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: listing to the left

or to the right?

Greetings!
Though I had a burning desire to send out a post pre-Independence Day, full of irony and likely a tad too much bile, I decided instead to take action and be of service. Wow, has the last week not been surreal, or what? I had a complete list typed out in my head, which means that it is time to start putting stuff onto a channel on YouTube, of all of the crazazy things going on in California, especially in LA, that required our true love of citizenship, not jingoistic patriotism. So, I guess, I'll rattle off the list, because time is of the essence y'all. We got to get into motion towards resolutions and solutions, not just studies (though those are cool, they can suck needed resources away once the picture is clear enough to make a good educated guess about the action part), not just talking (omg, how many projects do you have mostly completed because you could not shut up about it and got tired of it your own self) not just letter-writing ( a recent study, note irony here, found that all those cool little emails you shoot up to DC and your state's capital go unread because they are form letters and therefore 'not real,' I know, I know) but person to person, thoughtful action embedded in loving kindness. Irony is fun y'all, but often, not productive, so let me get it off my chest:

1. Michael Jackson dies of a heart attack and the haters are soon silenced by the flood of love washing over the interwebs. Many are stunned that black people even still like Michael Jackson. Spontaneous dancing ensues around the GLOBE.
2. Meanwhile, back in Iran, the mullahs start putting people to death for rising up and claiming that their votes weren't counted. You likely missed that. I get a direct report fed from the country, and I can tell you, it ain't good. And no, I can't give up my source, because it would be literally giving up a body...
3. People born between 1967 and 1974 suddenly feel very old because a)they remember the last debacle in Iran driven by US policy; b) they either owned ABC, a zipper jacket, or a sequined glove or all three; c)Ed McMahon was evidence that it was late and they were growing up when they got to see him; d) Charlie's Angel's fashion sense was just making a comeback, and now Farah couldn't show the young'uns how it's really done.
4. ON Thursday of last week, the State of California began to issue IOUs to its vendors and service providers, with the Guvenator claiming that this would be a wake up call to the state: I did not know that dead things could wake up.
5. Around that same time, UC employees of all grades and classes were asked HOW they wanted that 8% pay cut, and to please vote on it.
6. LAUSD administration realizes that maybe parents were upset that summer school was cancelled afterall and hastily makes a crappy mini web page announcing some 'great things' to do over the summer, meanwhile a handful of us continue to scrap away at finding a decent solution.
7. Black people really really love some MJ. Suddenly it actually doesn't matter if you're black or white, even in Harlem, for a minute...or two.
8. The meetings of "mad as hell and we can't take it anymore" citizen groups begin in earnest in California, still mirroring the white to the right, white to the left problem that the Ecomonist pointed out as the reason for the failed state budget in the first place.
9. LA, having just thrown a party for the victorious Lakers, will now host the funeral of Michael Jackson and hastily begins to fundraise because they can't pay for the Laker's party which already happened and oh yeah, summer school, and um, those pesky parks, and what pothole? I don't see no pothole? Who need public transit anyway?! Walk! Oh, sorry, gotta go, cain't miss my flight!
   
10. There is a coup in Hondurus. Let me say that again, there is a coup in Hondurus rigged right between people using the Law of Attraction to get tickets to MJ's funeral and the first Fourth of July Celebrations helmed by "El Negrito," as the new phony prez of Hondurus repeatedly called Barak Obama (that's nasty race talk btw).

I can't even mention Sara Palin, oh damn, just did it! So what we have here is a failure to find our alignment, to get clarity, to accept that we are all connected and need each other to be healthy, happy, loved, cared for, with all basic needs met. Where there's a will there's a way. Even MJ had one...


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.



