Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc

We are...blessed!

2012-01-07T19:00:00.000-08:00

Thank you to these patient boys for carrying our new banner. They had to deal with me occasionally grabbing it and saying, "hold it--stop!" or "move over a little...yes, there, there!"..or "slooow down!" A few times, they were like, "yah, we got it. we got it!" I think of Joan leading men into battle..."yeah, we got it..we got it, miss hyper chick!"

I keep getting choked up when I see these photos of Monsignor blessing our sword. It really feels like a miracle to me. That's Maid 2011 Mallory Young holding it. In the background, Stephen Swain, who coordinated this moment..thank you Stephen!!! We hope we can do this EVERY YEAR! I will try not to request it in all caps when I write you next year! But...I'm so excited!

Thanks to krewe member Rafael Monzon, we had a "real" Mardi Gras crown and septre for our Maid 2012 Aggie Bell to crown our King 2012 Damien Regnard. In the background are banners of Joan's words made by krewe member Amanda Helm, of "that Wisconsin monk group" fame!

A classic New Orleans image...krewe member Roberta LeGrand handing our most simple and sacred signature items, numbered candles and prayer cards, to secondline dancer and leader of Skinz and Bonez group, Darryl Young...very very cool. We should get him involved somehow next year...hmmm!

Thank you to every single person near and far who made this 600th birthday so very special. We are still learning with every parade...we are a procession and spectacle perhaps more than a parade and stuff...yet...as the crowds grow and more families come, we want to create more "stuff" to give out..and we want to grow the spectacle more, with more angels and birthday themed elements, more Joans, more music, more knights and soldiers, more fire dancers (probably without real fire..think..baton twirlers w/ ribbons rather than flames!)...stay tuned...we will welcome new krewe members in May when we gather again for our annual Salon de Jeanne conference. It's heartening to get so many emails about an interest in membership! We have struck a chord...and look forward to continuing to create harmonies between art, history, religion, and all things New Orleans! Please send me notes on your ideas, suggestions, insights, reactions, reflections! stjoankrewe@yahoo.com. Thanks for the love!

2012-01-06T06:18:00.000-08:00

PARADE BEGINS AT 6 P.M. AT CONTI AND DECATUR STREETS (BIENVILLE STATUE)

THIS YEAR JOAN AND HER SWORD WILL BE BLESSED IN FRONT OF ST LOUIS CATHEDRAL BY MONSIGNOR KERN AT APPROXIMATELY 6:15 P.M.

·CITY PROCLAMATION ISSUED BY KRISTIN GISLESON PALMER'S OFFICE WILL BE READ BY AN ACTOR PORTRAYING THE FOUNDER OF NEW ORLEANS, JEAN-BAPTISTE LE MOYNE, SIEUR DE BIENVILLE, BEFORE THE PARADE DEPARTS

SIX JOANS ON HORSEBACK: OUR MAID OF HONOR, OUR WARRIOR JOAN, OUR "JOANIE ON THE PONY" PORTRAYED BY KRISTIN GISLESON PALMER, AND THREE ADDITIONAL JOANS ON WHITE HORSES WILL HONOR JOAN'S 600TH YEAR!

KING CAKE CEREMONY FOLLOWING THE PARADE WITH SPEECHES IN FRENCH AND ENGLISH BY KREWE KING DAMIEN REGNARD AND KREWE MAID AGGIE BELL AND KING CAKE DONATED BY SUCRE (BUT AS ALWAYS, THE PUBLIC IS ENCOURAGED TO BRING KING CAKES TO EAT AND SHARE!)

Special thanks to our sponsor hotel: BIENVILLE HOUSE HOTEL!

We do have a sense of humor! We can even be quite cheesy!

2012-01-04T21:25:00.000-08:00

When new krewe member Mary Langston brought an empty box of Joan of Arc Brie to a recent gathering, saying she was thinking of making it into a hat for the parade, I was delighted. When she sent me a photograph of what she'd made, I was even more delighted! Welcome, Mary! We think you'll be very comfortable here with the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc! Step right in...

I founded the krewe with a deep respect and love of Joan, first inspired in my teens when I read "Saint Joan" by George Bernard Shaw. As I grow older my appreciation for her deepens...as does my own sense of humor about all things bright, beautiful, and terrifying.

(Was it Katrina that made me this way, or was it just that Katrina happened when I'd reached a point where so many sad and bad things seemed to have happened...it kind of opened the floodgates for me and washed it all away???)

I think that New Orleanians--natives or transplants--embrace irony on a deeper level than elsewhere. (Very humid town, very dry humor...) At first I thought this was a really negative place; now I realize people here have surrendered in ways that allow one to experience life more fully...I feel like I'm living on all levels in this place, and I believe that I am truly alive here. That doesn't mean it's the happiest place on Earth. No, San Francisco is Utopian...New Orleans is...U-Hope-ian?

All this to say, no matter how sincere and passionate one may be here about anything, there is often a more brutal reality that kind of, well, takes things down a notch and might make you a little more sarcastic than usual. As a friend of mine says, this place can make you into a "weathered stone". But some of us accept that, and sprinkle glitter on our stoney selves, and step out into the brutal sunshine...and the light bounces off of us!

We have a krewe member who is making a "Joan of Artichoke" costume. We have a member who will be tossing Atomic Fireballs. We hand out matchbooks, for gosh sake!

Still, I'm quite serious this year. In addition to prints of a painting of the statue made by local artist Chris Long, and a quote about Joan from Vita Sackville West tied to my little tambourines, I will be handing out handmade crosses with the classic Joan quote "I am not afraid. I was born to do this."

Our Maid of Honor will hand out 16 swords, and will receive a sword blessed in front of the Cathedral.

And our King? He'll be giving out candy Ring Pops.

Balance in the Big Easy...from the cherished to the cheesy.

Learning to wield a sword

2012-01-04T21:07:00.000-08:00

"And this is how you hold the wooden sword as you go down Chartres...remember to smile!"

This is our Maid in training with our original Joan of Arc, aka Caye Mitchell, who rides in many local parades and is the core leader of our krewe. She donates her time, love, and horses to the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc, and mentors our student Joans who win the Maid of Honor role. To the right, 2012 Maid of Honor Aggie Bell, a creative and accomplished young woman at McGhee who impressed our judges with everything from her innovation in starting a Harry Potter Community Service Club to her athleticism, literary and leadership experience, her love of music and French language skills.

So far the two young women who won this honor before Aggie (Blair Davis, 2010; Mallory Young, 2011) have both been so inspired by the role that they based their college application essays on the experience. Both learned much more about Joan than they ever expected, and both came away from the parade realizing that Mardi Gras is more than they ever imagined...

Congratulations, Aggie, and may the force of Joan be with you!

Why We Love Joan

2012-01-04T20:57:00.001-08:00

When we reflect that her century was the brutalest, the wickedest, the
rottenest in history since the darkest ages, we are lost in wonder at
the miracle of such a product from such a soil. The contrast between her
and her century is the contrast between day and night. She was truthful
when lying was the common speech of men; she was honest when honesty was
become a lost virtue; she was a keeper of promises when the keeping of a
promise was expected of no one; she gave her great mind to great
thoughts and great purposes when other great minds wasted themselves
upon pretty fancies or upon poor ambitions; she was modest, and fine,
and delicate when to be loud and coarse might be said to be universal;
she was full of pity when a merciless cruelty was the rule; she was
steadfast when stability was unknown, and honorable in an age which had
forgotten what honor was; she was a rock of convictions in a time when
men believed in nothing and scoffed at all things; she was unfailingly
true to an age that was false to the core; she maintained her personal
dignity unimpaired in an age of fawnings and servilities; she was of a
dauntless courage when hope and courage had perished in the hearts of
her nation; she was spotlessly pure in mind and body when society in the
highest places was foul in both--she was all these things in an age when
crime was the common business of lords and princes, and when the highest
personages in Christendom were able to astonish even that infamous era
and make it stand aghast at the spectacle of their atrocious lives black
with unimaginable treacheries, butcheries, and beastialities.

--From Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc, by Mark Twain

Confessions of a trinket buyer: CALLING ALL ARTISTS...Help us Repent!

2012-01-03T23:10:00.000-08:00

So while looking online for a new tambourine to replace the one I bought years ago at the Renaissance Fair, I found these cute (what other word is there for tiny silver tambourines) things that seemed to me good favors for our parade...

(...we don't call them throws...because we don't throw them! think party favors for Joan of Arc's birthday...)

But I am feeling quite guilty...forgive me, Joan, for I have sinned..I ordered something made in China to give out at your parade!

Okay...we will have locally made King cake...locally made banners and costumes and local musicians...handmade dresses and hats (even some made out of Joan of Arc Brie packages..really!) and handcarved wooden swords and handsewn Joan "dolls"...on and on and on...handmade "cards" made on an antique bookpress...handpainted ornaments, decoupaged magnets...even bundled, fresh flowers and seed packets...

Can one argue that "hand-changed" or "hand-delivered" (to you, the parade goer) is still better than just "store-bought" or "machine-made"?

If you buy something at Dollar Tree or on Amazon.com then spend hours altering it with glitter and Joan's coat of arms and gems and lots of love...

Is that...handmade? No. But it is hand-altered...and that's still better than plain old beads, baby!

Come out and get something handed to you--not thrown at you. It makes all the difference. Even if we bought it somewhere else.

Prayer Cards for 2012 parade

2011-12-28T07:55:00.000-08:00

This year, for Joan's 600th birthday, we had a special prayer card designed by the local, female owned graphic design firm, Deep Fried Advertising.

An excerpt from the prayer on back of the card (front of card pictured above):

We burn candles to brighten this Twelfth Night, lighting the way for a joyous and safe Mardi Gras season and for brighter futures for us all. Joan of Arc, Saint, Warrior, Leader, and Honorary Maid of New Orleans, we thank you for shining your golden light on us! Please bless New Orleans in 2012 and keep us fierce and fabulous, like you!

2011-12-27T12:18:00.000-08:00

FOURTH ANNUAL JOAN OF ARC PARADE CELEBRATES JOAN'S 600TH BIRTHDAY

WITH SIX JOANS OF ARC AND MORE HANDMADE THROWS!

(New Orleans, Louisiana--December 21, 2011)--The Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc will hold
its annual Joan of Arc parade down Chartres Street in the French Quarter in
honor of Joan of Arc’s 600th birthday on Friday, January 6, 2012--Twelfth
Night. The parade begins at 6:00 p.m. at the Bienville statue at Conti and Decatur Streets, goes up Conti to Chartres,across Jackson Square past St. Louis Cathedral, and up to St. Phillip Street toend at the golden Joan of Arc statue in New Place de France.

KING CAKE CEREMONY POST-PARADE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

After a brief photo session with horses and Joans at the statue, the krewe moves to the Dutch Alley Performance Pavilion between Decatur Street and the River for a public king cake (i.e. "Joan's birthday cake") ceremony with the krewe’s Maid of Honor and King. After brief speeches by each in both French and English, the public is offered king cake while supplies last...and the public, as has become the tradition, is encouraged and welcome to bring additional king cakes to share! Those lucky enough to receive Bienville House black and gold shot glass on the parade route will join the krewe with their annual Toast to Joan with a sip of Goldschlagger (a cinnamon, gold-flecked liquor).

PARADE "FAVORS"

The small krewe (approximately 45 members) prides itself on handmade
and/or hand decorated throws that reflect some aspect of Joan's life and
legend, Catholicism, French culture, and/or New Orleans' own Joan of Arc
statue. These include:

· 600 processional candles, hand tagged and
numbered, in honor of Joan's birthday.
· 16 handmade wooden swords given out by the Maid of Honor (the number of swords
reflects the age at which Joan of Arc left home to save France--and the age at
which she found her own sword in the Church of Saint-Catherine-de-Fierbois). Although hand decoratedby the krewe in the past, this year’s swords were actually hand carved b The swords were made by local father-and-son craftsmen,Marlowe and Eli McGraw, of Redfish Woodworks.
Their work can be found at Bayou Boogaloo and other local craftfestivals.
· 4 different hand cut 3”x4” block prints of Joan’s coat of arms printed in
gold ink on heavy paper using an antique nipper’s press (bookpress). The year,
date, and krewe name are hand written on the reverse along with the artists
signature. We intend to distribute a generous limited edition.

· Handsewn “dolls” of Joan of Arc

· Miniature prints of an original painting of the Joan of Arc statue by local painter Chris Long

· Handpainted magnets made by Poor Clare artist Sister Rita

· Krewe "prayer cards" with a special plea to Joan for a safe Mardi Gras season for all.

SIX JOANS FOR SIX HUNDRED YEARS!

The krewe traditionally has three Joans of Arc: Maid, Soldier, and Statue. Last year and
this year the "statue" Joan will be portrayed by Councilmember Kristin Gisleson Palmer, whose representation includes the residents and businesses of the French Quarter. The Soldier Joan is and has always been portrayed by local horsewoman and trainer Caye Mitchell. The Maid is selected by application by krewe members and local French judges. This year, three
additional "peasant" Joans will ride with the krewe, showcasing six Joans, one for each century since Joan's birth.

MAID OF HONOR: AGGIE BELL, 16 YEARS OLD

The Maid of Honor contest is open to young women in New Orleans
between the ages of 16 and 19. Applicants are asked, among other things, to
compose a short essay about Joan of Arc and finalists conduct an interview in
French by phone with the French Consulate's Attaché de Communication. Students
are selected based on leadership, community involvement, and an understanding
and appreciation of Joan of Arc and French culture/language.

This year's Maid is Aggie Bell, 16, a junior at McGhee School. Her application essay included this paragraph:

“As a student an all-girls school that instills female leadership, I comprehend and deeply appreciate Joan’s fearless accomplishments. Combining her personal drive with an intense passion to serve, Joan is a powerful role model to me. I am a New Orleanian with family originating in France, so I find ties between our city and French history particularly
important. Joan’s bravery is not something that applies strictly to Orléans;
her example can be emulated anywhere.”

KREWE DE JEANNE D'ARC KING: DAMIEN REGNARD

As Joan's "crowning achievement" was her ensuring that the Dauphin became King, the same year that the krewe began selecting a Maid, it also began selecting a king to walk
in the parade. In 2010, the king was David Villarubia, proprietor of The Degas
House; in 2011 the king was Lilian Cadet, director of Alliance Francaise New Orleans. The 2012 Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc King is Damien Regnard, "Elected Representative for the French abroad" (Conseiller elu a l'Assemblee des Francais de l'Etranger). In this role he represents French living abroad in Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Former President of French American Chamber of Commerce.

MUSIC AND ADDITIONAL FANFARE

Last year the exceptional international minstrel band Wolgemut led the parade;
unfortunately they are on tour this year at the time of the parade so cannot
offer up their pipes and drums. This year's group will include a compilation of
local musicians playing a medieval drum, flute, and accordion, for a more
possibly authentic, if not as boisterous and "danceable" medieval sound!

The krewe's only "float" is a medieval cart designed, built, and donated
in 2010 by Delgado Community College's Carpentry program.

KREWE HISTORY& FUTURE PROJECTS

The Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc, founded in 2008 by Amy Kirk Duvoisin, first strolled on Twelfth Night 2009. That inaugural parade was open to anyone who arrived in medieval dress to walk in the procession. It has since grown to a paid dues krewe ($100 average krewe cost) that includes
approximately 50 members who participate in various French cultural events and krewe-driven gatherings such as the annual conference, the Salon de Jeanne d'Arc, held each year at the krewe's sponsor hotel, The Bienville House Hotel.

The inspiration for the krewe was Duvoisin's love of Joan of Arc first, the adoration of the French Quarter statue second--and thirdly, the desire to create a sort of "street theater" for Joan in a town where Mardi Gras is akin to live theater. Thus, the first year the parade included a performance from Shaw's Saint Joan by a NOCCA student; French singing by local performance
artist Kathy Randels and her family and company members; and the assignation of roles for a peasant Joan, a soldier Joan, a saint Joan, and a statue Joan. The parade welcomes anyone with a sense of humor, love of all that Joan of Arc represents, an interest in art, history, and French culture, and a desire to continue the walking traditions of Mardi Gras. Artists, teachers, and
Renaissance Fair fans seem particularly drawn to the krewe; though many of the members happen to be Catholic, it is a sincerely secular krewe that encourages anyone who wants to celebrate Joan of Arc to join in the creative and inspirational fun that Joan engenders. The krewe continues to develop as new members join; a book club was a project the first year; next year the krewe looks forward to developing a spring film series in partnership with the Loyola Medieval Studies program.

FOR MORE INFORMATION...

On any of the above, including membership and student contest applications, past articles, and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Amy Kirk Duvoisin, founder of the Joan of Arc Project, at (504) 251-5046 or stjoankrewe@yahoo.com.

General information about the krewe can be found
at www.joanofarcparade.com. Stay on top of krewe events, needs/wants/wishes,
and other announcements by liking us on Facebook where we are "Joan of Arc
Project".

Photos of 2010 and 2011 parades, including Maids of Honor, medieval cart, and more can be requested by emailing Amy at stjoankrewe@yahoo.com or akirk@frenchmarket.org.

A Krewe for the Holiday Blues

2011-12-18T13:45:00.000-08:00

I grew up near Cleveland, so the winter holidays in a warmer climate have their own special assets...but the truly magical bonus about Christmas season in New Orleans is that it's rather quickly followed by Mardi Gras season. When I first moved here, I deeply appreciated the transformation of holiday decor fluidly transformed into equally elegant Mardi Gras decor on wreaths, bushes, trees, and lawn ornaments. I loved that Christmas didn't so dramatically end and that, rather than winter turning dark again, in fact it got even brighter with a daily feast of costumes, floats, parties, and parades.

When I started the Joan of Arc parade, several of the founding krewe members commented that the krewe was a lifesaver for them because of their usual winter blues. Whether their melancholy was due to Christmas itself or the depression that sets in despite sunnier skies here compared to their northern origins, these women and men remarked how cool it was to have something so close to Christmastime to celebrate that joined the two seasons together..which is of course what Twelfth Night is meant to do, as the Epiphany!

Lucky for us, Joan's birthday falls on January 6th and so just when we might be sad or exhausted after New Year's Eve, and wondering what next to look forward to besides taking down the tree, or waiting at least a month for the first official Mardi Gras float to travel down a major street in the city, we have this to do: dress up in warm medieval clothes and walk with people of all ages and backgrounds through the chilly French Quarter, sharing the last feelings of Christmas cheer together and getting excited to move into Mardi Gras with a new spirit, thanks to Joan!

Photos from last year to inspire you this year!

2011-12-12T21:01:00.001-08:00

I don't know who this woman is, but she has inspired a million conversations by me and the title of the play I hope to write about Joan and New Orleans...

Councilmember Kristin Gisleson Palmer on left as "Joanie on the Pony" and 2011 Maid of Honor Mallory Young on the right!

Founding krewe member, Lil Pinney! (who is among other things, a French teacher at McGhee!)

Rob Clemenz of saintsforsinners.com handing out his much-prized and anticipated handpainted medallions and coins!

Expect all of the above and more at our 4th annual parade on Friday, January 6th...

For links to articles about us, our history, membership, and general contact information visit www.joanofarcparade.com.

(Can you tell we need a real web designer? Donations welcome!)

One month til Joan turns 600!

2011-12-06T20:01:00.001-08:00

How does one celebrate the birthday of a Saint? In New Orleans, we celebrate it with a parade...and candles...and King cake "as" birthday cake since our unofficial patron saint of New Orleans, Joan of Arc, happens to have been born on the start date of Mardi Gras: Twelfth Night!

It was a significant decision to celebrate Joan's birthday rather than her "feast day", aka the day of her death, which is when the Church celebrates and honors her--and most Saints. The day a Saint died and went to heaven is apparently a more important day than when this same mere human was born into the world..to eventually become a Saint...

But if you know anything about the miracle of birth (I mean to say: if you have ever been born...) and if you take a moment to think about just how amazing it is to be born at all, and to live in this world, it's, in my opinion, something definitely worth celebrating!

The fact that a human as remarkable and influential as Joan of Arc was born at all is a fact to be celebrated. And the fact that 600 years later, we still honor her, adore her, study her, talk about her, reference her, and celebrate her...that is remarkable. Who among us can imagine be remembered around the world in 600 years? Who among us would be known on a first name basis and noted in everything from pop records to public statues?

A girl of 19 who died for her country and her god is an inspiration to us all and deserves annual recognition...but how truly wonderful that on this very notable day, the 600th year since her birth, the entire world is taking note.

However, here in New Orleans, every January 6th, be it her 597th birthday (the year I founded the parade) to her 697th birthday, we have and will treat Joan's birthday with significance, love,

honor, and a special party, New Orleans' style!

Come celebrate with us...bring your own king cake and share it with others, toast our Maid of Honor and King, walk in the French Quarter and relish the start of Mardi Gras as we reflect on the start of Joan's life. www.joanofarcparade.com.

