In Portuguese, there is an old expression for traveling: pôr o pes no mundo; literally, put the foot on the world. When I first learned that phrase, I would imagine myself with these giant clown-shoe feet, walking on a tiny globe that spun only because of my stride. There have been moments this past week where I could swear that we are only moving because Julian Assange keeps spinning the globe with his big foot called WikiLeaks. To my mind, this is almost unfortunate. Assange's foot is casting such a large shadow that truly dubious activities--like telecom and rich media properties merging and collaborating to revise copyright laws--that we truly do not know where to look for the real action. Besides, as the Australian top diplomat said today, "the real party responsible for the leaks is the US Government itself for allowing the leak to happen in the first place." We can try an d convince ourselves otherwise, but trying will only get our freedom of expression further limited. This week, artists and innovators need to ask their representatives what is happening with COICA. You see, while WikiLeaks is all gangsta, rollin' deep droppin science and binary bombs in a self-assured, well-cooredinated attack, the US government has practically no coordinated policy that accounts for the rights of the citizenry to self-express through media. We have a very raggedy patchwork quilt while the entertainment industry has a 300 thread count Damaskous cotton duvet. COICA, the latest attempt to make us all safe from pirates on the Internet (instead of the ones on the radio hawking lipo and home refi) will deal dirty with the independent artist. And that's a promise. if ou had any audio stripped from a video hosted somewhere, then you have felt the sting of DMCA. Well in advance of the passage of COICA, Homeland Secutiry (yup) has already taken down 80 sites, without warning, for copyright infringement. Not the foot on the world, but the foot firmly up the backside of due process. Let's hope that it turns out to be foot in the mouth. until then, don't let the chicken livered journalists "WIkiLeak" you into believing that we need great privacy protections and therefore, laws like COICA. We are back in the village: everybody knows your business. Get over it.
Afrolicious. Afrologia. Afrodelic. 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
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
Speaking of putting the foot out on the world, BLOWIN BACK DA 'FRO for the last several weeks, Los Angeles-based artists tore it up on the East Coast, and got new initiatives going just about wherever they landed. Viver Brasil hit the tour bus in the Mid West & South, as did Contratiempo. Meg Wolfe turned up in Praxis Place in Chicago, run by a former WAC graduate, Celia Bambara. Kristena Wong made Miami fall in love with her. D'Lo is in NY making magazine covers and what not. MKN & Santa Perversa took the road and ended up in the Bay Area building out a network of latina/o adult deliquents with mucho to say. Peter Harris took the Johnson Chronicles to the BIg Apple for a preview of his, well, balls. Victoria Marks had her work with veterans aired nationally on the Tavis Smiley Show. Meanwhile Raphael Xavier damn near lives on the road between here and Mexico and here and Brasil and here and Philly--he is a frequent flyer program unto himself. Y'all are doin it to it! Locally Balandugu Kan announced its drum school and institute slated for a July 2011 opening and Balle Fette jumped into a new building in Leimert Park, setting up an array of small businesses like presto change-o! If you see smoke around Leimert Park, it is not a building on fire, but minds blazin out a new reality. SHAZAAM! WIth the holydaze upon us, there are a surprising number of things to do that are not chriskwanuuka related.
TONIGHT
LOS ANGELES CENTRAL LIBRARY
Mark Taper Auditorium, 630 W. Fifth Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071
Thursday, December 9, 2010; doors 7:30; Conversation 8:PM; Concert 9:30 PM; $15 SOLD OUT/ Concert only $5 at the door SPACE STILL AVAILABLE
Good googa mooga, this is sold out, but for $5 you can catch the concert of the Holloys. But you know, Afrologica is/was interested in this for the very eclectic mix of folks/activities--conversation about food, music, culture in el Lay, stuff white people like, and food trucks--and all at the library downtown no less! BLOWOUT COMB but if you ain't headed there already, you missed it!
