Kailua-Kona, HI – The Radiant Tarot is a multimedia dance interpretation of the tarot deck The Radiant Tarot: Pathway to Creativity, illustrated by Alexandria Eldridge and authored by Tony Barnstone through the lens of psychology, the science of creativity, and the world’s literary, artistic, and spiritual traditions. The show highlights local Big Island dancers alongside it’s internationally touring cast. The audience follows the Fool’s journey from innocence to maturity through the lush visual landscape from Eldridge’s paintings and Barnstone’s prose, continually revolving around the human journey toward meaning.
Many of us have personal relationships with the Tarot and the universal symbols that lie within the cards, but Artistic Director and show creator, Myra Krien is taking her intimacy with the Tarot to a new level. “This show – The Radiant Tarot – represents aspects of work pulled from my entire career,” says Krien, “It is a testament to the relationships I have built over the years”.
Myra Krien, granddaughter of notable writer and philosopher Alan Watts, is a renowned Middle Eastern dance artist, international performer, choreographer, and teacher of belly dance. Krien has performed on some of America’s most prestigious stages, toured internationally, including a Sony Records tour with Ottmar Liebert, performed for PBS and Japanese television, and been reviewed by national publications such as Dance Magazine, Bliss and The Santa Fean. From her Santa Fe, New Mexico-based school of dance, Pomegranate Studios she founded a non-profit youth mentorship program and a state-of-the-art fitness program. Krien is the 2019 recipient of the Santa Fe Mayor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts and is the director of Mosaic Dance Company.
Based upon Eldridge’s critically acclaimed deck, The Radiant Tarot is Krien’s ode to friendship, connection, and her career as an artist. Krien is incorporating elements from her annual production, Invaders of the Heart, and then pushing her vision further, collaborating with artists of various disciplines, Eldridge herself, Tony Barnstone, Mosaic Dance Company (Santa Fe, NM), Cecilia Rinn and the Starbelly Dancers (Tori King, Chad Rinn, Alyssa Kimm, Bayla Night, and Cassandra Joan) (Boise, ID, and Portland, OR), Kaeshi Chai (New York, NY). The cast is being joined by local dancers; Binti Bailey and Nicole Bridges of Kona, Hailey Linnea and Alex Andrea of Hilo, and others.
The use of Tarot as a practice of divination dates back to at least the 15th century, utilized to tap into the greater spiritual world and find meaning and guidance in one’s life. From a psychological perspective, Tarot is a means of exploring and getting to know the unconscious self, hidden drives, dreams, yearning, and the well of creativity within each of us. Author of The Radiant Tarot book/guide, Tony Barnstone, explains the core idea of the deck, that “creativity is our universal human heritage, and it allows us to change, adapt, heal, and transform ourselves.” With the multimedia fusion of visual art, projection, costuming, set design, spoken word, and of course, dance, The Radiant Tarot is an ultimate expression of creativity and synergy.
The show will take place at Hale-Halawai, 75-5760 Ali’s Dr. Kailua-Kona, HI 96740. Doors opens at 4 p.m., to a market with local vendors and food trucks, tarot readings and Radiant Tarot merchandise. The show begins at 6 p.m. followed by a Latin dance party with DJ Eyal (Zouk, Bachata, Salsa, Kizomba). Tickets can be purchased online at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/invaders-of-the-heart-2023-the-radiant-tarot-tickets-471506868737