NEWSLETTER: arms wide open

Alafia,

This morning we were graced with an encounter with a pod of dolphins so close to shore that they had to dive every time the tide threatened to wash over the rocks. It was so soothing, and needed as our collective nerves have been frayed by this madness going on over in Georgia and Ossetia. If you're not in the know, as if there is no such thing as an Olympics going on, both Russia and Georgia have invaded Ossetia, making me think far too much of the beginnings of WW I. I don't write this newsletter to get THIS type of political action going--there is soooo much to do here in LA, let alone the rest of the US--but lately, these far away ventures feel very very close to home, as we often are called upon to fund both sides, one publicly and the other on the under. You know things are bad when China, I said China, is calling for a truce! Now that's deep, but likely more about not loosing this much needed media limelight to a bunch fools in the Baltic. In any event, we are so fortunate to be able to kick it with the dolphins and make and share our art with each other. I am wondering what concrete steps we can take, other than signing yet another on-line petition--which you should do if you feel so moved--but so often I hear, "peace begins at home," and I know in my bones that I am not always able to bring that frame of mind to my every day. How about you? How do you create peace?

Thanks to all who wrote back last week and I look forward to hearing from others! Still need some contestants for this Other Olympics...

Afrologic. Afrological. Afrologica. How big is you 'fro?
Multiple, fractal, improvisational, polemical, but always moving with spirit and in the service of lifting it/us all up.
That's the Logic of the Afro--sign up, get your community on. New reviews are up! Go check 'em out and get into the conversation.

BLOWIN' BACK THE FRO' after an entire day of no e-mail last week, I have decided that I will need to migrate the newsletter to a gmail account, just to make sure that I can get the puppy out to you! If you are forwarding on the newsletter, thank you! Please distribute widely so we can generate great audiences for our local artists! if you are a local artist or producer, tell your colleagues about the newsletter. We have to grow the networks that we need! This week, there is much homegrown action and several visitors to our poppin' scene! Get our there and show them what you're workin' with.

TONIGHT!
SANTA MONICA PIER
Toots and the Maytals TONIGHT! 7 - 10 PM
'Nuff said. get out there early because it is going to be a zoo!! if you've never been, you might want to bring paper bags and tea lights to mark and light your space on the beach. It is delicious!

ZANZIBAR
Katia Moraes live @ Afro Funké, doors open at 9 pm $10 cover
For those of you with no kids, you must chekc out this event! Katia keeps getting better and better, not a local, but has been in town for ten years now and really has her LA all the way on! Leave the pier and head on over to the show!

EAST SIDE LUV WINE BAR y QUESO
1835 East 1st St., LA, CA 90033; 323.262.7442
8 - 10 PM, Thursday August 14, 2008
LITEROTICANA CHICANA, una noche de luz, deseoy e lengua - a night of light, desire and language with Gloria Enedina Alvarez,Reina Prado, Corrie Greathouse, Rafael Alvarado, R. Funkahuatl G. and Abel Salas

Ms. Pat Payne says brang a fan and orda lotsa ice wata to cool yoself off! This is tonight. Scooth on over there and get your verbal freak on.

PHYLLIS STEIN ART
207 W. 5th Avenue at Spring
| Jesse Chapo and Eric Smail| @ "Downtown Art walk"
Thursday, August 14 at 7:00 - 10:00 PM
More things going on downtown! Sometimes I wish I could handle the air, I would move there to be closer to the great things going on there and in Silver Lake area, not to mention the cheaper rent! Oops, I must be dreaming. Get your walking shoes out, but start at Phyllis' place and check out the latest incarnation of the LA ARt scene.


