SHELBURNE FALLS — The joy of flying, helping people at the end of life, dance, the creative economy, and restoring quality of life to injured animals are among the TEDx topics on Saturday — a day of networking and speaking around the theme “Body of Knowledge.”
But this time around, the 11 speakers are all from western Massachusetts and southern Vermont.
This conference takes place at Mohawk Trail Regional High School, 26 Ashfield Road (Route 112) in front of a live audience with regional presenters speaking to the conference theme.
Along with local speakers, several videos of recorded TED Talks and from local filmmakers will be screened. A conversation period after each of the two speaker sessions makes it possible for attendees and presenters to mingle and compare notes. Each of the talks is up to 18 minutes long.
Arlie Hart of Putney, Vt., a psychologist who owns Pathfinder Rigging, grew up “climbing on things and then jumping off them,” according to conference curator Stacy Kontrabecki of Buckland. When he discovered the flying trapeze, he felt like a child again. Besides assisting with area youth theater training programs, Hart has taught people how to “fly” from ages 6 to 80. “Arlie’s speaking about how anyone can fly. He talks about how freeing it is. He has run programs for at-risk youth and confidence-building,” Kontrabecki said.
Kathy Lytle of Buckland, a registered nurse and co-owner of Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters, will talk about Josiah Spaulding Jr., a Buckland man (1786-1867) diagnosed as insane, who spent 56 years in a wooden cage in his father’s home because he refused to take up his father’s ministry. Lytle says the story of this Buckland man had sweeping impacts on the mental health industry across many states.
Marian Luz of Shelburne Falls will talk about end-of-life services. She is currently obtaining end-of-life doula certification and provides home care services to elders and to the disabled.
“Hard is not impossible,” says breast cancer survivor Shirley Prescott of Westfield, whose story shows that personal outlook changes circumstances. Co-owner of a leadership development company, Prescott believes our minds can be altered for the better by the power of positive thinking and a change in perspective.
Leslie Grinnell, pet mobility expert at Eddie’s Wheels in Buckland, will bring some of the family pets that have regained some mobility through the use of carts made by Eddie’s Wheels. Grinnell works with canine rehab practitioners and holistic vets.
Mohawk Trail Regional high school students Violet Rawlings, Adam Benjamin and Lucy Carr will talk about how art intersects personal and social issues. They will present artistic works that explore metaphor as a means for making images about what each artist “is made of.”
Singer Angela Marie Dostie of Greenfield was a bullied “Army brat” whose confidence was chipped away by other children as her family moved to many new places, until she found a way to anchor herself through singing. Her mother was the advocate for her, and saw that she got a very impressive voice instructor. Since then, Dostie has performed in many places throughout the country for the past 23 years, winning many scholarships and awards with her performances. Now a voice teacher herself, she enjoys passing on what she’d learned to those who need guidance within the community.
Other speakers include: Brenda Lynn Siegel, a dance choreographer who also interned in Bernie Sanders’ office in Washington D.C.; Charlie Spencer, head of the Greenfield Center School, who will talk about children and body image; Argentine Tango/dance expert Cyla Bagolan; and dancer/musician Romney Biddulph.
Kontrabecki organized two earlier TEDxShelburneFalls’ live and TED livestream conferences in 2012 and 2013.
Saturday’s event takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Kontrabecki, a community organizer and entrepreneur, says her main motivation for bringing TEDx to Shelburne Falls is the rich diversity and expertise of the local creative community that deserves to be seen and heard.
The independently produced event, operated under a license from TED (www.ted.com), is organized by community volunteers and is aimed at creating dialogue as well as giving people a forum to share their passions, ideas and experiences. The event’s headline sponsors include Falls Cable, Greenfield Community Television and Mohawk Trail Regional High School.
A free internet live stream for real-time viewing begins at 10 a.m. General tickets, including lunch catered by Hearty Eats restaurant are $40, or bring your own lunch for $30. Student/senior tickets with lunch are $30 and $20 for those who bring their own lunch.
To purchase admission and lunch tickets online, go to: www.TEDxShelburneFalls.com.
Tickets may also be purchased at the door, but lunch tickets are not available on the day of the show.