However, you
may not bring your own alcoholic beverages. People found with outside
alcohol anywhere on the premises, indoors or out, will be asked
to leave without a refund. Please note that the venue has a very
strict policy about this that we must abide by. Thank you in advance
for buying your booze from the venue itself so this unique policy
can continue.
WHERE
The Sebastopol Community Center, its surrounding grounds and the
Youth Annex
Building next
door, 390 Morris Street, Sebastopol, CA, 95472. This
is about 1.5 hour’s drive up Highway 101 from San Francisco and is considered part of SF’s
North Bay Area. Tribal Fest™ is in Sonoma County, California, best
known world-wide for its award-winning wineries and vintners, cheeses,
delis, world-class cuisine, one of the world’s most touted culinary
schools, The Sonoma County Wine Train, Calistoga’s healing mineral
spas, wondrous redwood forests, rolling hills of oak and the...
(in?) famous Russian
River! Some
classes are held at the Fairfield Inn, 1101
Gravenstein Hwy. South, Sebastopol,
CA 95472.
WHEN
This event is held the third full weekend
of May (and the 3 days preceding it) each year so you can plan ahead.
It is 5 days long, from Wednesday - Sunday. Every year on the weekend
prior to Tribal Fest™ Kajira Djoumahna offers her renowned Teacher
Certification Program for Levels 1 and 2 in the BlackSheep BellyDance
system of ATS at the same location as The Fest.
GETTING THERE
If you are driving from the U.S. mainland, please print out a
trip planner from your favorite site (such as Zip2, MapQuest or
others). OR, find CA State Highway 101** and head north or south
to Santa Rosa. From there head to Sebastopol (NOT
Sonoma)
on Highway 12 and the Community Center is located at the second
light you’ll see for some time (a few miles), past a Chevron gas
station and a field or two of cattle. Then you’ll see some office
buildings on your right. That street light is a “T” intersection,
so turn right (the only way you can) and you’re on Morris Street!
If driving from the Pacific NW, I suggest coming down Highway 5
to 505 (a bypass near Willows that will take you around the Sacramento
traffic) to Highway 80, which goes from Sacramento
/ Davis
towards Berkeley and Vallejo. TURN OFF (from the right lane) when
you see the sign for Vallejo, it comes up pretty quick after going
up a large hill with a lookout view and restrooms - from there you
can see Marine World’s roller coasters. Proceed through Vallejo
to Lakeville Highway.
You will be going over the marsh flats and past Sears Point Raceway,
and turn LEFT at that light. After the Sear’s Point light, take
your next light (“T” intersection) that goes RIGHT onto Lakeville
Hwy. (If you miss Lakeville, no worries,
you’ll end up in Novato,
so then take Hwy. 101 North from there instead.) But Lakeville is
a “short-cut” and much prettier than the freeway traffic.
Lakeville Hwy.
will take you through the outskirts of Petaluma
(and past Papa’s Taverna with GREAT Greek
food!) and will virtually pour you onto Hwy. 101 North once you
pass parts of Petaluma.
Now you’re on Hwy. 101 North, so proceed as above from there, looking
for the Hwy. 12 exit once actually in Santa
Rosa, about 13 more miles. (See ** above.)
This route used to take me about 10-12 hours to drive one way from
Portland, OR
to Santa Rosa,
CA.
If driving from SoCal, I also suggest
you take Hwy. 5 up instead of the prettier 101. It will save you
about 5-6 hours. This route from LA used to take me about 7 hours
to get to Santa Rosa. So, Hwy. 5 up, turning off towards
San Francisco
(do NOT go towards Sacto! - I did that
once.... not a catastrophe but added at least 2 more hours to my
drive). Drive past SFO* and turn from your right lane onto 380 to
280 which will turn into 19th Avenue, avoiding the center of SF.
Pass through parts of the Sunset district and Golden Gate Park,
continuing on 19th Ave. This will pour you right onto
Hwy. 101 North, going over the Golden Gate
Bridge towards Marin
County (Sausalito,
Mill Valley,
Novato, etc.) then Sonoma County.
From there, proceed as above.**
If you are flying into either SFO or OAK, simply rent a car at the
airport and follow the directions above from SFO* (see paragraph
above). From OAK, proceed north towards San Francisco but DO NOT
TURN OFF for SF, instead keep going through Berkeley, CA until you
see the choice of either going towards Sacramento (you don’t wanna)
or Richmond. I believe this turn off is in the left center lanes,
so be prepared. That will take you over the San Rafael-Richmond
Bay Bridge and drop you out right onto Hwy. 101 north in San Rafael,
where you can proceed as above.**
OR take the shuttle north to Santa Rosa. At the airports (SFO or
OAK) they have a shuttle service. You can check out Airport Express
at: http://www.airportexpressinc.com (707-837-8700) You
will take the shuttle to the downtown Santa
Rosa stop, and from there grab a cab to Sebastopol (about 12-15 minutes).
