History & Impact of Dodoland

Recently asked by my editor Jacquie Howardson to put the history of the Dodoland project in one page… wow hard to do but here goes!

“Journey to Dodo Land” (Dodoland) was published by Bird Helmet Productions in LOS ANGLES in 1977. The outstanding large format colorful book won n 1978 a Printers Institute of America Award. 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. NBC was at the launch of the book “Journey to Dodoland”. The second edition is “Dodoland Adventures”.

Through the years Dodoland creator Della Burford has worked with many others in collaboration. 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 the theatre production Journey to Dodoland. Della Burford was co-director and assisting and always helping in many ways was Dale Bertrand.  Merian Soto 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.

  • Dodoland was performed at the Native American Indian Community Centre–
  • Children’s festival in Remini, Italy-
  •  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 Museum of Natural History –
  • 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. 
  • 1980 a benefit performance was given at the Cuban Refugee Camps in Pennsylvania .
  • One favourite project was working with the children at the Wandering Spirit Survival School. Della and Dale did many projects at the Wandering Spirit Survival School with Vern Harper and Pauline Shirt.
  • A workshop was lead by Della Burford with the children at Sunnyview School in Toronto. 

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

“Magical Earth Secret” was performed for two years in New York by Imaginations Unlimited before being published as a book in 1990 by the Western Canada Wilderness Committee . The book 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  at the Swiftsure project in Victoria, British Columbia, thanks to Dave Godfrey who piloted the program and Ivan Sinclair who did the initial web design , underwritten by the British Columbia goverment of Canada, using internet technologies to showcase BC culture and became http://www.dodoland.com. 
  • The website was passed on to Della Burford, and Dale Bertrand (authors and illustrators) who kept the cyberspace playground 1995 going beyond this time as a labor of love. This was one of the first internet e-zines. It still is up in 2023.

Dodoland Online – 28 years – 22 million hits by 2 million individuals.

For the website the Earthchild Environment Foundation collecting Peace Wishes that were published in two separate Peace Scroll books by Diana Rhodes that became part of  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 Childrens festivel She finished an “ArtSmart” project at Immaculate Conception School in Vancouver in April ofnal Child 2003. In 2004 Della facilitated a workshop in Holland on “ Creating your own Healing Story“– thanks to Marijke Sluijter. 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 at Gapyeong.

The Storytelling in Korea.. assisted by Jacqueline Howardson who has also edits Della’s books.

  • In 2009, 10 and 11, and in 2021 Della and Dale were travelling to MEXICO.
  • In 2011 Della storytold at a school in New York and workshopped “Make an Angel for Japan” in Toronto. – In having a dream of Ernst Fuchs Della travelled to AUSTRIA in 2012 to study the Mische technique with Philip Rubinov Jacobsen. She visited the Ernst Fuchs Chapel in Klagenfurt.
  • Della collaborated with Aaron Zerah and painted the book Spirit Stories.
  • Dream Wheels was published in 2012 which showed how many projects were fueled by dreams. One being Magical Earth Secrets. 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 from Japan in 2015 in Mexico -2018 in Japan. They produced Magical Earth Secrets. Ruu Ruu was the costume designer. Working from dreams.
  • 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 who also danced for Topia in 2023.
  • Many times in Bali Della and Dale was in collaboration with I Made Sida at his Dance Company Paripurna. Thanks also to Swastini always. One focused on Creativity and Art and Dance – Bali Feeds our Dreams is a book that came out the Spirit of Writing and Art workshp at Karja’s in Bali.
  • 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 preferrmance done at the Paripurna school. 
  • Thanks to my sister Norah Burford who has been coordinating the events which for Spirit of Writing and Art workshops in Bali. Bali Feeds our Soul is a video done of work in Bali – Fabrizio Bellardetti did photography for two books about the projects in Bali.
  • Della was honored to be part of the Visionary Alchemy show in New York and also showed her painting in 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 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” was been made into a storytelling/dance show in JAPAN .
  • Miracle Galaxy being performed in Japan .. sister story to Star Galaxy for the World.   Ruu Ruu has produced and made fantastic costumes. Della storytold Dodoland and Dream Gifts for the Planet Earth in Japan at the Asaba Art Studio- thanks to Kazuko Asaba who was the host.
  • Paul Vrenken 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. – Jon Van Meter has done a video of Earth Action for the final event of Design Science Studio.
    • Virgil Scott sang the Circle Song about the wheels in Earth Action
  • Earth Action was edited at the Space Camp of the Buckminster Fuller Institute.
    • In the Design Science Studio program Della has created a Quilt (Collage) for Humanity with 30 artists from 15 countries. She has held workshops in Holland with participants from Kenya present. 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.
  • Della and Julian Ramirez have created Star Galaxy for the World Topia
  • Julian Ramirez has created an animated film of Star Galaxy for the World. It was shown at the I Am Peace film forum in Columbia. video sharing a Dodoland on Topia.
  • CNN’ s Call to Earth – sharing of Star Galaxy of the world at Departure Bay School. Kazuko Asaba came to Canada and joined me in a later workshop on Earth Action at the school in 2023.
  • Steven Leavitt did a podcast of the Earth Action project for his Spaceship Earth Podcast. We also did a podcast called “Paint your Dreams” which I will share soon.
    • A new Dodoland website was created by Chris Martin and on this website a Dodoland Shop is being developed by Della with the assistance of Arries Pagaduan. It features poster, t-shirt, accessories and Collections of Dodoland, Magical Earth and Star Galaxy Design apparel.
    • Thanks to so many wonderful people. I have only mentioned a few. Love you all – Della