Today, tonight signify Friday, Feb. 13.
PORT TOWNSEND — Area participation in a global effort to call attention to domestic violence while celebrating the empowerment of women has grown considerably since the Port Townsend event began two years ago.
Port Townsend Rising, which in 2013 was only a flash mob at Haller Fountain, has evolved into a four-day celebration that includes a play, a dance class, a group bike ride, support groups and, of course, a public dance.
The event, part of the worldwide One Billion Rising commemoration, has been led by MadronaMind Body Institute co-director Allison Dey and graphic designer Annalisa Barelli.
“It started in 2013 with just Allison and myself. Since then, a lot of people have wanted to get involved,” Barelli said.
“This has happened naturally and organically without a lot of planning,” she said.
“Every year, there is a new piece.”
Barelli said she is most excited about Eve Ensler’s “A Memory, a Monologue, a Rant and a Prayer,” with performances at 7:30 p.m. today and Sunday at the Wheeler Theater at Fort Worden State Park.
Barelli said she is working to get the word out about the other events, which are meant to encourage people to share their own stories and gain empowerment in numbers.
The event has evolved its rallying cry, that one in three women worldwide suffer some type of domestic violence in their lifetimes.
Barelli said this is a global statistic and doesn’t necessarily mean that one third of all women in Port Townsend is affected, but “it’s a stereotype to think that it doesn’t happen in our community, that it only happens elsewhere.”
The celebration’s main event, a community dance, takes place from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Pope Marine Park.
Beginning with a loosely choreographed version of “Break the Chain,” the V-Day theme song, it will move into a dance activity with vocalist Kevin Mason and DJ Silace Amaro providing the entertainment.
“There is a need for dancing in the streets so people can express themselves,” Barelli said.
“If you go back to our roots as humans, dancing was part of our rituals, which is why we it’s so important to have access to it today.”
Barelli said there are places in the world where women aren’t allowed to dance. Doing so in Port Townsend is “a way to celebrate our freedoms.”
“Dancing is a way to embody freedom and being carefree. Since this whole movement is about empowerment, dancing is a really great way to do that,” she said.
Apart from the dance and the play, other scheduled free events are:
■ A free community bike ride beginning at noon at the ReCyclery, 1919 Blaine St., and ending at 12:45 p.m. downtown. Participants are asked to gather at 11:30 a.m.
■ A healing gathering for women survivors of domestic violence from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday at Madrona MindBody Institute at Fort Worden, with a second session set from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Monday.
■ A Red Tent Ritual for all women and girls from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, also at Madrona.
Barelli said there are discussions about presenting similarly themed men’s groups, which will occur if there is enough interest.
Barelli said the previous events have drawn great numbers of men, women and children.
“It’s been pretty moving how diverse this gets,” she said.
“Port Townsend has really put itself on the map with how much we’ve accomplished here.”
For more information, go to http://tinyurl.com/PDN-Rising or www.madronamindbody.com.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
