Fall Gathering 2017:  Association of Transformational Leaders

Be inspired by like-minded people doing transformational work in the world, and explore cutting edge ways to connect quickly, deeply and effectively with the wisdom and intelligence of your own body to access guidance you can trust, support the work you do and create success with more ease, grace and joy.  Join your fellow transformational leaders as we explore the theme of:

Leading In the Moment:  Shifting From Predict & Control to Sense & Respond

We have two amazing presenters who will be exploring this theme with us.

One of our presenters is Dane Stauffer, who will share both a live experience and tools we can use as transformational leaders in  Improvisation:  The Power of Play, a remarkable and surprising way to guide, heal and be (more on Dane and his presentation below).

Our second presenter is Vanessa Weseman who will be taking us through Authentic Relating and Circling, a presence practice that encourages one’s deepest and most authentic truth to be seen and witnessed by oneself and others (more details on Vanessa and her presentation below).

Both presenters will be sharing deeply authentic ways to share our true selves with others; to listen and be present with whatever is emerging. In past meetings we’ve heard and experienced the power of ballroom dancing as a metaphor for being transformational leaders – the way that both roles, the one who leads and the one who follows, have incredible power and beauty.  We’ve seen that it’s possible and beneficial to be able to step into either role.  A related theme in a previous gathering talked about Leaders as Hosts – again, a way to sense and respond to what is needed in the moment – from an active leader to a welcoming host who is listening and caring for the needs of others, or something else. The thread running through it all is Presence, and the ability to notice and respond with conscious awareness to what is in front of you NOW.  Please join us and share YOUR presence with us!

Steven C Anderson, fellow ATL member and  award-winning pianist, will be our guest musician. If you haven’t yet heard him play, and of course you already know this if you have, you’re going to want to be there. We really appreciate his contribution in time and talent! (A little bragging here by the ATL Hosting Committee:  Steven played for a standing room only audience of 2000+ at the St Paul Cathedral last December, and it was amazing)>

As always, we look forward to listening to one another as well, and invite you to share your own ways to Lead In the Moment. 

Cost

The cost to attend is $75 if received by September 12th ($85 after that date) and includes participation, food, and beverages, as well as a free day pass to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.

Remember that we now have an Annual Membership fee, separate from each event ticket cost, which must be paid once per year to remain a member in good standing.  Members will receive a separate email inviting you to renew, which ALL members will now be doing each September, regardless of when you last renewed.  (There is also an option on the current registration page to renew). Each time you choose to attend an event, you simply register for that event when it opens.

Membership Questions

If you have any questions about your membership or payments, or if you would like to apply for membership, please contact Valerie Lis, our membership coordinator:  Valerie Lis. 

Click HERE to read all about the new membership dues and structure here.

Additional Guests

Please email Kay Grace  with additional guests you would like to invite that you recognize as Transformational Leaders.

(Please note that ATL Events are for members only, and are not open to the public)

More About our Guest Presenters

Improvisation: The Power of Play.

Improvisation has long been a training tool for actors and a popular type of performance. Improvisation has gained increasing attention as a training tool for public speakers and corporate coaches. Even more significantly, improv is being used as a healing modality for people with memory issues, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and learning disabilities. Dane will discuss his almost 40 years of teaching this powerful practice,and we will also play! There is nothing to fear!”

More about Dane:  

Recent IVEY award winner as Roger Caldwell in the smash hit “Glensheen” at History Theatre, and his Park Square debut in the One-man tour-de –force, “Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol”.  Dane is a Minneapolis native. Recent credits include: LA Stage Scene: “Best Actor in a Comedy” for “All in the Timing,” His latest Film “ “I am not a Serial Killer.”  He is currently directing “Goosebumps: the Musical” at Steppingstone Theater for Youth. He has toured Ireland in “ Triple Espresso”, which he also performed on the East and West Coasts. and co-created the smash “When A Man Loves A Diva” at the Lab Theatre in Minneapolis. He’s been featured on KTCA/PBS “Technical Difficulties,” “Wicked, Wicked Games “ (With Tatum O’Neil) and the Emmy award winning American Scream: Dudley Riggs’s first 30 years. He continues to teach empowerment through the arts to children and adults in all settings.

Dane cut his improv teeth early. He studied at Children’s Theatre School of Minneapolis as a kid, where improv was used extensively to develop full-length plays, and spent several happy teen years improvising Commedia del Arte at Renaissance festivals.

A graduate of NYU’s TIsch School of the Arts, Dane had two years of theatre games with Omar Shapli, (one of the founding members of Compass theatre and Second City Chicago and two years circus training (“work with your partner!”) with Hovie Burgess. pursuing  “line objectives” and scene structure (“beats”) w/ Olympia Dukakis, all of which made quite an impression. He returned to the Twin Cities, quickly becoming a resident company member of Dudley Riggs’s Brave New Workshop, writing sketches and improvising nightly.

Authentic Relating and Circling

Circling is a presence practice that encourages your deepest and most authentic truth to be seen and witnessed by yourself and others.

While circling we commit to creating a safe space that allows what’s most alive in the MOMENT to come alive, without judgement, evaluations, assessment or shame.

In this space anything is possible. It is where the magic of life itself can thrive regardless of consequence. 

More about Vanessa, from her website:

“I came into this world as an unexpected surprise and youngest of five, bright eyed and ready to learn everything my parents and siblings could teach.  As a Himalayan Hatha yoga teacher and ‘breath worker’ my father made a profound impact on my life and spiritual path.

I quickly became a rebel and went through many phases.  When I started questioning my bigger purpose I realized that I loved to make people feel beautiful, so I began studying cosmetology and aesthetics…but that was just the beginning.  

I went onto study Vinyasa yoga, Kundalini yoga, Buddhism, salsa dancing and tantric breath work. I’ve participated in and become certified in The Landmark Forum, non-violent communication and ‘The Art of Circling.’ 

Today I am bringing my FULL self and wisdom to the experiences that I co-create with others. I am now living my dream as Wing woman. Where I get to play, facilitate Circling and other modalities around the world with Surupa Retreats.. We design yoga retreats that embodies beauty and radical acceptance. We can be silly and playful, or go deep and hold space for others in their transitions or pain. We’re here to help you pave your OWN PATH to full expression, insightful study, self and mind development.”