NEWSLETTER: shake it shake it shake it shake it baby, twist it

ALOHA!
Wow, so the University of California just took a massive financial hit. I am confused as to how slashing workers pay 4 - 10% for one year through a weirdly structured furlough plan is going to save anything since the State of California continues to also not pay any of the rest of its obligation to the University, but hey, maybe that's just me. Right now, this morning, the Repair California folks are meeting and Antonio is giving the welcome. I had hoped to actually be involved and be there, but their phone call for action came yesterday at 11 am and when I returned the call, it went straight to voice mail. I do not feel so bad about my procrastination now. But in all of this, there is a rather sparkly silver lining. For the last several decades the UC and the State of California have been able to determine what was knowledge worthy of knowing and more importantly how & when that knowledge would be distributed. Not so anymore. Any arts education entrepreneurs out there? This is YOUR moment. There is absolutely no way that the educational system K - 12 and into Community College and University can sustain these cuts. Programs and departments will be disappearing in a few weeks and the time to degree will significantly increase, the K-12 experience has been gutted: it is time to create a new path to knowledge, new definitions for "education." And from my point of view, not just the "ed. specialists" should have a hand in this. The parents, even of the college folks (cause, boy are they too coddled to handle college these days) should be part of the teaching team. No more backseat teaching! No more automobile metaphors! We're going for low-carbon emission theoretical and practically implemented models! While the education thing crumbles down around our feet, let's take note of the pieces that can be recycled and/or repurposed responsibly. Swim in the elegance that is life and you'll find that you have more than enough to share, create with, and give.



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.


BLOWING BACK DA FRO right this very minute, aside from the big meeting at USC for the planning of the Constitutional Convention is the Big Parade! Yes, some pretty crafty art that is a mapping project, endurance test, and meet your neighbors cause you might need their help kinda thing. They pushed off about three hours ago in China Town. You can follow their updates via twitter. Go to their blog page to get the links for the parade route, how to meet up with them, to follow the Twitter Feed. If you use Twitter, you can follow them directly @bigparadela. I am likely going to join them tomorrow, though I would love to walk through Echo Park today, gotta see what I can learn from the gathering downtown.



TONIGHT
UNKNOWN THEATRE
1110 Seward Street Los Angeles, CA 90038; (323) 466-7781, map
Born Dance Company
July 16 - July 26: Thursdays - Saturdays 8 PM, Sundays 6 PM; $18 tix on line, $25 at the door
Quite the collection of dancer-choreographers on this show! Won Sun Choi, an intriguing mover between traditional and contemporary Korean dance, artistic director of this new venture, has layered an evening with a slew of visiting performers from Seoul and new dancers from Southern California. Sue Roginski, a collaborating choreographer will be on hand with "Sandoval's Story," which she showed in progress at Anatomy Riot #31. It was really intriguing since it involves the audience learning the gestures live while doing them. You will not be disappointed. And what a great place to see them altogether! Go check it out!!! (Unknown's website appears to be having trouble right now)


1830 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026
Sunday, July 19th; Doors 8:30 PM, Screening 9 PM $5
1830 Collective presents a mini-Freewaves type of event on their roof in Echo Park! Freewaves is this awesome video festival that places work in the most unlikely places including security monitors, diner TVs and laundromats. Director/curator Anne Bray will be on hand to talk about the work showcased in this event, Civic Statues Unfrozen for One Hour: Clothed Women and Unarmed Men. Run time is 55 minutes and this is a two-channel installation piece of recent international short films. I LOVE the 1830 folks. They have a very quirky vision and they are committed to making it happen. Go check this.
other events from 1830:
Dinner: A raw vegan gourmet Thai dinner under stars and moonlight
Chefs Stephen Hauptfuhr (MOOI) and Bryan Au (Raw in Ten)
Saturday, 25 July 2009, Doors 8pm, Dinner 8:30pm $25
RSVP required info@eighteen-thirty.com

PADDLE BOAT HOUSE ECHO PARK LAKE
1714 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles

826LA Paddle Boat Regatta
Saturday, July 25, NOON; donations being accepted NOW
All things Echo Park today?! I guess so, cause this event is gonna be a lot of fun for a great cause. Even though the city has cut the boat House at the Echo Park Lake (yup that's right, no paddle boats) this event was allowed to happen this weekend. I am not sure but I think the Big Parade was scheduled to get in there and boat across but were denied access since I guess there is only so much OT the City Parks & Recs can carry right now (LAKERS!). Anyway, donate some cash even if you can't go. 826LA needs it ASAP. Any amount accepted. This is a wonderful program with sites around the city. My son loves them.



