Monthly Archives: June 2009

1 Jun, 2009

“Bihag”, my choreographic take on the Hip hop Tinikling

2009-06-01T22:15:34-07:00By |Categories: CounterPULSE, Dulce Capadocia, Images, Performing Diaspora|Tags: |

This week, I frantically drove to a graffiti exhibit and documentary screening in Downtown Los Angeles of the movie "GraffLife" directed by Randy DeVol. It follows the secret night missions and on the run daytime activities of urban taggers living in my home and city. I thought I was late; this was one of the first events that was going to serve as important sensory information. I rushed to get to the venue to find a noisy bar where everyone

2 Jun, 2009

Devendra Sharma for Performing Diaspora: Let us reclaim the respect for the indigenous folk artist

2009-06-02T05:23:01-07:00By |Categories: CounterPULSE, Devendra Sharma, Performing Diaspora|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Colonialism does strange things to a culture. Ignoring one’s own indigenous “ordinary” culture, and blindly imitating others’ “legitimate” culture is one of them. It takes years and a lot of efforts before a culture realizes its self-worth during the post-colonial journey. At present, urban culture in India and Indian diaspora around the world is undergoing this journey. Let me share some of my life and thoughts with you as a rural folk artist from India who, first, migrated to a

2 Jun, 2009

The Revolutionary Roots of Mexican Folk Dance

2009-06-02T13:03:31-07:00By |Categories: CounterPULSE, Gema Sandoval, Performing Diaspora|Tags: |

Mexican folk dance has been a part of California since the the late 18th century. In those days the itinerant dance "maestro" went from Rancho to Rancho teaching the latest European dance fads to a multigeneretional clientele. When the Californios held their "meriendas" and "bailes", this was the perfect opportunity for every elegible bachelor and young señorita to display their skills in dancing the cuadrilla, polka, waltz, and schotis. In those days it was fashionable, even necessary, for the "gentlemen

2 Jun, 2009

Colette Eloi, Performing Diaspora Artist-Defining my Art

2009-06-02T13:57:16-07:00By |Categories: Colette Eloi, CounterPULSE, Performing Diaspora|Tags: , |

If I were being safe I would say my art form is Haitian Folkloric Dance, then I would expound on it. However this would not be absolutely accurate. I am Haitian blooded African American raised in the United States by Haitian immigrants...."black". The two cultures are quite distinct yet share a "way","taste", "movement". This gives me a type of "dual consciousness".  Haitian Dance has deep roots in Africa.  They are planted in African traditions . The art I create expands

2 Jun, 2009

Traditional dance does not put the “no” into innovation (with apologies to the shredded wheat commercial)

2009-06-02T17:32:54-07:00By |Categories: CounterPULSE, Performing Diaspora, Sri Susilowati|Tags: , |

The essence of the esthetics of Indonesian dance, and that particularly from the islands of Java and Bali, can be explained through three words: wirama, and wirasa. Wirama means the harmony and internal rhythm of the movement. Wiraga is the intensity and fullness of the movement not in term of its external power, but more along the lines of being filled with chi (in Chinese) or prana (Sanskrit). Soft and delicate movement can be wiraga while movement that is seemingly strong and powerful can lack it altogether. Wirasa is the feeling of the movement. The word “feeling” here is used not in sense of emotion or passion, but in term of the sensation when emotion and mental construct are set aside.

3 Jun, 2009

Words, words, words

2009-06-03T18:49:37-07:00By |Categories: CounterPULSE|Tags: |

This has been a season of firsts for me and the company: our first gallery installation in May, our first time at CounterPULSE, my first truly whimsical, comic dance—and now my first time out blogging. I’m the kind of person who re-writes and re-punctuates texts messages before sending them, so the idea of publishing my thoughts “casually” on a blog feels like a bigger deal than it probably actually is. And it’s not like I don’t have a lot to

5 Jun, 2009

Stephen Pelton Dance Theater

2009-06-05T15:50:49-07:00By |Categories: Events|Tags: |

Dances for the Next Depression Stephen Pelton Dance Theater Thurs.-Sat. June 11-13, 8pm Sun. June 14, 7pm, $20 (Members $15) Depression? Again?? SPDT’s sixteenth annual home season will see you through with the premiere of Sugarfoot Stomp. Created in collaboration with playwright-in-residence Brian Thorstenson, this new dance will be performed to the irresistible sounds of Larry Clinton & His Orchestra. Season highlights include a revival of and a white light in the back of my mind to guide me and

6 Jun, 2009

Sonya Smith & dance ceres with special guest, Sadie Weinberg present in/divisible

2009-06-06T09:13:46-07:00By |Categories: Events|Tags: , , , , |

Thurs.-Sat., June 4-6, 8pm, $15 (Members $10) Emerging choreographers Brittany Brown Ceres and Sonya Smith present world-premiere dances in a flight of sensual entwinement through societal lore, fortifying a journey from despair to empowerment. Navigating metaphors of intra- and interpersonal entanglement, hidden limitations, and visceral emotion, Smith & Ceres shape an evening of fluid, curious and frenzied dance. Buy Tickets Now!

10 Jun, 2009

Weird Physical Theater in the Mendocino hinterlands

2009-06-10T12:22:15-07:00By |Categories: CounterPULSE|Tags: |

It’s not exactly a “dance barn” – no animals were ever kept up in the rehearsal space, there aren’t any bales of hay – but when I tried to think of a name for this place, that’s what first came to mind.  We are in the Mendocino back-country, full of nervous ganja farmers, far enough outside Willits that no one hears us but the bullfrogs and the crickets.  This place is off the grid.  We all sleep on futons on

18 Jun, 2009

Sorry to have been out of the loop! Ana Maria and CONTRA-TIEMPO are back!

2009-06-18T01:35:32-07:00By |Categories: Ana Maria Alvarez, CounterPULSE, Performing Diaspora|Tags: , , , |

We have been in 'production mode' - and I apologize to my fellow Performing Diaspora Familia - our production went up - it was a success - and I am now ready to be on board!! We are gearing up for a tour to Cuba in July - there we will be training with two phenomenal Cuban companies - Narcisco Medina Danza Contemporania in La Habana and Cutumba Baile Foklorico in Santiago de Cuba. We will be presenting work (from

18 Jun, 2009

Undine and You Don’t Know Jack – sold-out shows?

2009-06-18T16:32:17-07:00By |Categories: CounterPULSE|

Hi from Anson and the Carpetbag Brigade, If you want to see two fun, disturbing physical theater shows in a double bill, you should buy a ticket in advance! We have generated a huge amount of interest at the Network of Ensemble Theatres Summit, happening in SF this week, and they are snapping up our tickets. We may well sell out both nights. It's not a bad problem to have, and I wanted to pass on this news to you,

18 Jun, 2009

Undine and You Don’t Know Jack

2009-06-18T20:00:51-07:00By |Categories: CSA, Events|

Hand2Mouth Theatre and the Carpetbag Brigade Thurs.-Fri. June 18-19, 8pm, $18 (Members $13) Special double bill performance, produced in association with the NET (Network of Ensemble Theaters) summit. Buy Tickets Now! You Don't Know Jack Adding a Jungian twist to Jack and the Beanstalk, You don’t know Jack is the Carpetbag Brigade’s surreal, comic tragedy of an alcoholic dead man and his wildly dysfunctional family. Inspired by The Sibling Society by Robert Bly, this hour-long nightmare fairy tale mixes physical

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