Joan, we are glad you were born. We are sorry you died so young...but oh, we are so glad you lived at all!

I was born for this!

2011-07-04T14:11:00.000-07:00

Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres. Joan of Arc on Corronation of Charles VII in the Cathedral of Reims. 1854. Oil on canvas. Louvre, Paris, France.

Joan is most often pictured at the stake, when she should be pictured at the coronation, standing in armor near the Dauphin as he becomes King, thanks to her divinely inspired intervention.

It's a crime she is remembered only for her dying moment. We have modern day martyrs like Martin Luther King, Jr., and John F. Kennedy, Jr. and it's not as though people say, "oh that guy who was shot!" as the first reference to them.

However, with Joan, she's far too often known to the general person as that girl who got burnt at the stake rather that the girl who helped crown a King--and saved a country. (The French of course are more likely to know her first and foremost as precisely that...but...not the rest of us!)

I still can't believe that when I visited France shortly after college, I was determined to see where she died, and didn't bother to visit where she was born, and where she fought, where she travelled and succeeded...

I suppose, however, that's the initial appeal and introduction to Joan of Arc: her tragedy. While we all say we love a hero, we love a tragic hero more--some of us. Perhaps especially young women, who, as a high school French teacher told me last night at a Bastille Day party, "feel persecuted". She rolled her eyes--with compassion, if you can do that (she did, somehow)--as she said this, explaining that she always showed Carl Dreyer's The Passion of Joan of Arc to her students (she taught at an all-female high school). I was like, "Wow--that's intense!" Thinking "oh no, she's going to turn these poor young women off to Joan by showing her that artistically gorgeous but emotionally wrenching portrayal of madness"! But I forgot--that's precisely the appeal: she's passionate in the way only young women age 16-19 can be purely passionate. I'll never forget the nun who told me she would stand in her backyard waiting for the sun to light up the white birch tree in a way that made it seem it was aflame...she would stand in front of it and imitate Ingrid Bergman's Joan of Arc...this is a disturbing anecdote to an adult, but she giggled when she told me, and so did I. I get how a girl can romanticize something that horrific. It doesn't make sense to everyone, but to some of us, it's natural to want to reach a place of honor and goodness through suffering.

("Natural" or learned via Catholicism?)

Still, I'm glad to say that it was Shaw's Joan that first appealed to me, though--the fierce, proud, articulate girl Joan. I saw Dreyer's Joan later, and, admittedly, that sealed the deal...not only was she a fighter, but she was driven slightly mad by her desires...she was misunderstood, and punished for doing the right thing. This makes so much sense to teenagers that I'm convinced Joan of Arc could only have been a teenager...no twenty or thirty or fortysomething woman could have pulled off what she did. This may be stating the obvious, but I mention it because it is worth deeper exploration. What is it about teenage girls that gives them such startling confidence at the same time as unbelievable self-loathing and self-consciousness? There's a fearlessness at that age that young men and women likely share, and certain teens just have a certainty about them that is both annoying and refreshing. Whenever I work with college interns I'm amazed at their level of confidence that is equally counterbalanced by their obvious lack of self. They are sure about a few personal things; beyond that, they have to fake it...and they do it terribly. This is what makes the young adults in our society so adorably sincere and what makes it necessary to encourage their voices at that very delicate, fevered, time. They see things more clearly than we can because, often, that's all they can see, due to lack of experience and narcissism. The purity, the cockiness, is born of innocence...and if utilized and directed, it can change history...

I say all this to say, ultimately, that it's important that we honor Joan as fervently on her anniversary of Charles VII's coronation at the cathedral of Reims, as we do on the anniversary of her death in Rouens. The Joan of Arc parade, held on her birthday in New Orleans on January 6th, is a radical departure from most Joan of Arc celebrations. Catholics acknowledge her and celebrate her on her Feast Day, when she died (May 30th), and the French celebrate her on her most notable battle success day, May 8, The Battle of Orleans anniversary.

I don't know of any celebrations of her on July 17th,when her King was crowned, but maybe it's just that it's so close to Bastille Day (and I supposed one might argue, if you are celebrating French independence, in a way, you are honoring Joan!) Still, she deserves her own celebration on that day. One deterrent in New Orleans is the terribly hot weather at that time of year, but all that means is we won't have a procession..we'll have an indoor party, just as the coronation was...

Now, the question is, do we have the party in a cathedral, or in a high school gym??

(I can hear the local suggestions: "It's Tales of the Cocktail time! Have a party for Joan at a bar or hotel, with a contest for a Joan-inspired drink...something hot!!!" But I can't do that when it comes to Joan. I feel she deserves more respect than that...which is the whole point of my ramblings above.)

Stay tuned. By next year we'll have put something together honoring Joan for her amazing accomplishment on July 17, 1429. We have to keep reminding people she was "all that"--not--just that.

Announcing the Salon de Jeanne! Free and Open to the Public

2011-04-23T18:44:00.000-07:00

Christine de Pizan or de Pisan (Italian-born French writer, 1364–c.1430).

SALON DE JEANNE D’ARC SCHEDULE

May 14, 2011 12 noon to 6 p.m. @ The Bienville House Hotel

320 Decatur Street New Orleans, LA 70116

The Joan of Arc Project’s second annual full day conference about Joan of Arc

　

12:00-12:45 p.m. “The Maid of New Orleans”: Why and how we honor Joan in NOLA. A brief but thorough and evocative Powerpoint presentation about Joan of Arc's life created by California-based krewe member/French teacher Joan Fox begins this talk, followed by a discussion about The Joan of Arc Parade in New Orleans, its relationship to the Orleans, France, parade; and how the project continues to evolve, New Orleans style. Panelists: Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc founding member Lil Pinney, Francophile and local French teacher at Louise S. McGehee School; Lilian Cadet, native Burgundian and recently transplanted New Orleanian serving as Executive Director of Alliance Francaise New Orleans; and Amy Kirk Duvoisin, founder of the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc/The Joan of Arc Project.

1-1:45 p.m. Being Joan of Arc: A discussion about what it's like "playing" Joan
in the Joan of Arc Parade and its life-altering results. Blair Davis, a senior at Isadore Newman, talks about being selected as the Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc’s first Maid of Honor in 2010 and how, among other things, it contributed to her being awarded a merit scholarship. She is joined by the parade’s original Joan of Arc, Caye Mitchell, a seasoned parade horsewoman and therapeutic riding instructor who mentors our annual Maids of Honor and continues to lead the parade each year. Both Blair and Caye knew little about Joan before joining the parade; now they both enjoy speaking about and encouraging others to find their “inner Joan”. Moderated by parade founder Amy Kirk Duvoisin.

2-2:45 p.m. Joanie on the Pony: How the Joan of Arc statue came to be. Local acclaimed photographer Ashley Merlin, author of Statuesque New Orleans, presents the story of our favorite local statue and how she came to be one of the French Quarter—and the City’s—most beloved icons. Ms. Merlin will sign copies of her book after her talk. Part of the proceeds from each book goes to maintain and refurbish two centuries of New Orleans sculpture.

3-3:45 p.m. Joan's Times: Medieval Culture. Dr. John T. Sebastian, Associate Professor of Medieval Literature and Director of Medieval Studies at Loyola University New Orleans, contextualizes Joan’s accomplishments, focussing on a poem by Joan’s contemporary, female poet Christine de Pizan, who celebrated Joan in a eulogistic poem “Le Ditie de Jehanne d’Arc”.

4-6 p.m. Medieval costume presentation and mini-workshop with Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc costume designer Antoinette de Alteriis. See samples of costumes and throws from the past three parades, understand what makes an outfit “medieval” versus “Renaissance”, and learn how you can make your own medieval costume with new material—or stuff you already have in your closet! Geared especially for those interested in joining the Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc but intimidated by the seemingly daunting task of handmade costumes and throws. Questions about this workshop can be directed to Antoinette at dealteriisa@bellsouth.net.

Photos from the Heart(land)

2011-02-17T18:04:00.000-08:00

Photos above by Gene Traas; those below by Laura Traas

Wisconsians Gene and Laura Traas travel someplace warm each New Year--someplace warmer, at least, than Wisconsin in the dead of winter. The year they visited New Orleans for this annual January escape happened to be our inaugural parade year. Since then, their new January tradition is to come to New Orleans to see our parade, photograph it, and enjoy the city surrounding the golden statue of Joan. No more looking at the map and thinking about other relatively warm places. We are it, in spite of our propensity for chilly Twelfth Nights.

Lucky for us, each year the Traases become more involved with the krewe. This year, they volunteered their services as "bartenders" at our krewe post-parade party. I was desperate for someone to pour our mulled wine, donated drinks, and help with the champagne toast. They heard my plea via a few online and email postings (via their $10 donation as Bastard and Maid, they were added to our krewe e-list) and happily agreed to join in the fun. Several hours later, Laura stood guard of the liquor while Gene showed off his cowbell talents with medieval musicians Wolgemut...more evidence that no matter where you end up while on a visit to New Orleans, you're guaranteed to have more fun than you would in your hometown--or most other cities on earth.

Thanks T2 for being so generous of heart and talents--and for visiting our city during a time where our hotels and restaurants and shops are very glad to receive you!! (Hint, hint...if you are out of town and looking for a good time to visit New Orleans...take a hint from these two and come at a less expensive, more insider time..kick off Mardi Gras season with us and miss the madness..if that's your thing! If you are reading this, it just might be!) Check out the Christmas New Orleans Style calendar to see all the cool free holiday stuff you can do--concerts, cooking demos, special Reveillon dinners, and more. The Joan of Arc parade is proud to be included as the "final" CNOS event of the season...as it should be. Twelfth Night officially ends Christmastime, and Carnival time begins...http://www.neworleansonline.com/christmas/

Our Royalty, N'awlins style

2011-02-12T08:56:00.000-08:00

For the second year in a row, we honored a local girl and a local man by naming them our Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc Maid of Honor and our King, respectively.

The idea for a Maid of Honor came from the tradition in Orleans, France, where a local girl is chosen to lead their annual May 8 parade, as part of their Fetes de Jeanne d'Arc commemmorating her lifting of the siege of Orleans in 1429.

Our Maid of Honor is selected by application, which includes a short essay required by the applicant on how Joan of Arc's story serves as inspiration. She must be between 16 and 19 years old, a local student with evidence of leadership abilities, community involvement, and some basic French speaking skills. A letter of recommendation is also required, noting the girl's talents and skills and why she best represents our Joan of New Orleans.

The final applicants are "interviewed" briefly in English and in French by someone from the local French community; either someone from the French Consulate, the French American Chamber of Commerce, or Alliance Francaise. The final selection is ultimately made based on a combination of the girl's community service, confidence, and a sincere interest in Joan and all that she represents.

(It's worth noting that most applicants are clearly new to Joan and her story...rather than a disappointment to the contest committee, this warms our hearts to see that we are giving young women an opportunity to learn more about Joan and celebrate her. Both our Maids of Honor came into the role knowing very little about our parade's namesake, and left feeling a new relationship to this iconic Saint and soldier--and to their city in general, by experiencing it in a new way on Twelfth Night, on horseback in the French Quarter).

Our first Maid of Honor was Blair Davis, a student at Newman who showed exceptional community service through her work with disabled adults at The Arc. Our second Maid of Honor, Mallory Young, had an impressive demonstration of leadership skills through innumerable roles in school and city organizations, as well as receiving a Certificat Laureat National in the 2010 National French contest. Both girls had an astounding array of diverse talents, from ballet to vocal studies.

Our King is appointed by our krewe, selected based on his relationship to the French-American community in New Orleans, and chosen as someone we hope will remain an ambassador for the krewe. He is someone who is a leader in the community and shows an interest in working with other organizations to celebrate French culture and New Orleans in general. Our first King was the executive director of the Degas House, David Villarubia. Our second king was Lilian Cadet, executive director of Alliance Francaise New Orleans.

Interesting twists on the New Orleans Mardi Gras tradition of royalty:

--We don't have a King and a Queen. We have a Maid and a King.
--Our Maid rides on horseback; our King walks on foot.

--Our Maid of Honor "crowns" the King...representing Joan's hand in ensuring that the Dauphin was crowned at Rheims.
--Both give out throws unique to their roles. The Maid hands out 16 hand-decorated wooden swords with the assistance of her page. The King, this year, tossed Ring Pops candy. Obviously a sense of humor is required for our royalty...

We have a ceremony honoring both Maid and King at the end of the parade whereby the official cutting of the King Cake (it is Twelfth Night, after all) serves several purposes. It represents a birthday cake for Joan, as January 6th is also her birthday. It stands as the first king cake of the season, and it's shared first by King and Maid, then given to the public, thanks to donations by local bakery Gambino's and other generous individuals who bring king cake to share.

Both King and Maid have a chance to give a speech at the end of the parade and both did so this year in French and English. We continue to develop this ritual...

We also capped off this year's king cake ceremony with our first year tradition (skipped last year) of sipping Goldschlagger cinnamon liquor. The gold specs reflect Joan's golden statue, and the cinnamon...well.

Vive Jeanne d'Arc!

Everyone loves a parade

2011-01-20T22:10:00.001-08:00

Since the parade, my Google Alerts has captured several blogspots, flickr postings and many mentions of the parade. Opening these is always a wonderful surprise and intensely satisfying as they validate all of our hard work and serve to keep away the post-parade blues. It's super cool to see how many strangers we touched and what delight they had in experiencing what I like to think of as New Orleans street theater. The most fun and rewarding postings to read are by the folks who came across the parade by chance. How I envy those people that moment when they notice a woman dressed as Joan on a horse, riding through the French Quarter...or they catch a glimpse of a group of people walking with flickering candles...

I also feel warm and fuzzy in a civic sense, as I think we're giving the City of New Orleans a gift that keeps on giving beyond our 30 minute procession. One krewe member said her physical therapist brought her two girls, age nine and eleven, FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER! to the French Quarter to see our parade. They came down early, shopped, had hot chocolate and beignets at Cafe du Monde, then caught the parade. If that doesn't warm your tourist industry heart and give the "be a tourist in your own hometown" sentiment some real encouragement and solid proof, I don't know what will!

Below is just a sampling of what's been showing up in my in-box. Thanks to all of you who took time to post words and photos of your experience! You encourage us and assist us by offering your perspective--and hopefully you inspire others to come out for future parades!

THIS HISTORY PROFESSOR HAPPENED TO BE SITTING AT CAFE DU MONDE AND HEARD WOLGEMUT'S PIPES LEADING OUR PARADE...NATURALLY, HE RAN AFTER THE SOUND!

http://civilwarlibrarian.blogspot.com/2011/01/cwl-on-road-happy-599th-birthday-joan.html

THIS LOCAL LITERARY BLOGGER WROTE ABOUT JEANNE D'ARC's SOUL SISTER, EMILY DICKINSON, BEFORE HEADING OUT TO CELEBRATE JOAN'S BIRTHDAY WITH US

http://emilyeveryday.com/

THIS LUCKY BRITISH FELLOW WAS TRAVELING AROUND THE COUNTRY AND STUMBLED UPON US...WOULD JOAN BE AMUSED TO SEE THIS PHOTO OF OUR JOANIE ON THE PONY LOOKING QUITE PISSED OFF...PERHAPS AT THE BRITS?

http://earth2010.typepad.co.uk/photos/39_new_orleans_and_the_tr/joan-of-arc-parade.html

THIS NEW ORLEANIAN CAME FOR THE FIRST TIME AND WROTE AN EXCELLENT "DIARY" OF THE EXPERIENCE

http://www.artbymags.com/

THIS LOCAL BLOGGER TOOK SOME KILLER SHOTS--WOW--MYSTICAL MAGICAL STUFF!

http://kimberlespins.blogspot.com/2011/01/3656jan-6.html

Kids love the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc!

2011-01-12T06:58:00.000-08:00

Photos by Kim Welsh

New Orleans is a costume-lovers dream city. For kids, Mardi Gras season is dreamier than DisneyWorld. You get to wear cool stuff, get cool stuff for free, and walk at night down city streets that otherwise would be totally off-limits! I envy the little ones (and teenagers) who have joined the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc with their parents...imagine being 7, 10, or 13 years old, carrying a sword, and walking through the French Quarter at night. Wow. No wonder they all look so happy! (King cake and candy help!)

Gisleson Family with Councilmember Kristin Gisleson Palmer

Andre Duvoisin, Jr.

Martha Pinney

Krewe member Langhoff and parade-goer

Alms for Joan!

2011-01-07T13:50:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends of the Joan of Arc Parade:

Your presence last night meant the world to our still-young krewe honoring the not-so-young (599 years old!) Joan of Arc. Hundreds of citizens--locals and tourists, French and English, American and New Orleanian (ha!)--lined the French Quarter streets to show their love for the Maid of Orleans, to get some cool throws, honor our French heritage, hear great medieval music, and eat the first king cake of the season with us.

Several people came up to me asking how they could get in touch and offer donations. I regret that I have a rather medieval website (this blog and http://www.joanofarcparade.com/) that does not have a Paypal option yet set up. So if you were one of these folks--or one of the many others who just came up to say "thank you for doing this--for Joan and for our city!" or "This is my favorite parade!" or "I have seen you since the beginning and love how you keep building each year!" and you want to show your gratitude by ensuring we continue to grow and make more and other costumes, have more and other Joans,continue to offer king cake and Goldschlagger to the public, expand the route (maybe) and do other Joan related events throughout the year...we welcome your gifts!

Please email me at stjoankrewe@yahoo.com or send a note or alms to our P.O. Box (made payable to our LLC, The Joan of Arc Project):

THE JOAN OF ARC PROJECT
P.O. BOX 56815
NEW ORLEANS LA 70156

We are a small krewe with minimal dues and many hardworking folks who donate their time to make costumes, throws, banners, food, and general merriment. If you want to see us shine on and to make Joan's 600th birthday (2012) as spectacular as it (she) deserves, please consider offering us your support in this way. After all, Joan was a peasant who ended up with a horse, sword, army, banners and quite elegant battle outfits--because she asked for them! (In some cases, she demanded them...but since our cause is not quite as dire as saving France nor urged by imploring voices from Heaven...we are just going to post this gentle nudge and opportunity!)

Of Prayers and Parties

2011-01-03T13:45:00.000-08:00

Although we are a secular group, we are after all celebrating the birthday of a Saint...and this is New Orleans, a largely Catholic town with many a girl named after Joan herself! So we can't help but pray while we party for Joan's 599th birthday. We eat king cake "as" her birthday cake, handle out candles for the procession "as" her birthday candles...and in exchange, we pray to her asking that our New Year be blessed by her! (We have also prayed to her for assistance with the Superbowl and an end to the oil spill...) While she is not technically the patron saint of New Orleans (that would be Our Lady of Prompt Succor, which is hard to beat) many citizens consider her to be so.

Here is a prayer composed by yours truly. You'll see it on prayer cards designed by the local design firm Deep Fried Advertising, with an image of Joan on her statue in bright shades of yellow, red, and blue. Look for these to be handed out by the krewe on Twelfth Night.

On this day of birth for Joan of Arc,
the Maid of Orléans, we celebrate the
rebirth of New Orleans.

We walk on this night to reflect on the
past year and rejuvenate for the New
Year. We honor all those who have fallen
by the sword, fire, and flood.
We burn
candles to brighen this Twelfth Night,
lighting the way for Mardi Gras season.

Joan of Arc, Saint, Warrior, Leader, and
Honorary Maid of New Orleans, we
thank you for shining your golden light
on us and ask you to bless New Orleans
in 2011, on this, the anniversary of the
599th year of your birth.

January 6, 2011
St Joan of Arc Parade-New Orleans
Joan of Arc January 6, 1412-May 31, 1431

2011-01-03T10:54:00.001-08:00

MEDIA CONTACT: Amy Kirk Duvoisin, The Joan of Arc Project (504) 251-5046 stjoankrewe@yahoo.com. To stay in touch with us “like” JOAN OF ARC PROJECT on Facebook.

