Lyn Rye

Lyn Rye is a bassist, singer, and composer. Scapi Magazine writes, “As a versatile bassist who plays with folk, jazz, hip-hop, and rock musicians, Rye is someone who can create genuine newness. Being able to create beats, sing, play bass, and collaborate allows them to escape any boxes threatening to confine their music to genres.” Lyn releases original music under their own name and can also be found accompanying Chicago favorites like Tommy Carroll, Ben Burden, Al Scorch, Andrew Sa, Not Lovely, and the Salaam-Shalom Music Project. In addition to playing music, Lyn is a peer resident at Casa Al-Fatiha, an autonomous sanctuary house for LGBTQ+ asylum seekers and people recently released from detention.

Frann Fatale

Frann Fatale (she/they) is an alchemical seductress that will transform your mind, melt your heart, + rock your soul. Her ripe debut in June 2021 was catalyzed by the illustrious Gaea Lady’s Pussy Magic burlesque program. Exploring the tantalizing intersections of burlesque, flow arts, + kink, her work finds the magical sweet spot where seduction meets soul. She traverses the paradoxes between archetype + humanity, fantasy + reality, destiny + agency, shadow + light, desire + manifestation, death + rebirth. Currently based in Chicago, she has performed at The Newport Theater, Epiphany Center for the Arts, + The Ace Hotel.

Laksha Dantran

Laksha Dantran is a professional Indian classical Bharatanatyam dancer and choreographer. At the age of 10, she officially started her training in dance at Natyalaya School of dance in her hometown. Later she joined “Kalakshetra Foundation” College of fine arts, Chennai, Tamilnadu India and she completed a 6-year professional certification in Bharatanatyam, and later served in her alma mater as a tutor in Bharatanatyam for about 4 years.

In the US, working with Mandala South Asian performing arts group and She Wolf Sacred as a performer and choreographer has been a great source of inspiration to flourish her art extensively. Being a recipient of the 3Arts award for performing arts in 2019 and Spark micro-grant for visual arts in 2019, she is honored for all the support that she has been receiving for dance work in Chicago. As an LGBT community member, she is more than happy to spread her concept of “arts have no gender ” whenever she dances or is involved in dance-related works anywhere in the world.

Sweet Lotus (Heidi Kohz)

Dance and music have mesmerized Heidi since she was five. Classically trained as a flutist, she holds a bachelor’s degree in musical performance. She’s expressed her passion for dance through musical theater, dancing in a salsa troupe, and high-kicking in a chorus line on national television. She spins fire and silk, and loves partner dancing in west coast swing, salsa and most recently zouk. Dancing has been a means of expression, growth, and community.

Heidi returns to the stage as Sweet Lotus, a persona that is blossoming after working and growing through much muck and mire. Her performance for the Ritual Rhythms show is an exploration of self love.

Gigi (Jen Halman)

Jen Halman has been dancing on the shores of Lake Michigan since she was 3 years old and has performed a variety of genres including ballet, jazz, modern, and West African. She is now exploring new movements inspired by the Japanese practice Butoh with her own creative flair through Gigi, just one of her many performance personas. Her work focuses on the expression of darker, intense and seductive movement to electronic and eclectic music. This will be Gigi’s debut and she is honored to be able to share a whole new part of Jen at Ritual Rhythms! She will also be facilitating the drum jam at the beginning of the evening.

Kay Kro

Kro is a queer, nonbinary Druid and Buddhist, and a lifelong Chicago local. They have been writing for nearly two decades, editing various literary magazines and generally getting up to shenanigans along the way. They performed as a Poetry Whore in the Chicago Poetry Brothel, and are co-founder of The Typewriter Tarts, a queer on-demand typewriter poetry collective–give them a word, and they’ll write you a poem on the spot on their vintage typewriters. The Tarts also teach writing workshops to help people step into their creative bravery, and to harness typewriter magic.

Kro’s work has appeared in Locus VII, Ghoul Gang, the Prairie Light Review, and Gender Euphoria Zine, among others. Several of Kro’s typewritten poems will be published in the forthcoming edition of Outpatient Press. Check out their 2021 zine “Mood = I want to kiss girls: gay-ass love and lust poems with absolutely zero chill.” Alternatively, stop by their booth for a custom poem.

Secrets of the Beehive

SoftB is an ever evolving collective of musicians led by percussionist/keyboardist/vocalist/songwriter Jason Winslade dedicated to exploring the hidden soundscapes of spirit. With original tunes (and occasional covers and traditionals) based in the drone of the shruti box and the rhythm of the drum, the Beehive offers a meditative sound. Jason has been a live musician for over 35 years, and has performed with groups such as Faebotica and Mayan Ruins, and has had the privilege to accompany musicians such as Ginger Doss, Wendy Rule and many others onstage. For this performance, Jason will be joined by new collaborator, Esperanza Aviña on electric cello, atmospherics, percussion and vocals.

Ken Berry (Live Painting)

Kenneth is an artist based in Chicago. He graduated from DePaul University with a BS in Computer Graphics and a BA in Japanese Studies. While immersed in several of Chicago’s dance communities, he focused his lifelong passion for visual art and movement into a regular practice of expressive figurative oil painting, inspired by both eastern and western painting techniques.

Propelled by a love of soul-stirring melodies and drum heavy soundscapes, Kenneth works to build otherworldly arrangements of lively and introspective rhythms. His approach utilizes dynamic brush strokes to form people and environments from layers of abstract shapes.

Elsewhere Arts

Let’s go somewhere else! Elsewhere Arts is creating esoteric, surreal themed artwork and reading tarot for the public. Rin Matter is a lifelong witch who has been reading tarot for nearly 20 years — she seeks to help you identify and unknot issues in life. All readings personal, love life, or supernatural in nature are welcome.

Sunshine Wellness Services, LLC

Sunshine is a licensed massage therapist with over 10 years of experience. Sunshine specializes in chair massage at events and festivals near and far, as well as hot stone deep tissue sessions at her studio. Sunshine is the owner and creatrix of Zen Loft Wellness Center, the women’s wellness business collective in Aurora, IL since 2016.

Auburn Moon Creations

I offer all the glittery feel good crystal items. Healing crystals In various forms and handmade ritual items. Smudge fans, protection art, altar art, protection jewelry, prayer shawls, and intention candles.

Miss Dough Pastries

We bake Turkish pastries, sweets, and treats using naturally selected organic ingredients hailing from Turkish cuisine.

Chicoatli

Handmade artisanal wire and leather jewelry adorned with various types of semi-precious stones such as obsidian, jade, and crystals, and fossils. Healing adornments for your temple.

Megan Michelle Metalsmithing

I offer handmade silver jewelry. I use a variety of techniques to create my pieces – fabrication, casting, etching, etc. Things that inspire my work include geometry, astronomy, and Halloween.