BLOWIN BACK DA 'FRO right now is my own shimmy and shake for da peeples. This past weekend, after years of working behind the scenes with Viver Brasil, I got to witness them take some risks on that wild Ford Amphitheatre stage and receive a big time international agent!! Go Linda! That made me feel great to be a part of that. Whaaat! Next, Nehera Kalev pushed me up my own big-mouth-thinkin-out-loud hill, with Sara Wolf right alongside screamin' and kickin' and together we three (with emo support from Arianne Hoffmann, Meg Wolfe & Taisha Paiggett) hosted the first-ever Alternative Transmissions: Sunday Soup Kitchen, or @sk for short. We gifted $100 to Leonix Dance Theater! Now I am about to drop some bombs with the S.A.S.E. project and urge people to go to their local schools and do TEACH-INS next week. That's right. Action, Jackson. Check out how P.A.P.E.L. is rockin it. Sometimes, you gotta tell yourself, "thank you self, for sticking in there and letting the Higher self get a crack at shining that light." This week is pretty much a continuation of more of the same madness, so luckily there are PLENTY zany, community-based arts projects to get your mind free so that your ass can follow. Now grab that Afro Pick and let's get this thang all the way round and crowned!


AVENUE 50 STUDIO GALLERY, 131 North Avenue 50, Highland Park, CA
Ashé Blessings, Energy, Power
FREE Reception: Saturday, July 11, 2009 from 7-10 pm
Exhibiting artists: Katie Elizabeth Brown, Eddy Bello-Sandoval, Viredo, Ricardo Silvereira Miró, Wendell Wiggins, Susan Matthews, Betty Kano, Lili Bernard, Gloria Longval, and an Eleggua altar by Jorge Luis Rodriguez. Modupe Orixá! Come one and come all! This is a glorious ocassion! Bring some candy for Eleggua!


IMIX BOOKSTORE, 5052 Eagle Rock Blvd, Eagle Rock, CA
WORDS WITH A PURPOSE Free fundraiser reading
Saturday, July 11, 7:30pm
Featuring the words and rhythms of Olga García Echeverría, liz gonzález, reina alejandra prado & Frankie Salinas with special guests Gloria E. Alvarez and Lysa Flores. Yes, this is free, BUT it is a fundraiser, so to get them the cash to help out a local bookstore and a school library please do the following: If you can't make it to the event and want to make a donation, gift certificates from IMIX or online bookstores, like http://www.powells.com/, are preferred. Make checks payable to “Friends of the Arroyo Seco Library.” Send gift certificates and checks to
Erika Montenegro, Adult Librarian
Arroyo Seco Library
6145 N Figueroa St
LA CA 90042
For more info about donations, contact Erika Montenegro: emontene@lapl.org or 323.255.0537
Alright? It sounds as if once you get there, there will be a basket/bucket/can collection thing happening, otherwise, DONATE even if you can't make it! They are STILL taking donations...


Chinatown's Historic Central Plaza, 943 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA

The Funk Rumble Block Party

Sat Jul 11 12pm – 10pm
Alfie Numeric and her possee are at it again! Get yourself downtown and have a good time at what promises to be an unusual street party. "Half music festival – half block party, The Funk Rumble is a blend of live music, djs, vendors, and artists coming together to celebrate urban soul and create the ultimate summer party!" DJ Jeremy Sol will be on the block as will a bevvy of live painters. You wanna check this one.

PHY aka PSA,
207 West 5th St ( @ Spring St), Los Angeles, CA
BEYOND THE FRAME: LIVE ART & FILM
Sat Jul 11 9pm – 11:55pm;FREE
This is part of the Outfest PLATINUM program. Curated by Cheryl Dunye, this program is intense! Not of rthe wee ones, but promises excellent art. most excellent.
EYE_WITNESS, an in-progress video collaboration by Abigail Severance and Julie Tolentino, YOU HAVE ONE FIST IN MY MOUTH AND ONE FIST UP MY ASS; YOUR ARMS ARE TRAPPED INSIDE ME LIKE A CHINESE FINGER TRAP, a work-in-progress by Zackary Drucker; and a new performance by Ashland Mines in collaboration with Elijah Crampton.

