NEWSLETTER: sweeping motion

Alafia!!

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 Mahajan

Saturday, 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.

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

Dance Visions, A celebration of Donald McKayle

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

AFROLOGICS NEWSLETTER: step ball change

Howdy,

Cue music "Brand New Day" from the Wiz and lets get our happy ending underway! Okay, so not exactly. Day one has brought the closure of Guantanamo Bay Detention Center, an end to the "global gag rule" on family parenting funding, but in municipalities across the nation, art instruction of all types is on the chopping block and education is hanging by a thread. LAUSD has still not paid those artists who'd completed their contract at the end of December. Community Colleges are reducing offerings. This week, the UC announced a reduction of the incoming freshman class by 6%. Large companies like Intel and Clear Channel are downsizing at a rapid rate, and other businesses have just called it quits altogether, witness Circuit City. The retired are realizing that they have to get back to work, and the young adults who can't get those courses at the CC or can't get into a Cal State or UC are also out on the prowl for jobs. It is a New Day, but it is one that requires inventiveness, optimism and daring. Gotta dare not to get caught up in the dire sounding statistics and risk being the lead innovator on community-enhancing projects. Cue that music, but use it to set tempo while you work.

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 this week is the continued burgeoning of microdance productions. This week you can see dance in an industrial, in a highrise building, and in a venerable performance space. This type of art making is a great model to help us invigorate and focus discussions of change. So get out and check some of these performances as research...



TONIGHT -- LOTS of tough choices this weekend!
FIVE THIRTY THREE
533 S. Los Angeles St., 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, CA
Still Point: Harmony, Justin and Hana
Friday, January 23, 2009 & Saturday, January 24, 2009 at 8:30pm; $15 at the door, no reservations.
A choreographic analysis of a poem by TS Eliot, Four Quartets, Still Point will instead feature six solos that examine stillness.



HIGHWAYS
1651 18th Street, (at the 18th Street Arts Center), Santa Monica, CA 90404
Amour, Where Are You?
Friday and Saturday, January 23-24, 8:30 pm
French actress and performance artist Nathalie Broizat’s addresses the universal subject of love and romance with this fantastically surreal dance-theater delight. Broizat does pretty good clown work and is quite funny. Something to check out tomorrow.



SANTA MONICA BAY WOMAN'S CLUB
Oni Dance performs : wasteland ( arrival)
Friday, January 23 & 24 at 8:00 pm; Sunday, January 25 at 7:00 pm
Maria Gillespie's newest work since 2007, this is likely something you should go check out to see what this well-regarded choreographer has been up to while deep in the tool shed.


USC FISCHER MUSEUM OF ART
El Mexorcist 4:America's Most Wanted Inner Demon
Wednesday, January 28 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Guillermo Gomez Peña at USC for FREE
The legend carries on. Go check him out.
and
HOLLY HUGHES
will be at UCLA at exactly the same time, further underscoring how much this city rocks and sucks at the am time. Pick one, you can't miss.
GLORYA KAUFMAN HALL ROOM 208
The Center for Performance Studies presents: A presentation/performance by Holly Hughes
"The Post Racial Poodle? A Dog and Pony show (bring your own
pony)"
Wednesday, January 28 at 4pm
"A world-renowned lesbian feminist performance artist and playwright with a flair for telling the outrageous stories of everyday lesbian life, Holly Hughes has has won two Obie awards for excellence in off-Broadway theater for her plays Dress Suit to Hire (1988) and Clit Notes (1990) She is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Theatre and Drama at the University of Michigan."


BARKER HANGAR
3021 Airport Avenue, Suite 203, Santa Monica, California 90405-6101
Art-LA show
Jan 22- 25, 2009; Friday & Saturday , January 23 - 24, 11am-7pm;Sunday, January 25, 11am-6pm 1-day pass $15
Santa Monica knows how to do art, or at least they half kill themselves trying. Go out and marvel at the genius and try not to get sticker shock. MOCA had its logo on this one.



