The tail is wagging the dog. We are getting what we asked for, because we were not careful. Energy is flowing exactly where our attention is drawn. Health care coverage is moronic. We should asses how we can generate health, not prepare for its absence. It goes without saying that this "debate" would be idiotic. Why is the right to health predicated on paying for the possibility of becoming ill? Why do we expect to get so ill that we will not be able to afford it, at least once in our lives? Where is the food security policy debate inside this health care reform package? How about a revision of the Food Pyramid to actually reflect the needs of the body and not agribusiness? Why is organic farming not the standard for any and all farming? What happened to the discussion about air and water quality? How come we are not talking about people's inability to take time off to get well or even to rest? Were we to work from the position that HEALTH is a right of all people (not just health care) "hobbies" and "past times" like dancing, performing, singing, painting and acting would become central aspects of each person's everyday; we would be allowed the time to get our art on in order to balance our lives. I think placing the arts firmly in the discussion of what helps generate wellness is vital. With the discussion of arts funding draped to the side of all policy talks, artists and lovers of the arts look kinda insane. Yet the conversation is central to the notion of "health." Thankfully, arts education is picking up steam as a concept with Arne Duncan, Secretary of Ed.(not dance yet), but with the testing industry still in full effect, it will be quite difficult to convince local school boards to go to a system of education and health-generation that liquidates an entire industry; test administration is BIG money and not cost-effective. When House Speaker Nancy Pelosi declared a "drum roll across America" in order to break the "shock and awe" strategy of the insurance companies for convincing people to fear health care reform, she made a ridiculous mistake: she declared war. War being the absence of peace and almost a promise of death, how could we have had any other experience in the townhalls than the one we are having now? The statements of newly appointed NEA chairman Rocco are practically drowned out as news media vie for ratings by covering people who are threatening our president, as if they are simply playing a new, large massive multiplayer on-line video game!! Clearly, we must begin to shift our perception of this false impasse, or leave the discussion altogether. We want and NEED vibrant health in order to continue to make and experience vibrant, moving art. Fighting with paper dragons will only drain our luck. We gotta get out of the box and re think what we are really fighting for...and why we even think fighting is necessary.
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 THE 'FRO this week is the end of summer! OMG, I am not ready. But that also means that it is Sunset Junction Time and any other hundreds of street festivals across the nation. It also means it's time to get your season tix...yeah right! If you're lookin for some serious DIY fun, get ready to...park n play. For reals.
FESTIVALS
SUNSET JUNCTION
August 22 - 23 all day
Echo Park turns into an indy music summer wonderland. Last day today, go check out the line up and make sure you either take the bus or car pool. The Highway Patrol are out acting like fools...
LONG BEACH FUNK FEST
August 28 pre-party, - Aug 29th 12 PM - 11 PM street fair
New Festival! Get funky wit it and give the drummer some! Should be funky in all the sense of the word. Here is the link to a very skeletal myspace page, but, they have a player loaded with songs from most of the participants, so you can already get your groove on. I just found the official site, it takes a l o n g time to load, but all the details you will need are there. Bright light: you can go Metro because it is downtown! Might have to carpool to this one after my class on Saturday. I smell the afrosheen!
GRAND PERFORMANCES
El Colegio del Cuerpo
August 28, noon; August 28 -29 8 PM, FREE
Inspiration House turned it out!! It was truly lovely, and the crowd was really inspiring: for POETRY! Go Leigh Ann!! The fest is just about a wrap, but she saved some dance goodies for us. Y'all, we gotta turn out for El Colegio del Cuerpo. These kids have three shows lined up, but I'm not sure where they are rehearsing. Once I find that tid bit out, I'll let you know if an open class is int he works somewhere.
Get ready to put some miles on your car heading up to Oakland bay Area.
FESTIVAL BRASILEIRO
World Dance Center- Casa da Cultura, 1901 San Pablo, Berkeley, CA 94702
September, Thursdays - Sundays, entire month
Alright, this is PHENOMENAL. The entire month of September, each weekend, you can expect amazing dance, music and costuming classes, as well as exciting performances, lectures, photo exhibits, films and parties.The caliber of dance teacher is incredible, in my professional experience: Isaura Oliveir Rosangela Silvestre?! Then new jack Dandha (who is just spectacular)?! Don't get me started on the drumming... Gotta go get you some!! Edutainment at its finest. BLOWOUT COMB!
