AFRONAUTS have you figured it out? The big puzzler of a State of the Union Speech given by the O? Well, I am NOT going to jump into that fray. Suffice it to say, brother can throw down some verbiage! Good grief. But what does have me annoyed, are the lefty-lefties who want our president to behave like Emperor George. If we are to restore order, rule of law, then we, um, gotta actually play by our national handbook. Now, it is evident that said book is in DIRE need of an overhaul/simplification, but that is a completely different issue. If you don't like our laws, change them. We are too busy being too busy. I was noticing the food in my freezer is all packaged. This means that it is precooked by someone else, packed in garbage, and awaiting a reheat because I am too busy to actually be bothered with cooking from scratch. You can read this as being sensible--I did plan out when said 'food' would be dispensed--or being overwhelmed. In this state, it is easy to find rules and regulations "just changing" out of the blue. It doesn't help that our system of governance is so bankrupt of love for humans that our civil servants have learned to time their work on "change" in such a way that most of us don't notice it until it's too late. Two things exemplify this strategy this week: Gov. Jerry brown is proposing to eradicate Redevelopment Agencies in the State of California (most public art funding is tied to development dollars and check out what the Broads got right after the announcement) and in Ohio, a single black mother went to jail for sending her daughters to a school district other than the one in which SHE lived, even though the children's father lived in the mostly white district and had joint custody (just looking for a link on this made me cry). I'll have more to say about these two things later in the week, but to me they exemplify, each in their own way, how rules meant to enable civil society are often easily corrupted by unconscious behavior. I guess I need to plan my meals better. Change starts at home. What short cuts are you taking that helps along 'accidental' punishment in your community? How you gonna change that rhythm?
Afrolicious. Afrodelic. Afronautical. Afrologica. Fractal, improvisational, polemical, pedagogical, neurochemical, inspirational... that's the Logic of the Afro. Sign up, read up, be up. How big is your 'fro?
BLOWIN BACK THE 'FRO this weekend? My own reticence in promotion exceptionalism. Truly. IABD is da bomb and I know it exists because the racism in the dance world is putrid. Get this, in what other industry is a "style" actually a racial category? But I just had a very unsavory "raced" experience myself, and shoot, have had more than a boatful throughout my career, so I know how excruciatingly important it is to create safe spaces for exploration and affirmation. I just have to wonder what happens to development ad efficacy when we hunker down in our "communities." I am feeling the paradigm shift, but having a nostalgia for a future that has not yet arrived. Here are some mighty examples that you should go see to take a tour of my worlds.
TONIGHT
DOROTHY CHANDLER PAVILION
135 North Grand Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90012
Grupo Corpo
Friday & Saturday, January 28th, 29th 7:30 PM; Sunday 3 pm; tickets begin at $25
This company is crazy mad fresh. Intensely athletic and daring, they bring that Brazilian resolve to celebrate eros in our lives no matter what. Go check them. I'll be there tonight.
BILTMORE HOTEL
International Association of Blacks in Dance
The conference continues with master classes being offered across the day and a few showcases. Those of you on the ball have laready made your reservation for a few auditions. I do not have the sense that LA is really making a good show of itself here. Lula Washingto, though fierce, can only represent so much. But this association is fundamentally NOT about African-descended dance, just black people who dance The Dance. Still the ferocity of the performances will leave you feeling both blessed to have witnessed and inadequate in your own endeavors. Get a day pass.
HIGHWAYS
1651 18th Street, Santa Monica, CA, 90404
Los Angeles Poverty Department presents... State of Incarceration
Fridays & Saturdays, January 28, 29 & February 5, 6 8:30 PM; online tickets $15/$20
My Face Book feed was practically aflame last night with people urging folks to go and see this remarkable show. The Los Angeles Poverty Department brings it HARD, every time. Collaborative, community pieces, they make work of the work of living. This installment takes you into the world of the incarcerated. They get the MORE COWBELL AWARD this week. Get there. You have two weekends, but don't bank on easy tickets. BUY NOW.
coming up
CHINESE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF LOS ANGELES
Broadway & Hill, Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA
112th Golden Dragon Parade & Festival; route map
Saturday, February 5th, 1PM Parade; additional Festivities on Sunday February 6th.