LA CONVENTION CENTER
West Hall A, 1201 South Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90015
Los Angeles Art Show,
Thursday - Friday January 22- 25, 11am-8pm,;Sunday January 25, 11am- 5pm $15 at the door with on-line cupon
to be totally confused with the older one running at the Barker Hangar. They each have been touted as things to see. I guess there was a divorce and the thought splitting the audience across the 10 freeway was a good idea. Can you imagine the shuttle ride this wet weekend?! Anyway, it is almost done, hope downtown tonight for a cocktail at a trendy hotel and you are bound to trip over some of these conventioneers. LACMA had its logo on this one. Geez. Worse than having divorced and remarried grand parents on both sides.



coming up:
decaDANCE, 10th annual Grad Student Concert @ UCR, Feb 20th - 22nd
Bricklayers With A Sense of Humor @ UCLA WAC, Feb 25th
Dance As Civic Duty Lecture Series is on going. Find us on Face Book or on my academic blog, The Gesture and The Citizen (yes, maybe I do need some lithium...)


ONGOING CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
DanceBank rocked it this Saturday and will do so next week.
I will have more international trips to announce next week. Still got my Obamalerium going...



LOVELY!
So when I started writing this a few days ago, the report about the California budget had not surfaced. I also had not recognized just how much energy I had deposited in the big celebration of Black president's Day, so right now, I am having to source power literally from the air. If you are here in SO. Cal, you know that it has been not exactly the best of times to look for sustenance from our local air! So, more than ever, I need your energy, your presence. The same is true for each of you. Tonight there was an earthquake, reminding me that I need to get better prepared--I live in a tsunami evacuation area--and also instruct my children better. To get souped up and ready to make these micro/personal changes, I've been listening to Obama songs, watching videos of my peeples creating dances to celebrate the O and laughing at comedians and impersonators, all celebrating this great change. Yeah, I kinda played hookey from the newsletter this week, simply because I am finally awe struck! I worked during the inauguration, doing a soft launch of the American Ways Network with Aimee Allison. We are still building it out, but it is well on its way. I'm pretty proud of it and the potential it has to help our nation join the global effort to recreate humanity. So I really missed the enormity of the day. It is hitting me now as are other things...

With the state's economy as it is, it is incumbent upon each and everyone of us to find alternative means of income and do it in ways that help others. Cause for reals, sometimes you only gonna get paid with a meal and that will be EXACTLY what you need at that moment. So get your earthquake kit ready--cut-backs mean first responders will be fewer; get crackin on that veggie garden--don't bother to get in line for a community garden plot, make one of your own in a box; finally join that carpool cause gas went back up and the roads will not get repaired; those who can, prepare to homeschool in groups cause the schools might not have enough to get through the end of the year; gather around those who have been laid off in your community and see what they can do for you in exchange for your help--build a Community Hours Bank that trades and barters labor for labor instead of requiring cash;and listen to music and dance a lot--throw potluck parties, shut down your block and meet everyone and then ask if they are earthquake ready, if they have money for their meds, if they need help to eat, if they have space for a garden, if they are concerned about school for their kids, if they need a carpool, if they want to get the arts centered in the community; and laugh and sing and dance and eat. Yes We Can. Y'all, we've got to. Do not underestimate your importance one to the other. Stay in touch and know that like Obama said, "we are the ones that we have been waiting for." At no time in this amazing ride has this been more true.

in love,
-Anna

RESOURCES
http://www.cleanairgardening.com/pots-planters.html
http://www.urbanfarming.org/foodchain2.htm
http://www.artsforla.org/
http://www.k12.com/
http://www.ithacahours.org/
http://www.erideshare.com/?gclid=CMeE1_aCqZgCFQHHGgodkRrmnQ
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learning/preparedness.php

NEWSLETTER: party like it's 2009!

Hallo!

I feel like I should say it again, so I will, HAPPY NEW YEAR! Yes, the divorce is final and the new wedding plans have finally been finalized (whew did they drag it out or what) so we should get together and sing and dance and act like natural fools! We did it! Now, time to get on-line and keep doing it. A significant part of the Obama effort is hearing out the populace, actually having the government be by the people, for the people and of the people. If you don't make time to interact, do not be surprised when odd-ball policies start gaining momentum. Life in the Big City can be all scrabble and scrape, with little time to reflect and initiate. We have to let that go and realize that we can make time to govern ourselves, otherwise how else will the arts get an agenda? When will classroom innovations for the few become the new standard for all? How else will that little strip of green space turn into an oasis of good eatin? When and how will wars get ended if you don't stop, write in, collaborate with your neighbor, help out at the local school or library? Who will heal Gaza? Obama the magical negro cannot take away the pains instantaneously, but he can inspire us to do it ourselves! Isn't that how it works in the movie anyway, except maybe this time he will get credit as he goes along instead of after he's 80. Uh, yeah. Signed sealed delivered, he's ours and we're his. Don't forget that.


