Wow. What a day! SO much massive shift in the economic landscape of the state, I just can't even begin to recount it for you. Actually, that's not entirely true. I was so in shock today when I realized that I had already received my paycheck a few days in advance after a very sobering town hall meeting on campus about the impact of the California budget deficit on our campus that I blogged and blogged. Some of it is published as just questions, and the rest is out of sight, awaiting deployment as it were at americanwaysnetwork.com. Suffice it to say, the obvious response is happening, not the innovative one that we need, to cover the budget deficit. Community college fees are likely to go up, teachers got pink slips today, and the Pell Grant was not paid, so thousands of students in UC and Cal State will have a funding gap of $800-$900 for Spring Quarter. How could this have gone differently? What can we do as citizens to make these "cost saving" devices shift into community-defining initiatives? I think a good place to start is the repeal of Prop 13 and that bloody 2/3rds vote required to pass the budget. In effect, we are being held hostage by hostile Republicans who actually think that they can be "Strategic" and get party policy across at a time like this. Partisan politics need to be set aside, like, yesterday. Or better yet, "partisan politics is so 2008. We've moved on." can you imagine?! Innovation, not eruption, or deviation or consternation or justification. A)Saturday lectures held by profs at local schools where it is only $5 to get in for several consecutive Saturdays. Curriculum organized on internet. After so many hours you can sit for an exam, present a final piece, get units towards degree. Professor is paid from the door. So it's a donation from the university, but it is also gas and grocery money for prof (we may end up with a temp pay cut) and the fee hike at cc's does not hurt as much. B) Community Currency, C)urban micro gardening, D)rent-a-ride car pool facilitation in exchange for gas money. E)Childcare exchange, F)shows that charge food items, G)spontaneous performance take overs at City Halls and in state capitals once a week, H)an "is that really trash" instructional program, I)tax breaks for landlords who house state/city employees who can't afford their rent because of furlough/work stoppage/pay cut/layoff, J)ending private prison contracts and eradicating the three strikes law... My brain is roiling with ideas. I just need a group to talk them over. Be my think tank? I'll heart you forever. Discussions starting at Afrologica, with an artist's perspective.
Afrolicious. Afrologia. Afrodelic. Afropoesia. Afrologica. How big is your 'fro?
Fractal, improvisational, polemical, but always moving with spirit and in service to lifting us all up!
That's the Logic of the Afro--sign up, read up, be up--you can move mountains, now make it beautiful
BLOWIN BACK DA 'FRO right now, aside from crazazy politicking between China and US, Washington and each State government, faculty senates and their state capitals is an opera (actually and I don't like opera, but I am feelin this one) plus a last chance to watch the dragon dance to bring in the year of the Ox (not bull, so tell your state rep to cut it out).
REDCAT, map
631 W. Second Street, Los Angeles, CA
Teatro de Ciertos Habitantes presents:
Monsters and Prodigies: The History of the Castrati
January 28 - February 1, Wednesday - Saturday 8:30 PM and Sunday 3 PM; $12/$18
Been a while since I thought about opera. it doth hurt my ears, BUT, this one sounds so wickedly over the top that I just have to see it. Check the photos on the website. Too much. Oh, and don't forget to read all about the gelded singing tradition. Oh my.
ELECTRIC LODGE, on dance map
1416 Electric Avenue, Venice, CA 90291; 310-306-1854
Mystic
Thursday, January 29 through Sunday, February 1, 2009 @ 7:00 and 9:30pm; Gen $30/VIP$50 (allows you to eat, drink and get drunk in the Mystic Lounge)
Mystic's cast includes performers from Rabbit in the Moon, Cirque du Soleil, Lucent Dossier, Firegroove, Mixology, and Mass Ensemble. A night on the Playa right by the beach. Come to Venice and get your Black Rock on. This will be an extravaganza. Really. No Kidding. Tix aren't cheap, but the sights will be worth the price.
Catered food and drink will be available for purchase from Gemini Conscious Café 24/7 Ticket Phone Hotline: 800.838-3006 ADVANCE PURCHASE REQUIRED
More Information www.mysticlive.org
CHINATOWN
Intersection of Cesar Chavez and Broadway
110th Annual Golden Dragon Parade
Saturday, Jan 31st@ 2 PM; Grandstand seats available for $27, call 213-617-0396
Lunar festival 2- 5PM, surrounding events, 10 AM - 8 PM
The Year of the Ox 4707 began on the 27th, bringing with it success and prosperity after diligent, calm, hard work. Did you know that the Republic of China was founded in an Ox year and that Hong Kong was returned to China also during an Ox year? This is a momentous year for big "never-thought-that-would-happen" changes. Make it to the parade and set your intention as the firecrackers pop and the dragon swooshes by! For a map of parking and parade route, click here. I recommend taking the Red Line in or carpooling something fierce. MUST GO!
