Dancing Star Foundation

2007

"Dr. Michael Tobias on Global Biodiversity Issues and the Himalayas,"
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A half-hour news documentary special by Bhutan Broadcasting Service, October 2007.

Orangutan Foundation International
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Dancing Star Foundation, in collaboration with Orangutan Foundation International hosted a very special event with the renowned Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas in April 2007 to help inspire support for continued conservation efforts in Borneo and Sumatra to save habitat, and that species most similar of all to humans, the Orangutan.
http://www.orangutan.org/

2006

The Dancing Star Foundation/Maungatautari Trust
Species Translocation & Community Conservation Workshop
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November 2006
This New Zealand/ Aeotearoa - focused workshop involves invited community groups, ecologists and government agency representatives in discussion topics of intense relevancy to current conservation efforts at sanctuaries, reserves, parks and on private trust lands. The focus was upon the beneficial translocation of native species into appropriate areas; the sharing of knowledge, best practices, tools, methodologies and unique experiences to-date; the application process and its user-friendliness (or not) from the perspective of different community groups; the collective management experience of translocations; pre-, and post-translocation issues in New Zealand; the many lessons learned that can improve the underlying basis for, and success rate of, translocations; habitat corridors and new ideas, proposals, and prospects for enriching the connectivity of heretofore discrete mainland islands and "island refuges" throughout the country.

See: http://www.maungatrust.org/gallery/
Click here for full Powerpoint presentations

"Mad Cowboy" screenings
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In addition to its premiere on KQED/PBS/San Francisco and various PBS stations throughout the U.S., "Mad Cowboy" won the 2006 Artivist Film Festival for Best Feature Documentary and was screened for groups in New Zealand, Australia, at the UCLA Medical School, at the Peace Festival in Orlando, as well as at numerous engagements by Howard Lyman (See Voice for a Viable Future website.)

See: http://www.mbcrc.med.ucla.edu/Events/Events012507.htm
http://www.mbcrc.med.ucla.edu/
www.artivists.org/
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/'Mad+Cowboy'+Wins+Artivist+Film+Festival+Best+Feature
+Award-a0155291535

"Converging Issues in Global Species Protection"
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A lecture, with video clips, by Dr. Michael Tobias for the South Bay Bird Society, Los Angeles, August 14th, 2006. This talk examined some newly emergent themes in the struggle to save rare species, particularly avifauna, with case studies drawn from Peru, New Zealand, the U.S., and elsewhere. What are some of the ramifications of translocation; challenges of recovery; genetic inbreeding? What will global warming mean to habitats with respect to threatened and endangered species? How can individuals make a difference?

Presentation at S.A.F.E.
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In June 2006, Dr. Tobias screened "Mad Cowboy" and gave an informal presentation to the staff and friends of Save Animals From Exploitation (S.A.F.E.) at their headquarters in Christchurch, New Zealand. S.A.F.E. is one of the leading animal rights organizations in New Zealand and is working brilliantly to curb the abuse, torment and slaughter of domestic and wild animals on numerous fronts. S.A.F.E. has managed to put a "face" on the animals of human consumption for more and more New Zealanders and the results are increasingly impressive.

"Dr. Michael Tobias On Biodiversity, Human Population, and Animal Rights"
on Earthtalk
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Three Half-Hour TV Interviews. Alexandra Paul and Peter Kreitler interviewed Dr. Tobias for a half-hour segment on the topic of global biodiversity in mid-June for their long-standing TV series, Earthtalk. Earlier in the season, Peter Kreitler did a half-hour show with Tobias and Bob Gillespie of Population Communiation on issues pertaining to global family planning and the environment, and a half-hour Earthtalk special with Tobias on animal rights and compassion.

See http://www.earthtalktoday.tv/.

Ahimsa Center
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In April, 2006, Dr. Tobias lectured at the Ahimsa Center at Cal Poly Pomona, on global ecological non-violence.

Presentation to the National Association of Independent Schools Annual Meeting of Business Administrators
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In late April 2006, at the Center for Early Education in Los Angeles, Dr. Tobias presented a lecture/ film/ discussion on the critical need for enriched environmental education in the classroom to a core group of senior business administrators representing a cross-section of independent schools across the United States.

2005

DSF/Loyola Marymount University Seminar
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In Fall 2005, DSF Exec. Vice President Jane Morrison and Dr. Tobias presented a weekend seminar at Loyola Marymount University, the first such annual DSF seminar at LMU, an intensive workshop on global ecological issues and non-violence that provided participants with university credit.

Island Fest
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For five years, the Foundation put on its annual "Island Fest" film and lecture series in southern New Zealand involving over 30 of New Zealand's foremost ecological scientists, artists and filmmakers. Several outstanding nature documentaries premiered at "Island Fest." During 2004 and 2005, "Island Fest" was held in collaboration with the Southland Museum and Art Gallery.

PDF FILE: Island Fest 2001-2005

"No Vacancy" Screenings
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In addition to its nationwide screening over numerous PBS stations, the feature documentary showed at the following film festivals: Bay Street Film Festival, EarthVision 2005 International Film & Video Festival (Winner, Environmental Sustainability Award), Anchorage International Film Festival, The Big Muddy Film Festival, The Omaha Film Festival, Sarasota Film Festival, The Flint Film Festival Mendocino Film Festival, the New York Film & Video Fest, Tahoe-Reno International Film Festival, FAIF Festival, The Secret City Film Festival, The Queens International Film Festival, The Cinefest Sudbury International Film Festival, COMMFFEST International Film Festival (Winner, Best Documentary).

In addition, the film was able to serve as the platform for three very special benefits: Planned Parenthood of Pasadena, the Santa Barbara Planned Parenthood and the United Nations Association of Pasadena.

Additional private screenings of "No Vacancy" occurred (to date) at: The Pasadena Art Center, Loyola Marymount College, The Population Council, New York, The Goethe Institute in Washington, D.C., and at Pitzer College as part of a symposium on Population, Women and the Environment.

Collapse Exhibition First Friday at Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
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In November 2005, Dr. Tobias moderated a First Friday for the Collapse Exhibition at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and screened an assemblage of clips from fifteen of his ecological films, as well as presenting a short discussion pertaining to the issues raised by the Collapse exhibition, by way of introduction to the other speakers.

See: http://www.nhm.org/firstfridays/?date=20051104

2004

2004 International Keynote Address to the New Zealand Planning Institute
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See Articles for the full text of the speech by Michael Tobias, entitled "The Ecology of Conscience – Sustainability Issues for New Zealand".

2003

"Ahimsa -Non-Violence"
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Film Presentation and Discussion
"Representing Animals", November 13th and 14th, 2003, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario