UKIAH, CA., 1/7/25 — “If you are not at peace, then you are at war,” Ferron, a Canadian-born singer, songwriter and activist, said in a recent interview. “My feelings tell me we are in for a rough ride. By joining together in celebration of peace and acknowledging the power of women’s influence starting in the late ‘60s, maybe we will remember heinous patriarchal acts done in the name of democracy.”
The “patriarchal acts” Ferron references are well known instances of war, discrimination and repression; her particular activism began in the ‘60s, during the protests against the Vietnam War. Ferron, who has been making music for more than 50 years, still focuses on political themes in her work such as the role of patriarchy, anti-war efforts, LGBTQIA+ rights and feminism. Now, Ferron and a diverse group of talented musicians, dancers and performers will share their history of activism with both older and younger generations.
In a unique theater production, Ferron will perform with Mendocino County native and renowned folk musician Holly Near, Afro-Caribbean jazz artist Christelle Durandy and San Francisco-based choreography group Dance Brigade, led by artistic director Krissy Keefer. The all-female group, seven musicians and 13 dancers, will present “A Woman’s Song for Peace” on Jan. 15 at Mendocino College’s Center Theatre. “A Woman’s Song for Peace” addresses themes of resistance, focusing on peace, war and foreign affairs. The performance also focuses on the presidential election cycle, with an emphasis on incoming President Donald Trump’s rhetoric regarding immigrant and minority communities in the U.S.
“Trump’s demonization of immigrant communities laid the ground for this piece. Three songs are sung in Spanish by Holly and Christelle,” said Keefer, a choreographer with 40 years of experience producing dances based on ballet, modern dance, jazz, sign language and Taiko drumming techniques. “The songs in Spanish are ‘Hay una Mujer,’ about incarcerated women in Latin America, and ‘They Dance Alone,’ about mothers in Argentina who dance on the plaza because their children have disappeared. ‘Gracias a la Vida’ is also featured in the performance and is an anthem about love and continuing the fight for freedom.”
Another section of the performance that Keefer noted as crucial are symbols that represent Gaza and the continuing war there, now over a year old.
“There is a piece where we use a poem about war blood and the songs that we sing are in Arabic,” Keefer said. “This is a Dance Brigade piece that speaks directly to that [Gaza]. We usually accompany the piece with some film of Gaza, so I feel that without naming Palestine, you get a feeling of destruction, despair and resistance.”
Near, who was born in Potter Valley, raised in Ukiah, and attended Ukiah High School, began performing as a teenager, playing Eliza Doolittle in her high school’s production of “My Fair Lady.” Near has also been creating art for more than 50 years, and works as a singer-songwriter, actress, teacher and activist. Her music addresses LGBTQIA+ issues, feminism and anti-war topics. Near and Ferron have collaborated for decades, and Near has also worked with the musicians and some of the dancers in “A Woman’s Song for Peace.”
“I have worked with the musicians in the band for years,” Near said. “They know my music, and Krissy has choreographed work to my music in the past.”
Near explained that she has always been passionate about creating music that reflects people’s real lives, and a great deal of this musical performance was inspired by her frustration with the current state of international politics and the ongoing implementation of war and its effects on families and children.
“When we as an audience see and hear art that expresses our desire to lift up humanity, we are not only informed, we are inspired,” Near said. “Many leaders make decisions with self-interest in mind. A few really do try to represent the people who entrusted them with our well-being. I believe Trump has made it very clear he is about to hurt people because of their race, or heritage, or gender. I stand with those who believe we can resolve our conflicts without war. War kills children, not dictators.”
During her musical career Near has worked with a plethora of performers and musicians who have taken an activist path in their art. She has collaborated with Jane Fonda, Harry Belafonte, Arlo Guthrie, Pete Seeger and the Chilean exile group Inti-Illimani, to name a few.
Near noted that although the state of domestic and foreign politics seems bleak, she’s eager to bring the community together to celebrate the art of music and dance and to stand in solidarity with one another.
“It is a good time for kindhearted people to gather, to remember who we are,” Near added. “We are not all the same and yet in the face of hate and insult, it is a good time to move closer to one another.”
Other musicians that will be performing in the production are Jan Martinelli, Tammy Lynne Hall, Michaelle Goerlitz and Shelley Jennings. The performers in the Dance Brigade troupe can be viewed here.
“A Woman’s Song for Peace,” will be held on Jan. 15 at 7:30 p.m. at Mendocino College’s Center Theatre, 1000 Hensley Creek Road. Tickets range from $28.52 to $49.87.
For more information or to purchase tickets, you can use this link. To view other performance dates and locations, visit dancemissiontheater.org/2024/10/05/jan-2025-a-womans-song-for-peace-tour.