DISPATCH: World Festival of Sacred Music

The catalogs are all over town and postcards litter every gallery, studio and loft. The World Sacred Festival is lifting up LA once again in September. As promised, here are some events that I would not want to miss, though it is likely that I will miss half, wah!

OPENING NIGHT
Saturday 13th
$55/$45/$35/$20
Well, it is the Gala opener. However, my gut tells me the show will be very long and not the best choice if you have kids. It is actually not on my list of shows to see, even thought Waldemar Bastos from Angola will be singing! There's just something wonderful about setting your intention at these big fêtes that I love.


SONGS FOR THE FALL EQUINOX
Sat 13th @ 10 AM & Sunday14th @ 11 AM
Haramokgna American Indian Center; $5 donation/ $10 - $20 for workshops
Maybe because I like symmetry, some times, I am drawn to this event to close out my river meanderings. Opening with blessings at teh headwaters of the Arroyo Seco, this Flute Circle is open to all who come.


CANCIONES DEL ALMA (SONGS OF THE SOUL)
Sunday 14th @ 1 pm
MOLA, Long Beach; FREE
bata, djembe, taiko, gamelan, atabacque, cajones--sacred drumming and estatic dancing. a sumptuous feast. carpool!
Felipe García Villamil, DAFRA, Taiko center of LA, Viver Brasil, Oscar Reynolds. Oh, there's even gospel music sung by Samoans y'all!!! Gotta see this one for sure.


SALAM YATRA
Tuesday, 16th 8 PM
Nate Holden Center
$40 reserved is probably your best bet since this is a small house; $25 gen/$20 student
Go to see what is known as a "living treasure," Mythili Prakash will set your senses on fire as she improvises within the 2000 year old tradition of Bharatanatyam.

SOUNDS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN AND BEYOND
Thursday 18th, 8 PM
Murphy Recital Hall, Loyola Marymount U.
The roots of Sephardic music get a lovely unearthing through the voice of Stefani Valadez with special presentation by dancer Melanie Karem. Also on the bill is 1st-West Ensemble, and Ava Nahas Percussion Trio. Of course, there will be a l'il bit of flamenco.


MARE SERENITATIS (Sea of Serenity)
Friday, Sept. 19th @ 8 PM; $25/$20
Aranti/Japan America Theatre
Zen archer Hirokazu Kosaku is joined by butoh dancer Oguri to present an evening of purification, expansion, and emptying. I've wanted to see Oguri for a while now but did not want to brave the desert, where a significant part of his work was once based.

SACRED WATERS. WATERS OF LIFE.
Saturday, 20th @ 1 pm; $10 NOTE: this event is delayed due to visa logistics
18th Street Arts Center Gallery
Viver Brasil leads a workshop to prepare you to greet and salute the Sea, which will be the closing ceremony of the Festival once again this year. Songs, dances and instructions on making an appropriate offering. IF YOU CAN: please go to their website and make a donation to help offset the $1000 visa expedition fee that has been levied against Dona Cici's application to come and teach the songs. This is extremely urgent and every bit helps. The application was simply not even opened until two days ago, and then not read. $1000. Who can make that gift to bring the beauty and knowledge embodied by elder priestess Dona Cici?

THE RHYTHM OF AX´E
Saturday 20th @ 8:30 PM; $25 in advance; $35 at the door
Blenkenship Ballet of Venice
Axé! The concept of life force and good vibes is put to you via an evening of ritual-inflected performances. where white and cover your head!!! Just a precaution. Shaman's Dream World Ensemble, Djelia Kadi, Malaika, Mestre Amen & The Batuqueiros;Swing brazil; Hoopnotica with art installation and hopefully some food, as the night sounds long.\

VOICES OF THE WAY
Saturday 20th; $15/ $10
Sacred Heart Chapel at LMU
Yes, I know this conflicts with Rhythm of Axé, but these works will be truly breathtaking and contemplative, soooooo, if you don't want to jump around and sweat in your seat, with DJ breaks to let you stretch your legs, then this show is for you. Sri Susilowati will mesmerize you. Really. A multimediated collaboration, Susilowati is joined by composer Paul Humpreys and documentarian Luis Proença (he documents diasporic Portuguese speakers of So. Cal, East Timor and Mozambique). This will be a surprising night.

GLOBAL MALA
Sunday Sept 21 1 PM; $29
Sunken Garden at LMU
I have always wanted to go to this. I do not think I could do 108 sun salutations let alone 108 poses, but I could likely walk around something 108 times! Part of not only the festival but the International Peace Day, Global Mala seeks to make a ring of peace & love around the world through 108 acts of yoga-inspired action. This is a 6 hour participatory event.


EMERGING VOICES dance and music from Hawai'i and India
Sunday 21st 6 PM; $25/$15
James Armstrong Theater Torrance Cultural center
Halau Keali'i O Nalani and Shakti Dance Company share a bill designed to reveal how dance is a sacred text and historical record, always and forever more, no matter how many times you drop it like it's hot.

SOULULAR MEMORY...THE RECONNECT
Monday 22nd 8 PM; $10
Temple Bar, Santa Monica
d. Sabela Grimes. I said, d. Sabela Grimes. If you don't know, then act like you do and show up to this night of Ovasoul love in collaboration with Essential MC and Gina Rene. The mystikal side of Hip Hop, explored.

INTERSECTIONS OF SOUND AND SPACE
String Theory at the Fowler Museum
Friday 26th 6:45 PM; FREE
GOTTA GO!!! It's a sculpture piece, wait it's a set for dancers, wait, it's an instrument! NO, silly it's all three and you can be there for free.


ANATTA
Saturday 27th 8:30 PM; $20 & $15
Highways
Rather elusive description, but this collection of collaborative works will challenge your sense of reality. SO come get shifted by Michael Sakamoto, Waewdao Sirisook, Amy Knowles and Bob Bellerue. Buddhism, movement, sound, improvisation...existence.

HONORING THE SEA
Sunday 28th, 3 PM until sundown 6:41 PM
Santa Monica Beach, where Ocean Park BLVD meets the sand
Get your reconnecting ritual on, in many languages. Check the website to see which traditions will be present. But please, just come and get lifted.


well, that's it! there will be a map up for these things in the newsletter tomorrow--I must be nuts!---and I was. you'll just have to wait a wee bit longer.

Also, there were two events that were of interest, but involved no dancing--my main criteria--Guardians of the Sound and Spirit-Lesa Terry and the Women's Jazz Orchestra on Friday 26th @ 7:30 PM and One World Many Voices on SUnday 20th @ 2 PM (mostly for the Bulgarian folk singing, which I adore)

Reach out ad let me know where you might be headed and when during this magnificent event!

in love,
-Anna