A poetic pilgrimage through art, education, and play—Casandra Tanenbaum shares her journey as a modern-day nomad creating festivals, sparking joy, and inspiring change.
Casandra Tanenbaum, artist and educator, invites us on a captivating journey through her life as a creative nomad. Opening with a Dr. Seuss passage and a nod to Burning Man, she frames her path as one of pilgrimage—seeking spiritual, educational, and artistic meaning beyond conventional borders. Rooted in Delray Beach, Casandra reflects on the early local influences that shaped her—from working at the Palm Beach Photographic Center at age 14 to her first fire-dancing jam and performance poetry at Dada. Her journey expanded with a cross-country research trip visiting alternative schools and community centers, which challenged her desire to start a school and led her to reimagine education outside of traditional frameworks. She shares her long-standing love of spoken word, particularly through the National Poetry Slam and Youth Slam circuits. A moving live performance of Andrea Gibson’s poem “Traveling,” with guitar accompaniment, underscores her reverence for the emotional power of poetry. From there, Casandra recounts founding Flow Fests—free festivals of circus arts, dance, and yoga now held in cities across the U.S. Inspired by community, whimsy, and play, the festivals grew from a local Lake Worth event to a national movement connecting artists and performers. Casandra closes by encouraging others to step into the unknown with bravery and curiosity. She leaves the audience with a contemplative dedication: “May we develop the bravery to commit to wakefulness, bear witness to anguish, and enjoy our lives.”
About the speaker
Equal parts educator and multidisciplinary artist, Casandra Tanenbaum is a golden mandala of delight! As an artist, Casandra has distinguished herself in various dynamic cultural movements across the last 30 years: digital imaging and graphic design, spoken word and poetry slam, hoop dance and flow arts. Life-long dancer and avid practitioner of yoga, she has been teaching hoopdance since 2008, and co-authored the only American Council of Exercise Accredited HoopDance Instructor Training, Hoola-Fit, in 2012. Casandra created Flow Fests in 2011 with Florida Flow Fest and now produces these festivals of play annually in major cities nationwide. Formerly known as the Slam Mistress of Dada's Delray Beach Poetry Slam, she has been a competitor, coach, MC, volunteer coordinator and event producer for poetry slams of all sizes: as small as your neighborhood coffee house and as large as the National Poetry Slam.
She began her career as an educator with Palm Beach Photographic Centre's digital imaging program when she was still a teenager, becoming an Adobe Certified Expert in Photoshop at age 17. A graduate of Alexander W. Dreyfoos Jr. School of the Arts, and Florida Atlantic University, Casandra earned a Masters Degree in Contemplative Education from Naropa University in June 2012. Currently Education and Special Projects Coordinator for Fun in Motion Toys, she has a decade of combined experience teaching high school Social Studies and managing Cultural Arts programs in after-school programs across Palm Beach County.
Casandra believes that all people deserve play, and encourages you to Live Playfully! And, whether you know it or not, she's cheering you on.
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