18th ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF PHILLIPINE ART & CULTURE
Point Fermin Park, 807 Paseo Del Mar in San Pedro, CA 90731, map
September 12 - 13, 10 AM - 6 PM; $5 pre-sale, $7 @ the gate
Bibinka!!!! Okay, there is a lot more than ingeniuos ways to use coconut in store for you at this venerable festival, but how will you know if you don't go? You can bet the dance stage will be literally bursting with performers. So get this on your calendars. BLOWOUT COMB!
PARK[ing] DAY LA
September 18, 2009, all day at a meter near you..
Septmeber 5, demonstration workshop!! 4590 Santa Monica Boulevard, LA between Madison & Westmoreland
This one is not so much a festival as it is a mass, global action for open space, cleaner air and frolicking in the city. You pick a parking meter, get a team together, decide on a theme, you let the organizing committee know where you will locate your "park," you get your materials together, build your park, pay your meter, and have a wonderful time. It is the ultimate in DIY Festival (well, that would be Burning Man and Kumba Mela, but hey, this is rad nonetheless): YOU can either make a day of visiting as many "parks" as you can, or get some friends together and build your own. I am going to throw down the Metered Dance Challenge as part of a park I'm building and also as an action between parks. Let me know if you are down. I am still working out the location.
Los Angeles Off-Course Golf Open
Alondra Park, Redondo Beach, CA
October 24 -25
Heads up! Come out to Redondo to get your golf on to save the parks in Los Angeles County (speaking of parks). Join this "golfathon" as an individual or a team and help raise funds to keep our parks open and staffed. I just had a zinger of a meeting with the Los Angeles County Parks Foundation and they need your help! Artists, athletes, mommas, poppas, kids on a mission...the board is open to YOU coming up with an idea, organizing an event in the park and raising funds! Talk about DIY...I know, this i what our taxes are supposed to cover, but...Let's do this! Sign up now and start collecting your pledges.
ONGOING CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
I just wanted to let you know that you should head over to the Metabolic Studios, like, NOW, if you want to get your Funkamentals on. Sabela is sliding into hour 2 of his workshop. I ran into a friend int he store who reminded me that I had pressing spiritual community duties today, so I am not making it!!! ARGHHHHHH! We had fun yesterday. Get on over there and give the brother some love.
1745 North Spring Street, #4,Los Angeles, CA map. it is literally UNDER the Spring St. Bridge, and more like it's on Baker @ Aurora....
Next week, I am on deck for the final class in the Summer DANCEBank series with FUNdamentals of West African Dance. I'm inviting you to join me in linjin and ekonkon during our two days together, August 29 & 30. $15/class or $25 for both. Saturday, we are diving into the nuts, bolts, and joy of the rhythms and movement, then on Sunday, I am building a bit of choreography. Come check this out, and you will get a deep discount on your first class with me at my new "home," Creative Seeds! Class begins in the fall.
Next week, I am on deck for the final class in the Summer DANCEBank series with FUNdamentals of West African Dance. I'm inviting you to join me in linjin and ekonkon during our two days together, August 29 & 30. $15/class or $25 for both. Saturday, we are diving into the nuts, bolts, and joy of the rhythms and movement, then on Sunday, I am building a bit of choreography. Come check this out, and you will get a deep discount on your first class with me at my new "home," Creative Seeds! Class begins in the fall.
The Unlikely Salsero would like to invite you to his standing Monday classes, Los Angeles Dance Center (formerly JNDA),Upstairs, 324 N. Ford Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90022, map : 7 PM Foundational; 8 PM Intermediate; 9 PM free dance. Each session is $15, but I think they are still are on sale @ $12. Check his great blog to keep up to date.
Kimberly Mullen is killing it at the Electric Lodge in Venice.The students seem to have finally hit their stride and are playing nice with others! The vibration is HIGH! She has amazing guest artist coming through, so best to get to one of her Saturday 10:#0 classes to get in the loop. Yesterday a real mamajama was in the house. I'm sure it was electric for reals.
LOVELY!
I am headed to go get my health on, joining the Blur Flag Daré in welcoming Mandaza, an nganga, to the LA area. After Sabela's class yesterday, we talked a bit about the whole health care mess and really how important, how vital it is to just tap into the desire for HEALTH, and have that be our message of art & love. Take care of yourself, get yourself time to play, to hug, to make mistakes. Forgive yourself when you miss and learn from the attempt. Be health-full. Be love.
in love with all that you are,
-Anna
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