Whew! The year for me is finally over! That's right, I follow the lunar calendar, babee! But it gets kinda confusing because February will be FULL of various Asian Lunar New Years. When I lived in Oakland, I just stayed in the street and in red for all of February--when I was not a Black History Month event! If you have never been, GO! This is amazing fun. You can do it on the cheap, or you can roll out your own red carpet and buy yourself confetti cannons, horns, bells, ribbons and other assorted party makers. The have a food court, but be adventurous and go into one of the shops. When you need a break, the LA Public Library China Town Branch is perfect! Put some money in a red envelope and say your wishes for The Year of the Metal Rabbit and put it in the mouth of a dragon. If you are really lucky, ACTA artist Chris Low will be dancing your chosen dragon in the Los Angeles’ Awakened Blessing Lion Dance Troupe.
GETTY VILLA
17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades, California 90272
Poor Dog Group presents a work in progress, Satyr Atlas
Friday, February 4th, 8 PM; $7 tickets online
I already have my ticket for this! And likely, the show is already sold out. But go check. If you have never seen these weirdos do their thing, you might be happy, but it is likely that you have missed something. Reminiscent of the Monty Python stew of oddballs, scatology and jump cuts, Poor Dog Group keeps you on the edge of your seat because you just can't believe you are even still sitting. Interpret that as you will. I love them and well, I might be a frenemy! But they are a local DIY troupe that is not afraid to drop their pants to see what will happen performing at the Villa and dammit, that deserves to be celebrated!
get ready for
Feb 12th: Contra -Tiempo Gala Fundraiser! Tickets are already on sale now!
Feb 18th: Fourth Annual Pasadena Dance Festival, presented by Lineage Dance. Newly on my radar! Looks exciting with Mark Morris featured. Tickets on sale already!
THE UNKNOWN THEATER
Nope! Not quite yet, but Chris Covics, director of this infamous performance space wrote me a fantastic response describing what the production team for this space is up to. If you didn't know, or have never heard of them, The Unknown Theater was a great stage space with only a 75 seat house in the theater district in Hollywood, next to the comedy clubs around Seward. Well, they were tossed out on their ear, but have regrouped and are putting together a September multidisciplinary show (as they are wont to do) which sounds like the bees knees. Stay alert for this production. As far as getting another great dance stage back in action, they are taking their time finding the sweet spot. If you know of one, their website is still up and they do respond to inquiries.
ONGOING CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
This Pasadena Dance Festival (Feb 17 -19) is looking like a real inclusive winner. Check out their line up of workshops on their website.
In Oakland, Conceição Damaçeno hosts a Iemanjá Festival! Very exciting. February 12th. Look for an AFRO ALERT with the details.
Many dance camps have announced themselves for the summer season, but the majestic Congolese Drum & Dance Camp is about to kick off in MAUI on Feb 25th - March 5th. Get yourself there.
Then save up some cash for Camp Fareta. Right now is the time to get on the volunteer list, which will get you a reduction in registration fees. July 10-16, 2011, at their usual beautiful location in central California! Led of course by Youssouf Koumbassa.
Baker & Tarpanga will be taking another group to Burkina Faso this summer August 7 - 11. Flyer available on the bottom of their homepage.
Makeda Thomas of Roots & Wings has announced her Dance & Performance Institute in Port of Spain Trinidad. This one has an application deadline of April 11, so get crackin! Looks rather amazing.
Viver Brasil has been blessing us with special workshops by their new Brazilian company members, so much so that you might have forgotten that you can go with them to Brasil in August. Their trip is August. Expect AFRO ALERTS on upcoming visiting artists.
Lovely!
Oh my dears, my fingers are going numb with all the good news! There are some incredible changes ahead for all of us dance artists, why wait for them to happen? Get into the front of the line of this shift happening in Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen. Solidarity marches by youth the world over have begun. It would be wonderful to exert some of your craftiness and love for beauty to ensure that when the feet stop kicking up dust, the paradigm would have shifted. No more revolutions--they just dump you back on a different place on the wheel. Let's get fractal, like the roots of a tree, like patterns of star dust.
in love,
-Anna
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