THIS WEEKEND
DIAVALO STUDIO SPACE
616 Moulton St, Los Angeles, CA
Saturday, December 11; 4 - 6 PM and again at 8 - 10 PM; tickets $15 - $20
Catalyst 2010 presented by Los Angeles Movement Arts
"An evening of interdisciplinary performances inducing sensuous experiences to wet your appetite for the imagined, the recollected, and the unexplored side of our 'self.'"
The Diavolo Studio Space is magical and holds numerous memories for the LA experimental dance scene. This evening's events will no doubt add to the scrapbook. Working under the theme of necessity is the mother of invention, 7 choreographers make work through/with the art of 9 artists working various mediums, the dance artists will push themselves to create a work, since, well, they sold tickets and you will be there! Featuring Jim Tsou, Nguyen Nguyen, Nichol Mason, Michelle Shiu-Lin Lai, Heyward Bracey, Lindsay Ducos, Sara Silkin, in collaboration with the following artists and their respective forms -Humberto Howard | Visual Art | www.ultradesigncompany.com, Stella Chong | Visual Art, Bonnie Jiang | Culinary Art, Celeste Kim | Music, Stephanie Bates | Visual Art, Kio Griffith |Cooking & Live Video, Lyman Pon | Video, Charlie Liu | Video, Da Xu | "Whatever works"
LA FONDA RESTAURANT & LOUNGE
2501 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA
Saturday, December 11, 9 PM until 2 AM; $10 at the door
L'Esprit Afrique @ La Boa
Alright now. Yes. It is a "floor show," but as Gregory Barnett can testify, sometimes that is the hottest thang around. If you have not seen The Spirit in action, then take yourself and some friends out to get you some Emeka. Brother can throw DOWN. You want some rumba? Check. You want some samba? Check. You want some Manjani? Check. You want call and response? Check and Check. You want a duet with the lead dancer on stage? CHECK. No joke, get there. AFRO HALO with da pick still in it!
MILKBAR in the Old Sunshine Biscuit Factory
81st and San Leandro, Oakland, CA
Saturday & Sunday, December 11 and 12, 1 PM; $10 - $25 donation online or at the door
The Gutsy Series #1: Brunch Bites and Food-Inspired Choreography
"BreadnButter is getting in one final performance this year so if you have yet to see EGGS, this is the moment!" If you are in the Bay Area, this show will be pretty amazing
MALONGA CASQUELORDE CENTER for the ARTS
1428 Alice Street, Oakland, CA
Saturday, december 11 - Sunday December 13
Saturday, december 11 - Sunday December 13
Fua dia Congo, part of my Oakland Family, has its annual homecoming and is hosting a bevvy of local dance goodness. It would be great if I had one of those teleporters right about now. Yet another wonderful thing to check out in the Oakland Bay Area.
BARBARA MORRISON PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
4305 Degnan Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90008
Leon Mosley's Drum Day Give Away
December 26, 2010, from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center, 4305 Degnan Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90008, on the corner of 43rd and Degnan in the historical Leimert Park Village. Admission to the event is free for those who donate non-perishable food items, alternatively suggested donation is $5.00
The 4th Annual Drum Day Giveaway in South Central, L.A. will be hosted by Leon Mobley and draws in some of the most notable drummers in the world, to donate their time in support of the Mobley’s vision. Leon Mobley and Da Lion will perform along with invited guests such as legends Poncho Sanchez and Paulinho DeCosta. Profile drummers such as Marvin “Smitty” Smith (The Tonight Show w/Jay Leno) Munyungo Jackson (Miles Davis / Stevie Wonder), Kevin Picard (American Idol Band / Tonight Show), Long Beach Drum Crew and Balandugakun Drum Crew will also take the stage and participate in the giveaways. Giving Drums and Performances all day long
COMING UP
The A.W.A.R.D. SHOW at the REDCAT, January 13-16! Better get them tickets NOW!
LOVELY!
More to come! Headed out to make some dance! Subbing for the lovely Cari Ann Shim Sham* in Topanga at Yoga Desa!
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