Julia Ray


…over ten years ago, while in the office with my boss, I looked out the window into the great big bin outside the building…what I saw triggered memories that would change the course of my life. I could no longer hear the words being exchanged. What came into clear vision was the larger than life picture sitting in the bin that read ‘Gran Festival de Cante I Baile’ with two dancers in bright costumes. Next scene: a coworker firmly holding onto my ankles as my body extended to save this precious image from destruction. A turning point, a symbol of what’s to come...it would take years to unfold, a delicious process of stripping away all that is not and stepping into all that is…

Personally, the experience of Tribal reaches into the deepest, most ancient, wild and spontaneous aspects of my Soul, drawing them to the surface, the wild woman shape shifting, moving energy in and around with the surrounding Tribe…this is as natural as coming home to me. I feel alive. I feel free. My journey is guided by a natural longing to share all this with the world!

My background: Yoga Teacher (www.yoga-vibe.com), Cranial Sacral Therapist combining Energy Healing; a student of Christopher Sowton’s work with Dream Reading and Homeopathy; participation in Gestalt, Movement Therapy, Sound Therapy, Expressive Arts, Primal Integrated Therapy, Shamanic Studies…

“A portrayal of stunning depth we are. Dance to the Great Mother, She draws us in, gently with a lighthearted beginning, delicate and charming, yet full of energy and spins. Next, rhythms and movements captivate and lull us until She concentrates her energy, a Priestess invoking an ancient power. We are focused too, witnessing with her the awe of Creation. Ancient images and primal feelings are called up and honored until we spill over like a Fountain with the Joy of this dance and what is represents. Wooing. Cursing. This Body Full of Life. A Heartbeat. Gestation. A Soul is Calling. A Welcome to this Planet.”

Brian Wall

Brian Wall has been studying and performing celtic, western classical, and indian classical music for over ten years. He has blended the various techniques from each tradition, creating his own unique style. Over the years he has focused on a variety of instruments: violin, sitar, celtic harp, guitar, vocals/harmonic singing and hand percussion. 

In 2003, he received a grant from the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute to further his studies of Indian music with Pt. Sukhdev Prasad Mishra. He has performed in a number of music theatre productions, as well as working with indian dance, and in various world music ensembles. 

Brian is currently enrolled in the CONTEMPLATIVE MUSICIANSHIP  program through the Chalice of Repose Project in Mt. Angel, Oregon. 

Christopher Sowton
I like large trees. I’m also very interested in the potential of movement and sound in health and healing. I work in the healing professions, as a homeopath and naturopath who specializes in psychotherapy and dreamwork. Dreams often indicate stuck places and stuck patterns in a person’s life. Sometimes the depiction of stuckness in a dream is symbolic, but often it appears very literally, like a vehicle stuck in a narrow passageway, or the dreamer feels paralysed, or is stuck in mud and cannot run away or move, or even call out. These stucknesses need to be worked with somewhere, somehow; and that work very often requires a special place where the body can move freely, and the voice can express openly. Tribal provides one of the only potential places I know for such work. And for those who don’t want to do work, it’s also just a great workout and lot of wonderful fun!


Elaine S Hutchison
Elaine is a promoter of dance for all ages, for fun, for healing, for restoring balance between mind, soul and body, and as one of the best ways to workout.

A university graduate, mother and recent grandmother of three, Elaine discovered her passion and talent for dance soon after the year 2000 when she began her journey of recovery and discovery. Drumming led the way, but, bit by bit, dance became the most important part of healing.
Dancing was always there, just smothered under the weight of life’s duties and a plethora of restrictions and formalities—from the little girl that loved to dance at family gatherings to organ, fiddle, harmonica, lively ‘down east music’, to the teen who could not bear to miss a school dance, to the adult who….. “never mind the beer and talking over the music; let’s dance!”
As illness rose, dance disappeared.

For Elaine, dance has helped maintain continuing improvement in health and strength during the long hours of sedentary work to become a Doctor of Homeopathic Medicine (graduating from Toronto School of Homeopathic Medicine in 2005) and continues to support the balance between mind work and body needs.

Dance is an expressive, creative, rhythmic, healing movement where mind, body and soul meet, mingle and sing together restoring vitality, harmony and well being in the whole system. “I wouldn’t have life without it!” I invite you to come join us at Tribal…..


Dorian Baldwin
I am a musician and percussionist, playing hand-drums at each Tribal session. During the day I disguise myself as a mild mannered programmer. At night I become a crusader for the cause of body movin'. The greatest reward for me as a musician is the response of the audience. Tribal is very fulfilling for me, watching the varied movements, the interplay between the dynamics of each individual and of the group, the way the bodies reflect changes in the rhythm.