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 possibility! Oh my goodness. Or should I say, the harvest of possibility? This week UCLA struts and crows about its bountiful harvest and UCI follows next month. But right now, daring dance theater, traditional hijinx and uncommon performance spaces show just how busy folks have been making a way when there appeared to be none! Let's eat! Metaphorically speaking...harvest, reap, thresh, yeah....



TONIGHT
WORLD ARTS & CULTURE, UCLA
Gloria Kaufman Dance Theater
Anyone Home Reunion Tour
January 16 & 17th; $10/$8 show, $9 parking in Lot 4 (car pool or bus in)
Eighteen alumni from a span of 34 years descend upon Kaufman Hall to show the young'uns how its done. This is a fantastically cheap show given the bill. Choreographers include: Linda Gold, I Made Bandem, Li Chiao-Ping, Banafsheh Sayad, Tamica Washington-Miller, Jackie Lopez and Amrapali Ambegaokar. Linda Yudin will present part of her glorious company, Viver Brasil. There is also an exhibit with the remaining artist presenting their work. All this for $10?!



UNKNOWN THEATER
1110 Seward Street @ Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles, CA
Rupture: An Evening of Dance Theatre
Thursday January 16 - Sunday 18th, 8 PM/Sunday 6 PM; $18 advance/ $25 @ door
LA Weekly said you better get your backside up and out of the house to see this show. Nuff said. Final Weekend.



TRACK 16 GALLERY
2525 Michigan Ave, Bldg C-1, Santa Monica, CA 90404
Crocheting with Plastic bags: A workshop A presented by IFF
Saturday, January 17th 2- 4 PM
Now, this is truly something to participate in. I know you've got that stash of plastic bags that you keep forgetting to recycle in front of the grocery store. Here's your chance to divert it from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and look stylish at the same time. The workshop is followed by a lecture by none other than Captain Charles Moore, the dude who went out into the Pacific Ocean and came back to tell us that a patch of plastic trash the size of Texas was about to jack up our surf and turf buffet plans. Not to be missed.


UC RIVERSIDE, UNIVERSITY THEATER, directions
Off Campus Drive by the intersection of Canyon Crest Drive and MLK BLVD
Wonderboy, Joe Goode Dance Group
Wednesday, January 21st, 8 PM; $35/$17
Come out on a Wednesday evening--traffic not too bad--to see one of America's most highly awarded living dancers choreograph live bodies and a puppet. Yeah, shocked me too, but Joe Goode was named a United States Artists Fellow for 2008, one of only five national dance artists so honored. Wonderboy has already made itself known as a must-see piece of artistry and revelation. I"m just going to see the puppet dance though.



UC IRVINE CENTER FOR GLOBAL PEACE
UC Irvine Student Center, Doheny Beach Rooms B, C, D , directions
"Critical Investigations into Humanitarianism in Africa" A two day conference
Presented by The UC Irvine Center for Global Peace and Conflict Studies and UCLA James S. Coleman African Studies Center
January 16 - 17 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
I did pledge to increase knowledge of Africa on my Face Book page, so I am urging those of you so inclined to go and learn something about how to be of better service to the residents of the continent of Africa. I had a grad student from Indonesia who had quite a lot to say about the "pity factory of philanthropy" which I found extremely interesting. I anticipate that and other scathing assessment of uneven global aid efforts into the countries of Africa. The event is happening now and its Friday (yucky traffic) but tomorrow is still on its way. Co-sponsored by:
University of California Humanities Research Institute, UC Irvine Office of Research, International Center for Writing and Translation, Center for Ethnography, Interdisciplinary Center for the Scientific Study of Ethics and Morality, and Center for Research on International and Global Studies



later on


FIVE THIRTY THREE
533 S. Los Angeles St., 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, CA
Still Point: Harmony, Justin and Hana
Friday, January 23, 2009 & Saturday, January 24, 2009 at 8:30pm; $15 at the door, no reservations.
A choreographic analysis of a poem by TS Eliot, Four Quartets, Still Point will instead feature six solos that examine stillness. At first, cocky me imagined everyone standing still for 90 minutes, but the sparse industrial backdrop of the gallery space offers opportunities for the audience to think about how we engage noise whether we want to or not. From their web page: "Performers Justin Streichman and Harmony Bench were integral to the development of the work and join choreographer, Hana van der Kolk in the performance. Composer and violist Cassia Streb joins the cast, performing her original score." I have the feeling that this will be a magical and memorable night, the kind that creeps up on you while you think you are getting bored. More details to come once I shake them out of Harmony.


