Author: VillageFreeville

The new Dryden Center for Community has opened its doors as a vibrant space for creativity, connection, and collective care. The project is led by Freeville resident and Board of Trustees member Stephanie Ortolano, whose vision has transformed the former Dryden Methodist Church into a welcoming hub for gatherings, workshops, and community-building of all kinds.

Artist and organizer Shira Evergreen is bringing her Sing-a-Long for Sanity series to the Dryden Center for Community for the first time. Each event is uniquely crafted to spark connections and joy through communal singing…no experience required!

The theme for this month’s Sing-a-Long is Collective Power which will include songs such as:

• “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid (a declared feminist anthem)
• “Master of War” by Bob Dylan (a song known for being a timeless protest anthem)
• “Holiday” by Madonna (a song to promote celebration and rest which is a part of collective liberation)
• And many more!

Songbooks will be provided at the event and discussion surrounding the music and their messages is welcome.

The event will held at the Dryden Center for Community at 9 East Main Street in Dryden on Saturday, May 16th from 6:00 to 9:00PM. The doors for the event will open at 5:30 and all members of the community, regardless of age or experience, are invited to come.

To RSVP or to invite friends, please utilize the Facebook event link below:

https://www.facebook.com/events/2020127398881549

A Poetic Journey in Sand with Catherine Gignac

Some performances feel like stories. Others feel like dreams. Dance of the Shadows is both.

On April 9 and 10, The Cherry Artspace will transform into a world of shifting images and living sand as Quebec artist Catherine Gignac brings her mesmerizing sand‑painting performance to Ithaca. For 45 uninterrupted minutes, the stage becomes a canvas of light, shadow, and imagination.

Gignac draws intricate scenes in sand—live, in real time—while a camera captures every movement and projects it larger-than-life. What begins as a simple line becomes a face… then a bird… then a puppet cutting its strings. One image dissolves into the next with dreamlike fluidity, each transformation surprising and strangely emotional.

The soundtrack deepens the spell: a blend of classical music, tango, and opera that rises and falls with the shifting imagery. The result is a performance that feels both ancient and modern, delicate yet powerful.

This is storytelling without words—poetry told through motion, texture, and sound.

Event Details

• Dates: April 9 & 10
• Time: 7:30 PM
• Location: The Cherry — 102 Cherry St.
• Duration: 45 minutes
• Language: No words
• Audience: Intended for adults, but enchanting and appropriate for kids
• Tickets: $20 — Tickets Here

Whether you’re drawn to visual art, experimental performance, or simply want to be transported for an evening, Dance of the Shadows offers a rare and captivating experience. It’s the kind of show you’ll find yourself thinking about long after the sand has settled.

If you’re ready for something magical, ephemeral, and unlike anything else on stage—this is the performance to catch.