NEWSLETTER: contract & release

ALAFIA!!!!

Gosh darnnit (wink*)! Okay, I had to do that. This morning I went for a power walk, ended up at the ocean and discovered some clarity in my calling. Given that nothing fiscal much matters any more (where is your 403b or 401k and do you know who its with?), we have been set free to start our society anew, in tiny pockets that will soon meet each other and become something else. Think, rain drops. They look completely whole, impenetrable, but if they meet each other, they become a bigger drop and bigger and bigger until a stream, and well, you get the metaphor. Like the Cook County Sheriff's Office in Chicago refusing to evict people anymore! So, starting anew, afresh, working to keep my ability to walk and doing dance as a civic duty, you are welcomed to join me on Thursday, Friday and Saturday's at 8:30 AM on the beach for Orisha moving and West African grooving. It's not a class per se, rather, an offering. Be prepared to get wet, but wear layers! Donations based @ Venice City Beach, by the rocks on the knoll where you can watch crab and sea anemone. E-mail me for further details. Possibility to do mini offerings on M & W at 6:30 AM.


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.



BLOWIN BACK DA 'FRO is a mega video festival that we all need to go see! Makes me wish I had my t-shirts together; "I read Afrologica." Field trip! The fall keeps comin at us in this month where we pretend that Columbus did something first and that it was all good (don't get me started on my son's homework assignment), and the dance and performance art is looking swanky!


OPENING TONIGHT
Hollywood Blvd between Wilcox Ave and Orange Dr
Freewaves presents "Hollywould" 11th Media Arts Festival
This festival is so smart, I could just go back to grad school. Part of Hollywood BLVD will be closed for portions of the festival, but more importantly, video works and installations will happen in local businesses like laundry mats, restaurants, dollar stores and the like. There are projections on sidewalks and building sides. Basically, you will need to down load the program from Freewaves, the organizers, because there is so much that I would recommend. Did I mention that a great deal of it is free? GO SEE!


THE ELECTRIC LODGE
1416 Electric Ave. at California Ave., Venice 90291
The Other Venice Film Festival
Thursday, October 9th, 6:30 PM - Sunday, October 12th
A must see night is October 12th for the film "The Rising Tide," by Robert Adanto about the burgeoning Chinese po-mo Art scene. Right now, the cocktail and kick off party is happening! Food by Primitivo, Music by Black Cat and an desert arrangement by Edible. Wear your best art black.


POMONA COLLEGE
Seaver Theatre Complex/Allen Studio Theatre, 300 E. Bonita Ave. Claremont, CA 91711
October 10th Friday 4 PM, $10/$5
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf
Box Office Phone: (909) 621- 8525 or 607-4375
Ntozake Shange's memorable play still brings down the house, production after production. This one sold out its 3 night run an added a matinee because director Shakina Jared Nayfeck heard that you didn't have a ticket. So you best call and go see these girls WORK IT!


THE ACTOR'S WORKOUT STUDIO
4735 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood 91602
Sunday October 12, sign 3:15 $8; reservations @ 818.506.3903
Cornucopia
Mad as hell and wanna get up and tell somebody why? Show up early to get in the grab bag of this well-established afternoon of poetry.


HIGHWAYS PERFORMANCE SPACE
4th Annual Latino new Works festival, Dance night
Saturday, October 11th, 8:30 PM (however, Jose Reynoso is on LGBT night, the 10th) $20/$15
It appears to be one piece, investigating Afro-Cuban dance, salsa, capoeira and HIp Hop. Why am I pumping it if I don't know what it is? Gustavo Caldas and Emeka. Need I say more? Get some tickets and get your drool I mean groove on.


Looking for something mentioned last week? Check the archives.


THE OPEN SPACE
Monday, October 13th, 8 PM
Anatomy Riot #27, guest curated by Samantha Giron
A hearty number of sacred fools have been let loose in this one! Come out to see this always satisfying night of daring. On the bill: Dance Good Damnit!, Samantha Giron dance project, Ryan Heffington, Marcus Kuiland-Nazario, Nina McNeely, Alexandria Yalj, Serene Zloof / Datgirl



CARPENTER PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Martha B. Knoebel Dance Theater
October 16 -17, 8 PM; $25/$20
Victoria Marks presents, "Not About Iraq"
Talk about dance as a civic duty...Launched here in LA last year, the piece is circling back to the general vicinity. If you missed it last time, here is your chance.


DIAVOLO DANCE SPACE
Peep Hole|People
October 17th -26th, Fridays & Saturdays at 8 PM; Sundays at 5 pm; $25 reserved/$20/$15
LA Contemporary Dance presents the choreography of Kate Hutter and Kevin Williamson, usually collaborators, but for this bill they each put in a piece to burrow deep into the alienated mind of, well people. Sounds like The Office meets Arrested Development but with dance and Michael Gondry filmmaking.


THE RED MERMADE
VISCERA hosts "Asphalt Sea"
Saturday, October 18th, 8 PM, $10
Come experience art out of the box, the building actually, and get your party on, too. The line up: Pat Payne (co-host aka La Negrita Maldita aka Spunky), d. Sabela Grimes, Michael Sakamoto, Maia, Anna B Scott, Cari Ann Shim Sham, Gregory Barnett and a bevy of special guests whom we can't announce cause we don't want to spoil the surprise! Juice, Beer, Wine, art, food all for sale, and maybe the DJ will save your life. Look for more info on Face Book.



ONGOING CLASSES AND SPECIAL WORKSHOPS
Field: A workshop with Rae S. Blum focuses on heightening your awareness of space from the inside out. The first four Saturdays in November, 2- 4:30 @ The Electric Lodge with a sliding scale of $75-$150 for the entire series or $20-$40 per class. Sign up now and pay by check. Contact orchidmoves@earthlink.net. Check the dance map for exact directions.

A living treasure is among us! Well, when we wake up face our greatness, we are each living treasures, but there are those of us who have already accepted that fact with grace and determination. One such individual is Dona Cici, who is the guest of Viver Brasil. She is giving instruction in the choreostories associated with all those exquisite dances in the Tuesday night class at Dance Arts Academy, the Friday gathering in the Dance Garden, and visiting Swing Brasil on Sundays at 10 AM at the Electric Lodge. At least once...you have to go at least once to take class from a woman in her 80s with a seized hip who is simply elegant when she moves...



LOVELY!
I'm moving to the new rhythm of the days and wishing you an upbeat tempo. The shifting economic terrain is really exhausting, but our focus must be squarely on each other. Got a yard? Turn it over to a neighborhood garden effort. Each yard devoted to something else. Plant fruit bearing trees. Car pool, ride your bike. Pitch in with the neighbors kids. Whatever you can do to be the value that we had collectively misplaced in a piece of paper, go ahead and do it. Up tempo, smile on face, dance as civic duty.

in love,
-Anna