HIGHWAYS
1651 18th Street, (at the 18th Street Arts Center), Santa Monica, CA 90404
THEN, an evening of new dance works and works in progress
Friday & Saturday, January 30th & 31st, 2008; 8:30 PM, $20/ $15 DRC members & students
Curated by Carmela Hermann and Stephanie Nugent
An evening of new and in process choreography by Louie Cornejo, Keith Glassman, Terrence Luke Johnson, Stephanie Nugent & Kristen Smiarowski. Professional dancers are invited to come out and talk to other professional dancers about the act of making professional dance.


STANFORD UNIVERSITY
Roble Dance Studio, Stanford University, 375 Santa Teresa, Stanford, CA
Parijat Desai Dance Company
Saturday, January 31, 2009, 5:00PM, FREE
My favorite critical dance theory copy editor has a rather amazing dance company of her own. Parijat Desai presents Malaysia (excerpts), Listening #5, and Quiet/Fire (excerpts). She is at our alma mater in residence for this quarter, so check her out if you are up that way. You will not be disappointed. Also, if you need a badass copy editor, shoot her an e-mail! Performers: Desai, Aditi Dhruv, Penelope Kalloo and Riyo Mito.
info@parijatdesai.org, diversityarts@stanford.edu http://www.parijatdesai.org/


coming up:
check out a series of speakers I've assembled on the topic of "Dance as Civic Duty." Joe Goode kicks us off this Tuesday evening 4:10 in PE 102 at UCR. more info to come on my "professional" blog, The Gesture and The Citizen.




INAUGURAL BALLS
Yes yes y'all, party on after one of the single most defining moments in our country's history. There are is a link to the balls in DC, should you be on your way out there and there are a few in San Francisco and here in LA. LIkely you'll need to be so-called A-list for some of the LA ones, but I think that paradigm has shifted with the new administration. Who's more superstar than the O right now? Even Oprah had to give up that letter for Barry.

Washington D.C.
For DC only http://dc.about.com/od/specialevents/a/inauguralballs.htm
I think my favorite wild sounding party is the "Chant for Change" a kirtan party for all the yoginis out there hosted by our own Shiva Rhea...in DC no less!

San Franciso
My dear friend Aimee Allison and a bevy of other social activists in the bay Area are hosting "Inauguration West" at The Metreon, 4th & Mission Streets in San Franciso. This looks like THE party y'all. I had an invite, but have to come back for work...but I does got me a j o b ! http://inaugurationwest.com/

Face Book
If you are looking for a viewing party, it is likely that all those new-fangled video billboards will carry the thing live (just guessing, they did carry the returns when he won) and Face Book and CNN are hosting a virtual party, but you will be able to see the actual swearing in and festivities.

Los Angeles
It looks as if fabulous has gotten on the jet and gone off to DC. Since "el lay" is a city of players and performers, everyone will be back east workin' the floor, shakin' hands and grinnin', pretending like they didn't endorse Hilary Clinton early, often and dirty. But never fear, that "Everyone" meant "all the people who think they got juice but will soon discover that they don't" so come out to a parade in Silver Lake then a Bush beatdown in Echo Park and if you are still standing, head downtown for an actual Inaugural Ball, art scene stylee.

*FREE Inauguration Viewing Party at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, 7 AM, and get this FREE Parking
*19th, Double Happiness Parade Silverlake Reservoir Recreation Center - 1850 West Silver Lake Dr. - Los Angeles January 19 : 10:30 a.m. Celebrate MLK & Barack!
* 19th, Bush Bash: It's Over Remy's on Temple, 2126 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA 90026; 213-484-2884. January 19 : 7 p.m. - 1 a.m. FREE don't forget to bring a shoe to throw! http://bushbashla.com/press.html
*The Art of Change Inaugural Ball, 1038 S. Hill St. - Downtown, January 20 : 7 p.m. Hosted by the Mayan, this will be a musically edgy event, plenty of dancing and a recap video of the inaugural speech are promised. $10


Marcus Quiland-Nazazrio has to be hosting one somewhere. Come on, querido, don't hold out on me. Where's the happening party?