CELEBRATE JOAN OF ARC’S 599TH BIRTHDAY WITH US ON TWELFTH NIGHT!
Third annual joan of arc parade rolls Thursday January 6 at 6 p.m.
Starts at Bienville statue at conti and Decatur--Ends at joan of arc statue at st phillip and Decatur--Main procession down chartres, across Jackson square
Parade highlights include:
• 599 candles and matchbooks will be handed out to parade goers to join in the procession
• Handmade throws include: 16 decorated wooden swords given out by our Maid of Honor (student Joan of Arc Mallory Young, from St. Martin’s Episcopal School); surprises from saintsforsinners.com (makers of the gorgeous hand-decorated boxes containing handpainted Joan of Arc medallions given to 100 lucky folks last year); Saints magnets handmade by Sister Rita of The Poor Clare Monastery; handmade wooden crosses, locally designed prayer cards, and other unique limited handcrafted items.
• Special guests this year include: Councilmember Kristin Gisleson Palmer riding as “Joanie on the Pony” in a golden costume; the new director of Alliance Francaise New Orleans, Lilian Cadet, walking as our krewe King
• Wolgemut will lead the parade with pipes and drums playing their “medieval music for modern minds”.
• Our hotel sponsor The Bienville House is generously donating meeting space for our pre-and post-parade gatherings as well as champagne glasses with the krewe insignia (Joan’s coat of arms).
• Gambino’s Bakery has donated king cakes for us to share post-parade at the Joan of Arc statue, in honor of Joan’s success in ensuring the coronation of her King and in honor of Twelfth Night!
• Remember the Benedictine monks last year handing out holy water? They’re coming back…all the way from Madison, Wisconsin! They are part of Lake Edge United Church of Christ’s annual volunteer trip to New Orleans (a trip they’ve been making since Katrina) which now includes a group of 8-10 of them in the Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc.
• Fire artist Monica Ferroe performs before we roll!
• KIDsmART students will participate in the procession as stiltwalkers.
• Pierre Pichon & Gypsy Swing Trio will play for the krewe post-parade party at The Bienville House Hotel (krewe members only).
• Our original warrior Joan of Arc, Caye Mitchell, will once again be clad in armor and will be donating horses for the parade c/o her company “Equine by Design”
• Pegasus Carriage Company joins us for the first time.
• New! Decatur Street will be closed at St. Phillip at the parade’s end to allow for crowds to enjoy the post-parade party at the statue and the Market Café.
BYOKC (BRING YOUR OWN KING CAKE):
…As always the public is welcome and encouraged to bring gifts and treats to share at the statue, especially King cake! Remember it’s a birthday party for Joan—AND the beginning of Mardi Gras! We have twelve king cakes donated by Gambino’s but they’ll go fast once the King and Joan cut the cake. So in the spirit of our first year when it was come one, come all…bring stuff for everyone--and for Joan!

Yes Patti there is a Joan of Arc Parade!

2010-12-31T09:25:00.000-08:00

"And I feel just like a misplaced Joan of Arc..."--from Smith's song KIMBERLY

Yes it's true. I personally invited Patti Smith to be in our parade and ride as Joan of Arc. I offered her a horse and armor...

She was in town in the spring to lecture on her photographs that she was donating to New Orleans Museum of Art. Thanks to my friend Grace, I was able to get a seat in the auditorium to hear her and not have to stand out in the lobby with so many other fans, waiting and hoping for the televisions to work (as satellites of her live lecture inside). Every time she put up a slide with a Joan of Arc photograph (there were several of the statue in Paris that ours in the Quarter is triplet to) someone would turn to look at me and grin, as if to say, "Heeyyyyyy!"

(It's no secret, the links between Patti and Joan...she's been called rock's Joan of Arc, and she references Joan in her KIMBERLY lyrics, among other books, poems, and interviews...just Google "Joan of Arc, Patti Smith" and you'll see Joan shows up constantly, most recently in her memoir JUST KIDS)...

After the lecture, I found Patti standing alone as a scarecrow in the gallery, as if everyone was afraid to talk with this goddess genius in her signature black. Her mangled mane made it nearly impossible to make eye contact and it was like there was an invisible force protecting her as she stood among her photo gifts to our city. I approached her, speaking as fast as I could to say "Joan of Arc" in my introductory sentence so she realized I had a specific purpose in chatting...She was calm, steady-eyed, gentle and gracious, looking down at my Joan of Arc Project "business card" with interest. She said she was heading down to the French Market the next day to photograph the statue and go to Cafe du Monde and said that she'd "give me a call". Naturally, I acted like it was the most normal thing in the world for Patti Smith to say she'd give me a call. "Great!! Sure! I'm in the office all day! Right by the statue!" I smiled idiotically and made my exit as her agent approached, eyeing me warily (No, sir! I'm here to talk business...about martyrdom and Mardi Gras with Ms. Smith! This is serious!). It didn't help matters that ten minutes later I was standing a few feet away from Michael Stipe as he admired some of Patti's photographs. Had I died and gone to My Favorite Rock Star heaven?

Maybe...because the next day I walked in the rain to buy Patti some white lilys, and delivered them to the Soniat House where she was staying (thank you Grace for telling me! although at the time I was like, why would I want to know THAT? what am i, some kind of freak??) with a note inviting her to ride in our 2011 parade. I promised her a costume and a horse and included photos from previous parades, press materials, one of our signature matchbooks, and a fleur de lis Mardi Gras necklace for some bling--which was kind of stupid since we don't give out plastic. But I know Patti has a fondness for cool kitch, so it seemed right as a nod to Mardi Gras overall. I left it all at the front desk, where a sweet but clueless clerk had to check the ledger for her name--making it clear that she had absolutely no idea who Patti Smith was. (No wonder so many famous visitors apparently stay at the Soniat House! You can stay there in peace...the worse that may happen is someone may drop off flowers for you and hope that they get to the right person!)

A week or so later, Susan Gisleson (our banner designer and first person I EVER had a conversation with about the Joan parade..she encouraged me to such a degree I consider her one of the parade Voices!!) told me that her friend had lunch w/ Patti and Patti asked her about our parade. Gulp! Patti Smith spoke the words JOAN OF ARC PARADE aloud in New Orleans???!!! That's something, isn't it?

I haven't heard from her of course...(did I really think she was just going to call me and we'd wander in the rain through the Quarter, talking about Joan of Arc, Robert Mapplethorpe, NYC in the seventies and Detroit in the nineties? Not at all, though I considered that maybe the rain cancelled her Cafe du Monde and photography outing...but really..would rain stop Patti Smith from anything?) but I have this fantasy that when we get to the statue this year after the parade, she'll be standing there in a black raincoat, aside from the crowd, with her camera, acting like she stumbled upon our spectacle.

I'll leave her alone..but sometime in the spring, I will mail her a letter asking her to be our Joan of Arc in 2012, for Joan's 600th birthday. "Dear Misplaced Joan of Arc: Find your place with us, the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc!"

If the world is supposed to end in 2012, I'd gladly go up in flames with Patti Smith in New Orleans. Wouldn't you?

Owning the Fire

2010-12-27T07:34:00.001-08:00

The only flames that flicker in our annual January 6th Joan of Arc parade are the processional candles we hand out to spectators with matchbooks for Joan's birthday (this year--599 numbered candles will be given out for spectators to light and walk with alongside the parade). This is our way of giving homage and celebrating her life, rather than emphasizing her death (as is more common with saints, who are celebrated on their feast days, i.e. their death days, NOT their birthdays!).

Yet it's impossible not to associate Joan with her burning at the stake--alas, it's the only thing most people know about her. That's why we are especially glad that her birthday falls on Twelfth Night, when we can acknowledge her achievement of the coronation of King Charles VII...by sharing king cake at the Joan of Arc statue we're recognizing what she was "born for", as she put it: to ensure that the Dauphin became King, as her Voices said he would--with her assistance.

But because Joan is so deeply and obviously associated with fire, we have representation of it at the beginning of our parade. Local fire artist Monica Ferroe (pictured here) will be at the Bienville statue before we roll, showing us the power of fire--and the power of a woman who wields it. In this way we are turning the tables on the fire that surrounded and extinguished Joan. While the religious Joan may find it perhaps not as reverent as our processional candles, I think Joan's soul would rejoice to know that the fire is not swallowing the girl--but instead, the other way around.

Joan is Everywhere

2010-12-09T10:46:00.000-08:00

It seems not a week goes by that a Joan of Arc reference does not catch my ear or eye, or someone sends me an article or a photograph about something Joan-related...one week it was a friend visiting Ireland who snapped a photo of a Joan of Arc piece of stained glass in a church there..a few weeks later, another friend read an article in the New York Times about a piece of graffitti featuring Joan (above image, and full article at nytimes.com 10/27 issue)...last week someone sent me a photo of the golden Joan statue in the Place des Pyramides in Paris (the one ours in the Quarter replicates)...

And this week, I heard the lyrics to a song on the radio that I've heard before, but it struck me anew...the grouping of these three together--Cause she's so high, high above me, she's so lovely...She's so high, like Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, or Aphrodite ("She's So High" by Fastball) --because I had just read a review of a new book by Cleopatra, noting especially how she continues to be reinterpreted by everyone who writes about her, especially in terms of how threatening she was to men (with a focus more on her sexual prowess than her political abilities), how she "is" Elizabeth Taylor just as Joan "is" Ingrid Bergman to many...and how admiring contemporary males were of her, most notably Octavian, who was disappointed he could not capture her alive but was nonetheless impressed by his enemy's "lofty spirit". Sound familiar?

Thinking about Joan's relationship to other near-mythical female figures (and truly mythical, like Aphrodite) and her continuing relevance in pop culture is an ongoing fascination for me and it's why we had a Joan of Arc book club the first year and a full day conference about her (The Joan of Arts Fete) the second year. It's why as we approach 2012 and her 600th birthday we'll be planning more and other events about her (look for the Fete in May 2011 between her victory day of May 8 and her feast day of May 31). The possibilities for discussion and conversation and art-making surrounding Joan are inexhaustible...which is lucky for us in The Joan of Arc Project. Never a dull moment, and never a week without a connection made through Joan's legacy and light.

Joan: Calendar Girl!

2010-11-20T16:55:00.001-08:00

We are honored, flattered and totally psyched! to have been selected as the January feature for the comprehensive and cool totally homegrown LOUISIANA FESTIVALS AND EVENTS CALENDAR published by Tatooed Lady Publishing of New Orleans.

Do you have YOUR copy yet? It's a great way to stay abreast of all parades, festivals, and events throughout the state: from our comrades the Phunny Phorty Phellows, who walk Uptown on Twelfth Night, to the Hot Air Balloon Championships in Baton Rouge in August...from the Alligator Festival in Luling in September to the Renaissance Fair in Hammond in November...etc!! It's no wonder my friend Rachel is trying to get the state coined "The Festival State".

Four photographs of the Joan of Arc Parade 2010 taken by Kim Welsh were selected by this year's editor Lydia Benson for the January 2011 page. Two of them feature Fred Klotz, aka "The Bastard of Orleans" who with his wife Caye Mitchell, our official and original Joan of Arc, leads our parade each year clad in armor--much of it hand-designed by him!

Our parade would not be what it is without the leadership of Caye and Fred. Thanks to you both for being our steadfast warriors!!

I'm so glad that the Bastard is pictured in this promotion for the krewe not only because he is AWESOME but because it shows that ah-hem! Dudes! We welcome you and encourage you to walk with us!

(I repeat: This is not, never has been, never will be a female only krewe!! Contrary to the assumption that it is so! Joan fought for, with, and among men! And, er, ah-hem! was put to death by them! So we gotta have men in our krewe to represent! Come as knights, monks, peasants, priests, Saints...there are many relevant medieval characters to choose from! Have I made it clear we want you, need you and love you boyz???)

Others pictured in this colorful January calendar spread include the ravishing Blair Davis, our first annual Maid of Honor ("student" Joan of Arc) selected for our 2010 parade. Next to her is her page, Ty, whom she selected to hand our her 16 hand-decorated wooden swords. In the lower right hand corner is parade founder (yours truly) Amy Kirk Duvoisin, sans the heretic hat!

Thanks to Lydia and the Tatooed Lady for giving us this extraordinary exposure and reminding people throughout the first month of the year that we are the first parade of the season!

Go out and get your copy at the 15 current retail locations in the NOLA area carrying them. For the listing of stores and more information visit www.louisiana-festivals.com.

DEADLINE FOR MEMBERSHIP and MAID OF HONOR CONTEST DECEMBER 1ST

2010-11-18T20:24:00.000-08:00

We have received several emails the past two weeks from individuals asking if it's too late to join!

Absolument pas!!!

I neglected to post on the blog and website but had posted on Facebook and in a recent press release that the deadline for both the student MAID OF HONOR contest and the membership deadline have been extended from November 1st to December 1st.

I should have learned from last year...the same people so caught up in both the beginning of the school year AND Halloween are often interested in Joan of Arc so November 1st (All Saints Day--I just can't resist wanting to use that date for something!) has been too soon both years...from now on I'll surrender to a December 1st deadline!

Because we walk on Twelfth Night (January 6th), Joan's birthday AND the first day of the Mardi Gras season, getting people on board earlier than Christmas time is a challenge--especially considering the 2011 Mardi Gras is March 8th!

Thanks to everyone who has already sent in dues and to those asking to join!

For new members and student contestants, please email stjoankrewe@yahoo.com for an application. There is additional information about the Maid of Honor contest and member levels in this blog and on our website http://www.joanofarcparade.com/.

If you are returning from last year simply mail membership (review new levels) to our p.o. box.

JOAN OF ARC PROJECT

PO BOX 56815

NEW ORLEANS LA 70156

St. Joan Parade featured in LOUISIANA FOLKLORE MISCELLANY

2010-11-07T11:24:00.000-08:00

The Louisiana Folklore Miscellany, the annual publication of the Louisiana Folklore Society, has published an article by Frank de Caro, with photographs by Rosan Jordan, including a full color back cover, on the 2010 St. Joan of Arc Parade and Project (as well as on the activities of another organization which began around the same time as the St. Joan Project, the Red Beans Social Aid and Pleasure Club).

The article is "Emerging New Orleans Mardi Gras Traditions: The St. Joan of Arc Parade and the Red Beans Krewe, 2010" and it appears in volume 20 (2010) of the Louisiana Folklore Miscellany and includes much background information as well as discussion of the parade.

The article will probably be available (without the photos) on-line within a year through the Web site of the Louisiana Folklife Program (www.louisianafolklife.org), and copies of the publication can be ordered ($15.00 by check or money order made out to Louisiana Folklore Society, shipping and handling included; a limited number are available) from Carolyn Ware, Louisiana Folklore Miscellany, Department of English, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803.

November 7th: "THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC" at St. Louis Cathedral

2010-10-23T12:33:00.000-07:00

I saw this incredible film in San Francisco over a decade ago, accompanied by live choral and orchestral music by composer Richard Einhorn (VOICES OF LIGHT) with Dreyer's film projected on a huge screen behind the musicians. When I started the Joan of Arc Project, I wondered if it would be possible to do something similar here in NOLA with our own Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra..I envisioned the film being shown outdoors on the riverfront on an enormous screen with LPO accompanying it and a choral group (maybe ArtSpot Productions, who produced "Joan of Arc and her Voices" in 2004)...but until that day arrives--with enough funding to pull it off successfully--...we're soooo fortunate that the film and live accompaniment is coming here--NEXT MONTH--to the French Quarter!!! And it's FREE!

Special thanks to Joan of Arts Fete performer and panelist Thais St. Julien of Musica da Camera (http://www.nomdc.org/) who told us about this amazing performance at St. Louis Cathedral (where stands a Joan of Arc statue!).

For additional information contact 504-525-9585 ext. 35 or 21.

ST LOUIS CATHEDRAL TO PRESENT ACCLAIMED SILENT FILM

WITH IMPROVISED ORGAN ACCOMPANIMENT

Paul Goussot will perform an improvised organ accompaniment for the landmark silent film The Passion of Joan of Arc on Sunday, November 7, at 6 :00 p.m. with a free viewing.

For his St. Louis Cathedral performance on Sunday, November 7, at 6;00 p.m., Mr. Goussot will present an improvised accompanimnet for the silent film The Passion of Joan of Arc. It was produced in France in 1928 by Danish director Carl Theodor Dreyer. Based upon transcripts of the trial of Joan of Arc, it depicts her trial, imprisonment, torture, and eventual execution. Starring Renee Jeanne Falconetti, it is hailed as a landmark in the annals of cinematic history. The legacy of Dreyer's film is without equal. It has been ranked 26th by Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances for All Time, the highest for a silent film.

Paul Goussot was named in 2009, upon the establishment of a joint program of the Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis King of France in New Orleans and the Paris Conservatory, the Cathedral's first Young Artist in Residence. Born in 1984, he is the Titular Organist of the historic Dom Bedos Organ (built in 1748) of the Abbye of Ste-Croix in Bordeaux. AT the age of 16, he was acepted unanimously into the Paris Conservatory. Over the past few months, he has appeared at the International Organ Festivals in Magadino (Switzerland) and Monaco. Recently he was featured with Olivier Latry in the concluding concert of the series "The Art of Improvisation" at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

He is frequently engaged to improvise accompaniments for silent movies, particularly Carl Dreyer's 1828 La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc.

Update on Costume Workshop

2010-10-14T16:13:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone, costume diva Antoinette here filling in for our leader who is very busy with new baby Abigail. If you haven't checked out the adorable pictures on Facebook, stop by and wish them well.

Well, I'm out of the brace and stitches came out yesterday. Thanks for all the well wishes! Not as mobile as I'd like so we've relocated the workshop to my home in Metairie. Good news is there is plenty of free parking, I bake cookies when I'm stuck at home, and I have room to sew. Bad news is I have no one registered to attend yet.

Now I know we are all busy and waiting until the last minute to decide what to do but I do need some feedback. So to make this simple, please call me (504 717 1451) and/or email me (dealteriisa@bellsouth.net) and confirm if you will be here and to get directions. If I do not have at least 5 people by Friday night I will post here and we will reschedule. Remember, the parade is just around the corner!

Of course you can contact me any time with questions or to set up a one-on-one consult and sewing session! I look forward to seeing what everyone has been creating!

Stay tuned as we have been tossing around ideas for a social in mid November before we all get trapped in holiday hustle!

Antoinette

FIND JOAN ON FACEBOOK!

2010-09-22T10:40:00.000-07:00

Some of you have written that you can't find us on Facebook...that's because we are listed under our official LLC "umbrella organization" name, THE JOAN OF ARC PROJECT.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Orleans-LA/Joan-Of-Arc-Project/131342193270

When I founded the group, I always knew we would be more than just a parade...my intent was to utilize the parade as the most public and accessible facet of our group and to build other events (community events supporting everything from the New Orleans Saints to protesting the BP oil spill), conferences (Joan of Arts Fete), and other types of gatherings (i.e., our book group) around the theme of Joan of Arc and what she means to our city and to our citizens.

For this reason, we're listed in a variety of ways..."Joan of Arc Parade", "Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc", and our original krewe name "St. Joan of Arc Krewe". Basically if you try to find us through searching for "Joan of Arc" and "New Orleans" we should pop up!

Please become our friend on Facebook, "like" us or "fan" us and follow us! I post regularly on that site and it's probably the best way to stay most updated, although our website http://www.joanofarcparade.com/ has good general information as well.

Thanks for seeking us out!

COSTUME WORKSHOP RESCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY OCT 16TH

2010-09-07T12:14:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all who signed up ready to get to work making your 2011 parade costume! Unfortunately we have to postpone the workshop due to our fearless costume diva, Antoinette, having knee surgery on Sept 9th! Light a candle to St. Luke (Patron Saint of Surgeons and Surgery) for her.

(Speaking of Saints, the poor thing is doing this on NFL Kick-Off day!!! So she deserves double the prayers! Go Saints, Go Antoinette!! Bless you Boys, Bless you Gyyyrll!)

We will hold the workshop instead during a bit cooler weather and a bit less hectic time, on October 16th. Same time, same place: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. across the street from The Degas House, at the Musicians Union, 2401 Esplanade Avenue. (Thank you David Villarubia for donation of space!)

Cost is $20 for non-krewe members, $10 for krewe members, which includes a light lunch.

Please contact Antoinette to register: dealteriisa@bellsouth.net

2010-08-23T11:30:00.000-07:00

Blair Davis, our 2010 Maid of Honor

“MAID OF HONOR”

Seeking a student Joan of Arc

CONTEST RULES
DEADLINE: November 1, 2010 (All Saints Day)

Email stjoankrewe@yahoo.com with questions and for an application

The Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc proudly announces its second annual student Joan of Arc competition for French-speaking young women in New Orleans. The winner will be chosen to lead the third annual New Orleans St. Joan of Arc parade on January 6, 2011 in the French Quarter. This contest is modeled after the contest held annually in Orléans, France, when they select a local girl to lead their military parade celebrating Joan’s victorious lifting of the siege of Orléans from the British in 1428.

FREE TO ENTER: There is no fee to enter the contest. The Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc will provide the majority of the costume (student may need to provide some clothing like thermal underwear, beneath costume) and horse and parade training/riding lessons for the selected Joan. If applicants do have previous riding experience, please let us know.

Eligibility: This contest is open to young women, 16-19 years old (the ages of Joan’s most notable feats and trial), who have shown unique leadership abilities and are currently or have recently studied French in high school, college, or at home. (The candidate must be able to speak some French in conversation and be able to represent Joan for media opportunities, public presentations, and at the parade). This contest does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, ancestry or creed. The three top candidates will receive a brief phone interview to assess French fluency and confidence so we may choose the best possible candidate.

Criteria:

1. Completed entry form, including evidence of community involvement and proven leadership abilities.

2. In 250 words or less, describe a time that you, like Joan, believed in yourself and became a leader. How did you inspire others to action? What did you accomplish? Explain both your successes and failures in this leadership endeavor.