Some airlines
can fly directly to the Santa Rosa
Airport in Santa
Rosa: http://www.sonomacountyairport.org/
Sharing rides,
rooms, homes and such is a very common deal at Tribal Fest™. You
may look for or make a post on the main Tribal Fest Facebook
page here, https://www.facebook.com/groups/232521960098725/
PLACES TO STAY
Please note that if you take the shuttle up from OAK or SFO and
do not have a car, you really should stay at The Sebastopol Inn,
as this is the only hotel within walking distance of The Fest. It
is one of the Official Tribal Fest™ hotels, offering discounted
GROUP RATES when you mention you’re
with Tribal Fest™. Ask for Ashok: 707.829.2500 or www.sebastopolinn.com You will have free wireless internet and
a heated pool and hot tub. This hotel holds all rooms for TF attendees,
which makes it a fun place to stay.
The other Official Host Hotel in Sebastopol
is the popular Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, 707.829.6677
or fairfieldinn.com/stsrs They also offer discounted
GROUP RATES if you mention Tribal
Fest™. It is located one mile from the downtown area of Sebastopol,
1.8 miles from Tribal Fest™. It also has a hot complimentary breakfast,
free wireless internet, heated pool and hot tub. This is the hotel
where some of the Tribal Fest™ classes take place.
If you like
to camp, you can search the internet for campgrounds around Sebastopol CA.
People have enjoyed camping at Sonoma
Coast State
Beaches, Bodega Dunes, Wright’s
Beach and at the Russian
River. These
areas are about 40 minutes to 1 hour from Sebastopol.
You can also
look for B&Bs and vacation rentals. Many people have enjoyed sharing
vacation homes and find it saves them a lot of money in groceries
and rent. If you would like to find a “roomie”
you can make a post on the main Tribal Fest™ Facebook
page here, https://www.facebook.com/groups/232521960098725/
If you have a car, you have lots more places
to stay possible. Try the neighboring little city of Santa Rosa, here are some nice places I can
personally vouch for that are only 10 - 20 minutes from The Fest:
Hyatt Vineyard
Creek Hotel & Spa (Santa
Rosa, a a
straight shot down Hwy. 12 to The Fest!):1.800.233.1234 (worldwide)
www.vineyardcreek.hyatt.com
Hotel La Rose (Santa Rosa, and almost a straight shot down 12 to
The Fest): 707.579.3200
Holiday Inn Express, Hopper Ave., (Santa Rosa): 707.545.9000 and
www.winecountryhotel.com
DoubleTree Hotel Sonoma Wine Country (Rohnert
Park): 707.584.5466
The following are options I cannot vouch for personally, but some
folks have had nice
things to say:
Microtel Inn & Suite, Santa Rosa: 707.568.5782
Ramada Limited, Santa Rosa: 707.575.4600
Ramada Limited, Rohnert Park: 707.584.1600
Best Western Inn, Rohnert Park: 707.584.7435
Here is a link to a list of area hotels. http://www.allgetaways.com/hotels/hotel-city.asp?state=CA&city=Sebastopol
ABOUT THE CLASSES
Tribal Fest™ hosts a great many wonderful classes. They run the
gamut from traditional dance forms from along the Romany Trail to
classes you just cannot find at any other single bellydance event.
These often include Tribal and World Fusion Belly/Dance, Gothic
Belly/Dance, Theatrical and Interpretive Dance, lecture classes,
specialty classes - and of course synchronized group improvisational
Tribal Style BD, or ATS! Class offerings and many teachers are different
each year, assuring you of many varying choices annually.
PERFORMANCES
All of our non-stop performances are indoors,
in the Main Auditorium.
Show Hours are:
Friday doors open at 2:30 p.m., Show starts at 3:00 and goes until
9:00 p.m.
Saturday: 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sunday: 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
SHOW INFO
Admission: Performers get in free on the day
you perform. Family (including parents of minor performers) and
friends pay the usual admission fees: $20 in correct change in cash
for Friday and Saturday. Sunday is $15. Children under age 5 are
admitted free, children ages 5 - 12 and elders over 60 with ID get
$5 off that day’s fee. Paying admission does not guarantee a
seat, sometimes it’s standing room only. And yes, we do allow
in-and-out privileges.
*
PLEASE NOTE: If the admission fee is a financial hardship, we do
have Staff positions open for those in need. No money? No worries.