WADSWORTH THEATRE, map
11301 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA
One Man Bollywood Show, Nakul Dev MahajanSaturday, January 31 @ 7:00pm - 10:00pm; $32- $72 + ticketmaster fee
Anna, you are asking, why are you listing this? Isn't that one of the SYTYCD choreographers? Well, this is one of my babies! Dev is a UCR graduate. How insane is that? I am astounded that he is going to make a run at a 3 hour one man show. If I am still standing after the Dragon Parade, I am going to go to this. Dance history in the making. Now to find some tickets.
Anna, you are asking, why are you listing this? Isn't that one of the SYTYCD choreographers? Well, this is one of my babies! Dev is a UCR graduate. How insane is that? I am astounded that he is going to make a run at a 3 hour one man show. If I am still standing after the Dragon Parade, I am going to go to this. Dance history in the making. Now to find some tickets.
SWEENEY ART GALLERY, map
3800 Main Street, Riverside, CA 92501
Your Donations Do Our Work, Andrea Bowers and Suzanne Lacy
Saturday, January 31st 6 PM Opening night reception.
What an AWESOME piece of performance/installation art. To get in on opening night, you must come with a bag of clothes to donate. The show runs through March 28. This gallery is doing some phenomenal things. I often wish I still lived a few blocks away so I could make it to one of their openings. If you're out that way, go make some change and some art at the same time.
UCR CALIFORNIA PHOTOGRAPHY MUSEUM
3800 Main Street, Riverside, CA 92501 (next door to Sweeney)
MEDIATED
Saturday, January 31st 6 PM Opening night reception.
This is a doozy of a video installation show. I got to see previews as it was being installed. I highly recommend making the drive out at some point during the run to check these pieces out. Artists' panels and art scholar talks will start later in the run; check their website for details. My fav is a room where you hear the TV's but only get to see the blue light. It's pretty brilliant.
"Now, where was that other thingamabob I wanted to see that she mentioned last week?" Check the Archives, search by location or artist, or just re-live the bright moments by reading older entries!
IRVINE BARCLAY THEATRE, map
4199 Campus Dr # 680, Irvine, CA
Thu Feb 5 8pm – Sun Feb 8 6pm; $16 gen/ $14 seniors & UCI staff & faculty/ $9 UCI students & children
This year’s concert featuring faculty choreographers is dedicated to Claire Trevor Professor Donald McKayle, celebrating his 20 years in the Dance Department. McKayle premieres a new work "Noir" to an original score jointly composed by Kei Akagi and Alan Terricciano and performed by Kei Akagi & The Tokyo Trio and the UCI Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Stephen Tucker. Of interest to us Afronauts is the arrival of and performance by The Dance Architect, Ms. Sheron Wray her badass self. You want to go to this show now for several reasons. Be sure to stay behind and introduce yourself to Sheron and tell her I told you to. MUST GO!
MACHINE PROJECT
1200 D North Alvarado, Los Angeles, CA 90026, tel:213-483-8761
Fruit Tree Giveaway
Sunday Feb 8th 12-3pm
Fallen Fruit’s Fruit Tree Adoption Giveaway & Pickup
I want you to go to this because these folks are already doing the type of community building across social divides that is necessary for all of Los Angeles. I had a tasting of some jams that were made from a fruit culling run: most were bizarre, and unusually exquisite. Go learn how to bring the folks together and get yourself a tree. From the website (oh so sneaky!):
"Fallen Fruit has been given about 90 trees from Treepeople’s Fruit Tree Giveaway program. These are nursery-sized trees which are intended for underserved communities. We’re giving them to you to plant in or over public space, or on the boundary of private property so the tree will be shared by others in your community." Now how's that's for DIY innovation?
18TH STREET STUDIOS
1639 18th St., Santa Monica, CA 90404 | Phone 310.453.3711 | Fax 310.453.4347
office@18thstreet.org
ART NIGHT
If you've never made it out for one of these, then it is time to correct that oversight. Aside from a bar hosted by Hypnotiq, these evenings are full of surprises tucked away in this strip of art saturated excellence. You know it mostly for Highways, but there is so much more there, and you'll get to watch Marcus Kuiland-Nazario run around gigling with pure trickster delight. Good times.