CAL ARTS
Making Strange: Rooftop Sci-Fi at the Westin Bonaventure
Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites
404 South Figueroa, Los Angeles, CA 90071
Aug 14, 21, and 28, 2008
Thursdays at dusk

Screenings will be held on the Plaza Pool Deck, 4th floor.
Blankets and pillows are encouraged, as seating will be limited.
Street parking, or City National Garage (on Flower Street), $10 with validation.
Hotel valet, $25.
To celebrate the recent launch of Afterall 18, please join us for a three-week rooftop series of sci-fi inspired films and artists videos screened atop the landmark Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites in Downtown Los Angeles. All outdoor screenings are FREE and begin at dusk.

Thursday, August 14
Powers of Ten (Charles and Ray Eames, 1977, 9 min.)
Solyaris (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1972, 163 min.)

Thursday, August 21
Ascension of the Demonoids (George Kuchar, 1985, 46 min.)
Sins of the Fleshapoids (Mike Kuchar, 1965, 43 min.)

Thursday, August 28
Double Lunar Dogs (Joan Jonas, 1984, 24 min.)
Space is the Place (John Coney, 1974, 82 min.)
Just in time! Once the free shows in SaMo end, here is a film festival as quirky as its sponsor. I would say like no other, but those of you in the know have made it to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery for the weekend film series on the vaults. So this is kinda tame!

then later this weekend...

HIGHWAYS
1651 18th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404
SWEAT! A New Summer Dance Festival; $20/$15
Aug 15 - 16th, 8:30 PM SPILL, SPLASH, and SPLENDOR
The second and final weekend of it's first dance festival in a long time begins tomorrow with a bevy of UCR MFA students and local artists! I am very excited to catch up with my peoples! Hope to see you there. New choreography by Alison Bory, Cynthia Lee, Rosie Trump and Sadie Weinberg, curated by Sue Roginski. Not just solos!


TORRANCE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER, Studio One
3330 Civic Center Drive Torrance, CA 90503
Click here for directions
Open for Dance House, RKDC
Sunday, August 17th, 1 PM - 6 PM
Regina Klenjoski hosts an afternoon of classes and showings down in Long Beach!
She teaches a modern class at 1 - 2:30, then members of her company will show off a smidgen of a new piece and a full duet, "The Museum Project" For more info contact Raelle Dorfan at 310.292.7024 or raelle@rkdc.org

BALBOA PARK
Celebrate Dance Festival
Friday, August 22 at 6:00pm to Sunday August 24, 9:00 PM ( i cannot tell if it's a marathon or not)
Three days of dance of all forms and moves, here's to late summer kinetic events! Anyone wanna car pool? Split hotel?
The 12th annual Celebrate Dance Festival highlights 56 dance artists, organizations, and collectives in FREE performances and workshops over three days.

Friday, August 22 ~ 6pm to 10pm
Saturday, August 23 ~ 11:30am to 10pm
Sunday, August 24 ~ 12pm to 9pm

For directions, complete list of presenting artists, and performance schedule please visit: http://www.eveoke.org/cdf.htm


Looking for something that was mentioned last week? Check the archive to your left.



QUIRKY THINGS LOOKING 4 YOUR PARTICIPATION
I could probably come up with a new title for this, but these are not job openings, and not necessarily classes as you know them, so please read on and participate!

VOCAL TRAINING FOR ACTORS WHO WANT TO SING
AND FOR SINGERS WHO WANT TO SING BETTER BY MAIA
MONDAYS, 7 - 8:30PM BEGINNING AUGUST 25, 2008
Lucy Florence Coffeehouse & Cultural Center
3351 W. 43 Street, Los Angeles, CA 90008
(IN THE 2 ND FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM)
$60 per 4 classes or $20 per class (Advance payment preferred. Does not include materials).
This course is designed to build confidence in ones singing voice, help develop and strengthen the voice in general for actors/dancers; and to introduce singers to the world of music from a theoretical perspective. The classes include scale study (ear training), breath control and phrasing, basic music theory, chorale singing and song interpretation. Classes last for 1 and half hours per session. Maia is a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and actor.
To pre-register contact MAIA (maxecalif@hotmail.com) or just show up at the first class.


