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(music)
We are one day before this thing is set to launch
and I believe it's been in a year in the works
so today we are rehearsing. We are running things on the big stage. All the lights,
all the performers, all the kids
hello
I was asked by Jason Mraz to do this event almost a year ago.
Thank you for coming out. Oh man, am I excited!
He didn't really tell me much about it, just said that it was kids doing art and
and people singing and it's just this beautiful thing and that I would love.
And so I have no idea what to expect
I'm about to go in and rehearse and meet these children
and do this whole thing and I just, I'm so excited.
When we were ushered in, we showed up late.
We flew straight from Los Angeles, practically got off the plane, walked in the backstage door
and were ushered right on stage.
And I've never,
I mean in the face of something that seems so chaotic, it felt so well organized
and so caring.
And everyone's attitudes, like we walk in and everyone's smiling like
you're exactly where you're supposed to be.
And then we get on stage and we do what we do but everyone just acted like yes, you were here all along.
(music) Well if this life is one act why do we lay all these traps..
There is absolute a method to the chaos.
They have it together, man. You can tell how much work has gone into this
because there is a communication that's happening between the instructors
and the kids and the other instructors
that as an outsider just coming in
and not knowing the language but seeing the results is just amazing.
(music) And I know I only do this by...
The new folks can expect to perform their songs in a way
that they've never performed them before. Just showing up and being a part of their song,
which now serves something bigger because
that song is now embodied by
dancers, painters, an orchestra,
the audience even brings in a new kind of listening
and a new kind of receiving of this art.
What is this? I mean, I was asked to do it.
I said great, what is it?
Well, it's kind of (mumbling) we sing, we dance, we got people... (laughter)
And then I sat there yesterday. It's incredible to watch
all of you. I don't think I have ever been surrounded by such joy.
You kind of never think you're going to be in the middle of something like that,
until you are.
The kids have been working for a long time on this, you know
And we come in, you know, at the end of months
of them practicing and going through everything.
So much has gone on before we arrive
that, you know, it makes what we do
pretty easy.
(Music) I'm living in the moment. I'm living my life. Just taking it easy.
When you perform a song, again and again and again, you have to constantly find
new reasons to be inspired to sing it.
Like, I need a purpose for singing certain songs.
And the songs that go through the SPARC, LIVE ART filter
definitely become transformed.
The DNA of those songs gets transformed
and their never the same again.
Hi...Hello.....Thank you for joining us!
Yeah, of course. This is awesome! This is Ben Miller and this is Emma.
Hi Emma! Nice to meet you.
Emma's going to be your partner during the performance.
Oh cool! Okay!
and then I paint, or you paint with my hand?
You paint. I paint?
Okay. And does it matter what I paint?
No, absolutely not.
Oh, it's so cute! (laughter) Oh my gosh! (laughter)
You just have to show up. You just have to show up and see
and let yourself be open to what's going to happen.
But what you couldn't explain to them, what couldn't have to them know is that feeling
they're gonna get
to see some kid who's been working for a year
to put together a show, inspired by their song.
That feeling that you get to see that come together.
Everybody cries
at least two or three times, like, a day. (laughter)
These kids have maybe never had an opportunity to work with maybe this amount of kids
or this kind of production
but they're being now integrated into something
really special in their community.
And I also think what the kids are taking away
is that everyone's important
and everyone has something to contribute and share.
And maybe they've never experienced that before.
As we all know, it's been proven over and over and over again,
how much art and music helps the ability to listen
and to build confidence. It's just such an important part
of the fabric of a culture.
Confidence and inspiration that they can continue to do this in their lives,
on any stage they choose to be on,
even if it is a figurative stage. Even if it's just showing up in the world and like
this is how I am going to express myself, fully
(music) It was nice to see you aren't dazed by hurricanes.
(music) The tallest trees who grow roots for days and days.
I think I might have hugged all two hundred kids. Between when I got here and now,
every time I come in and out backstage or around the stage
that I was just constantly embraced with a hug.
And I just can't even explain what that feels like.
It's just this love that just kept generating throughout the whole building.
And so when I get to that
point where everybody around me is thinking about all the business aspects of it,
it's this huge structure built around this
beautiful nugget of creativity and then there's all this business around it.
and they're talking business, talking business,
you know, sometimes I have to get away from that just so I can stay centered
and remember,
oh this is why I sing.
So getting to sing
is a wonderful way to reach a whole lot of people
and sometimes to reach yourself.
What we're doing tonight is not business.
What we are doing tonight is
what we are all supposed to be doing.
Which is the elimination of categorization
and walls and borders
and the realization that we are all equal.
That is just incredible.
(clapping) And it is happening here!
(music) I'd never told you. You got a strength...
I think it's 9:00 p.m.-ish and
the show has ended. We just finished. I just got off stage.
and I am feeling so overwhelmed.
I can hardly put it into words.
That was, by far, my number one favorite thing I have ever been a part of in my career.
LIVE ART, it just is a great reminder that there's good people doing good work
and that people show up for that.
When people are contributing to the community,
the community will show up.
And that's, that means so much
(clapping/cheering)