Written by: Shay Coulson | Photo(s) by: Kelsey Erin Sky
An Evening Of Healing & Authentic Expression: Poranguí Kicks Off His ‘Beauty Way Tour’ At SLC’s Clubhouse [Photos]
In a world full of so much disconnect, 250 kindred spirits summoned the healing powers of interconnectedness through music and movement at Poranguí’s tour kickoff last night in Salt Lake City.
The warm Wednesday evening brought a welcoming energy to SLC’s historical Clubhouse on South Temple, a perfect open and interactive space for the multicultural musician and healer’s The Beauty Way Tour kickoff event. Unlike other live events, Poranguí hopes to foster and create an intentionally curated container to experience the healing power of music and authentic expression, offering attendees an evening of improvised and transformative world soul music, dance, and soul healing.
As the sun was dipping below the Wasatch Mountains, Poranguí got the four-hour immersive journey started with a communal voice activation. The room opened into four circles all wrapped around each other joined by the hands of the attendees for an hour of communal singing, transforming the space into an interactive expedition of rhythm, sound, and movement of the body. “Bellesa!” rang out throughout the venue for a blossom of “beautiful” in-the-moment community building and energy prayer work for the world at large facilitated by Poranguí himself.
After a brief set break, the evening transformed as Poranguí blessed the space with the welcoming prayers calling from all six cardinal directions: East, South, West, North, up to Father Sky, and down to Mother Earth. A moment of silence then broke into a slow beat by the multi-instrumentalist, guiding attendees on an inner and energy-invoking improvised musical journey. His 90-minute performance dove those listening into a meditative and ecstatic dance state, invoking the spirit within each person through his cross-cultural worldly looping, mixing the transformative sounds of guitar, flutes, various percussion, and the didgeridoo. Communication and messages were being outpoured in the space, but no talking was had. Eye contact and real, pure movement was the source of messaging and interaction throughout the space, sourced by the love of music.
While most live events may leave you feeling tired, Poranguí’s The Beauty Way Tour leaves participants rejuvenated and helps to foster the individual and collective well-being, something that our world needs so much of right now.
Poranguí will continue his West Coast tour tonight at Boise, ID’s Knitting Factory Concert House, heading out on eight additional tour stops throughout the month with a conclusion at San Diego, CA’s Music Box on June 16th. For a full list of upcoming tour dates and tickets, visit his website. Scroll down to a see select photos from the tour kickoff event, courtesy of photographer Kelsey Erin Sky.