MISSION
STATEMENT: Environmental Encroachment recreates environments with art, music and play.
Chicago performance art group Environmental Encroachment (EE) uses circus theatrics and an artist marching band to create unique entertainment environments. Performances can include costumes, live music, parades, fire spinning, spontaneous appearances, antics, and audience interaction.
EE Marching Band's music uses North African, Latin, and traditional American rhythms, fused with electric bass and a brass section. Melodies are folkloric fusions, and creations inspired from New Orleans, Jazz and Rock. EE encourages participation, dance, and freeing the
spirit.
EE;s magic circus marching band has evolved as part of
a new genre of music:
"Across the country and around the world, a new type of street band is emerging. Acoustic and mobile, borrowing repertoire and inspiration from a diverse set of folk music traditions – New Orleans second line brass bands, European Klezmer, Balkan and Romani music, Brazilian Afro Bloc and Frevo traditions, as well as the passion and spirit of Mardi Gras and Carnival– these “honkers” all share a commitment to several core principles. Metaphorically speaking, they honk their horns for the same reasons motorists honk theirs: to arouse fellow travelers, to warn of danger, to celebrate milestones, and to just plain have fun."
www.honkfest.org
EE can do parades, weddings, funerals, historical re-enactments, children's shows,
Halloween shows, street busking, second-line, festivals, performance workshops,
rituals, marching band flags, circusesque sideshows, music for burlesque, vaudevillian skits, straight out music
jams and synchronized swimming with tubas.
EE started in 1996, with
playground installations and live music interactions
for people to play, be childlike, curious, free. Playgrounds for the
mind. Playgrounds and performances to stimulate audiences into creative participants.
Select
Festivals:
Sourth By Southwest
Lollapalooza
Chicago World Music Festival
HONK! Marching Band Festivals (Seattle, Boston, Providence, Austin)
Burning Man
Houston Art Car Parade
Puppetropolis
Lotus World Music Festival
Chicago Children's Music Festival
Chicago Folk and Roots Festival
Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival
SummerCamp
WZRD College Radio Spring Festival
Cleveland Performance Art Festival
Black Sheep Puppet Festival
Rotary Club's Centennial Celebration
Chiditarod Shopping Cart Race
Michigan Peace and Music Festival
Chicago Peace Festival
Renegade Craft Fair
Taste of Randolph Street
Land of NOD Experiment
Select Venues:
Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
Krannert Museum of Art, Champaign, IL
Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago
Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago
Queens Museum of Art, NY
Harley Davidson Museum, Milwaukee, WI
Oriental Institute, Chicago
Millenium Park, Pritzker Pavillion
Chicago Cultural Center
Sky Church, Seattle Center, WA
Old Town School of Folk Music
Gallery 37 Storefront Theater
The Chicago Theater
The Congress Theater
City of Chicago Halloween Parade
Unity Temple by Frank Lloyd Wright
Chicago's Navy Pier
Chicago Motor Speedway, NASCAR
Vassar College, NY
Staten Island Ferry NY
Northeastern University
Stone Scholastic Academy
Chicago Waldorf School
The Orange Show, Houston TX
Ravenswood Buddhist Temple
Harvard Square Octoberfest Celebration, MA
The Glessner House
The Rookery Buidling
Cabaret Metro
| our
PRESS KIT page - EPK, Photos, resumes, more. . |
click
here |
| Letters of Recommendation from 5 festival organizers |
click here |
Environmental Encroachment on Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_Encroachment |
| Some nice things
said about EE |
click
here |
| EE MySpace Page |
click
here |
| One page
EE resume in PDF format. |
click
here |
| One page
EE resume in HTML format. |
click
here |
| Complete
compendium of EE shows. |
click
here |
| Requirements
for hosting an EE event. |
click
here |
| OUR
PERFORMANCE RIDER |
click here |
An example
of a theme we use:
The story of the Piasa Bird. |
click
here |
| Old school Marching Band pre-2004 |
click
here |
| Our old-school Puppets
Period Page |
click
here |
Skil anf Fire Toy Artist Services for hire:
Spinning poi, hooping, staff, and fire eating |
click here |
| Hoop Lessons and Workshops available in Chicago |
click here |
| Historical Re-enactments and Actor-Musicians |
click here |
Live Music provided for Funeral, Procession,
Memorial, Second Line, Ceremonial and Wedding Events |
click here |
Sir Norman: The Magic Circus Bus Art Car Page
Painted Razzle Dazzle Camoflauge |
click here |
| NA-NA-NA - North African Nefar Association of North America |
click here |
| Research on Sacred Geometry, and creating transformational environments |
click here |
|
|
For more information: |
contact
page |
OTHER
Acknowledgments
Many people
have contributed to this project— special cyber thanks to Bret
Lortie, SuperBucky, David Marine, Fred Hickler and Kate Reigle - van West;
Photo credits belong to Alyce Henson, Brillantly Mad, Dan Merlo, M. Smith, B. Lortie, Heather,
Josi, dr. flypaper, Mr.Petey, Saverio Truglia, Robin Barcus, Jason Delancey,
Darwin Stephens, Joseph Storch, Michael Canavan, and the Utah Highway patrol. Most of these folks have
links for further info on the EE links page.
EE founding member David Christensen died of cancer poisoning
in July of 1997. EE will always work with him in mind and spirit. His
inspirations and spirit still shine.
Here is a link to a page with more information about Dave.
Peter Kadyk
(Peter Overton) went to another world on April 17, 2001. He was another
great contributor to the spirit of this project. He remains an inspiration
to all that know and know of him. He raised the bars!
Here is a link to Peter's Web Site,
www.peterkadyk.com
I will soon have a page devoted to Peter's involvement in EE as well.
