Building Community Resilience by Reviving Ancient Traditions

CHERRY VALLEY — The Telegraph School will present "Koliada," a theatrical performance, dance party, and potluck event at the Cherry Valley Old School Cafe, 2 Genesee Street, Cherry Valley, NY on February 8th at 5pm.

Cherry Valley has long been a home of arts and experimentation nestled within a beautiful village.  Now in its fifth year, The Telegraph School is continuing that tradition by pushing the edges of conventional theater and building community resilience in the process.

This coming Saturday, they are presenting “Koliada,” a roving theatrical performance that travels around the village of Cherry Valley, performing in people’s homes, before arriving at the Old School Cafe for the final performance, followed by dancing and feasting. The band of performers, dressed as wild animals and forest spirits, are composed of community members who attended the mask and costume workshops offered by The Telegraph School in January. Koliada draws from the rich Slavic heritage of Telegraph School founder Angelica Palmer, who is bringing this ancient village tradition back to life.

“There is a lot of anger, overwhelm, and desperation in the world right now. The seasonal village rituals of Slavic Europe offer a supernatural magic that is a balm for the soul that we need right now. Embodying spirits of nature and bringing love and connection to our neighbors helps us keep hold of our humanity,” says Telegraph School founder and ritual artist Angelica Palmer. “The world is changing rapidly and through play and connection, our community stays strong and resilient.”

The tradition of Koliada dates back to pre-Christian times in the Slavic world of Central and Eastern Europe. People dressed up as animals and spirits representing the darkness of winter and the returning sun. They went from house to house in their village, singing songs and performing skits to call back the sun and bless the fertility of the crops for the coming year. In exchange they were given gifts of food, drinks, and coins. They believed that by becoming animals and spirits, their words would have more magical power and be more effective.

The performance, potluck, and dance party are family-friendly and open to the public. Donations will be accepted at the door and the audience is encouraged to bring a dish to pass for the potluck.  Learn more and reserve your spot at thetelegraphschool.org.