Solvej Noa: Mulberries Grow on Trees

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Solvej & Rhonda talk about defining surrender and winning for ourselves, medicine songs, the wisdom of Robin Williams, essential oil metaphors, and so much more. Make sure you follow on your favorite streaming service to be notified of new episodes and BONUS content!

Reverend Solvej Amelia Noa, aka Amelia Bolyard, is an impromptu, improvisational multi-genre performance artist and composer based in Seattle Washington. She also serves as an educator, a trauma-informed embodiment coach and a non-denominational minister. She received formal dance training in the preparatory dance department at Cornish College of the Arts. Concurrent with joining and performing with various Seattle dance companies, Amelia attended Cornish College as a vocal jazz major, and eventually joined the preparatory (extensions) dance, college musical theater and college dance faculty at Cornish. Amelia’s favorite form of dance is House; a freestyle genre for which she is known and regarded across Seattle’s robust House, Breakdance, Vogue, and Waacking community. 

Amelia is a self-care activist, living the creed "real-time self-care!" As an extension of this creed, she created the Joy of Dance Experience (J.O.D.E.); a self-care centered movement practice with a central theme of "all respect, no neglect." JODE takes a trauma-informed approach to tending the holistic needs of the body, prioritizing safety, joy and freedom. A culmination of the various passions to which Amelia is dedicated is her ministry: Our Love of Life Opera (OLOLO). OLOLO is most potently and frequently expressed through JODE, as well as through soundscapes and poetry Amelia vocalizes using a loop pedal. She explores, cultivates and disseminates the rich medicine availed of the arts, which she considers the primary mediums through which inspiration powerfully flows. 

Prior to the pandemic, Amelia was 1 of 5 curators for a unique weekly event at the Spite House in Seattle. This small living room venue hosted musical guests from all over the world, as well as from the street corner just down the block from the space. At the Spite House, Amelia was inspired by countless gifted improvising soloists and groups. The roots of her current music and poetry based expression took root as a result of this enriching immersion in creativity. It was at the Spite House that Amelia first improvised with two women with whom she would later form the improvisational trio, CHA.

Amelia is also the founder of M.A.N.G.O. (Medicinal Arts Nurturing Growth Organically) Family Wellness; a trauma-informed source for embodiment coaching for children and adults, as well as parent and family coaching for families in distress. Through MANGO, and it's sister organization, ALTAVENUES, Amelia provides trauma-informed anti-bias training, as well as infant & youth mental health workshops for educators and care-givers using the NeuralRelational Framework (NRF). 

As of the writing of this bio, Amelia identifies as free and dedicates her life to a Higher Power and the service of her global family; all the beings on Earth. No exceptions." Her favorite saying is "go with the flow, know when to float and know when to row" and her favorite word is "plum." She considers trees her original and constant earthly teachers.

Listen to some of Solvej's work on Facebook:
Sublime Stream, GRIEF AND TRANSFORMATION
Sublime Stream, "The Dignity to Fail"

Listen to Solvej with CHA:
Remembering Backward

And as a guest on the Wayward Music Series: