NEWSLETTER: feet shoulder width apart

HELLO!!!!!!

WOW and YIKES! This weekend is PACKED with much to do in anticipation of the Labor Day weekend, when everyone normally gets out of town one last time before school starts, but it is likely with the price of gas and general "waiting for the other shoe to drop" body stiffening that many many people will still be in town, looking for something cheap to do. But other than that,in case you missed it, Jamaican runners just tore a hole in the space-time continuum. If you felt wobbly the other day it was because Usain Bolt created a time warp with his incredible finish in the 200 meter dash. But this was overshadowed by pundits wanting to call him a nigger for having the audacity to have won the 100 meter race, AND setting a world record last week, while not even running full out. How dare he! The word that has been used is "showboating." As Mr. Bolt said, "I just came to win, not set another record." Meaning, "I knew that could be done, but strutting back on yard with gold swing from me neck, tis ahnother story, nah?" And Ms. Melanie Walker squashed it in the 400 meter hurdles, effectively making the US Team rethink its diet. Okay, so prepare for two weekends of crowds, some road trips to nearby places, and continual skirmishes in Ossetia and now, Zimbabwe.

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.


I had some beautiful and heartfelt responses to last week's post: mil gracias! I needed that. If you ever want to share, feel free to post up a comment on the newsletter archive, or join me at Afrologica. I would esp. like feedback on my long-winded reviews;->. BLOWIN BACK DA 'FRO this week is the imminent launch of the Large Hadron Collider in CERN, because I'm a geek like that, but also flings in the park, season finales, and Fall time machinations. Get ready!



UNKNOWN THEATER
1110 Seward Street, Los ANgeles, CA
Fables du Theatre
August 15 - September 27th; Thurs-Sat @ 8 PM; Sunday @ 6 PM; $18 advance on-line purchase; $25 at the door.
Wow and wow. They have had a spectacular dance season and now the bring the whole thing to a close with a critically acclaimed evening of intrigue, circus, and sex. The show will run for a bit, but don't sleep on the tickets! It is a small house.

GRAND PERFORMANCES
California PLaza, 300 -350 Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA
daKAH Hip Hop Orchestra
Saturday August 23rd, 8 PM
This Saturday will be an absolute blast! Gotta get there early so you can be ready for the 60 piece orchestra, hip hop stylee!! Yeah, SIXTY. Lawdy! Free as always, but parking shall be a bit of a nightmare since the KCRW crew will be in da house.Get there early enough not to pop a vein, or late enough--yes reverse LA logic: get there after intermission and there will be spaces left by those trying to beat the exit traffic.


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
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, but YOU MUST, I REPEAT MUST get out to see "Space is the Place" next Thursday. Sun Ra. Sun Ra, people.
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 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.)


BALBOA PARK
Celebrate Dance Festival
Friday, August 22 at 6:00 PM - 10 PM; Saturday August 23 11:30 AM - 10 PM; Sunday August 24,Noon- 9:00 PM
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.
Peter Kalivas, UCR MFA candidate and longtime mover on the scene is bringing his company PGK Company on Saturday 8 PM. Other hot groups? Axxiom and The Garage, both on late Sunday. There are lots of Belly Dancing and HIp Hop crews, so you can shake that money maker interculturally!
For directions, complete list of presenting artists, and performance schedule please visit: http://www.eveoke.org/cdf.htm
This is one full plate, baby.

PHYLLIS STEIN ART
207 West 5th ST., Los Angeles CA
Sara Paul Ocampo & Mecca Andrews perform
Saturday 4 - 6, free and tea will be served. Support a gallery that supports you!

MALIBU BLUFF'S PARK
Safety Harbour Kids Orphans and Homeless Children Benefit
Sunday, August 24 at 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Alexandria Yalje, po-mo dancer about town, invites you to see her own work as a choreographer while helping out a great cause. There are rumors of an after party at her place, but you'll have to ask her nicely via Facebook for the details...