SHANGRI L.A.: architecture as a state of flux ,Curated by Ichiro Irie
rtists Include: Anibal Catalan, Debbie Hu Ricks & Cedar Miller, Infranatural, Marcos Lutyens, Daniela Frogheri, Fernando Meneses, Oyler Wu Collaborative, James Rojas, and Chris Tallon
MARCOS NOVAK, 2009 Artist Fellow, Turbulent Shangri L.A.
OPEN STUDIOS, New and recent works by 18th Street Artists-In-Residence:
Michael Barnard, Luciana Abait, Yvette Gellis, EZTV, Electronic Cafe International, Otis College of Art and Design Graduate Public Practice Studio, and others TBA
International Artists: Anthony Johnson (Australia), Judith Margolis (Israel), and Sonya Kelliher Combs (Alaska)
and much more (believe it or not!)
THE OPEN SPACE, on dance map
209 S. Garey Street, 2nd floor, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Anatomy Riot #30, guest-curated by Marcus Kuiland-Nazario
Monday, February 9th, 2009 @ 8 PM; $10 donation at the door, no reservations, arrive early as the door gets locked 10 minutes after show time.
Mijo told me that he has an oricha inflected theme in store for you. This should be a fantastic night. Ayana Hampton is likely to act a true natural fool, so you must come to see the rest of the cast figure out how to deal with all that nappiness. I am beside myself excited. MUST GO!
with performances by: Jim Fetterly, Ayana Hampton, Asher Hartman, Adam Overton, Ars Fidelis, Meg Wolfe
ON GOING CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
Brazilian Dance & Drum Workshop,
Center for World Dance, 230 West Main Street, Alhambra, CA; Saturday Feb 7th 1 - 10 PM
just in time to get you ready for Carnaval here in Los Angeles. Kirk Brundage leads samba reggae instruction and Laila Abdulla from Viver Brasil will teach afro-reggae moves. Go just for those two! But there is more! $25/class, $45 for two. DanceBANK is still going strong at the Metabolic Studio/Dance Under Spring, and Kimberly Mullen's Afro-Caribe class is in effect at Electric Lodge, but I know there have been some issues keeping the West African class at Lula's still going while the teachers traveled back home for a bit. There are subs lined up for Viver Brasil's classes while they head to their other home, Bahia. Rae Blum is back with her donation based class at Dance Arts Academy. I am not sure if Gregory Barnett's class at the Open Space is still on or not. I am itching to get back into studio to keep working out these ideas that are driving my grant writing, but no space just yet. There are parent-driven initiatives for advanced dance classes where kids are welcomed (contact Ilaan Eagland if interested through the Post-Bump Dance Studio). With it starting to heat up, you can bet there will be lots of dance and movement classes in parks shortly. Stay tuned for a great spring class session. If you just started following the newsletter and have a class or trip that you would like listed hit me up with the info. All class locations are on the dance map.
MAKE ART
You know those cool lampposts in front of LACMA? Well, it's an installation called Urban Light, and the museum is putting together a one year anniversary celebration that will include art work inspired by this "instant landmark" submitted by the citizens who adore it! Looks like Machine Project rubbed off on them nicely. Yay! There are lots of rules to follow for your entry to be considered, so take the time and read the entire page on how and when to get the application submitted.
LOVELY!
Everything is working out perfectly and I don't even have to know how. That is your new mantra. Say it everyday, all the time, any time you feel like, "omigawd!!" This next week feels like a pivotal moment. Make a plan for what you would like to manifest and then ask, now how is this of service? What would make it better? What is an easily dissolved barrier? I think we all need to do that soon. I kinda started making one in my head this morning (Friday) and wow, all my love of micro movement came to the conclusion that what's needed is a swarm on Sacramento. Our mode of governance in California is broken. It pits us against each other. We can't live the Obama-nation magic with that in tact. Likely a lot of states are realizing that they have a system that only works with two groups in mind: dominators/dominated. How 20th century is that? We have moved beyond that model, at least we aspire to, living in complex societies even in rural areas. With the economy rapidly shifting who has and who has not, it seems to me that we have been presented an opportunity to create citizen-driven governance based on mutual benefit instead of losers and winners. Collaborators. So artist-types, it is time to bring your voice and sweat and vision, because we got this. We know how effective being a visionary really is...and how practical.
in love,
-Anna
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