Ask us what we need help with and you can get in free on the day/s
you work at least one shift of about 3 hours. Work more than one
shift and get a commemorative TF shirt as well! Please email us
to get on our Staff list: tribalfest@aol.com
and read “TF Staff Info” on this site.
Please
be aware that the music is LOUD
in the Main Auditorium where the performances are. Bring earplugs
if high decibel sound bugs you.
Any
disclaimers due to costuming, lyrics, etc. known about ahead
of time will be found in the official Program
(available at the door).
If your child “looks older,” please save hassle
and hold-ups at the Door by bringing their photo ID showing date
of birth so we don’t think they are a Teen.
Seniors and
those who are uncomfortable standing for long periods of time should
be aware that standing room only occurs at this event during certain
peak times. Thank you for noting that paying admission does NOT
guarantee you will have a seat. There are NO RESERVED SEATS and
NO RESERVING of seats on your own.
Please Note that there
is a strict policy about NOT saving seats at Tribal Fest™. The policy
is: You must have someone actually in your seat if you need to visit
the restroom, get food, go shop, take a class, take a walk, or leave
your chair for any reason. There are no empty seats allowed.
I know this
is tough, and the fact that you may have a friend sitting next to
your empty seat saying “someone’s sitting here” will be hard. But,
face it, “someone is NOT sitting there” at the moment, so let someone
else sit for second or two!
If you gotta go, wave at someone standing
and offer ‘em a seat for a few minutes. If you see an empty seat, even
if it has stuff on it, you have advance permission from The Producer
to remove said stuff and sit in the seat. Place the stuff either
in your lap or under the seat. If the owner returns,
give them back their stuff and if they were gone for under 15 minutes,
to give ‘em “their seat” back seems reasonable.
If they were gone for a long period of time, that’s another matter.
And remember, should you get up, the same will happen to “your”
seat.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
All acts and any disclaimers we, the producers, know about ahead
of time will be listed in The Program. The Program will be for sale
starting on Wednesday at Tribal Fest™.
In fact, you
may wish to advertise in it yourself, so after you’ve read the rest
of this FAQ, go back to the top and look to the left of your screen
for a link that reads: “Advertise in the Program!” Several hundred
Programs will be printed and sold out, so it may behoove you to
take advantage of this opportunity. Not everyone subscribes to bellydance
publications, but YOUR “target market” WILL be buying these suckers!
LOL!
In and out privileges
are extended to all attendees via hand stamps or wristbands that
vary by day.
SHOPPING
You can shop to your heart’s content! Our
vendors sell all five days, so you will be able to have first crack
at the one-of-a-kind goodies on Wednesday! Please note that our
vendors sell goodies for Tribal dancers and related items that appeal
to those of us who attend The Fest. You will not be blinded by acres
of the latest from Cairo, and every vendor strives to be unique
in their wares.
Vendors can be found Wed. - Sun. outdoors both on the Front Lawn
and on the magical Labyrinth next to the Youth Annex. During the
show, they will be both outdoors and indoors, inside the Main Hall
and in a small classroom attached to the Main Hall.
VIDEO
& PHOTOGRAPHY
People always ask about videography and photography at Tribal Fest™,
especially since our policy is so different from the rest of the
events out there. Here are some quick answers:
All recording devices, whether still or moving, are for your personal
use ONLY. NO commercial use of any portion of any footage taken
from Tribal Fest™ is allowed without written consent from the subject/s
and the event producer. ONLY THE ARTISTS THEMSELVES ARE ALLOWED
TO USE THEIR RECORDING in any public forum, such as YouTube (where
you can see LOTS of footage from Tribal Fest™!).
We do have official videographers that will film your own solo or
group dance. You get to pick up your DVD right there at Tribal Fest™.
Jeffe and Layla
will be returning to do this and you can talk to them at The Fest
to arrange for their services or watch Facebook for announcements.
Every year at
Tribal Fest™ we have 2 or 3 “professional” photographers who are
there and shooting the stage. We usually make announcements during
the day to let everyone know who and where they are. These people
take great shots and they are well worth the money. Please keep
your eyes & ears open for them.
VIDEOGRAPHY & PHOTOGRAPHY AGREEMENTS
*No, you may not videotape
any of the workshops. Even if it were OK with the teacher, the
room would be too crowded with tripods everywhere, so NO. Perhaps
your teacher has DVDs for sale, so ask her or him if you want something
to practice with.
*Yes, you may
videotape the show (or record by other medium) UNLESS the performer
has requested in their announcement that they prefer not to be videoed.
If you missed their announcement, use your judgement
by looking around you to see if anyone else is taping before you
start. This includes your cell phone videos, too, so PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL
of our PERFORMERS so that this policy may continue. Thank you!
