Firebird ballet fundrasier

Kick off the Halloween season on Oct. 1st with Maine Dance Theatre’s spectacularly spooky production of “The Firebird.” Experience Stravinsky’s powerful score accompanied by the talented dancers of Raymond’s Center Stage Performing Arts. This one-act, 50-minute ballet will be sure to put you under its spell.

In the dark garden of the Immortal Kostchei (played by MacKenzie Gifford), a tree glows, laden with golden fruit. The Firebird (danced by Alianah Timmons) appears, attracted by the tree, and is pursued by Prince Ivan (Ezra Soule). He captures her and refuses to release her. She offers one of her magic feathers as ransom and promises to return to aid him if he waves it when in danger. He frees her, and she flies away. Seven maidens, led by the beautiful Elena (danced by Mya Grant), appear and enter the garden. Ivan conceals himself to watch as they gather golden apples. Struck by Elena’s beauty, he emerges from his hiding place. She warns him to leave as he is trespassing in the garden of the ogre Kostchei, but he expresses his love for her and refuses. Ivan is suddenly surrounded by a sea of creatures that rushed from the ogre’s castle, and are followed by Kostchei. Kostchei captures Ivan and tries to turn him into stone, but Ivan waves the magic feather. The Firebird appears and forces Kostchei to dance until exhaustion, and then sends them all away with her song. Ivan is instructed to steal the egg which contains Kostchei’s soul. He throws it to the ground, breaking the spell over the princesses and all the creatures. The princesses and creatures celebrate their freedom from Kostchei’s enchantment, and Elena and Ivan are married, blessed by the Firebird.

The performance will be held Windham High School Performing Arts Center on Oct. 1 at 4 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at the door or you can contact egaudet@maine.rr.com. Proceeds will go to local charities in the Greater Lakes Region area.

Free yoga class

Reilly Sullivan will offer a free yoga class on Tuesday, Sept. 13, at 8:30 a.m. and Thursday, Sept 15, at 6:30 p.m. to introduce students to the practice of Prana Vinyasa. Class will be held at CenterStage Studio, located next to the Raymond Post office at 1233 Roosevelt Trail.

Prana Vinyasa is a flowing, dynamic yoga practice that cultivates presence by connecting movement with breath. Reilly’s classes feature several elements of traditional Ashtanga yoga – including sun salutations, standing poses, preparation for arm balances, dynamic stretching, and pranayama (breath work). This practice will build strength and aid balance and weight loss, while reducing stress and increasing vitality.

Sullivan has trained with Monica Mesa through the Prana Flow 200-hour teacher training program at Shiva Rea’s Samudra Global School of Living Yoga in Crested Butte, Col. This past summer she worked for the Wanderlust Yoga Festival, where she got to travel the country to work and train with some of the best yoga instructors and artists in the world, including Shiva Rea herself.

Author, herbalist at library

Chris Holm of Portland, author of the “Collector” trilogy, which blends crime and fantasy, and the Michael Hendricks thrillers, will speak at the Raymond Village Library from 6:30-8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18. Holm’s first Hendricks novel, “The Killing Kind,” was nominated for an Anthony, a Barry, a Lefty, and a Macavity Award and named a New York Times Editors’ Choice, a Boston Globe Best Book of 2015 and Strand Magazine’s #1 Book of 2015. Having published his latest short fiction, “The Approach,” this August, Holm will also deliver a new Hendricks novel this month with “Red Right Hand.” To learn more about the author, you can read his blog at chrisfholm.blogspot.com.

The library also is hosting a free, three-part Wellness Series with local expert herbalist and flower essence therapist Deb Gideon. The next sessions will be: Sweet Dreams Herbs, Wednesday, Sept. 14, and Longevity and Vitality, Wednesday, Sept. 21. Both will be held from 6:30-8 p.m. Gideon’s focus is on helping people integrate plants into their everyday lives to enhance health and vitality. A graduate of Rosemary Gladstar’s Sage Mountain Herb School’s Training in Vermont, Gideon also studied flower essence therapy, which when used with herbs creates a synergistic healing combination.

Contact the Raymond Village Library for more information at 655-4283.

New taxi service in town

Now open for service is Lakeside Taxi. They are available 24/7/365 serving Cumberland County as well as all of Maine. Rates are $3 a mile, and it offers a flat rate to all airports including Boston and New Hampshire. It also provides courier service and restaurant delivery. Cash and credit cards are accepted. Contact 655-6303 for more information, or to schedule service.

Watch out, togues
Sebago Lake Anglers Association is holding a Togue Derby Saturday and Sunday,  Sept 10-11, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. The weigh station closes at Point Sebago at 4 p.m. The cost is $30 for adults and $10 for kids under 16. Applications are avialable at Hilltop Mini Mart in Naples, Naples Bait and Tackle, Sebago Lake Marine in Standish and Sunset Variety in Raymond. All persons on a boat must be registered. Last-minute applications accepted at Point Sebago Boat Launch from 5-6 a.m. on the day of derby. Proceeds support Youth Lifetime Fishing Licenses. For more information, contact Bob Chapin at 571-217-1700 or Dave Garcia at 310-1435.

An Evening with Chris Holm will be held at the Raymond Village Library from  6:30-8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18.