3. In 100 words or less, explain how Joan’s story has inspired you and why she is an important symbol for New Orleans.

4. Submit one letter of recommendation from someone (any age) who has witnessed your unique leadership abilities.

5. Winner must be available to lead the Krewe of Saint Joan of Arc procession at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, January 6th 2011 through the French Quarter.

6. Winner must be available (pending school and other obligations) for t.v. and radio appearances.

DEADLINE NOVEMBER 1ST, 2010

ENTIRE APPLICATION MUST BE RECEIVED BY THIS DATE, INCLUDING RECOMMENDATION LETTER.

APPLICATION CAN BE RECEIVED BY EMAIL OR SNAIL MAIL

Send to stjoankrewe@yahoo.com or by mail to

THE JOAN OF ARC PROJECT P.O. BOX 56815 NEW ORLEANS LA 70156-6815

Winner will be announced on December 6, 2010.

Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc Medallions

2010-08-07T09:17:00.000-07:00

Made by local Mardi Gras aficionado Rafael (who also makes our wooden coins for each parade) exclusively for the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc, these medallions are mini replicas of Joan's coat of arms which also serves as the krewe's official logo.

On the back, Joan's date of birth and death are hand carved with the words "Maid of Orleans Coat of Arms".

We are offering these for a special price NOW if you join the Krewe by September 12th. Otherwise, you may have to wait to be a lucky parade watcher to get one during our January 6th procession!

Contact Amy at stjoankrewe@yahoo.com for order details.

New Krewe Levels: St. Joan Parade 2011

2010-07-07T17:13:00.000-07:00

Join the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc! We are now open for membership for men and women and especially encourage families with children to join us for this early evening parade! Artists are particularly welcome as we require participants to carry handmade and/or unique (not your typical Mardi Gras, i.e. no plastic beads!) throws and we always have need for costume, throw, and parade prop assistance within the parade.

History buffs (Renaissance Fair fans), period costume lovers, Joan of Arc fans of all creeds, Francophiles, French-American citizens, teachers, anyone who loves the French Quarter and all it represents, and those looking for a unique way to spend Twelfth Night...join us!

2011 Parade Levels

$75 Army. Individuals. Provide own costume. We provide you with 25 matchbooks and 25 candles to distribute along the route. Discount to Krewe Party/Dinner (Iris Restaurant, Bienville House Hotel) on January 6th and Fete January 2nd (all day Joan of Arc conference at the Bienville House Hotel). You will be invited to various cultural events and workshops throughout the year related to French culture, historical costumery, and Joan stuff in general (book club, films, performances, etc).

$125 Village Couple. Includes two adults age 18 and above. Couples are provided with 50 matches and 50 candles total. Provide your own costumes. Discount to all mentioned above.

$25 Peasant Kids. For all children 17 years and under. Provide own costume. Must be accompanied by adult/guardian at the parade.

$50. Specialty Krewe Swag Bag. Add this to your membership if you want the krewe to provide you with a mix of specialty items, from hand-painted medallions and coins to handmade magnets and other artistic, Joan and/or medieval-related throws. While supplies last.

To join, email Amy at stjoankrewe@yahoo.com for a membership application. Deadline to join is November 1st, All Saints Day.

Join the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc at the Summer Wine Fest!

2010-06-18T12:48:00.000-07:00

PRAYER ON JOAN'S FEAST DAY

2010-05-29T15:28:00.000-07:00

JOIN US SUNDAY MAY 30TH AS WE HONOR JOAN AND PRAY FOR THE COAST!

(SEE PREVIOUS BLOG ENTRY FOR DETAILS)

The Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc
Presents a public prayer for Joan & the Gulf Coast
Sunday, May 30th, 2010 at Joan's statue
On the 579 year anniversary of Joan’s execution May 30, 1431@ Rouén, France

Prayer composed by Amy A. Kirk Duvoisin

Oh Saint Joan,
On this anniversary of your day of suffering we honor and celebrate your life. We come to you to pay respect and to ask for your intervention as we enter a potentially brutal hurricane season and a perpetually brutal summer.

You who of all people can appreciate heat…You of all people can appreciate our hatred of British Petroleum…you of all people know what it is like to be frustrated by your kings and generals…We come to plead for your assistance and guidance to “put the heat” on the United States Government and British Petroleum—and to shield us from further environmental destruction.

Although you were aided by government and God, you alone fought and suffered and persevered. We understand the battles ahead and the suffering we may endure and ask that you help us to persevere in this—another!—man-made disaster.

We pray that you help BP be brought to justice. You who were unfairly judged and tried—bring these men to trial SOON and swiftly aid in their sentencing. May the Judges of Heaven and Earth hold them responsible for every pelican and oyster lost. You who won your country but lost your life—stand up in Heaven for all life lost due to active greed and inactive response.

Our livelihood and culture is at stake. We beseech you! Rise up from the ashes and stop the flow of oil and tears!

Bring your armor of love and light to the Gulf Coast and let it serve as a barrier to the darkness washing ashore. Call on Saint Catherine, Saint Michael, and Saint Margaret to assist everyone in raising their voices so that the President and BP can hear them.

Lift your sword, Saint Joan, and cut through the lies to lead us to justice and salvation! AMEN!

2010-05-29T14:30:00.001-07:00

JAZZ FUNERAL FOR JOAN OF ARC!

2010-05-24T09:03:00.001-07:00

In honor of Joan's Feast Day we will be hosting a jazz funeral paying our respects, New Orleans style, on Sunday May 30th from 1-2 p.m.

We will hand out prayers to Joan asking for her intervention this hurricane season (which begins June 1st) and and asking for assistance with the oil disaster.

It will be both celebratory and solemn, with a wreath laying and prayers following the secondline.

12:30 p.m. Gather at Joan of Arc statue.

1:00 p.m. Secondline from statue around French Market back to statue.

1:30 p.m. Prayers to St. Joan.

1:45 p.m. Wreath laying, flower and other gift giving to Joan at statue.

MEDIEVAL THEATER AT LOYOLA! THIS WEEK!

2010-05-19T12:29:00.000-07:00

Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc Friends: Come out and support one of our krewe members Artemis Preeshl and Dr. John Sebastian, who participated in the Joan of Arts Fete, as they present a medieval play locally before and after presenting it in Canada!

Loyola University presents the Chester Cycle’s Medieval play, The Ascension,
in Toronto and at Loyola University

LOCAL PERFORMANCE: The Ascension will be performed in Dixon Court at Loyola University, 6363 St. Charles Avenue, Dress Rehearsal on May 20th and Performance on May 25th @ 7:00 p.m.

In late May, Loyola University Professors John Sebastian and Artemis Preeshl will travel to Toronto with several Loyola students to participate in an international medieval dramatic festival and academic symposium. In conjunction with the Canadian performance they will present The Ascension in Dixon Court at Loyola University on Tuesday, May 25th at 7 p.m., with an open dress rehearsal offered also in Dixon Court on Thursday, May 20th at 7 p.m. Loyola students will perform The Ascension as part of “Chester 2010: Peril and Danger to Her Majesty” on Monday, May 24th.

“Chester 2010” will stage a Catholic version of the complete Chester Cycle of 23 processional pageant-wagon plays from the city of Chester, England over the three days of Pentecost weekend, May 21-24, 2010, on the campus of the University of Toronto. The new text has been edited by Alexandra Johnston of the Records of Early English Drama project. The production of the pageants will be shared by Poculi Ludisque Societas (a medieval and Renaissance drama group) and acting companies from all over North America. This version of the Chester Cycle enacts the Christian story from Creation to Judgment as it was either witnessed or read in 1572 by Christopher Goodman, a Protestant divine who objected to its Catholic content and who was instrumental in halting future productions of this medieval Pentecost tradition.

For this special production, theatre director Artemis Preeshl incorporated the Ignatian method of prayer, which she learned in the Jesuit Lenten Retreat under the spiritual direction of Dr. Judy Deshotel, for rehearsal of this Catholic play. Rehearsals commenced with viewing, or imagining, the action in the Reading and Gospels of the Day. Then, cast members entered the scene by role playing inspired by words or images. As a result, the postures and gestures created through role playing were integral in the staging of the production.

Motivated by the research question of the conference, Dr. John Sebastian will present a paper addressing the use of blood imagery in the play. According to Dr. Sebastian, “Blood becomes the central image of this play, with the visual spectacle of a gory and bedraggled Jesus ascending to the Father reinforced by repeated verbal and physical gestures to the bloody drops still emanating from fresh wounds. In keeping with the theme of the Toronto symposium, my paper claims that in its iconography and approach to salvation the Chester pageant offered late sixteenth-century audiences what must have seemed to them a strikingly Catholic representation of the Ascension and one that, in its particularly bloody depiction of Jesus, must have reminded them of the many martyrdoms that characterized the reigns of Mary Tudor and Elizabeth I.”

Director Artemis Preeshl developed an allegorical approach to the medieval play. Set against the backdrop of war between Catholic and Protestant royalty in England, actors take on not only the roles in the production but also important Catholic figures of the 16th Century. For example, the actor playing Peter is costumed as Pope Pius V who excommunicated Queen Elizabeth. “My concept for this production of The Ascension is to examine what offended the Protestant observer. In this case, the allegory expressed in costume design considers the potential politic impact made by the Tailor’s Guild who originally presented this Catholic play.” In support of the Jesuit values of Loyola University, the project goal is the enrichment of scholarship and performance through the Jesuit faith.

The Ascension will be performed at the University of Toronto @ 8:00 a.m. on May 24, and in Dixon Court[1] at Loyola University, 6363 St. Charles Avenue, Dress Rehearsal on May 20th and Performance on May 25th @ 7:00 p.m. In the event of rain, the performance will take place in Lower Depths Theater in the Music and Communications Building at Loyola Univesity.

May 8th Music Party: Renaissance On!

2010-04-13T10:29:00.000-07:00

ANNOUNCING A FABULOUS PARTNERSHIP & PARTY:

Every year we find a way to celebrate Joan's most notable day--the day for which she was named THE MAID OF ORLÉANS! Last year we held a media party and announced our new partnerships, fete, and revised parade route...this year we're holding a music and costume making party thanks to the generosity of the Louisiana Renaissance Fest folks who suggested we join in their fun!

The LOUISIANA RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL & KREWE DE JEANNE D'ARC present A SPRING PARTY CELEBRATING JOAN'S LIFTING OF THE SIEGE OF ORLEANS

and THE RENAISSANCE OF the City of New Orleans!

Event Details:

Name: “Joys of Spring” Music Party & Workshops
Location: Deutsches Haus 200 South Galvez Street New Orleans
Date & Time: Saturday May 8th from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Tickets: FOR MUSIC SHOW TICKETS: www.la-renfest.com. Reservations not required but encouraged.

COSTUME WORKSHOP RESERVATIONS: dealteriisa@bellsouth.net. Reservations required as space is limited and pre-workshop consultation necessary.

SCHEDULE:

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (one hour lunch break at noon; food available on-site). Medieval Costume Workshop with Antoinette de Alteriis. Sewing machines, equipment, consultation, patterns, some trim and accessories provided. $20 per person. Bring your own fabric/materials and leave with costume completed. Space limited.

4-6 p.m. The Renaissance Dance Workshop from 4-6 PM will be led by Michael Gartner, artistic director of the international minstrel's troupe Wolgemut. Participants will learn 5-6 Renaissance dances such as brawls. The cost is $5. Reservations not required - just show up and dance!

7-10 p.m. Music with Marc Gunn, Michael Garter, and Wolgemut! $10 cover. Can pay at door; reservations optional.

Food and beverages for sale all day at Deutsches Haus. Great beer and drinks, food and festive atmosphere. Easy parking nearby. Plenty of room for creating, dancing, eating, mingling and minstreling!

Joan of Arc in French Quarter Fest Parade TODAY

2010-04-09T07:11:00.001-07:00

LOOK FOR JOAN AND THE BASTARD LEADING THE FRENCH MARKET CONTINGENT THIS MORNING IN FRENCH QUARTER FESTIVAL'S 27TH ANNUAL OPENING DAY SECOND LINE THROUGH THE QUARTER!

PARADE BEGINS AT 10:15 A.M. at BOURBON AND IBERVILLE, GOES DOWN BOURBON TO ST. ANN THEN UP TO JACKSON SQUARE WHERE IT ENDS AT 11:00 A.M.

WE'LL BE HANDING OUT WHO DAT HANKIES AND POSTERS OF JOAN WITH SAINTS FLAG!

Joan of Arc: Clear Minded?

2010-03-26T10:46:00.000-07:00

I think part of the reason that women in particular adore Joan of Arc is that she said what she meant and did what she said she was going to do; without being too snarky and stereotypical and retro, it's true that women don't always speak their mind as truthfully as we should or want to. (Okay, maybe I'm just speaking for myself, Miz Avoid Conflict At All Costs!). This week marks the anniversary (March 22, 1429) of Joan's first letter to the English, which she dictated in a voice so strong and clear that it is one of many indications that perhaps Joan's mind was more focussed than some have assumed--and enviable at that!

Hand over to the Maiden,who is sent here by God the King of Heaven, the keys to all the towns which you have taken and violated in France. She has come here in the name of God to support the Royal family. She is quite prepared to make peace, if you are willing to do right, so long as you give up France and make amends for occupying it. And you, archers, soldiers both noble and otherwise,who are around the town of Orléans, in God's name go back to your own lands. And if you will not do so, await word of the Maiden, who will go to see you soon to your very great misfortune. King of England, if you do not do so, I am a commander, and wherever I come across your troops in France, I shall make them go, whether willingly or unwillingly; and if they will not obey, I will have them wiped out. I am sent here by God the King of Heaven - an eye for an eye - to drive you entirely out of France.

http://archive.joan-of-arc.org/joanofarc_letter_Mar1429.html

No message could be clearer. And while I have thought, and argued, that part of Joan's confidence may have come from the illusion most teenagers have of invincibility and a particular brand of narcissism, I also think that she was just one of those rare humans who lived and died by one singleminded goal. (You could say she died because of her singlemindedness, which alas, is not so enviable...)

When I was 19, the age Joan was killed, I longed for a mission, a purpose, and a goal that "burned" in me as fiercely as Joan's did. I wholeheartedly wished I had one single strong pursuit. Instead, I changed majors several times, I reluctantly lost the virginity I'd held onto for vague lofty reasons, and I lived for the first time outside of my home state. These "decisions" were not necessarily made with any sense of certainty; rather, they were made in a kind of desperate desire to create a sense of self and definition.

Luckily, I was writing a lot and taking that somewhat seriously, and I was reading even more, and taking that very seriously. One of my favorite poems, published in a collection the year after I graduated college, was "What is Possible" by Adrienne Rich:

If the mind were clear
and if the mind were simple you could take this mind
this particular state and say
This is how I would live if I could choose:
this is what is possible…

The poem goes on to explain that the mind is so rarely this clear...if only it were! What could be possible if we could only clear our minds and do what we know we "must" do.

I wish every 19 year old woman had some of Joan's forthrightness and clarity, enough so that she might move forward with her goals without fear. I wish that for men and women, of course, but it's my women friends who from age 19-25 seemed often skiddish, indecisive, self-destructive, and anxious about decisions. We are all more confident and experienced now, but that feeling of "what if" still lingers...which is why reading Joan's kick-butt letter is a fine reminder of What Is Possible.

Alice in Armor...Joan in Wonderland?

2010-03-22T09:47:00.001-07:00

It's hard not to think of Joan of Arc when you see a teenage girl in armor swinging a sword...so it's no surprise that the second the latest Alice in Wonderland appeared as a shining knight-girl ready to slay the Jabberwocky in Tim Burton's new flick, my husband leaned over to whisper "ALICE OF ARC!" as I nodded vigorously in the dark. I am a sucker for such images so I delighted in it for a moment. Then I just got annoyed.

That's because there's not much in common between the real Joan of Arc and the fictional Alice in Wonderful but that simple, iconic, visual image (and here's where I envied the kids sitting around me..I doubt any of them had read the original story and none of them knew who Joan of Arc was...they were all having a great time and I can't fault them for that. The little boy next to me was so giggly I wondered if he'd drank some suspicious liquid himself, and the girl behind us kept talking "to" Alice telling her what to do...she had way more chutzpah than the actress). There are many obvious differences...to name a few: Alice falls into her fate while Joan rides boldly towards it. Alice is constantly diminished (literally and figuratively) by the quirky characters she encounters and doesn't argue as fiercely with them (if at all) Joan surely would. I wished Alice would have put the armor on from the beginning and demanded it as Joan did, rather than feeling she was forced into it...although the sassy dresses she keeps changing into are part of the fun in Burton's eye-candy version.

As a child I found the story of Alice scary and confusing rather than amusingly surreal...nothing was appealing to me about being lost underground with strange creatures who seem to lie and scheme and tease. I guess we have to give Tim Burton credit for giving Alice some victory at the end. Yet while she does seem less lost as she emerges scratched and disheveled from the hole, and seemingly suddenly able to control her own fate, you don't feel she has won a huge battle. She's just, basically, changed her mind, spoken her mind, and possibly, as she admits, lost her mind. None of this is really as empowering as a girl who has a goal and follows it. Alice lives more or less as many of us do...falling into situations and then finding a way out of them. What makes Joan so unique and astoundingly inspiring is that she created her situation.

I kept thinking about what Sister Rita said during her panel on Joan's Canonization...that Joan chose to listen to her Voices. She could have ignored them or fought them but she believed in her voices and in herself as the savior of France. Call it insanity, call it egomania, call it religious fervor or nationalist fanaticism, Sister Rita insisted that Joan was in no way manipulated by the Voices, the Church, or anyone. She mentioned this in terms of Joan's trial, and the inquisitors trying to get Joan to say she was a tool of this institution or army...she wasn't. She listened and she acted and she believed. On her own.

Alice fell down, got up, and wandered...and ended up fighting a battle that she didn't really choose, although the White Queen says it's up to her. Alice knows it's not up to her but it's something she must do. This alone is not a bad message for young women--sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Maybe that's the closest thing resembling a message that Hollywood can pull off and maybe that's why the young women (teens) I spoke with enjoyed the film much more than women my age...we grew up watching Wonder Woman and Charlie's Angels (campy indeed but surely they impressed us with some superhero powers, unmistakeable sex symbols though they were), emulated Madonna, and willingly chose our battles. This generation of girls grew up watching Survivor and Britney Spears, thinking that was empowerment--self-conscious, sarcastic, indulgent "role models" who couldn't fight a Jabberwocky in their dreams, let alone real life. A girl fighting a beast in armor must seem quite brave, comparatively.

The White Queen does tell Alice it's "her choice" to fight the Jabberwocky, and while Alice cries and seems to struggle with it, we don't feel the sympathy we might if we didn't already know from the Oraculum Scroll presented in the beginning that this is what will happen--destiny has already been written.

What makes Joan so amazing is that she created her destiny--and the destiny of a country. We can't expect other teenage women to take on such a task, and truly, we don't really want any martyrs these days. They're not as fun to watch in 3-D glasses.

Find us at Ecole Bilingue's Fete Francaise!

2010-03-17T12:52:00.000-07:00

The fine folks at Ecole Bilingue have offered the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc a booth at the Fete Francaise so that we can publicize our student Joan of Arc contest and get the word out about the St. Joan of Arc Parade and Joan of Arts Fete.

The event is best-known for its showcasing of the city's French restaurants and French music. Come out and eat, drink, and be merry with the peeps who invented joi de vivre!

March 20, 2010 10:30 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.
*** Free Admission ***

Fête will be held at Ecole Bilingue's new campus: 821 General Pershing Street (Next to St. Henry's church)

http://www.ebnola.com/content3/index.php?page=fete-francaise

TV for Francophiles!

2010-03-10T07:24:00.000-08:00

I went to an event last night announcing of the arrival of TVMonde5, an all-French cable channel, on Cox Cable. It was wonderful to be around local French leaders, citizens, fans and enthusiasts all sharing excitement about something new and positive that reflects our shared love of French heritage and culture (and in my case, French films in particular! When an image of Catherine Deneuve flashed across the screen, I knew I was sold...to get to see French films without going to NYC, the Harvard Film Archive, the occasional TMC showing, or renting from the meager options at video stores or the library, is just too cool).

The station will showcase French culture in Louisiana, as well as air French films, documentaries, sitcoms, cooking shows and more--with English subtitles (whew!).

Here's more info:

http://production.broadcastnewsroom.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=1010071

Of course, I'll be pitching them to feature our 2011 St. Joan of Arc Parade!

Hey Medievalists! Come out and hear some live local music!

2010-03-03T10:07:00.000-08:00

NEW ORLEANS MUSICA DA CAMERA

O GREENEST BRANCH - Music of Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179)

Sunday 7 March 4:00 Ursuline Chapel - 2701 State St. - Uptown New Orleans

Free and open to the public #504-895-1972 for further information.