THE OPEN SPACE
209 S. Garey St., Los Angeles Ca 90012
It's a Jam y'all! Come party, network, and have a great time.
Who: YOU Are OFFICIALY INVITED to the Pre-Weekend Kick Off! :)
When: THIS Friday August 22nd
What: Stuntman & One Step Ahead bring you:
Where: The Open Space!!!
WHY: This will be a meet and greet party vibe for all. Cyphers included.
Spinnin Hip Hop, Funk, Breaks & a lot of fun chillin & DANCIN!
$5 till 10pm $10 after early arrival is suggested
Giveaways by SUS clothing
DJ's: DJ Wobbles
Frankie Flave
more TBA
PLEASE PASS THE WORD AROUND!!!!! :)


ECHO PARK
Black Cloud Scientist League/ Machine Project
Geeky performance ARt that you help to make AND that politicizes you. I'm in heaven. First you get a PuffTron (don't have one? be among the first 12 with $85 in your hand to make it yourself), then you watch the messages it sends you about the air quality where it is stationed, next you make a pollution map (but you do that on August 30th), then you get amazed, angry and sad, then active (in that order), and finally you wind up the day at 8 PM with a gelato while you hear from the League members themselves, which includes UC Berkeley folks and Manual Arts High School students. Yup. You don't want to miss this one.
1) a DIY air quality sensor building workshop this Saturday August 23rd from 12-5pm. Limited to 12 students,
2) A research presentation at 8pm this Saturday the 23rd by the Black Cloud Citizen Scientist League
3) A community air pollution mapping event next Saturday August 30th that requires your participation! Details to be given at the presentation on the 23rd.

FORD AMPHITHEATER
2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood, CA 90068
There is a Bollywood pajama party being thrown by blu13 on August 23rd at 10 am ($5) then again at 8:30 PM($35/28). There. I mentioned it.
The Ford has had great success with children matinees and now have artists appearing in that 10 AM Saturday slot who don't necessarily perform again. August 30th DAFRA West African Drum and Dance holds down one such event. Kids are free, adults $5, but you must make reservations.


AFRICAN DANCE CAMPS AND SUMMER INTENSIVES
...they collide!! Only in LA of course. Olivier Tarpanga is teaching in the DANCEBank Sumer intensive at the Open Space, Saturday August 23rd, 11 Am - 2 PM; then again on Sunday August 24th 5 - 8 PM. $40 for both days or $25 for either one. Movement will combine dance mostly from Burkina Faso with postmodern considerations to live traditional drumming. Hot stuff and a great preview for his upcoming show at the Ford. Gotta gotta gotta, get yoself there!
Taisha Pagget, co-founder of ITCH will teach the following Tuesday/Thursday, focusing on "the big body (your extremities)" and its relationship to the "little body (your torso)". August 26th & 28th.



ONGOING CLASSES
Check out the map; I've added a few and know I am missing a lot. Let me know about your class!
What you are missing by not following the link: an immersive interactive map with not only my tidbits about the classes offered at each spot, but also directions with live traffic cams as well as info about nearby services/businesses like ATM, coffee and gas. I bet you wish you had some Google stock in your portfolio right about now.

I only got one response for a potluck/dance class this weekend. SO maybe next weekend? I'll also blast on FaceBook.



UPCOMING
SOMAFEST is back! Sept 16th - 21st. Early Registration is now open: $325 for the full thing now, $350 after September 8th. This thing sells out. Get in on it NOW. I"ll have more on this as we approach.

Baker/Tarpanga and Catch Me Bird at the Ford Theater, Sept. 5th, 8:30 PM. I'll have more to say next week, but help them relax by buying your tickets in advance! 1200 seats!!!

Celebration of Life: A fundraiser for Esalen Institute. The recent fires came close to burning this treasure down, but instead, it cause financial chaos by forcing them to cancel most of their summer courses. Come to the rescue on Sept. 7th at UCLA Ackerman Grand Ballroom. More details soon enough.

2009 CHIME guidelines and Application are now live on-line. Download and get that application into the Marget Jenkins company by Oct. 1, 2008 to work with a master down here. All of you wondering about distilling your style into a thought provoking evening and a great class: I nominate Susan Rose as your future mentor...



LOVELY!
I was dragging just a bit this morning, but nothing a little samba and salsa around the house couldn't fix! I was listening to the Blackeyed Peas and then began to think about John Lennon and a recent talk I went to where the speaker said those of us invested financially in the markets through retirement programs are literally co-creators of this world and if we don't like it, just move our money. Imagine if...everyone knew where not only their money was, but where was the love and made dances about it. Continue to dance, even when it feels like the last possible thing you should be doing!

in love,
-Anna