REDCAT, 631 W 2nd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
NOW Festival
July 23–August 8, 2009, Thursdays–Saturdays | 8:30 PM; $36 for the entire series if you call 213-237-2800
AWESOME! Three weeks of mayhem with TWO folks whom I would absolutely stop and rearrange my schedule to go and see (out of about 5 or so): Meg Wolfe and Ayana Hampton. I should also add in there, George Lugg (teehee), director o da facilities. The Line up:
EARLY MORNING OPERA: ABACUS/SHEETAL GANDHI: BAHU-BETI-BIWI/AYANA HAMPTON: THE AYANA HAMPTON SHOW. program 2 CAROLE KIM w/ OGURI, ALEX CLINE & DAN CLUCAS: N1/JENNIFER THE LEOPARD: LEOP YEAR (NO JAMMING) program 3 ZACKARY DRUCKER , MARIANA MARROQUIN,WU INGRID TSANG: PIG/MEG WOLFE: WATCH HER (NOT KNOW IT NOW)/LAUREN WEEDMAN: OFF





ONGOING CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
African dance camp season is HERE! Fareta kicks it off this weekend. Should be amazing. Pay upon arrival


Here in town, N'Deye Gueye Teaches West African Dance Workshops @ Lula Washington Dance Studios, Wed. July 8th & Thurs July 9th @ 8-9:30pm. This is a special treat. Definitely advanced level. $15/class.

I do believe that Juan Carlos is back for his now monthly class in LA (see, there is a dance fairy god mother) Sunday, July 12, 2:00- 3:30; 3:30-5:00 p.m. Afro-Cuban Folklore, Rumba & Cuban Popular@ Clarita's Arte Flamenco- Center for World Dance. $15 each or $25 for both




GRANTS
The NEA still thinks that bigger is better, and older unchallenging work, too, *sigh*. I am disgruntled, because I personally know so many fabulous dance and performance artists who could do so much with a $25K grant, it doth spin my heart. Most of these projects are MAJOR grants, 100K plus. But if say, LA County wants to get together with Grand Performances & The Redcat and put together a touring show called "LA Dance En Route," or something to that effect, I would not hate on them...I'm just sayin', pay close attention to option number 2.

1)American Masterpieces: Three Centuries of Artistic Genius is a major initiative to acquaint Americans with the best of their cultural and artistic legacy. Through American Masterpieces, the National Endowment for the Arts will sponsor performances, exhibitions, tours, and educational programs across all art forms that will reach large and small communities in all 50 states. Scaled so they can be shown in small and mid-sized exhibiting institutions.
Shown for a period of 8-12 weeks at 2-5 venues which may include the organizing institution. The number of venues should be appropriate to the nature of the works on view.
Accompanied by related educational and interpretive components including brochures and catalogues. Educational material for children and youth must ensure the application of national or state arts education standards. Substantial efforts should be made to reach underserved communities.for full announcement see http://www.arts.gov/grants/apply/AMVAT.html
Due date is September 17

2)This component of American Masterpieces will celebrate the extraordinary and rich contribution that presenting organizations make in American communities. Through American Masterpieces: Presenting, presentations of the performing, visual, media, design, and literary arts of the highest quality will be experienced by Americans in communities across the nation. This category is for projects that embrace multiple arts disciplines. Projects must consist of either a single multidisciplinary project or a multidisciplinary series comprised of several different single-discipline presentations. Presenting organizations of all sizes, genres, and aesthetics are encouraged to apply. Projects may be initiated by:
Networks of presenters.
College or university presenters.
Local, regional, or national presenters.
National service organizations and their networks.
The Arts Endowment plans to support a variety of multidisciplinary presentations that are artistically, historically, and culturally significant and that reflect the full breadth of genres. Presenters may define master artists or masterworks within their own context, community vision, or goals. For full announcement see http://www.arts.gov/grants/apply/AMPresenting.html Due date is September 24

3)This component of American Masterpieces will celebrate the extraordinary and rich evolution of dance and choreography in the United States. Through American Masterpieces: Dance, reconstructions and restagings of significant work of the highest quality will be experienced by Americans in communities across the nation.
Grants will be awarded in two areas:
*For dance companies, presenters, and festivals: The reconstruction or restaging of significant American dance works and their performance at home and on tour.
*For college and university dance programs: The restaging, performance, and documentation of significant dance choreography in order to provide dance students with access to the legacy of American dance history. While faculty can assist with a project, the primary reconstructor/artist must be someone from outside the campus.
All projects must be accompanied by related educational, interpretive, or contextual components. Curriculum-based educational components for children and youth must ensure the application of national or state arts education standards. Substantial efforts should be made to engage and expand dance audiences by reaching underserved communities.
For full announcement see http://www.arts.gov/grants/apply/AMDance.html
Due date is October 8

And don't forget the Durfee is do Aug 1, the SSRC (for you academic types in social sciences) and the Alliance for California Traditional Arts has several LOOMING deadlines (think hrs) that you might wanna meet.

