AFRO ALERT: or cp-timed listings 2/19/2011

To listen to LA news, the sky is falling, but it is just rain. What this means for those of you headed out to take in some of the MANY magnificent dance shows and film screenings tonight is that you WILL take the streets. Steer clear of the freeways as they have absolutely horrible drainage and most of the lane dividers are not visible during downpours, let alone during downpours at night. Give yourself some extra extra time to get to the show, which means as soon as you are done reading this, head to the theater of your choice!

 

REDCAT, 631 W. 2nd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 Winter Studio, Saturday & Sunday, February 19 - 20, 8:30 PM; $15/$12/$8 

Winter Studio 2011 features some of my fav fools of the performance art scene: Marcus Kuiland Nazario and Kristena Wong. This round of STUDIO is INSANE! OMG, looks ridiculously good.  I am especially interested in BEATRIX*JAR: B. LUXX & J. STARR but I am wondering about putting an ensemble piece with six kids, EMILY MAST: WE PLAY NOTHING, on the same bill as Cat Lady. Wong's Cat Lady is nasty nasty nasty. I laughed so hard at Anatomy Riot #38, almost dropped my camera phone. MKN's Drift is most assuredly not all about sleep neither, ahem. Well, who am I to talk? Gregory Barnett selects his outrageously revealing outfits based on whether or not my kids will be in the audience.

 

PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL, Culver Plaza Theater, 9919 Washington Blvd, Saturday night February 19th, tickets at the box office, $11

Fantastic fantastic fantastic line up of films, and the rain even gave us a break a bit earlier today, atypical for the festival which almost always takes place during a torrential downpour. Oh the black girl hair angst! Right, so films to go check tonight, seeing as I missed "The Prof" by Abena Busia this morning at 11 AM (walking pneumonia is no joke). Well, tonight, there is quite a range of things to see, so please go "flip through" this pretty happening film guide.  Desert Flower, about a refugee from Mogadishu finding a career as a supermodel in London sounds interesting for 8:30, Mountains Take Wing at 6:30 PM could be both depressing and incredibly inspiring, especially if you love you some Angela Davis; at 8 PM definitely go check Flags, Feathers and Lies, a documentary on the Mardis Gras Indian and the possible disappearance of this unique art form; and PAFF staff highly recommend Scheherazade,Tell Me Story, a narrative film depicting a female talk show host in Egypt who unwittingly oversteps her boundaries

 

A Little Louder: Performance in Conversation #1: DOUGLAS KEARNEY, Kristi Engle Gallery, 5002 York Blvd., