History & Impact of Dodoland

History & Impact of Dodoland – short version

“Journey to Dodo Land” (Dodoland) was published by Bird Helmet Productions in LOS ANGLES in 1977. The outstanding large format colorful book won a Printers Institute of America Award in 1978. Della Burford, author and illustrator, created this land where “you can be what you want to be”. Dale Bertrand’s photographs were published to create the Giant Flower Island. In Dodoland you will find a Sea of Love, A Dragon Ship, Land of Fire, Night Bubble, Island of Eyes and a Giant Flower Island.

Through the years Dodoland creator Della Burford has worked with many others in collaboration. Some will be listed below. In the winter of 1978 Tedrian Chizik of NEW YORK of cuban descent, a dance and movement specialist began to performing as the Elemental Dodo. He directed and produced Journey to Dodoland – Dodo Land ( Dodoland). Della Burford was co-director and assisting were Dale Bertrand ,helping in production. and Merian Soto who performed as the Dancing Flamingo and  Julie Lieberman as Cooey and Musical Director. Jerry Shrair was the first Musical Director. Larry Karush also was a musical director of Dodoland.

1980 a benefit performance was given at the Cuban Refugee Camps in Pennsylvania sponsored by the Red Cross.

The Project “Opportunidad” project was held in 1982 in East Harlem.

Dodoland performed at many hospitals including the Sloan Kettering Hospital and Metropolitan Hospital in New York. Della, Dale, Merian , Tedrian, and Alice took Dodoland to all the Schools for the Hearing Impairedin Ontario and Dodoland was translated into sign language. Della also led a project for prisoners at the Metro Toronto Detention Centre
Dodoland was adapted as a performance for many different events, building and festivals.-
Dodoland performed at the Native American Indian Community Centre,
Children’s festival in Remini, Italy t-
Through the sponsorship of the Organization of American States taken to the “Magic in Me” Conference in GUATEMALA in 1983, where 300 teachers from Central and South America attended.
In New York City Dodoland performed at the 3rd Street Music School-
Museo Del Barrio-
Brooklyn Academy of Music-
Lincoln Center Library,-
Staten Island Childrens Museum-
St Peter’s Church adjacent to Citycorp.
Dodoland performed for seven years in New York for over 100,000 children.
Dodoland went to Washington and was performed at the Smithsonian Institute in the Discovery Theatre and at the Pavilion of the old Post Office.
Storytelling at the” WNYC Storytelling Festival in Central Park.
Over many years ”Journey to Dodo Land” (Dodoland) and many other of Della’s stories was done as storytelling by Della in hundreds of schools with the Inner City Angels and thru the Ontario Arts Council.

One favourite was working with the children at the Wandering Spirit Survival School. Della and Dale did many projects at the Wandering Spirit Survival School with founders Vern Harper and Pauline Shirt.

– A workshop was lead by Della Burford with the children at Sunnyview School and was a Ontario Arts Council project.

Della was Director of the children’s part of the Cape Cod Writer’s Conference in 1987.

-“Magical Earth Secret” was performed for two years in New York by Imaginations Unlimited before being published as a book in 1990. It became a bestseller in Canada.

-“Magical Earth Secretes has been storytold in SWEDEN by children at the wonderful Globetree event in the Concert Hall in Stockholm and danced at the Centennial library in Edmonton, Alberta by the Maria Formolo Dance Company at the Celebration of the Environment .

-1995 the Journey to Dodo Land story (Dodoland) was chosen to be showcased, thanks to Dave Godfrey and Ivan Sinclair, in the Swiftsure project in Victoria, British Columbia, underwritten by the British Columbia goverment of Canada, using internet technologies to showcase BC culture and became www.dodoland.com.

Della Burford, Dale Bertrand (authors and illustrators) launched the cyberspace playground 1995. One of the first e-zines on the internet.

Dodoland Online – 26 years – 22 million hits by 2 million individuals.
The Earthchild Environment Foundation collected Peace Wishes that were published in two separate Peace Scroll books for the Dodoland website. The foreword for the last book was done by the Dalai Lama.
Della Burford also participated in a major Artist Residence at Sundance School and showed the students and her Miracle Galaxy and Dale’s Art from his project at the Community Arts Council Gallery.
In 2002 Della storytold at the International Children Festival in Vancouver.
She finished an “ArtSmart”project at Immaculate Conception School in Vancouver in April of 2003.
In 2004 Della facilitated a workshop in Holland on “Creating your own Healing Story“– thanks to Marijke Sluijter in Holland.
In 2004 Della also did a storytelling at the Festival for Children at West Coast Plaza in Newport Beach.