REDCAT
631 W 2nd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
NOW Festival
July 23–August 8, 2009, Thur–Sat | 8:30 PM; call box office for $35 festival pass or purchase single nights online
Ayana Hampton y'all...with Sheetal Ghandi on the first program. Damn, George Lugg! You tryin' to hurt somebody?! And then closin out the whole thing with the dance Ninja herself, Meg Wolfe? Get that bar stocked, George. get the bar stocked. BLOWOUT COMB, prolly need to bring your own grease...


FESTIVALS
GRAND PERFORMANCES, 350 S Grand Ave, LA, map
Grand Performances is in full swing now. I saw Buika last week and thought I would absolutely not mind dying right there, listening to that voice and that amazing pianist. Last night was certainly a big blast for those in attendance and tonight ALBITA will hurt your hips, direct form Cuba, so you better get there early if you know what is good for you.
Coming up that you don't want to miss:
Jul 25 8:00 PM: Curumin with Money Mark & Novalima, sweeeeet! Nice balançando Brazilian grooves, Curumin will be lovely. Great dancing night.
Jul 31 8 PM Lo Còr de la Plana and Fish Tank Ensemble--OMG! The bass player of Fishtank is HOT. I had to say that. And the music is just ridiculous. I have a weak spot for Gypsy music and that thing with the saw has to be seen to believe. Bring your dancing shoes and tamborines. The other group...hmmmm. Not quite feeling it, but the fountain has a way of bringing out the best in a group. here's hopin'.
Aug 15 8 PM Zap Mama!!! Yes, there was a cancellation in the program , so geez, Zap Mama was gracious enough to fill in. WHAAAAT?! Early, get there VERY early.




ONGOING CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
Hana van der Kolk has a new class up at the Open Space! 10:30am-12:30pm and Mondays - July 20, Thursdays - July 16th, 23rd, and 30thth, and 27th 7:30-9:30pm; $10/class; 209 S. Garey St. 90012 (2nd floor). Why don't you check out Hassan's page and see what all is crackin there. He has reduced rental rates for this month only (who knows, maybe a slot is waiting for you) and Po One has been giving class there, too.

Right now in Oakland, Muisi Malonga is gearing up to take the peoples out to the woods for 10 days of dance, music, sun and Kongo Arts next weekend. First, she wants you all to stop by for the "warm up" all weekend long at the Malonga Casquelourde Center for the Arts. Go get that 'fro picked all the way out, with some afrosheen gloss spritzer to finish it out. map


LOVELY!
I'm gonna stop here. I am obviously still not downtown for this meeting, likely because it will just make me sad. As part of my investigations into what to do to help keep my babies outta jail this summer (that's right, once you have one child, you get to claim all of them in the whole wide world as yours, check your contracts and memos) since there is no summer school, I have been going around town looking into what already exists and thinking of ways to let folks know about it, support it and participate in it. Museums, performance centers, dance companies, presenters...again, I was reminded about the numbers, those pesky digits from the 2000 census and really became concerned about 2010 numbers as well as an unnecessary split in civic consciousness: city vs. community. While we are refocusing our minds to celebrate the new beginning being handed us by the demise of our educational systems, we better plan a way to break apart this dichotomy. I am getting the sense that these two words are racial codes AND class codes, and that ain't good. City folks are generally white and affluent, or white-identified and affluent and have very little need for city services. Community members work hard for their money, may in fact earn more than $75K a year, but are concerned with and need services to supplement their income and lifestyle; often these are people of color and "white hipsters" who just cannot understand why anyone would waste money as easily as the City does on improvements that don't help the communities. Not good. As I sit with this thought, I invite you all to begin writing letters telling the city administrators exactly what you would like your money to support/improve/eradicate. For instance, I get sick every time I see a new speed bump go up. The issue is fast, accessible, pervasive public transportation; people would not tear through neighborhoods in a huff if the main arteries were not so clogged. Or spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to artically market the city with those lamp post banners when 500+ childern could have a blast in an innovative arts-based summer exploration. Get the idea? Let's start slinging that ink, making those plans and taking the necessary steps to shake the dust out of this rug we call civic pride so we can once again admire its lovely pattern.

in love,
-Anna

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