ONGOING CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
International workshops have already been an announced for a number of styles! This is great, because you have enough time to join a credit union with good, stable liquidity, and stuff away $150/month towards the trip. Uh, oops. Make that $350 - $450/mo... hmmm a car note. Well they can repossess your car, but your muscle memories will be all yours, so get that account open and start saving up!

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Baker/Tarpanga Project takes you to one of their homes away from home for intensive traditional and contemporary dances of the Old Mali Empire. $2500, August 1 - 15th. Hosted by Napam Beogo/Center for Artisans and Visual Arts. $250 non-refundable deposit due by May 1, 2009
http://www.btdanceproject.com/content/view/13/29/lang,en/

Salvador, Bahia-Brasil with Linda Yudin/Viver Brasil. This is a trip that just keeps getting better, so every dollar is well spent. Now in its 12th year, the trip includes a stop in São Paulo at the Museum Afro on your way up to Africa West, aka Bahia. $3495, double occupancy, air travel included from LA, Miami, NYC (additional city leg is at your own expense) August 1 - 17, 2009. $400 registration fee. Pay over Paypal!
http://www.viverbrasil.com/HTML_2008/travel_programs.html

Caribbean Dance Cruise (Guinea style) with Youssef Koumbassa. August 16 - 23, 2009; $500 deposit was due on 12/08, so call to see if they are still accepting registrants. Total depends on room type, $1400 - $1700, all double occupancy. Airfare not included. Departure Port is Puerto Rico. http://westafricandance.com/




LOVELY!
This was an effort! Every week, I watch with horror as my in-box fills up with ...newsletters! Then I just have to laugh because I signed up for most of them and use them diligently to bring you a little bit of the word storm as a gentle rain. So keep 'em coming! But please begin to send them to afrologic@gmail.com. Time to get the tributaries into one river. Make sure you go out and party hard this week. Take off work! Declare it a holiday for 2 whole days. Wave and smile at people you don't know. Break out your T-shirts, make Obama Playlists for your MP3 player or phone. Sing out loud. Skip while you walk. Whistle while you pee in a public bathroom. Do little dances while you wait to cross the street. PARTY! Cause it is likely that before that man's hand gets off that bible, we will all need to figure out a new game plan for several old problems that won't go away (with a quickness as they say in the vernacular). Until Tuesday, dream of peace, ask for grace, give hugs and take action for love.

in love,
-Anna

NEWSLETTER: back that thing up

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! or as my son has been saying "NAPPY WHO HEAR?"

Okay, so I had such a good time in Mississippi with family I had not seen for years that I completely let slide my 100 things I would switch up. I also ate everything I saw, and so it was likely I was in a food coma when I was not laughing really hard with one of my brothers. But I did have the eye open and ear to the ground. In spite of my good time, and a general sense that folks were very happy to see each other, no matter who, there was not all that much "holiday cheer." Fewer lights, shorter lines in the grocery store. it seemed that folks opted instead for the right to trample greeters at Wal-Mart for flat screens rather than spend their money on extraneous stuff like food and electricity. Cheers! I kinda thought that maybe the restraint was not so much a monetary result as it was people were saving up to party hard at the Inauguration. I mean, HanukaChrisKwanza comes every year, but swearing in a black man to be president of the world, that's likely not gonna happen again for a while. Did you see that Russians are betting on the dissolution of the USA by 2010? Did you notice the intensification of crazed retrograde behavior? If you are ignoring the Gaza dilemma, you should not. This battle will be the thing that distracts and takes money away from initiatives we have going here in the US for a Department of Peace and a Minister of Arts. These are important ideas that need to happen to begin to spread this almost-forgotten thing called "good will." To ignore Gaza is to do so at your own artistic peril. You'll get no blame game out of me; no one has the right to shoot anyone, even when it seems like the most expedient option. On iPeace, a sister in Tel Aviv blogged about realizing with a Palestinian sister that neither one of them had any idea what they wanted to happen other than they did not want all the murder to continue. That's deep. In the absence of imagination the wrong thing can keep happening, over and over, just because we are used to it happening. We are used to the arts being ignored. We are used to peace getting called impossible. We are used to sitting quietly while our straight jacket gets buckled up nice and tight. We even smile and say thanks in our confusion. This is the year to step out of the fear, out of the "always like this," to let go of "forever and ever amen" and leap into "I don't know, let's see what happens if we get still and listen." Let go, back into Grace, and come out flying into possibilities: take action with love.