YOUR UNFINISHED SWEATER CAN BE FAMOUS
Help Kristina Wong Expand the Set of "Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" By Donating Your Unfinished Knitting Projects
Your unfinished sweater, 5 inch scarf, or one-sided poncho can be famous for 15 minutes or more if you donate it to Kristina Wong's set of "Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." Don't be ashamed you never finished what you started. Donate now and feel good for letting your abandoned project transform into a live piece of art. All donators will receive "set construction" credit in the program wherever this show tours.
Sweaters accepted between Friday, August 15, 2008 at 8:00AM and Monday, September 14, 2008
Please MAIL your unfinished knitting piece to:
Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
C/O Kristina Wong
PO Box 251664
Los Angeles, CA 90025
Instructions:
1) We love yarn and knitting projects that come in any color OTHER than black and white.
2) Remove your needle or hook from the piece. If possible run some waste yarn through the loops. No need to bind off. I'd prefer if it wasn't!
3) Write a note describing yourself, why you knit, and what the project was supposed to be and why it never came to be.
The show will open in September! Look for, hopefully, a preview review before then.

AFRICAN DANCE CAMPS & SUMMER INTENSIVES
My goodness! Sabar anyone? Not quite a festival, but Aziz Faye turns his class over to Pape N'Daiye this Sunday, Aug 17th @ 1:30 at the Dance Arts Academy, $15 at the door. This one will be very intense!

Early registration ends tomorrow, Aug 15th, for the Magbana Drum and Dance Retreat in Upstate New York. With the recent airfare slashing announced by almost all carriers, you should really consider venturing out to the land of apples, waterfalls, and foliage.


DanceBANK Summer intensive is simmering at the Open Space:
Sara Wookey
11am-2pm. Saturday, August 16th (one day only) / $20

Rebecca Alson-Milkman
11am-1pm. Tuesday & Thursday, August 19th & 21st / $12

Hana van der Kolk
7pm - 9pm. Thursday, August 21st / $12

These classes will be held at
The OPEN Space
209 S. Garey Street, 2nd floor
LA, CA 90012
- at 2nd St., 3 blocks east of Alameda off 2nd St.

drop-ins welcome!


ONGOING CLASSES
Shelby Williams is back at the Dancer's Studio and Viver Brasil is still splashing up a tsunami at Dance Arts Academy and the Dance Garden. Sarita's class in the park looks lovely (i went and had peek). And I just got word of a new class that looks fabuloso!

Liquid Pop w/ Alexandria Yalj
Sunday, August 17, 2008; 2:30pm - 5:30pm, by donation!
The Open Space, 209 S. Garey Street, Los Angeles, CA

Also, I've mentioned that I will begin to list and venture into spiritdancing or prayerdance "classes" and so I wanted announce Jo Cobbit's series of classes!
Devotion on Wednesdays
Live music with:
This week: Temple Bhajan Band
August 20th: Raven
August 27th: Nadine Risha & Band
September 3: Andrew Behla
September 10: Vic Hennegan
Blankenship Ballet Studio; 132 Brooks Ave
Venice CA 90291 7:30-9:30 $15
info link
These classes are more facilitated than taught, so they can be irritating for the trained dancer on the first go 'round, but after that, it's a great place to rediscover why you keep at it. For the non-dancer, these are loving open spaces to just seek movement. There's also a FANTASTIC Sunday class that I beleive is on hiatus while the teaching duo is at Esalen. More info as I have it.
All of these classes, plus some I have not mentioned are here, on the dance map!

Quick poll: would you come out to a donation based African dance class in Ozone Park (it's on the map) on August 27 at 10 AM or at 6 PM? I am itching to see you all! We could potluck picnic afterwards. Let me know ASAP.


LOVELY!
There is so much vital, healing energy literally hovering in the air. In the coming week, drop in and tap into this and magnify it! Send it out to your loved ones and to places in the world where other humans have forgotten that this exists for them as well. Open your arms as wide as possible so that your heart can lift us all.

in love,
-Anna