LOVELY!
Al Sharpton Brought it at MJ's funeral! Bringing that deep dark black love for MJ's kids. Priceless. Reminding us all what we must now continue to do: focus on the good we want to bring to the world and dissolve the ignorance that consistently attempts to thwart our best efforts our own and others. This is harder than it looks. Who would've thought that a) Sharpton would have been the one to get our undivided attention and make the point the clearest 2)That Michael Jackson was really, actually, almost totally using his record sales to heal the world? I am stunned, invigorated, and challenged...

in love,
-Anna

NEWSLETTER: breathing through the release

ALOHA!!

OK. I'll admit it, as have just about 60, 000 other people: the gLOW Festival was barely a flicker! That said, I just want to give thanks for the City of Santa Monica having the courage to offer an over night art festival to Southern California. They heard the message form the universe and responded. It is rare that an individual, let alone a civic entity, hears the universe and answers. So many thanks to them showing us just how high we have to take it when we invite everybody to our house!

I'm headed out of town back to Mississippi! I hope to post up some reports of dance and music Dirty South stylee while I'm gone, so send me those notices.

Afrologic. Afrological. Afrologica. How big is you 'fro?
Multiple, fractal, improvisational, polemical, but always moving with spirit and in the service of lifting it/us all up.
That's the Logic of the Afro--sign up, podcasts are dropping like gum drops out of small child's hand.

BLOWIN' BACK THE FRO this week is a local underground staple, a dance crew from up north, art from Down Under, and part two of the Redcat's New Original Festival. Thankfully, you won't need a pup tent to survive any of these.

OPENING TONIGHT
UNKNOWN THEATER
Lean To Productions San Francisco, "An Attic, An Exit"
Final weekend: Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm; Sunday at 6pm
"In this theatrical tour-de-force, Looney-tunes comedy meets magical realist mystery in a single room crammed full with riddles, levitation, baking supplies, and two meticulously explorative characters you will never forget."
$18 online at www.unknowntheater.com
$24 at the door or by phone (323) 466-7781
I am heading out to see this show tonight! I absolutely have fallen in love with this production collective and urge you to apply for their upcoming dance season. I think they are still taking applications.

I saw this show on Thursday and was VERY pleased. Usually, I spend a great deal of time thinking about how much I am paying per hour for the sitter when I go and see a show. I completely forgot that had kids. Go see this show. I actually would not call it looney-tunes as thy have above, it is somehow very French Butoh with feminist analysis of travel and situatedness, but it is superbly crafted, well honed, intricate, meticulous, and full of surprises.

ZANZIBAR
Afro Funké w/ Solsis Fashions!
1301 5th Street @ Arizona, Santa Monica, CA 90401
310.451.2221 / 21+ / $7; doors at 9 PM, fashion show at 10
www.zanzibarlive.com
www.myspace.com/afrofunke
www.rockydawuni.com/afrofunke.html
Time to shake that thang and get on the good foot. A weekly offering, Afro Funké has been around a number of years and tonight, one of us Afrologica members will present her work! Miss thang can certainly move, and her clothes are designed for maximum movement. Check out Stephanie Engel's fashions on MySpace.

REDCAT
Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater
631 W. 2nd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
NEW ORIGINAL WORKS FESTIVAL 2008
JULY 24-26: PROGRAM TWO
Week two of this home-grown festival kicks off tonight. Next Tuesday, another dubset hits the lobby of the REDCAT. Could they make you want to move downtown any more?

Tonight through Saturday features:

Lionel Popkin's "Your Hand/My Mouth"

Holly Johnston's "Politics of Intimacy"

Poor Dog Group's "Hey. hey, Man. Hey."

redcat.org/season/0708/dan/now2.php


HIGHWAYS
at the 18th Street Arts Center, 1651 18th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404
Dandelion Dance Theatre, "Testiculish"
Final weekend, Thursday - Saturday 8:30 PM; $20/$15 students
SO, um, I really thought about not even mentioning this work at all, but, and it is a BIG but, maybe a rump, this particular attempt at deconstructing male identity deserves an audience, because finally, a bunch of guys are publicly putting their mess out on the table, sifting through it and hoping to come up with more than, "cause my dick is bigger than yours." MOSTLY NUDITY.

and then hot on their tails...