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


Jumping heart first into 2009, there is plenty BLOWIN' BACK DA 'FRO this week. Artists are on the move, alternative markets are burgeoning, and well, we'll all just have to work a little bit longer before retirement. Stop eating out so you can keep making it to these shows!


TONIGHT
UKNOWN THEATER
1110 Seward Street (cross street is Santa Monica Blvd.), LA
Rupture: An Evening of Dance Theatre
January 8-18, Thursdays - Saturdays @ 8 PM & Sundays @ 6 PM; $18 online, $25 @ door
Kingsley Irons takes to the stage in a few minutes with a crew of dancers ready to break open your head with her analysis of discipline and punishment. The fantastic production team of the Unknown awaits to make your night a memorable one. Go check this out. Parking lot located north of the theater on Lexington and Seward.


ELECTRIC LODGE
1416 Electric Ave, Venice, CA 90291
iDfest 2009: UK in LA
January 6 - 11 is the Workshop sign up here. January 10 @ 8:30 1st show; January 11 @ 4 pm, second show; $20 Gen, $15 Student / DRC, Friday Pay-What-You-Can UK in LA, well, almost. Venice is technically LA, but...Anyway, I am very excited that this festival is in my backyard. Shows every evening with a different bill each time, this festival of improvisation takes its theme seriously. Special guest artists Kirstie Simson, Caroline Waters and Simone Forti anchor the event.


HIGHWAYS
1651 18th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404
Street Cred 101
Saturday, January 10 & Sunday January 11th 8:30 PM; $15/$10
"Who you callin faggot!? I know how you like it when you at County!" Yes yes y'all Khalil Amani, S.A. asks: can a gay rapper earn his street credentials? This will likely be a RAW show, so if ya takin the kiddies to help them get an early start on loving everybody, be ready to answer LOTS of questions. With a roster of 7 hard hitting out rappers, the evening will burn in your memory for years to come. Stop H8TE. Brought to you in part by Outhiphop.com


USC FISHER MUSEUM OF ART

823 Exposition Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90007, map it

El Mexorcist 4:America's Most Wanted Inner Demon
Wednesday, January 28, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm, FREE
El Mexorcista is BACK!! If you've never been excoriated, I mean exorcised by Guillermo Gomez Peña, tonight is the night. Hopefully it's gotten an update to included the antics of the shrub (Bush). Hosted by El Centro Chicano @ USC.


ONGOING CLASSES
It would be great to get updates from folks if your class has moved or your studio has closed. I did get word via Face Book that a new studio has opened! Congrats to the brave Yossi Conde! Her epononymous studio is located at 1734 SOUTH VERMONT AVENUE and you can enjoy a free salsa class this Sunday, 11 JAN from 10 - 11 AM. Shake that thang!

DANCEBank is ON with Mira Kingsley as instructor Saturdays 11am-1pm, January 10, 17, 24 $12

Rae S. Blum is now at Dance Arts Academy on Thursdays 7:30 - 9:30! Offered by Donation, so go get lifted.

A good number of the Viver Brasil Crew is in Bahia getting their learn on, but while they are away, you can expect guest teachers in the Tuesday night class at Dance Arts.

All on the dance map!


ACTION
This just in from Chicago...

Quincy Jones has started a petition to ask President-Elect Obama to appoint a Secretary of the Arts. While many other countries have had Ministers of Art or Culture for centuries, The United States has never created such a position. We in the arts need this and the country needs the arts--now more than ever. Please take a moment to sign this important petition and then pass it on to your friends and colleagues.
http://www.petitiononline.com/esnyc/petition.html


LOVELY!
They say the New Year is all about out with the old and in with the new, but apparently the Blogjo did not get the memo and decided that divide and conquer race politics were still a good game plan. Why Mr. Burris thought he should accept the opportunity to become a black senator from Illinois from a corrupt, embattled governor is beyond me, but he did. Though we all count ourselves among the unlucky for the atrocity that is Gaza, Mr. Burris considers himself lucky for the cover. 2009 is all about implementation of the shifts we put into motion in 2008. Since that is the theme (cause I said so), it goes without saying that we have a year of work ahead of us, especially since not everyone wanted to come along on this fantastic voyage or they did, but did not realize how much old behavior that used to work, will no longer serve them. Scrape that gum off your soul and you'll discover a higher bounce. Looking forward to making anew world with you in 2009. Thanks for reading!

in love,
-Anna