Photos by Alexandra DerschOn November 9, gypsies, pirates, cowboys and some of the just plain freaky took over Roosevelt Street to celebrate the second Phoenix Annual Parade of the Arts. The only pedestrian-led, fun for all ages parade in Phoenix brought together Phoenicians of all shapes and sizes.
Starting at 5 p.m., a cowboy-turned-announcer flicked on the lights of a makeshift stage, set up against a Roosevelt house. He welcomed everyone to the parade, stating that to begin, various acts of entertainment would delight the visitors.
A group of gypsies, calling themselves Fusion Federation, first took the stage. Their first song was heavy rock, something not typically associated with belly dancing and gypsies. But as individual dancers and as a group, Fusion Federation’s choreographed moves synched together with the rough beat and rugged lyrics perfectly. They then moved onto a techno song, soothed with a faint string instrument melody. With precision and care, they combined traditional gypsy moves with robotic, glitch-like steps, creating an eerie yet entrancing performance.
Gypsies Alicia and duo Roxie and Teresa followed Fusion Federation, once again combining tradition with modern moves and culture. Alicia showed off her flexibility and grace while Roxie and Teresa impressed the audience with their refined abilities to stay in-sync with each other. From alternative rock to Bollywood hits, their selected tracks blended different cultures and art forms together in a new, innovative presentation.
Next up were the more unique acts. Chase Archer, a businessman by day and a 
circus performer by night, started things off. His juggling and impressive slide-of-the hand demonstrated his dexterity and precision. He was followed by “Devil Stick Dave,” whose talent is fairly difficult to put into words. Taking four claw-like pieces of wood, the performer moved them so fluidly that they became moving shapes in front of the naked eye, creating a creepy yet mesmerizing effect.
My favorite act by far took the stage just after Devil Stick Dave. Carrying seven, neon-green hula-hoops, Jessica Packer dropped all but one of them and removed her hood. Starting off with basic hula-hoop tricks, Packer added more and more hoops until she simply had nowhere else to put them. Her most amazing feat was placing all seven of them on her back, shoulders and arms, turning herself into a faux-robot, making her every move seem tech-y yet fluid.
“Global Vortex” and his interactive break-dancing finished off the staged 
entertainment as floats and more parade attendees began arriving. From a costumed bird, swinging inside a home-built cage, to a couple of friends that turned a wheelchair motor and cardboard into a robotic, noble steed, the parade was full of the interesting and the strange.
As soon as it got dark enough, people took to the streets - allowing those with computers on their heads and fairytale creatures to take lead and show off their artistic talents. Full of LED light displays, dancers and artists alike, The Phoenix Annual Parade of the Arts was beautiful and oddly entertaining.
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