*Still photography
is allowed. No flashes right at a dancer, please! Be kind and thoughtful
if using a camera of any kind and don't distract the performers.
PLEASE POST A LINK to your Tribal Fest™ photo gallery on Facebook
under Tribal Fest™ so that the artists you shot and attendees can
view and save your photos of them. Asking for, or embedding into
your photos your copyright is fully agreeable to dancers and only
fair to you as the photographer, as a trade for allowing them to
use your photos in promo, etc. It would be great if you could mention
you shot these photos at Tribal Fest™ in return, thank you!
*Because of
these unique policies, Tribal Fest™ tends to have lots of cameras.
In order to keep this policy, the following AGREEMENTS for behavior
must be upheld:
1. DON'T block
audience members to get "that shot." Please do not be
rude.
2. On Saturday
and Sunday, cameras on tripods have only one spot in which you may
stand to shoot from, which is to the left of the sound booth, where
there will be fewer chairs to allow space for you and because Chuck
- my husband, our Sound guy - needs to see the performers. Please
be conscious of the vendor behind you and leave room for shopping
at their booth. Naturally, do not block the Tribal Fest™ / BlackSheep
BellyDance tables to the right of the sound booth, as chairs will
come as far back as possible to that booth, allowing only enough
room for Staff to get in and out.
3. You may use
hand-held cameras from the staggered rows of seats with great success,
as long as you do not stand up in front of anyone to get a shot.
Thank you!
4. You may also
use your tripod from the center aisle seats as long as you have
only one tripod leg in the aisle and the other/s over your own leg
in front of your seat. This is obviously for making sure the aisle
is not blocked at any time, a required safety necessity. Make sure
the people seated behind you can still see The Show as well, thanks!
5. The Producer
and Staff reserve the right to have you move if you’re blocking
reasonable sightlines or are in the center aisle.
STAFF POSITIONS
There are no Staff Positions open Wednesday or Thursday. This opportunity
is for right before, after and during The Show only. (Especially
during!) We need people for set up and take down, doors,
the performer, teacher and vendor check-in table and dressing room
door, cleaner and runner.
To become a
Staff Member, please see “Staff Info” on this site. Staff people
who perform will be scheduled before other dancers. Staff is guaranteed
a spot in our Program as long as I know by Feb. 15, when the Program
is started.
Thank you, Staff People, for being so responsible - without you
The Fest would die, and I am not exaggerating! We look forward to
meeting you.
and
WRITE
I am looking for several different Writers to Review your experience
at Tribal Fest™, so it can get the press it deserves. Reviews in
our bellydance magazines help more than you can imagine. In fact,
writing reviews is how I started getting my name out there to the
global bellydance community and is what started my own writing career.
Those early days gave me the wherewithal to write The Tribal Bible,
too. I will gladly consider new authors as well!
Here’s how this will work: You must enroll in at least one or two
classes during the week (Wed.- Sun.) and
be there for as much of The Show as you possibly can stand. Entrance
to your class/es and The Show will be paid by you. You will be fully reimbursed
for your Show admission upon use of your review. You may even be
forced to check out the vendors! Such torture!!! LOL! Still interested?
Read on:
* You will need to write about your experience
honestly.
* I highly suggest your review contain brief (one or two sentence)
quotes from random attendees, vendors, performers, workshop participants,
teachers, maybe even the producer - so this is not a position for
a shy person. Invest $20 in a small voice recorder for quotes (which
are handy for workshop notes, too!) or a pad and pen if you’re a
more old-fashioned reporter.
If you can do that, please call me at 808.891.8891 (24 hours) or
email Chuck with “TF Reviewer” in the subject line (TribalFest@aol.com)
and in your message include your contact info: email addy and phone
# (most important of all).
Once you’ve written your review, you will email it to the address
above. I expect it to be finished within 1 month after the event
has happened, by the end of June. I will then tell you which magazine
to submit your review to, as readers and editors hate to re-read
the same ones and I will know who’s received what. This is why I
hope for multiple reviewers.
After we receive your emailed review and photos with your name and
mailing address included, if we submit your review for publication,
you shall receive a full refund for all show days you attended!
You will be paid by business check in a thank-you card from us.
We’ve learned oh-so-painfully over the years especially that although
we’re sure almost everyone really does means well, that doesn’t
mean they follow through. This is why we pay our Staff after they
have completed their work, whether it be
at Tribal Fest™ or as a Reviewer.
Please note that a Reviewer and a Staff Person can be the same persons
in most cases.
Thank you for
becoming a Tribal Fest™ Staff Person!
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