-Della storytelling Dodoland and Magical Earth Secrets at West Coast Plaza – Festival of Children – Newport Beach.

-Della went to Korea the summer of 2007 and 2009 to storytell and help the children make their own books. This took place in the Dream Center in KYEONGJU and Gapyeong

Storytelling in Korea.. assisted by Jacqueline Howardson. Jacquie has been the editor of many of Della’s books.

In 2009,10 and 11, and in 2021 and 2023 Della and Dale were

facilitating Art project in Mexico.

– From 2007-18 Della and Dale travelled to BALI to photograph, film, workshop and paint. This is a videos of one of our “first trips to Bali.

– In 2011 Della storytold at a school in New York and workshopped “Make an Angel for Japan” in Toronto.

– Della travelled to AUSTRIA in 2012 to study the Mische technique with Philip Rubinov Jacobsen.

– Through 2013/19 the Magical Earth Secrets story was performed as a play in JAPAN –  produced by 100% Parade . Dale and Della met with the Producers Kazuko Asaba and Ruu in 2015 and 2018.

– In 2015 Della, Kazuko and Ruu Ruu did a storytelling at the Vancouver Language Centre and at the University in Guadalajara , Mexico with Gloria Arroyo.

Magical Rainbow – Magical Earth Secrets – Japan- 70 people involved.

-Many times in Bali Della and Dale were in collaboration with I Made Sidia at his Dance Company Paripurna. Thanks also to Swastini. They focused on Creativity and Art and Dance.

– Many projects have been done with the Paripurna Dance School with Made Sidia in Bali. The story of Magical Earth was translated in Indonesian in 2018 and a improv preformance done at the school. Thanks to my sister Norah Burford who has been coordinating the 9 Bali feeds the Soul workshops in Ubud. Video of Bali. Fabrizio Bellardetti did photography for two books and two books were created about the projects in Bali.

– Della was honored to be part of the Visionary Alchemy show in New York , Ottawa, Montreal, Peru and London with the SOCIETY FOR ART of IMAGINATION group. Thanks to Brigid Marlin, France Garrido , Miguel Tio and Olga Spiegal.

– Della was asked to be a remote speaker at a Visionary Art Conference in MOSCOW. She also felt honored to receive first prize in the Visionary Graphic category.

– Della was interviewed by Joan of Angels on her Angel and mystical experiences.

– Della and Dale went to see the Kanazawabunko Festival in JAPAN in 2018 where “Majical Rainbow” was featured. Thanks to the people who donated to the the Go Fund me Campaign who helped make the trip possible.

In 2019 , 2021 and 2023 the story of “Miracle Galaxy”has been made into a storytelling/dance show in JAPAN .
Miracle Galaxy being performed in Japan .. sister story to Star Galaxy for the World. Producer Ruu Ruu produced and made fantastic costumes. Dodoland was also told in Japan at the Asaba Studio.
Paul Vreken with the translation of Marijke Sluitjer has made Magical Earth Secrets into a video storytelling in Holland.-Della has been part of the Design Science Studio program at the Buckminster Fuller Institute for 2021/2022. She has created “Earth Action” with the SpaceCamp program with the Buckminster Fuller Institute in 2023. Jon Van Meter has done a video of Earth Action for the final event of Design Science Studio.
Earth Action created at the Space Camp of the Buckminster Fuller Institute.
In the Design Science Studioprogram she has created a Quilt (Digital Collage) for Humanity with 30 artists from 15 countries. She has held a zoom workshops in Holland with participants from Kenya present who she has followed up with some mentorship.

Della has designed two Topia Worlds for alternative reality immersive experiences. One “Star Galaxy for the World has been created with designer and 3-D artist Julian Ramirez. Dale Bertrand has assisted. Julian has also put Star Galaxy up on the immersive site New Art City and made an animated film.

–  Julian Ramirez short animated film of Star Galaxy for the World has been shown at the I Am Peace film festival in Columbia.

The Topia World for Dodoland.

Chris Martin has launched a new website for Dodoland. Della has been working with Arrie Pagaduan on developing a Shop featuring posters, T- shirts, accessories and Dodoland, Magical Earth and Star Galaxy Design apparel in 2023.