Vox Feminae and the instrumentalists of Musica da Camera join together in this concert featuring the works of Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) and instrumental pieces inspired by her music.

Mystic, poet, composer, naturalist, healer, and theologian, Hildegard founded monasteries, corresponded with popes and princes, and produced writings on natural history, medicine, cosmology, poetry, and theology. Among both men and women of the Middle Ages she stands as an extraordinary figure. Responsible for the largest body of musical writing of any woman of the Medieval period, she is the first composer whose biography is known.

Hildegard intended her music for the Mass and the Divine Office at her monastery. Her texts are filled with metaphors, images of nature and light, and frequent references to the concept of viriditas: greenness, freshness, growth, greening, fruitfulness, vitality. For Hildegard, music was the symphony of angels praising God, the celestial music of the spheres, the weaving of body and soul. Her music transcends time and place, touching both listener and performer on many emotional and spiritual levels.

We look forward to sharing this extraordinary music with you.

It is for this that I was born!

2010-02-23T13:26:00.000-08:00

On this date February 23rd in 1429 Joan began her mission to save France--and to think it's otherwise only known as "National Tennis Day" or "International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day" (http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/february.htm)!!!

Read Ben Kennedy's excellent account of it here on his blogspot (which you should also be following if you are reading this blog!):

http://saint-joan-of-arc.blogspot.com/

Joan, Intercede (Intercept) for Us!

2010-02-06T18:04:00.000-08:00

Prayer composed by Andre J. Duvoisin, as a nod to battle prayers of yore...

Read aloud by over 100 people at the Joan of Arc statue at New Place de France today, led by our 2010 St. Joan Parade "Maid of Honor" Blair Davis. We were serenaded to the statue by Treme Brass Band, second-lining with Saints fans, with Joan in front, flanked by two boys dressed as "medieval football players" (aka my stepsons!)...pictures will be posted soon..

After the prayer was read, Treme Brass Band played When the Saints Go Marching In, culminating in another WHO DAT battle cry, and several people left offerings at Joan's statue, including flowers, beads, penants, prayers, and candles.

JOAN OF ARC SUPERBOWL PRAYER

Jeanne d'Arc we come to you as Maid of Heaven and instrument of righteousness.We pray for your grace and blessings on behalf of our city, our team, our players, and ourselves on this eve of battle. We ask for your wisdom--through St. Margaret, St. Catherine, and St. Michael the Archangel--to guide our coaches, that they think clearly, plan tirelessly, and act decisively, and to shield our players from the violent intentions of the enemy. Help them to remember their training and to apply those lessons to the swift defeat of our opponent. We appeal to your sense of divine justice and leadership, as the Maid of Orleans, to grant us this final victory. Saint Joan, Please Bless our Boys! Amen! Who Dat!

Joan says BLESS YOU BOYS!

2010-02-05T13:25:00.000-08:00

French Market staff (thank you Curtis Turner!!!) hung a Saints flag behind and above Joan at New Place de France, even adding a small handheld flag..come down and check it out! Another "only in New Orleans!" moment!

http://photos.nola.com/tpphotos/2010/02/saints_fans_rally_in_new_orlea_32.html

Join us for a St. Joan and the Saints second line!

2010-02-04T16:45:00.000-08:00

This Saturday the French Market is having a WHO DAT party all day with two of the city's best brass bands doing their thang from 11:30-3:30: The Storyville Stompers and The Treme Brass Band. In true New Orleans style, they will serenade the entire French Market, all of its six blocks from Cafe du Monde to the Flea Market...starting at Dutch Alley at 11:30 and ending at the Joan of Arc statue at 3:30 p.m.

Right now above the golden Joan statue, at New Place de France in the French Market, where St. Phillip Street meets Decatur, waves a black flag with a gold fleur de lis, placed between the French flag and the state of Louisiana flag...the perfect place to gather to offer up our hopes and prayers to Joan to assist us in victory on Sunday...

Who Dat say they gonna beat Saint Joan?

We take nothing for granted in this town. As much as we feel confident that we're gonna kick some young horsey butt, we're going to do our best to ensure a victory by asking our young warrior Maid to intercede...

(Intercept?)

Join us at the culmination of the all day moving pep rally in the French Market as we pay homage to Joan, ask her to lead the Saints in "battle", and give offerings of flowers, Saints stuff, and black and gold items. Wear your black and gold, bring your offerings of real or fake flowers, Saints memorabilia, anything black and gold you are willing to leave at the foot of the statue to ask Joan for help...not that Drew needs it, but it doesn't hurt...

"Behind every successful modern-day quarterback is a successful medieval teenage female warrior"--right?

Saturday, February 6th http://www.frenchmarket.org/

11:30 Storyville Stompers start in Dutch Alley, where St. Phillip meets the River

11:45 Storyville Stompers begin to stroll the Market, here, there and everywhere

1:00 Get your FREE 22"inch square gold and black WHO DAT handkerchief...and get ready..

1:30 Second Line with Storyville Stompers and Treme Brass Band to the Farmer's Market at Ursulines and N. Peters Streets (approx. one block distance)

1:45-2:00 Storyville Stompers and Treme Brass Band jam at the Farmer's Market

2:00-3:00 Treme Brass Band strolls the French Market

3:15 Treme Brass Band second lines with our local Maid of Honor, Blair Davis, who led our 2010 parade, from the French Market Arch to the Joan of Arc statue (approx. one block distance)

3:30 Arrive at Joan of Arc statue for a short prayer and gift-giving and more music

3:45 Event ends

All are welcome! Wear your black and gold! Bring your swords! Bring your confetti!

All the City's a Stage

2010-01-29T12:12:00.001-08:00

The best thing about New Orleans is that something's always going on for free...second lines, festivals, random acts of parading, political drama, etc.

The worst thing about New Orleans is that something's always going on for free...so if you are an artist trying to sell your stuff, your ideas, tickets to your play or dance performance...well....you gotta work that much harder.

Street theater is so ever-present we don't call it street theater. We call it the French Quarter.

Here's my editorial from yesterday's Times-Picayune, wherein I once again blame the wonders of the city for me not writing any new plays (though I am working on one FINALLY about...guess who...I hope to have a draft by next year's Joan of Arts Fete!)

http://www.nola.com/opinions/index.ssf/2010/01/politics_parades_pigskin_--_it.html

Why Bienville and Bagpipes?

2010-01-25T10:57:00.000-08:00

Mardi Gras is a time when you don't question too much of anything, depending on your state of sobriety, your previous experiences with the season, and, if you so choose, the adoption of an overall "anything goes" attitude...you are pretty much happy to see a parade go by and you likely aren't too worried about thematics, symbolism, history...you're just glad there is music, costumes and of course, plenty of throws.

We are a bit different with the St. Joan of Arc Parade in that we take the meaning of costume, music, and throws to heart. Our costumes reflect the times in which Joan lived, our music does the same and/or is representative of various aspects of Joan's life and story, and our throws are typically handmade and if not then they are tied in some way to religious, historical, or cultural aspects of Jeanne d'Arc.

But why Bienville--since he's circa 1700s--and why bagpipes--since they are Scottish?

Bienville is known as The Father of New Orleans and Joan is known as the Maid of Orleans. The Bienville House Hotel is our sponsor hotel and home of the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc's main events, and we wanted to begin the route near it and at another notable French Quarter statue, the statue of Bienville at Decatur and Conti (a stone's throw from where we began our route last year). It didn't feel like a stretch to make sense of this, and to frame Bienville himself in terms of Joan...after all, there would be no New Orleans without the French, and there would be no France without Joan. This year we chose a local student to be our "Maid of New Orleans" and decided to have The Father of New Orleans send her off into "battle" (i.e. the parade route) with her sword. (This is sooooo not historically accurate, obviously...Joan found her sword in the Church of Saint Catherine of Fierbois...and obviously, Bienville was not born until 200 years after Joan's death!). So in case you were wondering what the guy in the wig was doing...well, he was honoring our French heritage and he was reminding us all that we arguably owe the founding of our city to Joan of Arc. A stretch? Not really...if she had not assisted in lifting the Siege of Orleans...oh, don't make me go there!

As to the bagpipes, this is pretty straightforward. Joan was led into Orleans in 14 by bagpipers and Scottish soldiers...I found this excerpt from a speech by De Gaulle which emphasizes the solidarity between Scots and French--and mentions Joan...

(Excerpt from) Speech delivered by General de Gaulle at Edinburgh, 23rd June 1942

I do not think that a Frenchman could have come to Scotland at any time without being sensible of a special emotion. Scarcely can he set foot in this ancient and glorious land before he finds countless natural affinities between your country and ours dating from the very earliest times. In the same moment, awareness of the thousand links, still living and cherished, of the Franco-Scottish Alliance, the oldest alliance in the world, leaps to his mind.

When I say "Franco-Scottish Alliance," I am thinking, firstly, of course, of that close political and military entente which, in the Middle Ages, was established between our ancient monarchy and yours.

I am thinking of the Scottish blood which flowed in the veins of our kings and of the French blood which flowed in the veins of your kings, of glory shared on past battlefields, from the siege of Orleans, raised by Joan of Arc, to Valmy, where Goethe recognised that a new age was dawning for the world.

In every combat where for five centuries the destiny of France was at stake, there were always men of Scotland to fight side by side with men of France, and what Frenchmen feel is that no people has ever been more generous than yours with its friendship...

We will continue to honor Joan's history in all ways that make sense, taking honorable liberties now and then for the sake of artistry, accessibility, or to bend to the traditions of Mardi Gras parades. You noticed the fire dancers? That's an example of The Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc taking history into our own hands...beginning Joan's story with fire in the hands of women rather than ending her life with fire in the hands of men...a good example of us using elements of Joan's story to make meaning and art, and occasionally...a point!

SPECIAL THANKS TO LIVING HISTORY PROJECT'S COSTUME DESIGNER VERONICA RUSSELL FOR HER EXCELLENT RESEARCH AND ATTENTION TO DETAILS FOR BIENVILLE'S COSTUME..AND TO OUR FIRST-EVER BIENVILLE ACTOR, CHRIS LANE!!!

YouTube video of 2010 Parade

2010-01-19T11:43:00.001-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB5aId9sh2w&NR=1

FRANCE TODAY features Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc

2010-01-18T09:26:00.000-08:00

http://www.france-amerique.com/articles/2010/01/16/une_parade_pour_jeanne_d_arc_a_la_nouvelle-orleans.html

France Today writer, Johanna Safar, contacted me last week after a local French diplomat recommended the Joan of Arc parade as an example of "current French influences on Mardi Gras traditions".

I was mortified, of course, to admit to her that I don't speak French, but she was extremely gracious. Luckily, her English was excellent...and my husband could verbally translate this article for me! (I am now more determined than ever to sign up for an Alliance Francaise class in the New Year!)

We are fortunate that The Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc has been embraced by French citizens, leaders, and writers locally (we are members of the Council of French Societies); nationally (The French Embassy in D.C. has twice featured us in their newsletter "News from France") and internationally (with this feature article). By creating these alliances, we are ensuring that celebrating Joan also means celebrating French culture and New Orleans' French heritage.

Youpee!!

A note from Alliance Francaise re: Haiti

2010-01-15T13:52:00.000-08:00

Dear Members,

We at the Alliance Française of New Orleans are profoundly touched and saddened by the recent devastation in Haiti. We would like to share with you a compiled list of organizations working on the relief effort, and encourage you to help in any way you can: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=1004

These are 3 and 4-star charities responding to the crisis along with a synopsis of their plans. Each of these charities has a history of working on massive disasters and/or of working in Haiti.

Merci!

Alliance Française(New Orleans’ French cultural and learning center)1519 Jackson AvenueNew Orleans, LA 70130

Tel. 504.568.0770Fax 504.566.1108afno@af-neworleans.org http://www.af-neworleans.org/

Joan geeks unite!

2010-01-14T08:32:00.000-08:00

Our first annual Joan of Arts Fete (named so due to a clever slip of the tongue by krewe member Laura Jane Yarborough, creator of the large white heretic hat I wore during the parade) was held January 3, 2010, on the Sunday prior to the parade at the Bienville House Hotel (the Joan of Arc Project's official sponsor hotel) in their cozy Vieux Carre Room (medieval decor c/o Objets Trouves owner Linda Friedlander with decorating help by Store of Two Sisters owners Lee and Rose Ali). While our conversations were going on from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., on the other side of the hotel in a cozy board room off the lobby, Antoinette de Alteriis was hosting an all-day free drop-in costume workshop for current krewe members and those interested in joining. After many a last-minute, authentically medieval costume was constructed, the room cleared out for a songwriting workshop with Paul Sanchez, who assisted local and visiting minstrels on writing their own folk song about Joan, which they presented that night at the Jeanne d'Arc Cabaret.

This day-long conference was an intense and engaging exploration of Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Joan...from the medieval times in which she lived, to her portrayals in various art forms, to why we started the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc, comparisons of how she is perceived in the United States versus France, to how and why she was finally canonized, 500 years after her execution. Attendees came from as far as Mobile, Madison, and Manhattan. Lots of locals enjoyed the opportunity to talk about our unofficial patron saint and share ideas and resources, ask questions, and a few even joined the krewe that day on the spot, inspired by it all.

(See http://www.joanofarcproject.org/ for full fete program descript and more about the krewe)

Thanks to all panelists who generously donated their time and insights about Joan and to all the attendees who came armed and ready with their curiosity and creativity. It was a sincere, intense, fun day and I look forward to planning next year's to include more conversations with youth (the NOCCA students' candidness, idealism, and intellectual comments were inspiring), more members of the French community (thank you Martine Burtaire and Raphael Bas for being our French representatives for the day!), and even more history experts to discuss various aspects of The Hundred Years War, the political and spiritual landscape right after Joan died, more about Charles VII's reign, etc. (Dr. Sebastian and Thais had me thinking of all possibilities!). Sister Rita was so informative about so many aspects of Joan and sainthood, Catholic processes in general, and Church history that we definitely need another discussion just about Catholic history in medieval times, the role of the Church then and now, etc. Everything about the day felt personal, some of it was political, and much of it was poetic...it totally satisfied the mission of The Joan of Arc Project to honor Joan by educating as many people as possible about her story and its many fascinating facets.

Photo descripts, from top to bottom:

--Jamie Hauser (moderator) and panelists Thais St. Julien, c0-founder and c0-director of Musica Da Camera, and Dr. John T. Sebastian, Director of Medieval Studies at Loyola University discuss MEDIEVAL CULTURE: THE TIMES IN WHICH JOAN LIVED.

--Deborah McDonald, manager of Garden District Book Shop and Joan of Arc Book Club moderator and host interviews Sister Rita Hickey, OSC, of the local Poor Clare Monastery about JOAN'S CANONIZATION.

--Stephen Bertucci (NOCCA student), Thais St. Julien, Sean O'Brien (NOCCA), Celeste Cahn (NOCCA) and local actress and associate theatre director at NOCCA, Janet Shea, converse about JOAN AS MUSE. Janet assigned her students each one play about Joan in preparation for the panel: Saint Joan of the Stockyards by Brecht; King Henry VI by Shakespeare; The Lark by Jean Anouilh. In addition, the students were well-familiar with Shaw's Saint Joan play and performed scenes from that later that evening at the Jeanne d'Arc Cabaret.

--Martine Burtaire, an instructor with Alliance Francaise, kicks off the day with a full house to teach simple French phrases, including quite a few about Jeanne d'Arc in her native tongue.

To get involved next year as a presenter, performer, or panelist, contact Amy at stjoankrewe@yahoo.com.

Show your support: Joan for Mayor!

2010-01-08T12:38:00.001-08:00

If you came to the parade, you likely received one of the matchbooks above. We also had t-shirts created with the same design (created by Tom Harvey, local graphic designer and dj) at POP CITY, located across the street from Joan's statue on Decatur Street. Thank you to Rhonda Findley, POP CITY owner, for offering the krewe this opportunity--and for putting us in touch w/ Tom for the stellar design!

One of the Joan shirts is on display in the front window of POP CITY, in bright Saints colors, alongside other black and gold clothing. Come get yours in time for the Play-offs (Jan 16) but before the Mayoral run-offs (March 6) and choose your own color...they are $20 and proceeds benefit the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc.

What a fabulous way to show support for the Saints, Saint Joan, and to suggest that perhaps a 598-year-old female Saint turned statue is as good an option as a living candidate! Hummmmmm!

Thank you Arthur Hardy!

2010-01-08T07:31:00.000-08:00

Don Ames from WWL Radio called me on Monday January 4 to talk about the Joan of Arc Parade but when he called I was at a funeral mass for my mother-in-law, Betty LeBlanc Duvoisin, who I am ever-grateful to for giving birth to my husband as her last child! Spending the day with his family and her friends at this very sad but eventually celebratory gathering made me remember what's truly important, and hearing the priest refer to her as Saint Betty gave me pause to think of Joan and how we really are surrounded by Saints!

Because I was in the presence of Saint Betty I couldn't interview about Saint Joan, so Don Ames called Arthur Hardy..and thank God he did. It enabled the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc to get an unsolicited endorsement from the guru of Mardi Gras, who said, among other nice things, "They truly came out of the gate fast a couple years ago, and it's become a major event already."

Wow! We are major! Geaux Jeanne!

Listen to this wonderful interview where Arthur, beloved Mardi Gras authority and expert, talks about both the Joan parade and Phunny Phorty Phellows as the kick-offs to our favorite season:

http://www.wwl.com/Let-the-good-times-roll-/6048266

Candles instead of swords!

2010-01-07T08:24:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Linda Friedlander, owner of Objets Trouves, for purchasing 598 candles for us to hand out for Joan's birthday AND to Janet Gisleson, new krewe member, for hand-numbering them to make them legitimate!

I love this image because it looks like someone saluting Joan (that's Blair Davis as our selected student Joan this year...see Maid of Honor contest info on http://www.joanofarcproject.org/) with a candle rather than a blade!

Joan would appreciate this, as she claimed she carried her banner in place of a weapon. Yes, she DID have a sword (and we gave one to Blair as a gift from the krewe), and a special one at that (http://pagespro-orange.fr/musee.jeannedarc/sword.htm), but she claims to not have used it. As she said in her trial:

"I have told you often enough that I did nothing but by God's commandment. I bore this standard when we went forward against the enemy to avoid killing anyone. I have never killed anyone".

We celebrated life last night: the beginning of Joan's life and the beginning of Mardi Gras season, which is how we in New Orleans show the world our joi de vivre. By lighting a candle for Joan, we hoped to shed a little light on all the good things in our wonderful city. Thanks for sharing it with us and spreading the love!

St. Joan Second Annual Times Picayune shots

2010-01-06T21:12:00.000-08:00

http://photos.nola.com/tpphotos/2010/01/joan_of_arc_parade_2010_5.html

Happy Birthday Joan!

2010-01-06T06:04:00.000-08:00

This morning a dove sat in the sunlight on the lowest branch of our satsuma tree, facing our kitchen. When I went near the window to make coffee, the bird flew straight towards me, then dipped down and disappeared. I thought it might be headed for the bird feeder which is on the other side of the porch, but it seemed to have another idea. It likely never saw me, but for a second it made me hold my breath because today I associate the sight of a dove with Joan of Arc, who, legend has it, released a white dove from her mouth as she died.

While Joan's trials are recorded, and we have other evidence of her life and story, plenty of beautiful myths abound, such as white butterflies following her banner, and the story of the dove, and other tales about what she may or may not have said, seen, or done. While there's certainly no proof for the white doves flying from her mouth as she was burnt at the stake, I love the poetry that has sprung up around Saint Joan, and our parade honors this as much as we honor the historical records about her and the knowledge of the times in which she lived.

Today we celebrate her birthday, though, rather than the day that she was martyred (May 31). Most Saints are honored on their death day, i.e. "feast day", but we've gone a different route with our parade. We honor St. Joan on her birthday because that's the day we think deserves celebration. We also honor her crowning achievement--the placement of the Dauphin in his rightful place on the French throne as Charles VII, King of France. Because of Joan's success at Orleans, France, she became The Maid of Orleans, regained the hope of the populace and the military, and was instrumental in getting Charles crowned. So tonight we'll crown our first Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc king, again celebrating the positives in her life rather than the sad thing she is remembered for--her horrible death.

Still, terrible as her death was, I can appreciate the poetry that has sprung from it. That's why I'll be wearing a white dove on my shoulder tonight when I walk in the parade. I believe that whether or not a real dove every came anywhere near Joan the moment she died, there's no doubt that something wonderful took flight from earth on that day.

Yet rather than celebrate her ending, tonight, with purpose and a healthy sense of New Orleans partying, we celebrate her beginning as we celebrate the beginning of Mardi Gras. Join us for some poetic processioning and partying. Happy 598th Jeanne!

Merci!

