NEWSLETTER: making that change

Alafia, peace unto you

This has been such an incredible week of takin it higher: the people of Iran tryin to get full representation; the President Obama trying to get that health care thing movin while First Lady calls you to take to the streets and be of service serve.gov; Twitter discovers it is a weapon of mass communication; communities across the US battle to get their summer school back for their kids; perhaps the most embattled Republican governor in the union admits that he knows love and screwed it up; California lawmakers become the bane of the state's existence, pushing citizens to new histrionics/heroics; LAUSD thinks about raising taxes to save services; and the king or pop, loved and reviled, champion of innocence and erstwhile destroyer of it, lord of the catchy phrase, video cultural emissary, changer of the world, uniter through a sequined glove-- MICHAEL JACKSON, has passed away today. Strut on, bruh.





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, act up--you can move mountains, now make it beautiful


BLOWIN BACK DA 'FRO right now, is the knowledge that no matter how twisted we think ourselves to be, no matter how ridiculous we allow ourselves to act, when we open up, the love and light will shine through each and every time. Play that video one more time and take the lesson.

HIGHWAYS
1651 18th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404
FAR FROM HOME by KEITH GLASSMAN
Friday, June 26 + Sautrday, June 27 @ 8:30 PM; $20/$15
"Choreographer Glassman presents a suite of dance and performance works that reveal the underbelly of our intercontinental community. In dialects foreign and familiar and with movement ranging from enigmatic gesture to shout-and-holler Krump dancing, the cast of twelve uncovers the secret of cultural endurance - and long life!" Yup, takin it higher still. Go see Ms. Pat Payne rock this here stage.


JAPANESE-AMERICAN CULTURAL & COMMUNITY CENTER
244 S. San Pedro St, Little Tokyo, Downtown LA
Free Screening in JACCC Plaza of Astroboy, Gigantor, and Voltron
Friday, June 26, 7:30 PM
Bring picnic, hairs, blankets jackets, kiddies and have a good time watching these classic animated films that probably inspired all of those kids who grew up to make sci-fi effects, video games, and a user-friendly internet. Don't miss this one.


THE ECHOPLEX
1154 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA
826LA's Tiny Vaudeville #4, for the kids - but not *for* kids
Tuesday, June 30 @ 8 - 11 PM; pay what you can with on-line pre-reg/$15 at the door
If you don;t know about this fabulous little org that could, you should. 826la has two sites, one here in Venice and another cross town in Echo Park that has an afterschool open-door policy for homework help and they hold special writing events on weekends and during the summer. Some pretty amazing folks turn up as the teachers. This fundraiser looks like a big laughs, with professional actors doing a staged reading from the many student-created books that 826la publishes. Great cause. Cool place. Check it out.

Oh, my Lovelies!
I will add on to this later. I need to get up and dance to the Off the Wall album, or maybe Thriller. Cause when all is said and done, all we have is sound, soul/soles and sweat. Boogie down to get up. Sign up on http://www.serv.gov for a project in your community to make that change. If you are an artist in LA, please consider signing up to give summer classes to students in LA through an initiative I am developing with KAIPS called S.A.S.E. If you are a school teacher, we need you, love you and hope that your local prevails in Sacramento to stop the budget cuts. Peace y'all. I'll be back in a few hours with some classes and several other interesting shows that I thought you might like to hear about.

in love with the music,
-Anna

NEWSLETTER: get on up and jam y'all

Oi!
Head out to the River or to the Hammer Museum today! Great things await you. In the interim, get yourself ready to give the children of LA a community summer school they will NEVER forget. LAUSD officially canceled summer school for all elementary, middle and some high school kids. Now we can either sit back and await the riots (cause LA Community College canceled its summer classes as well) or we can prepare one or two weeks worth of experience for them. There are parents and educators across the city actively fighting to save classes and teachers, but this summer school thing kinda went under the radar. Rather be caught flat footed, I am working with K.A.I.P.S.(Keep Arts In Public Schools) to create a loosely organized group of folks offering classes for the kids. I've decided to name it S.A.S.E.: Summer Arts Simple & Easy. If you are running a summer program of ANY kind for kids, please consider donating some spots for local kids in your neighborhood who now have limited summer options. More details to come via Causes. I'm just about halfway grading my last class work for a while (wooohooo) and prepping for this great summer school adventure as well as a dancer's soup kitchen (look for your invite). There are festivals to attend and trips to take and kids to send away for the summer (wooooohoooo!) so look out y'all, the wind is rising. Time to get on up.


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, act up--you can move mountains, now make it beautiful



BLOWIN BACK DA 'FRO right now are just two things, well three: river, museum, summer school (not for fools). Actually, throw on one more: dance classes worth every dime (even when they're free)...and PRIDE, cause everybody should get to be proud of who they are. FEEL IT!

THE HAMMER MUSEUM

Billy Wilder Theatre, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90024 310-443-7000
DANCE ICONOCLASTS @ Akram Khan, the EMPAC films

TODAY 2:00PM Sunday, June 14th; FREE
Documenting the Creative Process;
Sunday, June 14, 6:00pm; FREE
MUST GO. I've seen the film Nora; it was simply gorgeous and very inspiring. The rest, have to be just as good, otherwise Lynette would not have them on the same bill!


RIO DE LOS ANGELES STATE PARK - BOWTIE PARCEL
entrance at 2800 Casitas Ave, Los Angeles 90039, map
Cornerstone Theater presents, Touch the River
Today, Sunday June 14 - Sunday June 21st, 8 PM; PAY WHAT YOU CAN, reservations required
This is getting RAVE reviews from all print media outlets I have to say that my girl Pat Payne's description of the work (she plays Crow) has me double intrigued. We hope to make it out tonight. Bring some oranges and honey as a gift to the water if you feel so inclined, or donate to the Friends of the LA River. The play runs Wednesdays - Sundays. Last week is next week, so don't be too slow to go. MUST GO. Ora Ye Ye O!



ONGOING CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
Sunday June 14 RIGHT NOW 2 PM: Juan Carlos (Omo Aché Afro-Cuban Dance Co.) will be back to teach two classes covering a variety of Cuban dances. 2:00-3:20 p.m. will focus on Afro-Cuban folklore (Congo & Yoruba traditions) and the second class 3:30-4:50 p.m. will explore the connections between the Cuban popular dance "Son" and it's roots in Rumba. Cost of a single class $15, both classes $25. Arte Flamenco's Center for World Dance, 230 West Main St., Alhambra, CA

Viver Brasil is at the Ford in its J.A.M. Session on Monday, June 15. How this works: get yourself up to the Ford Amphithetre by 6:45 at the latest and at 7 PM Linda Yudin and Badaró are gonna take you higher...for FREE! Don't forget to sign up on their email list. Great stuff!

My wonder twin Arianne Hoffmann has one more weekend of classes in the DANCBank next Saturday 11 AM, Farm Lab +Under Spring, $12. Go get your score on!

Rae Blum is closing out her class at the Dance Arts Academy this Thursday @ 7:30. Go give her some love.

DANCEBank has announced its summer line-up (mostly set, changes possible):
Sat/Sun Aug 1 & 2 Simone Forti
Sat/Sun Aug 8 & 9 Taisha Paggett?
Sat/Sun Aug 15 & 16 Mira Kingsley
Sat/Sun Aug 22 & 23 Sabela Grimes
Sat/Sun Aug 28 & 29 Anna B. Scott
Please come check us out! If you're on Face Book, join the DANCEBank group to be in the loop!

In a few weeks, I'm hosting/leading a marathon West African Dance class at Carol Bristol-Henry's Studio in Compton that I will record for a little bit of research/adventure on the internet. Stay tuned for dates time and location. Fee will be a nominal $5/1.5 hrs. Yes, I did say marathon. ;->

Check the Afrologics Investigation Center Dance Map for locations of classes.

FESTIVALS
Dance CameraWEST is in full effect, as I mentioned above, but there is OH SO MUCH MORE!! Check out their website for all the details.

Gand Performances is rolling it out as usual:
COLA Performing Arts Fellows anchor the month of June. In particular you'll want to check out June 19th, 8:30 PM, with Lionel Popkin, Bruce Bauman & Cheng-Chieh Yu. All events are free and seating is first come first served.


Upcoming...
Oakland and the Bay Area are throwin it down with "Cake in my Face," Rara Tout L'Mwon and Congo Square West boogie to the universal One. Plus, African Dance Camp season has begun with Atlanta delivering a tribute to Ms. Dunham! Viver Brasil takes the stage on July 4 @ The Ford and I am sure I'll find something really h o t for you to go out and do that weekend.


Lovely!
Just hung out at the Ford the last weekend and had a truly lovely time. Not only is it a really unusual space, but it a space dedicated to you! If you are an LA-based arts maker, please consider applying into the Ford's upcoming seasons! I'll have some video posted as soon as my grades are in (help ....me) but they are very informative and you will learn all about a great location. Anatomy Riot #32 was a real hoot! We had a great time. Ari Hoffman is an amazing stage manager, if ever you are looking for someone. We are looking forward to the return of the AR in September. Continue to support your local artists-wherever you may be--because they are likely the folks that are helping make this moment in time worth living through. Don't let go of the arts as divine inspiration. Yes, the arts are incredible social devices/healers/creators, but they are also messages that together we are far more than we ever imagined. It is my hope that you will recall this and join me and others around the city to send a S.A.S.E. into the near future addressed to ourselves full of love, hope, joy and understanding.

in love,
-Anna

ps: follow me on Twitter @doctoradancer for live arts info, updates on my artbiz, Vita Vibrare, and an ongoing flash fiction series, Melanin Patch.