GRAND PERFORMANCES
Delfos Danza Contemporánea
July 25 & July 26 2008, 8:00 PM
Lovely, aggressive, and athletic dance out of Mexico, for FREE. Get there EARLY because standing up to see a dance show just feels wrong. Unless of course, you are being spontaneously choreographed. Plus, the sight lines are horrific if you don't get the fold-out seats.

BARKER HANGAR
Santa Monica Art Studios
3026 Airport AVE, Santa Monica, 90405
Regina Wilson, contemporary Aboriginal Artist, one woman show
After my fabulous experience dancing for Jeremy Hahn for the art exhibit, "Kung Pao Carnival," I eagerly signed up for the mailing list. The invite for the opening to this event last week came too late to let you all know about it, but the show is still up and it looks to be rather spectacular. Only up until August 3rd, so hustle. This is the FIRST show EVER of aboriginal art in Southern California.

AFRICAN DANCE FESTIVALS
This weekend, Congolese Drum & Dance Workshop gets going in Pike, CA on July 25th while Le Bagatae in Chicago closes its early registration. Classes begin in Chi-town on August 7th and American just announced a mega fare sale, so go! Denver hosts Camp Merveilles with a decidedly Guinea line up, also starting on August 7th. A hot weekend getaway is planned in upstate New York by the Magbana Dance ensemble of NYC for September 12- 14, 2008. Another steamy line up of instructors! Early registration ends on August 15th. here in LA, Alumata is winding down, but you would not know it! Moustapha Bangoura (who runs Le Bagatae in Chi, btw) teaches Friday night at the Debbie Allen Dance Studios, note the change in location; plus there has been a delay on the final finale, as three professors will arrive later. This could be bad, but it is GOOD. There is so much happening this Friday, this gives you a chance to go and take class!

SUMMER INTENSIVES
DANCEBank is a GO! The schedule long and enticing, so go check it out on Meg Wolfe's MySpace Page.

Today is the deadline to get your applications into Regina Klenjoski to apply for her annual dance festival, SOLA. Hustle! Details on her website.

Show Box presents:
Saturdays in July - visiting guest artist series
July 26th: Modern Garage Movement (NYC) 10:30am-1:30pm
class costs $12, and will be held at Farmlab + Under Spring
1745 N. Spring Street #4, LA, CA 90012


You can map it!
ONGOING CLASSES
Guest teachers continue to light up the back studio at the Dance Arts Academy for Viver Brasil. Every Tuesday at 8 PM

Just added!
Viver has a new class at the Dance Garden in Atwater Village, Fridyas 6:30 - 7:30PM . This is one of the funkiest studios I have been in. Should be groovalicious! 3407 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039 (323) 660-4556 $15./single class

Sarita Moore is back in Ozone Park this week. The park is between 7th Avenue in Venice and Ozone ST in Santa Monica. Yeah, confusing. Do you know the Coffee joint on Rose at 7th?, well it is "behind" it by one block of alleys.

Rae Shaolan Blum is at Katnap with her intermediate/advanced modern (she got certificates y'all. don't sleep!)

All of these classes are mapped!

LOVELY!
GLOW festival's biggest disappointment was the lack of roving street performers. There are so many of you who could have shown up and blown people's hair back, I was actually saddened by your absence. The other big error was leaving the sideshow rides open. Who knew that parents would actually allow their tweens out until 2 AM?! Oh yeah, and not having enough art. It must have been tough to get the idea through the legal department. I wish I could write a more cogent review, but I could see most of what I went to see do to the crowds.

Everyday while I'm away, I hope to offer a moving meditation class at the church where I grew up. I"m really looking forward to it. So next issue, I'll post up on the 5 Rhythms work and the Dance as Prayer team, plus a few others that have caught my attention.


in love,
-Anna

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