2010-01-04T20:52:00.000-08:00

To all who made the first annual Joan of Arts Fete happen, I bow down to you! I hope this is a sign of more good things to come with all things Joan and New Orleans. The event was more than I expected and all I hoped for (with plenty of lessons learned for next year!) We had an awesome first-year turnout (a packed room for Power French, which began at the crack of dawn in New Orleans' time, 10 a.m.!), excellent panelists who came prepared and energized, and Erin at the Bienville House was her usual organizational goddess self, being calm cool and collected. Add to that completely generous individuals from the krewe, like Roberta who from A to Z organized our silent auction, to Linda who provided the decorations and expertise to transform the Vieux Carre Room into a Medieval-style conference room complete with swords, shield, red drapery, and a 14 foot fairy tree that she and Molly, one of the krewe's guardian angels, made!!

Thanks to Jane for homemade fleur de lis cookies. Thanks to Sister Rita for coming in full habit just for the panel (since she and other Poor Clares no longer wear them) and for our pleasure of being able to visualize, as she put it, what nuns and some women in secular society as well (who knew?) would have been wearing in Joan's time.

Thanks to the open-hearted and well-spoken NOCCA students who gave of their ideas and acting for a panel and the Cabaret.

Thanks to local musician and native Frenchman Raphael Bas for wearing a totally different hat and sitting at the table to talk about perceptions of Joan in France.

Thanks to Kathy Randels for opening up the Cabaret with a mind-blowingly beautiful haunting song from her 2004 piece "The Maid of Orleans". I keep getting images of her rocking back and forth in her all-white outfit singing her heart out in pain and passion. Lovely and eerie stuff.

Thanks to my husband who meticulously made large batches of medieval punch (a version of wassail) and mulled wine and served as our bartender...(though he didn't wear the jester outfit I brought for him!)...yummy stuff that we'll also serve to the krewe before the parade to warm us up!

I am leaving out dozens of others but that's a sliver of my gratitude to everyone who came to share their interest, questions, and knowledge. That's what this is all about--sharing the experience of Joan and the many layers of her story, from medieval history (thank you Dr. John T. Sebastian, head of Medieval Studies at Loyola University) to her continuous pop culture influences, to her religious and artistic inspirations. We all aspire, ultimately, I think, to be more like Joan and that's what draws us together. It's a mad, mad, world, and she may have been a bit mad (speculation abounds) but at least she did good. At least she led a purposeful life. At least she listened to her Voices...which we cannot always access within ourselves...

This krewe and the people who are drawn to it continue to interest and inspire me on deeply personal levels...I am enjoying watching this fleur de lis grow and never tire of tending to it (like the Little Prince and his rose?). It just goes to show you that Joan has a following of all sorts of people...or at least she has enough intrigue of various types of people of both genders and all ages to sustain more and other activities investigating and celebrating her.

Joan said, "I have no fear for lack of men." I always hear this in my head when conceiving Joan of Arc Project events. We're not putting together an army, but we are bringing together a force...and it always draws an eclectic bunch of smart, fun, talented people. It may not be extraordinarily large in quantity, but the genuine quality of interest and reference points and sincerity is what's important. And we have that in spades.

For example, one of my favorite moments yesterday came when a woman who said that Joan can remind us all to listen to the wisdom of teenagers and respect them for being more than just consumers or just annoyances or just almost-adults. She has a 17 year old daughter (who dressed up as Joan of Arc in third grade, when, as she put it "everyone else dressed like Britney Spears") who she said has changed her mind about the power of youth and the possibilities we squander by ignoring them. When she left she said to me, casually, "My grandmother did research and claims we are related to Joan of Arc." She shrugged. "I don't know if that's true, but...she did go to France to do our tree...this was before the Internet..."

The day was filled with moments like that. Quite a few folks stayed for 3-4 panels in a row, clearly engaged by all the angles covered. Several people travelled in from nearby cities in Louisiana and Alabama. Two panelists came in from Texas, one from Manhattan, and a large group from Madison, Wisconsin who's marching in our parade came to the cabaret and filled the air with that kind of excitement and joviality that tourists bring to town.

As far as we know, we're the only group in the country who puts on a festival for Joan of Arc. This confirmation in one of the panels made us all feel a little more NOLA proud, as we always do knowing we're unlike the rest of the States. As one woman who came in from Mobile said, "We don't do it like the rest of the country in New Orleans...it makes sense we'd be the only ones doing this!"

After an exciting day of discussions, dinner, and artistic presentations about Joan at the cabaret, I got up early and spent the first few hours of the morning with our student Joan of Arc, Blair Davis, her mother Jane, and their friend Ty, who will play her page in the parade to assist her with giving out our coveted, glittery gemmed wooden swords as she rides her horse in armor and cape. (We donned our parade costumes for a WWL-TV Morning Show interview, a good albeit nervewracking experience in that I was in full-blown marketing mode and the students I had hoped would shine couldn't get a word in...) This and other media opportunities, combined with the Fete experience, (where, although I got to enjoy plenty of it as an "audience member", I was still in event-planner mode) makes me look forward to the parade, where, once the event is underway, I'll be among the marchers, letting our Joans on horseback lead while I walk behind them, glad to be part of something so much bigger than me...

Another Saint to Watch

2010-01-01T08:56:00.000-08:00

New Orleans is full of Saints. Whether it's our football team shining golden on the field or the golden statue of Joan gleaming on Decatur Street, this place has a way of making us believe in miracles. While I sometimes think that living here has turned me into a cynic, I'm renewed constantly by the random acts of kindness of strangers, the spontaneous celebration of a second line, the unifying force of a Mardi Gras parade, or the daily moments of surrealism that I almost take for granted now that I work in the French Quarter.

Until I fulfill one of my several Joan-meets-New Orleans fantasies of Joan of Arc riding onto the Saints field before a homegame, leading the boys out of the tunnel onto the field, I'll have to settle for the simple but profound idea that our awesome team has a name that evokes Joan...and that some day when Joan officially becomes our city's patron saint, they'll have no choice but to use her image somehow when rallying the troops.

(Two of the krewe's JoaNola goals are being accomplished this year: one, the choosing of a local student Joan of Arc who will be leading our parade; and two, local singer/songwriter Paul Sanchez penning and presenting a song about Joan and NOLA--examples of how Joan and New Orleans go together like...well, like France and New Orleans or like powerful chicks and the South or like...Catholic Saints and pop culture..)

Our first annual Joan of Arts Fete is happening at the same time as the Saints game on Sunday...but they are going to the playoffs no matter what and they have home field advantage throughout the playoffs...aka it's a "meaningless game"...

So bring your Iphone and check the score while listening to stories about another Saint whose life was far from meaningless. Go Saints and Vive Jeanne d'Arc!

Visit the http://www.joanofarcproject.org/ for details about the fete and parade.

Not throws...we call em GIFTS!

2009-12-31T10:15:00.000-08:00

I have mentioned before that technically Twelfth Night "should" be January 5th but that we in the U.S. celebrate it January 6th, the day after...here's some good info on the evolution of celebrations associated with Twelfth Night...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A754409

Twelfth Night is of course the night that the Three Wise Men visited the Nativity and gave gifts...

We're giving gifts for Twelfth Night to parade goers, including some that reflect Joan's three Voices (St. Michael, St. Catherine, and St. Margaret)--consider them, perhaps her Two Wise Women and One Wise Man. The photos above are of the Poor Clare Monastery on Henry Clay Avenue in Uptown New Orleans, where Sister Rita Hickey lives and makes crafts that are sold in their excellent gift shop.

She made 50 magnets of Joan's Voices (and some of Joan herself) just for us (don't worry, we paid The Poor Clares for them!), perfectly representing the sentiment of the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc...handmade items that we give, not THROW to the public.

It's one of the things that makes our parade a nice bridge between Christmas and Mardi Gras...we give gifts, we recognize Joan's Christian heritage, and we make cool stuff that's not plastic.

I mean, do you think it would have been cool if the Magi threw Baby Jesus some beads??? Okay don't answer that...

But do come to our parade in the hopes of catching stuff made by local hands.

Post-Parade Party: King cake, gypsy music & more!

2009-12-30T11:05:00.001-08:00

We started a tradition last year in honor of Joan's birthday and Twelfth Night (January 6th) by asking people to bring cakes to share at her statue following the St. Joan of Arc Parade. Most brought King cakes, but there were some cupcakes and at least one birthday cake. Like last year, this year we are receiving a generous donation of King cakes from Gambino's Bakery, but given the crowd last year, we'll need more if everyone wants a piece! So bring what you want to share and prepare to hand it out at the party in honor of Joan's 598th birthday!

This year we'll have Joan of Arc crown a King at the statue and he'll help distribute the cake with Joan...

(It's just too cool how many things about Joan tie in naturally with Mardi Gras..she is our Maid and she was influential in crowning a King...her birthday is Twelfth Night..King cake=birthday cake, etc.!!)

Beyond cake there will be awesome music to dance to...stage will be a The Market Cafe, right behind the Joan statue, at 1000 Decatur. See you there!

POST-PARADE PARTY AT JOAN'S STATUE AT NEW PLACE DE FRANCE 7-9 P.M.

PARADE ROLLS 6 P.M. FROM CONTI AND CHARTRES TO ST. PHILLIP

ENDS AT 7 P.M. AT JOAN OF ARC STATUE AT ST. PHILLIP AND DECATUR STREETS

FREE LIVE MUSIC! ENJOY THE BAR AT MARKET CAFE PLUS GREAT LOCAL FOOD AND SPACE TO DANCE!

6:45-7:45 Pierre Pichon and his Gyspy Swing Trio http://www.myspace.com/ppichon

8:00-9:00 Marc Gunn plays Celtic American musiC

http://www.marcgunn.com/

Fabric Fans Unite! Free Costume Clinic January 3rd

2009-12-29T19:15:00.000-08:00

MAKE A MEDIEVAL COSTUME IN 2 HOURS OR LESS!

Hands-on costume workshop at Joan of Arts Fete

visit www.joanofarcproject.org fete schedule for details

Come ready to sew or at least come ready to get inspired...bring any and all material you can get your hands on, from your old sheets to those red curtains and beige tablecloths you stuffed in a drawer four years ago and haven't touched since...bring the funky fabric and trim you inherited from your Aunt Susan, and any and all items that you can contribute to the cause of making medieval costumes cheaply. Sweatshirts, sweatpants welcome...we can turn those into medieval looking items too!!

(We're fortunate Joan was born in medieval times and is not a Renaissance gal. It makes costume making much simpler...)

Whether you are a hopeful Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc member, a current member still figuring out what to wear as you stroll down Chartres on Twelfth Night, or someone just interested in learning more about how to turn thrift store stuff into authentic, fun costumes, join us from 12 noon to 4:oo p.m. at the Bienville House hotel in the Board room, a lovely cozy room just off the hotel lobby in this French Quarter boutique hotel. Come to 320 Decatur Street and ask for the costume clinic! Bring any sewing supplies you can...we want to be sure there's plenty of scissors, thread, and tape measures to go around!

(and hey if you're reading this and don't give a damn about making a costume but have fabric or sheets or whatever we can use that you want to dump on us, please do! email amy at stjoankrewe@yahoo.com and she will gladly take it off your hands!!)

Jeanne d'Arc Cabaret!! Medieval songs and More!

2009-12-29T13:15:00.000-08:00

JEANNE D’ARC CABARET & KREWE PARTY Jan. 3rd 7-9 p.m.
A prelude to the second annual St. Joan of Arc parade January 6, Twelfth Night
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! $10 AT THE DOOR & CASH BAR
@ THE VIEUX CARRE ROOM, BIENVILLE HOUSE HOTEL @ 320 DECATUR ST.

(New Orleans, LA—December 29, 2009)—The Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc announces the Jeanne d’Arc Cabaret, a culmination to their first annual Joan of Arts Fete, a free all-day conference about medieval culture, French culture, pop culture and Joan of Arc. Participants can choose from French language workshops, a medieval costume clinic, and presentations by local historians, artists, and members of the religious community about such topics as: “Joan and Prophecy”, “Joan as Muse” and “Medieval Culture: The Times in Which Joan Lived”.

Jeanne d’Arc Cabaret highlights include performances of medieval music by local groups Musica Da Camera and Wolmegut, theatrical performances about Joan of Arc, as well as a presentation of new songs written that day at the Joan of Arts Fete in a workshop led by local singer/songwriter Paul Sanchez.

The Fete is free and open to the public. The Cabaret is a fundraiser for the Krewe, in preparation for their expanded second annual St. Joan of Arc Parade, which includes fire dancers, an authentic medieval cart, two Joans on horseback, medieval musicians, and handmade throws including St. Joan medallions, decorated wooden swords, painted coins, and more.

For the full fete and parade schedule, visit http://www.joanofarcproject.org/. To stay updated about all events, become a FACEBOOK fan of the Joan of Arc Project, and follow the Krewe blog at http://www.stjoankrewe.blogspot.com/.

CABARET SCHEDULE

7-7:15 p.m. Musica Da Camera plays medieval music http://www.nomdc.org/
7:15-7:20 Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc welcome and announcements
7:20-7:30 p.m. NOCCA students perform a scene from George Bernard Shaw's SAINT JOAN play
7:30-7:40 ArtSpot Productions performs two songs from their 2004 performance piece "The Maid of Orleans"
7:45-8:00 NYC playwright Kathleen Kelly performs a theatrical work-in-progress from her plays about Joan
8:00 SILENT AUCTION CLOSES
8:00-8:15 Musica Da Camera plays medieval music
8:20-8:30 NOCCA students perform a scene from Shaw's SAINT JOAN play
8:30-9:00 Paul Sanchez & songwriting students perform their newly written folk songs about Jeanne d'Arc and New Orleans! Audience votes on the best ode!
9:00-9:30 Wolmegut plays medieval music--great for dancing! http://wolgemut.net/

We need some MEDIEVAL MUSCLE!

2009-12-27T20:06:00.000-08:00

Willing to trade some muscle for krewe membership?

We have a hefty, historically authentic medieval cart that needs pulling...

It's the only thing resembling a float in our parade. But it needs human labor to get it going...this ain't no tractor pull...we're a walking parade with feet and horses and maybe a tiny wagon or two...

AND contrary to some misperceptions, we do have men and boys in our parade! It's by no means an all-female festivity...think about it. Joan's goal in life was to please God and crown the Dauphin the King of France. Along the way her comrades included the Bastard of Orleans and many many soldiers, pages, priests, and peasants.

In other words, Joan was surrounded by dudes and her success was largely due in part to them.

We still need and want more men to join and play any of the above roles...or even the ones not as friendly to Joan but still necessary to her history, like judges, bishops--even prison guards and executioners.

Contact Amy at stjoankrewe@yahoo.com if you want to join as any of the above--and if you're strong and willing to pull the cart with several others, we will waive your krewe membership!!!

(come on, it's only 8 blocks through the Quarter...)

Joan of Arts Fete pre-parade fest & krewe party January 3rd

2009-12-23T10:08:00.000-08:00

The Joan of Arts Fête Sunday, January 3rd
at The Bienville House Hotel 320 Decatur Street, NOLA, 70130

A pre-parade all day fest about all things Joan of Arc!

10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Panel discussions, conversations, workshops & member info—FREE!!!

***There will be a SILENT AUCTION at the Fete including amazing medieval-inspired artwork, Joan of Arc jewelry, books & related ephemera. All proceeds from the silent auction will be given to our krewe charity, Metro Battered Women’s Shelter. Come and bid throughout the day!***

5:30-6:30 p.m. Krewe Dinner Party at Iris Restaurant—$50 for Krewe members & friends. French meal & wine BYO wine. Reservations required by 12/31/09 @ stjoankrewe@yahoo.com.

7:00-9:00 p.m. Jeanne d’Arc Cabaret & Krewe Party—Open to the Public, free to Krewe members--$10 minimum donation @ the door!

All day 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Krewe Countdown: LAST CHANCE TO JOIN! Meet members of the Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc, sign up to walk with us, get your Joan swag and costume assistance! All day at the Bienville House Hotel at the Membership Table in the Vieux Carre Room!

CONVERSATIONS & WORKSHOPS:

10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Power French Workshop conducted by members of our local French cultural & educational center Alliance Francaise. Start the day off learning a few key French phrases, as well as some fun Joan of Arc related phrases to use during the parade. Meet Alliance Francaise members firsthand to learn more about this worldwide network’s local branch and how you can get involved.

11:15-12:15 Joan as Muse: A discussion of Joan’s inspirational influences and portrayals in various art forms, from the visual arts to the performing arts and film. Panelists include Janet Shea, local award-winning actress and the Assistant Department Chair in Theatre Arts at New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts and Thais St. Julien, co-director, Musica Da Camera. NOCCA theater students who are currently studying and performing George Bernard Shaw’s SAINT JOAN will also join the conversation.

12 noon to 4:00 p.m. ALL DAY PARADE PREPARATION WORKSHOP in BIENVILLE HOUSE BOARD ROOM:

Make it Medieval: Costumes and More! Local costume designer Antoinette de Alteriis and other local designers and seamstresses assist last minute parade walkers with costumes. Those curious about joining and walking with us will have a chance to get inspired and learn some tricks about turning their current closet and/or recently bought thrift store clothes into medieval wearables. Also ongoing in this workshop room will be opportunities to assist with making throws and posters and other Krewe swag.

*** Participants need to bring some of their own costume materials. Email stjoankrewe@yahoo.com with any questions. We will send you a list of materials we’ll have available. Be brave! Come ready to be measured and make a costume in 4 hours or less! ****

12:30-1:30 Medieval Culture: The Times in Which Joan Lived: We know Joan was unusual, but what about her also made her “an average medieval girl”? What is the historical & cultural context in which she became Joan of Arc? Leading us in discussion is Dr. John T. Sebastian, Director of Medieval Studies at Loyola University, with Thais St. Julien, founding director of Musica Da Camera’s women’s chorus Vox Feminae, offering insights regarding her extensive research of women’s roles during the Middle Ages.

1:45-2:45 p.m. What Joan Means: Who She Was Then, What She Represents Now. Joan is viewed, used, admired, and beloved differently by different populations. While considered a feminist icon by some in the United States (although she was in fact more a woman of her times than we may admit), in France, she is utilized as a nationalist symbol and has been used by both sides of the political arena for centuries. Catholics finally named her a Saint 500 years after her death, and artists and writers endlessly evoke her in their work and obsessively study her. This discussion includes insights by New York-based writer and scholar Kathleen Kelly and New Orleans musician and French native Raphael Bas, both admirers of Joan, for different reasons.

3:00-4:00 Prophecy and Pilgrimage: Joan and the Bible. The test of a true prophet of God, according to the Bible, was 100% accuracy in all predictions. The penalty for making even one mistake was death. That’s a high standard to keep! Joan of Arc’s many detailed prophecies were famous even in her own day—but did she meet the Biblical standards of a true prophet of God? Author and composer Chris Snidow explores this fascinating aspect of Joan’s legacy. He and his French wife Catherine will also make a presentation about the Joan of Arc pilgrimages they lead to France annually.

4:15-5:15 p.m. Joan’s Canonization: It’s About Time! Sister Rita, OSC, of the local Poor Clares Monastery explains in laymen terms the processes we’ve all heard but don’t quite understand…just how does someone become a Saint? And why did it take so long for Joan to be named one? In conversation with author and musician Brian Morgan, OCDS, a formerly strictly-cloistered monk and now a Tertiary in the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites.

4:30-6:00 Songwriting Workshop. Led by local singer/songwriter Paul Sanchez, this workshop challenges local musicians to pen a spontaneous song about Joan and be ready to present it “American Idol” style at the Jeanne d’Arc Cabaret & Krewe Party that same evening! Bring your instrument and your creative energy to channel Joan, New Orleans style! Songwriters must commit to presenting their work to us!

7:00-9:00 Jeanne d’Arc Cabaret and Krewe Party : Musical Performances by New Orleans’ very own Musica da Camera, the oldest surviving early music organization in the country; singer/songwriter Paul Sanchez and members of his Joan of Arc songwriting workshop present their newly written odes; NYC writer and performer Kathleen Kelly presents pieces from her Off-Off Broadway play about Joan of Arc; NOCCA students present scenes from George Bernard Shaw’s SAINT JOAN! More entertainment to be announced! Drinks for sale and champagne toast to the Krewe! Help us get our groove on before the parade!

Celebrate our second year and Joan’s 598th birthday with us!

Parade throws: Medallions, Swords, and more!

2009-12-22T11:59:00.000-08:00

This year our signature throws will be handpainted Joan of Arc medallions provided by http://www.saintsforsinners.com/. These were our signature throws our inaugural year--and as we like to say, they weren't thrown! We are proud to be a walking krewe who hands out our few and thematic items (prayer cards, ceramic butterflies, matchbooks) with care--and sometimes on bended knee, as was the case w/ our medallion-giver Rob Clemenz last year!

