“The wonder of Tehani’s performances is that they are so multi-faceted and, often, deeply moving. There is a depth, resonance, and rich complexity to her work. Between a few dances during a performance she can move from stirring sensuality to transporting spirituality and, at times, there is a graceful fusion of the two. She always stays true to herself and her roots and, while she obviously has a seriousness of purpose, there is an undeniable whimsicality and joy that underlines her performances. Every time she gets out and lights up a room with her dance, she, like all terrific artists, helps illuminate the unlimited possibilities of beauty and freedom.”
Spirit Dancer Productions
Welcome to Spirit Dancer Productions! Jennifer Tehani Sarreal has been producing fully-insured, high caliber professional performance arts events since 2002. Whether fully-funded independent productions or collaborations as producer with corporations, arts organizations and private parties, Sarreal delivers stellar, memorable, innovative productions that always bring the “wow.”
Below are some of our favorite and most meaningful productions…
Miguel Covarrubias
Miguel Covarrubias is one of many collaborative performances Tehani has done with Gregorio Luke - Covarrubias being a personal favorite. Drawing on historical texts from Miguel Covarrubias himself, the dancers and musicians of our collaborative team under Gregorio Luke bring to life a colorful painting of the artist known as Miguel Covarrubias. Performed at the CECUT in Tijuana and at the Covarrubias Theater at the University of UNAM in Mexico City, these dancing images choreographed by Tehani and other dancers supplement a prolific oration by the incomparable Gregorio Luke to bridge the worlds of past, present and imagination that is the future of art in our world…
Tehani’s section begins at 3min and 15sec into the video above.
Artists for Action
***NOW A RADIO SHOW!*** Visit our Airwaves page (click) for more information on our new auditory version of Artists for Action beginning Summer 2022!
Artists for Action (AfA) is a Spirit Dancer Production and gathering of professional artivists (artist-activists) who have a professional and/or personal connection with their subject matter - whether social, political or environmental. It is a place of sharing experiences, ideas and hope through art. The events are created, produced and directed by Jennifer Tehani Sarreal.
This showcase and community forum, which began in Long Beach, CA (the most culturally diverse city in the nation for twenty years, according to the United States Census - twice), has featured performance casts as diverse as their subject matter. From 2007 to present, Tehani has produced these concerts and community forums all over Los Angeles and Orange County, featuring:
Joyce Okazaki with stories of her family in Manzanar accompanied by photos taken by famed photographer Ansel Adams documenting the concentration camps
Collaborative One combines theater and spoken word to illustrate the mosaic that is the American experience for many in Los Angeles
Mannon Banta shares her film school with HollywoodHEART and her transformative work with our young people
Prolific storyteller Michael D McCarty speaks of the important lasting legacy of Paul Robeson in our current political landscape and the continuing fight for racial justice
Stevi Meredith performs a scene from For Colored Girls as we discuss how we can combat domestic violence at a community level
Micaela Salatino exhibits her plastic-for-NEVER art and fashion to promote greater awareness of the plastic waste in our own communities and provide practical actions we can take as individuals to reduce the plastic waste that is destroying our oceans and world
…and many many more powerful artists doing great work through their undeniable passion.
Vaude-Nouveau!
Guest Musician MAKINTO
Guest Fire Artist Greg DIGUM Meyer
Tehani presents “Vaude-Nouveau!” at Don the Beachcomber in Huntington Beach, CA: her whiskey-induced entertainment brain child she is oddly proud of (the part where she drank up something viably lucrative while in an inebriated state, which is rare). A highly interactive and modern take on vaudeville, each week showcases a world champion dancer (like Tehani herself), world record holder (like our darling friend Juggler David Cousin) and international performers - promising an evening full of live music, comedy, sharp objects (from daggers to swords to guitar strings), booze and some pretty epic stunts! We never repeat a performer line up or performance act - everrrr! - and each performance is completely live, interactive (hecklers, beware! Yes, this is a dare…) and unique. We miss this event dearly! So much so that we are resurrecting this soiree of beatboxing flautists, contortionists, dueling pianists, comedians, surprising talent we didn’t know existed (like when we had Buster Balloon in our lineup!), mermaid women and lots and lots of fire (as per our usual) in 2020! Check your inboxes (if you are on our mailing list) and our News page for upcoming dates and new locations (the famous Don the Beachcomber venue has sadly been closed).
In Memoriam… DEEPEST LOVE to Our Dear Vaude-Nouveau Friends Who Have Passed:
REST IN POWER Don the Beachcomber Owner, Art Snyder. REST IN POWER Dance Sister & Vaude-Nouveau Supporter, Ellen “Circe” Kosman. REST IN POWER Journalist, Dear Friend & Arts Critic, John Farrell (who reviewed Vaude-Nouveau on Opening Night and other Spirit Dancer Productions in the Press-Telegram).
***2020 V.N. SHOW UPDATE: COVID-19 had other plans for the world this year, but hope to be back in the future. Return show postponed indefinitely***