Journey of the Silk Road

An evening of traditional and sacred dance and music of Persia and the Silk Road featuring dance performances by the Simorgh Dance Collective (Farima Dance Company), Farima Berenji, and music by Caravan El Noor and Gabriel Gold.

Travel through the fabled lands of the Silk Road, where music and dance celebrate the bounty of nature in mystic rituals and vibrant cultures. Features sacred, classical and folkloric dance and music of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Persia and Turkey

Tickets $15 at the door or available online. Visit our Facebook event for announcements and additional details.

Farima Berenji

“I cannot put the concert from tonight in words. Emotional, full of energy, oneness and beauty. Especially the last two songs and Farima’s powerful and emotional Sufi whirling left me so affected. I am still shaking from the energy. Will never forget this concert. Thank you again and I hope there will be many more.”

—Meral Ozturk – Manchester, England, on Seven Cities of Love

Farima Berenji is an Iranian-born scholar and an award winning, internationally acclaimed performing artist, choreographer, instructor, lecturer, dance ethnologist, and archaeologist specializing in classical, folkloric, and sacred dances of Persia and the Silk Road. Her training spans a lifetime of intensive collaboration and research with master artists, scholars, and spiritual teachers worldwide. She is the founder and artistic director of the Simorgh Dance Collective, a worldwide collaborative devoted to teach dance technique, interpret, illustrate, present, and perform dances of the Silk Road. Farima performs, offers workshops, and lectures worldwide upon request and has appeared in the US, UK, Austria, Czech Republic, Turkey, Mauritius, and Iran. Read more..

Gabriel Gold

“A mystical, angelic voice and music that moves one to journey through both the deep joy and sorrows of the Soul.”—Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, CA

Gabriel Gold is a San Francisco, CA, USA based multi-instrumentalist (a pioneer of the Handpan, a steel melodic percussion instrument), composer and acoustic researcher, specializing in the study of sacred resonant spaces. His current work is founded on inspiring deeper connections to “sacred spaces” around the world, both natural and man-made and to help bring awareness to the need to protect and honor them. A selection of Gabriel’s past works include: his latest album “Halo”, recorded in acoustically resonant sacred spaces throughout the world; his “Healing Voice” workshops and singing circles, through which he has personally supported thousands of people on the journey of developing a spiritual and fulfilling relationship to their singing voices; the musical score for four feature length ballets with Labayen Dance Co. and Mudita Arts Ballet, and others. Read more..

Simorgh Dance Collective

The Simorgh Dance Collective is a world community of artists devoted to cross-cultural dialogue and artistic collaboration through traditional, classical, and sacred dance styles of the Silk Road. The Collective currently has member companies and artist affiliations in Alaska, British Columbia, Turkey, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Read more..

Caravan El Noor

Caravan El Noor (Caravan of Light) creates and performs devotional chants and dances from various spiritual backgrounds. Inspired by the Universal Sufi tradition, in which all paths to the Divine are honored, Caravan El Noor invites audience participation in a call-and-response format that transforms the hearts and mind through sacred mantric phrases and sound. The band includes Jihan “Gigi” Amer as lead vocalist and harmonium player, Robert Hansen as vocalist, guitarist, oud and dotar player, and Andrew Foehner on tabla, djembe, frame drums, and percussion. Read more..