NEW!!! We will also have 16 individually decorated wooden swords that our student "Maid of Honor" leading our parade will give out to parade-goers. These represent Joan's age of sixteen when she left home to fight the English, and the age she was when she found her legendary sword at the church of St. Catherine of Fierbois.

http://saint-joan-of-arc.com/sword.htm

Another new special throw: Limited edition magnets with images of Saint Catherine, Saint Margaret, and Saint Michael (Joan's Voices) handmade by local Poor Clare Sister Rita, OSC, who sells her crafts at the Monastery gift shop Uptown on Henry Clay Avenue.

http://poorclarenuns.com/

Authentic Medieval Cart in Progress!

2009-12-08T09:46:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the efforts of one of our original krewe members (who participated in Joan brainstorming sessions long before we formed a parade) Molly Jahncke, Assistant Director of Public Relations and Marketing at Delgado Community College, we are going to have some wheels in the parade this year--historically accurate ones!!!

As a Service Learning project led by Director Sterling Brignac, participants in Delgado’s Building Crafts Apprentice Training program have created an authentic Medieval cart that will be donated for annual use in the Krewe of St. Joan of Arc Parade and related events.

The apprentice training program, created through a partnership of Delgado, LTC and The Prince’s Foundation for the Built Environment (U.K.) with the Preservation Resource Center and Louisiana Carpenters Union, is the nation’s first and only of its kind. Its aim is to create master craftsmen in the areas of carpentry/millwork, masonry, plastering, metalwork and stained glass who can apply their traditional skills to restoration and sustainable new building in New Orleans.

The carpentry/millwork apprentices, Vitto Ingerto, Michelle Martin, John Robert Portman, Ben Sanady, Phung Tran, J.A. Jaquet and Malcom Harding, have researched, designed and hand-built an historically accurate Medieval cart under the direction of Carpenter Journeyman Carl Treitler Jr. and master British artisans Steve Sinney and Kieran Wint.

The cart is crafted of reclaimed cypress and oak, rough hewn as it would have been in St. Joan’s time, and it will make its first appearance at the Joan of Arts Fete on Sunday, Jan. 3, 2010.

JOAN STUDENT CONTEST: EXTENDED DEADLINE

2009-11-01T08:26:00.001-08:00

HAPPY ALL SAINTS DAY AND END-OF-HURRICANE SEASON!

WE ARE EXTENDING THE STUDENT JEANNE D'ARC CONTEST UNTIL ONE MONTH FROM THE PARADE, DECEMBER 6TH.

What young female leader in New Orleans do you know ages 16-19 who could be our "Maid of Honor" this year? Caveat: She has to speak some French!

Visit http://www.joanofarcproject.org/ for application and info.

Next book club November 18..time to get reading!

2009-10-13T14:12:00.000-07:00

If you're like me, squeezing in my reading time before bed is about the only way I can get through a book or novel or magazine these days. So this weekend I started reading our next book for our November 18th discussion, JOAN OF ARC: HER STORY by Regine Pernoud. I would encourage you to get it soon because it's our most in-depth so far and the one that makes you want to read more and other books about the times in which Joan lived...that's likely because its author was a medievalist, and you can feel it..she's tenacious about the details. It's also of course wonderful to read a book (albeit translated) by a French historian about Joan of Arc, compared to the first book we read by an American Catholic feminist (Mary Gordon) and the second by an Irish socialist (George Bernard Shaw)!

http://www.librarything.com/author/pernoudrgine

What makes Pernoud's research and presentation all the more credible is that in the introduction Pernoud admits to having been a Joan skeptic and completely indifferent to Joan for years. Her attitude reminds me of the kind of adolescent disdain I've had for people that "everyone" seems to be interested in...if she's so popular, I'm going to ignore her...I am not going to fall for it!

But when she comes across Joan's trial notes she finds herself undeniably astounded and cannot resist the pull to find out more. What results is several books about Joan, a testament to her sincere fascination in someone she'd written off originally as no more than an overused symbol of nationalism (as Joan was so used during Pernoud's lifetime in France) and a possible myth.

Indeed, this change of heart and attention to documentation is what makes this book so satisfying. It's not a traditional biography, as Kirkus Reviews explains:

Kirkus Reviews
A useful and innovative documentary history of the15th-century French insurrectionist. Pernoud, who died in April, has supplemented her previous biography, Joan of Arc (1966), by offering readers this annotated explanation of the controversial saint's historical record. It isn't a biography per se and doesn't follow the standard biographical format of piecing together the available sources to present readers with a chronological narrative. Rather, Pernoud and Clin introduce readers to Joan as she has appeared in various documents, such as the one, contemporary with her lifetime, referring to her as a French peasant girl gathering armed forces to augment the beleaguered ranks of the dauphin's regiment. Information about her birth and childhood is unveiled only in chapter nine, since Joan rose from relative obscurity, and since no one cared enough to inquire formally into her origins until almost three decades after her death. The approach of Pernoud and Clin, both independent scholars in France, thus offers valuable insight into the nature of history and its practices; documents, as their book demonstrates, should always be weighed carefully against one another when any past event is being interpreted. The authors note that while many legends have emerged about Joan (the third section delves into some of these), more verifiable factual information exists about her than about Plato, Julius Caesar, or Jesus.

Remember that Garden District Book Shop, who hosts our discussions, also offers Joan of Arc Book Club members a discount. Deborah McDonald, store manager, is well-read about Joan and much much more...stop in and visit..and come back Wednesday November 18th if you can for our conversation about Joan.

http://www.gardendistrictbookshop.com

Joan on Facebook!

2009-09-20T12:08:00.001-07:00

JOAN GOES MODERN AND CREATES A FACEBOOK PAGE! YOU KNOW SHE WOULD IF SHE COULD...OR SOMEONE ELSE WOULD HAVE FOR HER...

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Joan-Of-Arc-Project/131342193270

JOIN US FOR UPDATES ON EVENTS, CONTESTS, AND PARADE DETAILS..AND CONNECT WITH JOAN FANS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

Thank you NOCCA students!

2009-09-17T13:40:00.000-07:00

Last night, New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts student performers Victoria Summrall, Dean Wray, Dominique Dixon, Sean O’Brien, and Stephen Bertucci presented excerpts from George Bernard Shaw's SAINT JOAN as a prelude to the open discussion of the full-length play at the St. Joan of Arc Book Club. The student presentation was directed and arranged by their teacher, Assistant Department Chair Theatre Arts and local actress Janet Shea.

It was truly amazing and inspiring (as well as educational) to see these young people embody Joan, the Dauphin, and the Bastard of Orleans. The two scenes they presented were excellent examples of Joan's ability to persuade, coax, and bully these very different men (an ineffectual Dauphin and an accomplished soldier) into doing what she wanted and needed! Or, rather, what her Voices told her to do!!

It was especially cool to see youth portray youth...so often it's actors a decade older than Joan who take on Shaw's work and other plays about Joan. Their vitality and earnestness made the pieces seem particularly authentic.

The students and book club members had a lively discussion after the presentation, made so by the variety in ages and perspectives. Thanks to NOCCA for this special experience. We can't wait to find additional ways to partner and showcase your talented students' work!!!

ANNOUNCING: Joan of Arc Student Contest!

2009-09-11T15:17:00.000-07:00

JOAN OF ARC STUDENT CONTEST RULES

ENTRY DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 1ST, 2009

The Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc announces its first annual student Joan of Arc competition for French-speaking young women in New Orleans. The winner will be chosen to lead the second annual New Orleans St. Joan of Arc parade on January 6, 2010 in the French Quarter. This contest is modeled after the contest held annually in Orléans, France, when they select a local girl to lead their military parade celebrating Joan’s victorious lifting of the siege of Orléans from the British in 1428.

There is no fee to enter the contest. The Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc will provide the costume and horse and parade training/riding lessons for the selected Joan. If applicants do have previous riding experience, please let us know.

You can either ask to receive an application form via email or use the information below to create your own application. As long as all the information required is clearly included, we will gladly accept it.

Eligibility: This contest is open to young women, 16-19 years old (the ages of Joan’s most notable feats and trial), who have shown unique leadership abilities and are currently or have recently studied French in high school, college, or at home. (The candidate must be able to speak some French in conversation and be able to represent Joan for media opportunities, public presentations, and at the parade). This contest does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, ancestry or creed. The three top candidates will receive a brief phone interview to assess French fluency and confidence so we may choose the best possible candidate.

Criteria:
1. Completed entry form (see below) including evidence of community involvement and proven leadership abilities.
2. In 250 words or less, describe a time that you, like Joan, believed in yourself and became a leader. How did you inspire others to action? What did you accomplish? Explain both your successes and failures in this leadership endeavor.
3. In 100 words or less, explain how Joan’s story has inspired you and why she is an important symbol for New Orleans.
4. Submit one letter of recommendation from someone (any age) who has witnessed your unique leadership abilities.

All entries must be submitted no later than November 1, 2009

to stjoankrewe@yahoo.com or by mail to

THE JOAN OF ARC PROJECT

P.O. BOX 56815 NEW ORLEANS LA 70156-6815

· Winners will be announced on December 6, 2009
· Winner must be available to lead the Krewe of Saint Joan of Arc procession at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, January 6th 2010
· Winner must be available (pending school and other obligations) for t.v. and radio appearances.

PLEASE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION (aka "entry form") WITH YOUR COMPLETED ESSAYS and RECOMMENDATION LETTER:

Name (Last, First, Middle Initial):
High School

Grade

French Teacher
Street address
Phone number

E-mail
Age
Birthday

(If under 18 – Include parents’ name and phone number)

Leadership and Community Service:

Please list your experience performing volunteer and community service work. Include name of organization, a brief description of your duties, dates and number of hours you performed the work.

Joan for Mayor T-Shirts are a reality!

2009-08-30T07:52:00.000-07:00

Look for these tshirts to be on sale exclusively at POP CITY across from the Joan of Arc statue at St. Phillip and Decatur Streets. Partial proceeds benefit The Joan of Arc Project and krewe members will receive a discount. These will be on sale by Labor Day weekend. Email any special orders to me at stjoankrewe@yahoo.com

I really have Brad Pitt to thank for this..if a well-meaning Hollywood actor can be nominated for New Orleans mayor and have a tshirt made for him, why can't we run our unofficial patron saint of the City? After all, she's got a statue. Brad just has tshirts.

(Who knows, it's possible that in the end Joan endorses Brad...we'll have to wait and see what her Voices say..she had the power to get the Dauphin crowned, remember? Behind every good male candidate is...)

Thank you Tom Harvey for the awesome design! And thank you Rhonda at Pop City for being our tshirt goddess!

The French Embassy loves us!

2009-08-18T11:47:00.000-07:00

For the second time this year, the French Embassy in Washington, D.C. has covered our Joan of Arc activities in their monthly newsletter, News from France.

http://www.ambafrance-us.org/IMG/pdf/nff/NFF0906.pdf

Shaw's SAINT JOAN to be discussed September 16th

2009-08-15T13:24:00.000-07:00

Join us September 16th for our second gathering of the Joan of Arc Book Club at Garden District Book Shop on Prytania Street from 6-7:30 p.m. You can get a copy of the play at a discount at the store:

http://www.gardendistrictbookshop.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp

The event is free and the spirit is one of open discussion. Many who joined us last time came to ask questions about the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc...some came to tell stories about Joan and/or her statue in the Quarter, and to express their thoughts about her as a perfect icon for New Orleans. Indeed, it's just as much a Joan of Arc fan club as anything...and an informal way to get together if you are curious about Joan!

We look forward to opening the discussion this time with the reading of parts of Shaw's play by local actors. Please join us and bring a friend. It's great if you come prepared to discuss and react to the play, but we welcome anyone who just wants to sit in and enjoy the conversation.

Bienville House offers special JEANNE D'ARC RATES!

2009-08-12T14:32:00.000-07:00

Pass it on to your friends and family coming into town for the fete and parade! Our sponsor hotel is holding rooms just for them...stay at our fete and parade headquarters, walk out the door and right to the Bienville statue on January 6th for the parade's beginnings! Centrally located in the French Quarter, gorgeous boutique hotel with lots of character...lovely courtyard and great restaurant, Iris. Walking distance to everything you'd need above and beyond our fabulous festivities. Link here for reservations and more hotel info:

https://reservations.ihotelier.com/crs/g_reservation.cfm?groupID=389645&hotelID=15216

Our parade is five months away!

2009-08-05T13:06:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is August 6th and that marks five months till we get rolling...it's sweltering here in New Orleans and hard to imagine wearing wool and velvet, armor and leather...but alas! Now's the time to contact us to secure your spot.

If you wish to become a member of the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc, or want to present at the Joan of Arts Fete please contact Amy at stjoankrewe@yahoo.com.

Membership will remain open through October but will need to confirm our participants no later than November 1st, All Saints' Day!

As for the Fete, the schedule will be finalized by October 3rd, three months from the Fete.

Thanks for your interest in the Maid of Orleans, and we hope to see you when the weather cools!

Joan did her THANG today!

2009-07-17T15:33:00.000-07:00

When Joan said "I was born for this" she meant she was born to crown the Dauphin the King of France. She made it happen--AND attended his coronation with the banner she carried on the battlefield. Because this was (pun intended) her "crowning achievement", it's something we need to remember her for first and foremost, rather than the most common image of her as a burning martyr. For this reason, we intend to crown a king on Twelfth Night at the Joan statue at the end of the parade route. We already have the King cake...we just need a King!

Our friend Ben Kennedy, fellow Joan blogger, writes all about the coronation and Joan's role in it here: http://saint-joan-of-arc.blogspot.com/

Local columnist calls Joan "The New 'it' Girl!"

2009-07-14T06:50:00.000-07:00

http://www.nola.com/rose/index.ssf/2009/07/joan_of_arc_is_the_new_it_girl.html

Thank you Chris Rose for recognizing Joan as a hipster--and relevant! He gives the krewe a great shout out about our book club, starting tomorrow tonight.

And, he says, in typical NOLA style, the only thinking left to do is to name a drink after her.

Well...we actually have a cocktail contest in the works...we met recently with our sponsor hotel, The Bienville House Hotel, and their restaurant, Iris, about a Joan of Arc cocktail contest for December 6th, one month out from the parade as a way to get the word out about our new route! Look for our tents at the Bienville statue and come out and drink and vote!

Julie, our art director, has been texting me drink ideas for months...come taste and choose...cinammon flavored holy water...hmmm!

Joan goes postal!

2009-07-12T18:24:00.000-07:00

We have gone 20th century with a post office box so you can contact us via envelope regarding membership, send us your information to propose panels and workshops for the Joan of Arts Fete (see website for additional details), send us cool packages and postcards (i.e., should you be traveling to Domremy or Rouen anytime soon), and anything Joan-related!

THE JOAN OF ARC PROJECT

P.O. BOX 56815

NEW ORLEANS LA 70156-6815

Check out the website for additional information on ways you can get involved with us:

http://www.joanofarcproject.org/

"Let Them Eat Cake" event at the French Market, featuring Joan!

2009-07-12T17:50:00.000-07:00

http://videos.nola.com/times-picayune/2009/07/let_them_eat_cake_bastille_day.html

Joan of Arc for Mayor of New Orleans!

2009-07-10T13:58:00.000-07:00

Today in the Quarter I saw some people sporting "Brad Pitt for Mayor" t-shirts.

But I have a better idea.

Why not Joanie on the Pony for Mayor? Why not someone who stands for something? Why not a fierce female who is honest rather than so many of our politicians who couldn't hold a flame to her?

How about a 598-year-old female who knows how to fight and believes in herself and can inspire rather than embarrass? Why not a leader who doesn't care for money or glory and who obeys her own Voices? Last year an Oklahoma town elected a 19 year old for Mayor...Joan was 19 when she died and she'd already saved her country and crowned a King. Quite a resumé.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-05-13-student-elected-mayor_N.htm

Could she be any worse than any living politician? I think not. So I say...let the games begin. Joan for Mayor. Write her in!

Bastille Day events with Jeanne d' Arc!

2009-07-08T06:48:00.000-07:00

Celebrate Bastille Day at the French Market with Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc!

Sunday, July 12 2:00-4:00 p.m. “LET THEM EAT CAKE!” EVENT at the Market Café
Tuesday, July 14 10:30-11:00 a.m. WREATH-LAYING CEREMONY at the Jeanne d’Arc statue

New Orleans, July 7, 2009---The French Market will celebrate Bastille Day twice: on Sunday, July 12th, and on Bastille Day Tuesday, July 14th. Both events, appropriate for the entire family, are free and open to the public. Come down to the Market and celebrate liberté, égalité and fraternité with your fellow New Orleanians!

Indulge in some Francophile fun on Sunday, July 12th, for a tongue-in-cheek nod to Marie Antoinette's infamous line that inspired the French Revolution, "LET THEM EAT CAKE!" for a complimentary cake and champagne party and costume contest at The Market Cafe's outdoor patio. Special guests dressed as Napoleon (MIKKO, Living History Project), Joan of Arc (Caye Mitchell, Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc), and a mime impersonating Marcel Marceau will be present; guests are encouraged to dress as these famous French people or any French character of their choice (Marie Antoinette, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Cyrano de Bergerac etc.). Located adjacent to the New Place de France where the Jeanne d'Arc statue stands at Decatur and St. Phillip Streets, The Market Cafe will serve special French menu items in honor of Bastille Day.

SUNDAY JULY 12TH “LET THEM EAT CAKE!” The Market Café 1000 Decatur St.

2:00-4:00 p.m. Pierre Pichon Gypsy Swing Trio plays French Gypsy Jazz
2:30-p.m. Champagne Toast and Le Marseillaise sing-a-long led by Napoleon and Joan of Arc
3:00 p.m. Complimentary cake served
3:15 p.m. French character costume contest*: OPEN TO ALL AGES!

********Costume contestants must come dressed by 2:30 to register for the contest. The winner will receive a gift basket of Francophile items from French Market retail stores valued at $200.**********

Tuesday, July 14th “LA FETE NATIONALE FRANCAISE” Place de France

10:00 a.m. Guests arrive at the Jeanne d’ Arc Statue at Decatur and St. Phillip Streets
10:30 a.m. Welcome speech from Cecile Andry, president of Council of French Societies (in French, then in English)
10:40 a.m. Olivier Brochenin, Consul General of France in Louisiana
10:45 a.m. Amy Kirk Duvoisin, Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc
10:50 a.m. Ken Ferdinand, French Market Corporation
11:00 a.m. Toast and singing of Le Marseillaise
Join us for breakfast* at The Market Café afterwards!
*Breakfast optional and not complimentary.

Honor Bastille Day in a ceremonial fashion with The Council of French Societies and The Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc on Tuesday, July 14th. His Honorable, Olivier Brochenin, Consul General of France in Louisiana, will speak and lay the wreath at the statue of Jeanne d’Arc. Ken Ferdinand, Executive Director of the French Market, will offer a toast. Complimentary wine and champagne will be served to guests for the toast and singing of Le Marseillaise and complimentary cupcakes will be served by the Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc, featuring Caye Mitchell dressed in armor as Joan.

To view parking and maps, visit http://www.frenchmarket.org/.

OPEN FOR KREWE MEMBERS!

2009-06-29T05:41:00.001-07:00

Last year we were a bit renegade, which was all well and medieval, but this year we are charging dues to be able to pay for things like insurance and more throws, finer costumes and more birthday candles for Joan. Doesn't she deserve 598 rather than 50? (And if we could go back in time, we'd use the money to pay for her lawyer! Or, wait. As someone pointed out to me recently, she may have been WORSE off if she'd been represented!)

If you are interested in joining us, please send me an email at stjoankrewe@yahoo.com and tell me a bit about yourself, why you want to join, what kind of costume you already have or intend to wear, and I'll send you the p.o. box for mailing us your dues as well as other details and dates. We want everyone to have a specific role for walking with us, so either suggest a few or if you want to be assigned something, great! We have plenty of roles we want to fill...from executioner to angels.

KREWE DE JEANNE D'ARC PARTICIPATION LEVELS:

$250 Royalty...you support Joan and send her and her army into battle. Because of you the parade and fete will be possible and parade participants will be well armed with throws and lovely stuff! You will be invited to the krewe party and have all membership benefits, plus a special soiree just for royalty honoring the crowning of the Dauphin (which really occurred on July 17 but whew that's hot so we'll do something in the winter for ya..)

$100 The Army. You are a member of Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc and will be armed with throws and plenty of faith and good company. You will walk with us but must provide your own costume. You may participate in the Krewe Party on January 5th at the Bienville House Hotel for a fee. You will be invited to key organizational meetings, will receive email updates, and must come to one informational meeting in December.

$50 Peasant. You can join at this level as an individual walker OR as a family (limited to 5 which equals $10 per member.) You will need to provide your own throws and costumes and we will provide workshops for those who want ideas and guidance about making handmade throws. You will receive email reminders and must attend one informational meeting in December.

$10 Bastard! You support Joan and the Army from afar and get a bumpersticker that says: PROUD TO BE A BASTARD! Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc to wear proudly on your armor or armored vehicle. You can't walk with us but you please join us at the beginning or end of the parade for our Bienville statue send-off and/or Joan statue soiree.

Contact Amy at stjoankrewe@yahoo.com with any questions!

Joan of Arc Book Club begins July 15

2009-05-25T08:22:00.000-07:00

On the day after Bastille Day, we'll be meeting at Garden District Book Shop on Prytania Street at 6:00 p.m. to begin what we hope is an annual tradition...the Joan of Arc Book Club, a three-part series created out of public demand to know more about our "Joanie on the Ponie".

Known to many locals by her golden French Quarter statue, and to others from their Catholic childhoods as "St. Joan", most don't know the amazing details of her short life, nor the additional characters that inhabited it and helped her to succeed--or caused her to fail.

The three selections below were chosen for their range of information, accessibility, and scholarly importance. The group will be led by Garden District Manager and Book Club Diva Deborah McDonald, who, lucky for us, is also a lead member of the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc.

Each book night we'll have some entertainment to kick off the discussion. For example, for the second book club on September 16th, NOCCA students will read and perform excerpts from Shaw's play.

The Garden District Book Shop will offer a 20% discount for book club participants on these three titles.

JULY 15TH 6-7:15 p.m. JOAN OF ARC: A LIFE by Mary Gordon

SEPTEMBER 16TH 6-7:15 p.m. SAINT JOAN by George Bernard Shaw

NOVEMBER 18TH, 6-7:15 p.m. JOAN OF ARC: HER STORY by by Regine Pernoud and Marie-Veronique Clin.

http://www.gardendistrictbookshop.com/

Mermaids, Warriors, and Knights Welcome!

2009-05-18T10:07:00.000-07:00

Traveling Mermaid, a New Orleans blog penned by a woman named Charlotte, mentioned The Joan of Arc Project in her latest entry. Thanks, Charlotte--and come out and join us! Mermaids, warriors, knights, kings, queens, peasants, fairies, and even judges and bishops are welcome!

http://4travelingmermaid.blogspot.com/2009/05/st-joan-of-arc-project.html

Membership for the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc opens in mid-June 2009, after our first official board meeting.

Email stjoankrewe@yahoo.com if you'd like to receive a notice with membership details. Stay tuned here and to www.joanofarcproject.org. Membership will be $100 for individuals. Additional tiers tbd.

Joan on cover of PSYCHOLOGY TODAY!

2009-05-15T14:43:00.000-07:00

http://anunslife.org/2009/05/06/a-nuns-life-in-psychology-today-magazine/

THE JOAN OF ARC PROJECT LAUNCH

2009-05-11T15:09:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Amy A. Kirk-Duvoisin, Director, The Joan of Arc Project

(504) 251-5046

http://www.joanofarcproject.org/

THE JOAN OF ARC PROJECT IS OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED IN NEW ORLEANS

ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF JOAN'S LIFTING OF THE SIEGE OF ORLEANS, FRANCE

New Orleans, May 8, 2009---Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc members, French Quarter community leaders, business owners, Francophiles, musicians, and artists gathered at The Bienville House Hotel courtyard on Friday, May 8, to celebrate the expansion of The St. Joan of Arc Parade--which rolled for the first time this Twelfth Night, January 6, 2009--into the multifaceted non-profit, the Joan of Arc Project..

Guests were treated to food by Iris Restaurant, French gypsy jazz music by Pierre Pichon, krewe members dressed as Joan of Arc (Caye Mitchell and Kelley Fauchaeux), horses dressed in medieval costumery, signature throws, and announcements by krewe members and community leaders (photos available upon request).

The mission of the St. Joan of Arc Project is to celebrate the relationship of Joan of Arc to New Orleans and to highlight the relationship and lineage of New Orleans to France. The Project is a secular organization whose primary focus is to produce an annual parade and an annual fete honoring Joan of Arc; inspire the public to visit her statue in the French Quarter and understand its significance to New Orleans; represent the medieval times in which she lived; present an artistic interpretation of her pursuits, successes, and failures; celebrate French holidays and significant dates with the public as an opportunity to honor New Orleans’ French heritage; and to evoke pride in our city’s uniqueness by utilizing Joan as a symbol of individual strength, determination, and loyalty.

The Joan of Arc Project is comprised of the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc, The Joan of Arts Fete, and the St. Joan of Arc Parade. The first annual Fete, an all day arts and culture conference focusing on Joan of Arc and medieval culture, will be held on January 3, 2010, at the Bienville House Hotel, the official hotel of the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc. The second annual St. Joan of Arc Parade will roll again on Twelfth Night, but with an extended route beginning at the Bienville statue at Decatur, going up Conti to Chartres, down Chartres through Jackson Square to St. Phillip, to the Joan of Arc statue at Decatur. The Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc will participate in all of the above activities, as well as other French heritage and artistic events throughout the year.

As founder Amy A. Kirk-Duvoisin said on Friday, "We are here to put the French back in the French Quarter and the artistry back into Mardi Gras!" She said the group is committed to being a traditional Mardi Gras walking parade, emphasizing the creation of handmade costumes and throws, including handpainted Saint Joan medallions from saintsforsinners.com and ceramic butterflies made by local artist Julie Wallace, which were given to guests at Friday's gathering.. As Kirk-Duvoisin explained, "Everything we do with the St. Joan of Arc Parade has meaning and relates to the theme...the butterflies reflect the legend that Joan's banner was followed by white butterflies everywhere she went...although we are committed to the historical truth of Joan's story, we are equally intrigued by the artistry she evokes, using the many stories and myths about her as our
Muse."

Another interesting artistic venture was the mention of Delgado Community' College's Carpentry program's partnership with the Project through the college's service-learning program to create authentic, wooden, medieval carts for the 2010 parade. Beyond the French Quarter, Garden District Book Shop on Prytania Street has offered to host a Joan of Arc Book Club, led by Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc member and GDB manager Deborah McDonald . The book shop will host three nights of discussion--in July, September, and November--and offer a 20% discount on selected books. See http://www.joanofarcproject.org/ "calendar" page for book titles and exact dates.

Kirk-Duvoisin also spoke of the significance of the new parade route. "Just as there would be no France without Joan of Arc, there would not be a New Orleans without Bienville and Jackson...by the time we reach Joan's statue on Twelfth Night, after beginning at the Bienville Statue and walking through Jackson Square, we hope that Joan is as well-known to New Orleanians as those two are!"

This historical aspect of the parade seems key to the support offered by Kenneth Ferdinand, Executive Director of The French Market Corporation, which oversees the New Place de France, where the golden Joan of Arc statue stands. "We are proud of all of the cultures that have made New Orleans, but we are especially excited to honor our French heritage in the French Quarter, with the help of The Maid of Orleans".

After Mr. Ferdinand spoke, Cecile Andry, President of the New Orleans Council of French Societies, expressed her enthusiasm for this new group. "The Joan of Arc Project seemed to come out of thin air, and is coming at a perfect time to breathe new life into the many French cultural organizations in the city, " she said. She then encouraged attendees to come to the Market Cafe on Decatur Street behind the Joan of Arc statue on Bastille Day, July 14, at 10:30 a.m., to celebrate France's day of independence with The Council of French Societies, Consulate General of France, The Joan of Arc Project, and others.

There were many other French connections mentioned, such as choosing May 8 for the Project launch: On this day, in Orleans, France, the French celebrate Joan's military victory against the English and its significance in altering the course of the Hundred Years' War and ultimately, in saving France from the English. Kirk-Duvoisin pointed out that in Orleans, citizens were celebrating both the May 8th victory in 1429 as well as VE "Victory over Europe" day, when the Nazis surrendered to the Allies. She also noted that the inspiration for the St. Joan of Arc Parade was born of the parade and festival they hold each year in France, at which Joan of Arc is a central figure.

"Just as they do in France, we will have a contest, which will be announced at the beginning of next schoolyear, to choose a girl who will lead our parade...each year we will have a New Orleans' high school girl lead us...most Mardi Gras parades have Kings and Queens..we will have a Maid lead us."

Others present at the event expressed their enthusiasm for the Joan of Arc Project and its many plans and possibilties. One woman brought a sculpture she had made signifying Joan's burning at the stake. Another woman, a filmmaker, offered to arrange a film series for the Project, including the classic silent Carl Dreyer film from 1928, "The Passion of Joan of Arc."

On the business side of things, Community Affairs Director of the French Quarter Business Association, Annie Flettrich, was present, stating that she had attended the inaugural parade. "We welcome this vibrant, culturally rich, and educational event to the French Quarter and support all efforts to keep it going," she stated. Larry Hesdorffer, Director of the Vieux Carré Commission, said, "This is great (because) it's got such meaning and historical value..."

Shannon Fitzpatrick, from Metropolitan Women and Girl's Center, which serves battered women and rape victims, said the organization was invited to join because Joan of Arc is considered the patron saint of domestic violence victims. In her speech, Kirk-Duvoisin said that the Metropolitan Center was the Project's chosen charity partner, and that they'd be folded into the parade with typical Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc quirkiness..."We're thinking of making them dress in armor and hold a sign that says 'TAKE BACK THE KNIGHTS..."

Kirk-Duvoisin noted that you don't have to be French--or speak it--to join the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc or participate in some way with the Joan of Arc Project. Kirk-Duvoisin has no French bloodline, but she was pleased to find out that her Scottish heritage was linked in some way to Joan of Arc. "Many people don't realize how many connections there are to Joan of Arc. For example, we have Bob Grubb here today, who will be at the front of next year's parade with other bagpipers from New Orleans, because Joan of Arc was led into Orleans in 1429 by bagpipers...the Scots formed an army to join her in battle to fight against their common enemy, the English."

She closed her speech by inviting artists, musicians, costume designers, historians, and basically anyone with an interest in Joan of Arc to contact the group via its newly launched website, http://www.joanofarcproject.org/.

"We even found a place for the Krewe de Faye, a Mardi Gras group that dresses up as fairies, to participate in next year's parade...because Joan of Arc probably danced at the fairy tree in her hometown of Domremy, although she denied it during her trial. But we think she probably did dance there, like any normal medieval girl would. And we're okay with that. She was human, after all."

DailyKos covers Joan of Arc media party!

2009-05-09T05:14:00.000-07:00

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/5/9/729323/-Divertissement:-The-Joan-of-Arc-Project

Thank you, Bienville House and Iris Restaurant!

2009-05-08T16:29:00.000-07:00

Today's media party at the Bienville House was a treat..perfect weather from Mother Nature, delicious food from Iris Restaurant, a gorgeous courtyard setting provided by The Bienville House Hotel, amazing music from Pierre Pichon and company, and great eye candy provided by several krewe members in costume.

Above, Cecile Andry, president of the Council of French Societies, speaks about her enthusiasm for the Joan of Arc Project and our upcoming Bastille Day celebration on July 14th at 10:30 a.m. at The Market Cafe, behind the Joan of Arc statue at New Place de France (St. Phillip and Decatur Streets).

Artists, community organizations, writers, photographers, krewe members, and French Quarter businesses were present today to celebrate the launch of our website, the expansion of our group from the St. Joan Parade to the Joan of Arc Project, (which includes the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc, The Joan of Arts Fete and the St. Joan of Arc Parade) and to hear about our upcoming events and collaborations. New friendships were made today with the Consulate General of France, Metropolitan Center for Women and Children, the Krewe du Faye Fairies, the Vieux Carre Commission, and more. Thanks to all who came out to support us, take photos, and keep the spirit of Joan alive. This was a great kickoff to a wonderful year ahead!

Please visit our website and check out the community page, calendar, and contacts page...where you can reach out and join us!

http://www.joanofarcproject.org/

Media Party at Bienville House Hotel

2009-05-07T10:21:00.000-07:00

PLEASE JOIN THE JOAN OF ARC PROJECT AND KREWE DE JEANNE D'ARC

FOR A MIDDAY MEDIA PARTY Friday, May 8th 12 noon to 1:00 p.m.

at the Bienville House Hotel 320 Decatur Street (garden court)
_____________________________________________________
Contact: Amy A. Kirk-Duvoisin to RSVP or for additional information
(504) 251-5046 or stjoankrewe@yahoo.com

Who: The Joan of Arc Project, which consists of the Krewe de Jeanne d' Arc; the St. Joan of Arc Parade; and the Joan of Arts Fete invites you to this celebration of Joan's victory at Orleans, France in 1429! We're using this opportunity to announce our "battle plans" for 2009 and 2010 as a newly formed krewe and expanded organization.

What: We will have food, drink, French gypsy jazz music, krewe members in costumes, and previews of our signature parade throws to give to guests (limited number).

When: May 8th is the anniversary of Joan's lifting of the siege of Orleans, France. This victory is ultimately what saved France from the English in the Hundred Years' War and renewed confidence in France's military power. It was Joan's first military victory...and she was only 17 years old!

Why: The Joan of Arc Project grew out of the first annual St. Joan of Arc Parade, held January 6, 2009. The Project includes a new membership-based krewe; a one-day Joan of Arts Fete, to be held January 3, 2010; and a new, expanded parade route. We also have several community partnerships and special events we'd like to tell you about that will keep Joan of Arc in the public's mind throughout the year, and give everyone an opportunity to learn more about and celebrate Joan and her significance to New Orleans.

Mission: The mission of the St. Joan of Arc Project is to celebrate the relationship of Joan of Arc to New Orleans, and highlight the relationship and lineage of New Orleans to France. We are a secular organization whose primary focus is to produce an annual parade and an annual fete honoring Joan of Arc; educate all ages about her story; inspire the public to visit her statue in the French Quarter and understand its significance to our city; represent the medieval times in which she lived; present an artistic interpretation of her pursuits, successes, and failures;celebrate French holidays and significant dates with the public as an opportunity to honor New Orleans’ French heritage; and to evoke pride in our city’s uniqueness by utilizing Joan as a symbol of individual strength, determination, and loyalty.

Because Joan of Arc’s birthday is the same day we celebrate Twelfth Night in New Orleans (January 6th), the connection between her life and our city is multilayered. Our signature production is a parade in the French Quarter, selected as our inaugural and our primary activity because it is the most visible, theatrical, and accessible way to engage the general public about Joan of Arc. It is also a nod to the parade held each year in our French sister city of Orleans, France, where a young girl leads a parade on May 8th each year in honor of Joan’s lifting of the siege of Orleans.

Joan Lifts the Siege of Orleans: May 8, 2009

2009-05-03T15:51:00.000-07:00

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=4958

During the Hundred Years' War, the 17-year-old French peasant Joan of Arc leads a French force in relieving the city of Orleans, besieged by the English since October.

At the age of 16, "voices" of Christian saints told Joan to aid Charles, the French dauphin, in gaining the French throne and expelling the English from France. Convinced of the validity of her divine mission, Charles furnished Joan with a small force of troops.

She led her troops to Orleans, and on April 29, as a French sortie distracted the English troops on the west side of the city, Joan entered unopposed by its eastern gate. Bringing needed supplies and troops into the besieged city, she also inspired the French to a passionate resistance and through the next week led the charge during a number of skirmishes and battles. On one occasion, she was even hit by an arrow, but after dressing her wounds she returned to the battle. On May 8, the siege of Orleans was broken, and the English retreated.

During the next five weeks, Joan led French forces into a number of stunning victories over the English, and Reims, the traditional city of coronation, was captured in July. Later that month, Charles VII was crowned king of France, with Joan of Arc kneeling at his feet.

In Orleans, France, they celebrate Joan's victory every year on May 8th:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L_dQomkFx0

Leonard Cohen sings Joan of Arc

2009-05-01T16:04:00.000-07:00

When I first heard this song I didn't like it because I thought that Cohen was claiming that Joan literally wants to wear a wedding dress..then I realized he's saying she's married to her destiny...(I think!)

It's just another great example of how many different people interpret Joan, are inspired by her, and are visited by her as Muse. This is why we'll be exploring Joan of Arc in various art forms at our Joan of Arts Fete, to be held January 3, 2010, at The Bienville House Hotel in the French Quarter. Join us as an artist or audience member!

There will be panels and workshops on everything from Joan as Muse to a songwriting contest about Joan of Arc...

Now the flames they followed Joan of Arc
as she came riding through the dark;
no moon to keep her armour bright,
no man to get her through this very smoky night.
She said, "I'm tired of the war,I want the kind of work I had before,
a wedding dress or something white to wear upon my swollen appetite.
"Well, I'm glad to hear you talk this way,you know I've watched you riding every day
and something in me yearns to win such a cold and lonesome heroine."
"And who are you?" she sternly spoketo the one beneath the smoke.
"Why, I'm fire," he replied,"And I love your solitude, I love your pride.
"Then fire, make your body cold,I'm going to give you mine to hold,"
saying this she climbed insideto be his one, to be his only bride.
And deep into his fiery heart he took the dust of Joan of Arc,
and high above the wedding guests he hung the ashes of her wedding dress.
It was deep into his fiery heart he took the dust of Joan of Arc,
and then she clearly understood if he was fire, oh then she must be wood.
I saw her wince, I saw her cry, I saw the glory in her eye.
Myself I long for love and light, but must it come so cruel, and oh so bright?

--Lyrics by Leonard Cohen

see him sing it on YouTube at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqShebAkMQE

What is The Joan of Arc Project?

2009-05-01T06:53:00.001-07:00

The Joan of Arc Project is a secular organization whose primary focus is to produce an annual parade and annual fete honoring Joan of Arc, educating all ages about her story, and inspiring the public to visit her statue in the French Quarter and understand its significance to our city. As we produce the parade and fete we hope to achieve our additional goals of: presenting and encouraging artistic interpretations of Joan's pursuits, successes, and failures; celebrating French holidays and significant dates with the public as an opportunity to honor New Orleans' French heritage; and evoking pride in our city's uniqueness by utilizing Joan as a symbol of individual strength and loyalty.

We will be opening the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc to new members in June 2009, after our first official Joan of Arc Project board meeting on June 5th. Email me if you would like to join: stjoankrewe@yahoo.com.

Announcing: The Joan of Arc Project!

2009-04-23T08:52:00.000-07:00

Since our inaugural January 6, 2009, St. Joan of Arc Parade, we have been meeting and strategizing about our second annual procession and related events. We have named ourselves The Joan of Arc Project to encompass several activities and levels of participation for those interested in honoring Joan of Arc. Stay tuned for more announcements!

The Joan of Arc Project includes:

Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc
The Joan of Arts Fete--January 3, 2010
The St. Joan of Arc Parade--January 6, 2010

On Friday, May 8th (the date Joan lifted the siege of Orleans, France) we are holding a press conference at The Bienville House Hotel to announce our new parade route; our student contest to choose the a young Joan to lead the parade; details of the Joan of Arts Fete; events throughout the year that the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc will be participating in; Krewe membership information; and more!

Contact Amy at stjoankrewe@yahoo.com if you would like an invitation to this press conference which is open to media and special guests who have an interest in supporting The Joan of Arc Project.

Happy 100th Anniversary of Beatification, Joan!

2009-04-18T12:16:00.001-07:00

While our krewe is a secular one, we have to acknowledge that Joan was finally given her rightful due by the Catholic Church today, 100 years ago. Congrats, Joan!

(For those of you who don't know, this means she was one step closer to canonization, and was now honored with the title of "Blessed"...not quite "Saint"...almost!)

http://www.maidofheaven.com/joanofarc_beatification.asp

New Orleans, home of the Joan of Arc statue on Decatur street, and home of the St. Joan of Arc Parade, is celebrating in it own unique way, at the French Quarter Festival, happening as I write this! The sounds of jazz, Cajun music, classical music, blues, and funk are surrounding Joan, giving her a New Orleans' style party!

Not quite the same kind of acknowledgement offered by Notre Dame in 1909, but...a joyous occasion, nonetheless!

French Quarter Festival Poster Features Joan!

2009-03-15T18:30:00.000-07:00

(poster created by Soren Vandegaard for French Quarter Festivals, Inc.)

Visit http://www.fqfi.org/frenchquarterfest/ for more info and to purchase!

People have been mentioning this poster to me for weeks, and my friend Marci, director of the French Quarter Festival, just sent me a copy! As I told her, it so brilliantly represents how Joan is both past and future...

I'm also utilizing this perfect visual union of Joan with the French Quarter Festival to encourage the Fest to extend their Christmas New Orleans Style to Twelfth Night, so their events might include the Joan of Arc Parade as well as our soon-to-be-unveiled Joan of Arts Fete, a two day festival of Joan activities leading up to the parade (details to be posted soon!)

As I said to Marci, after all, Christmas doesn't end until Twelfth Night!

In the meantime, be sure to enjoy the French Quarter Festival. It's free, the weather's always ideal, and you can visit Joan while down in the Quarter listening to jazz, blues, classical music, Zydeco, Cajun, and more! It's a wonderful way to reconnect with the French Quarter...just like the Joan of Arc Parade.

http://www.fqfi.org/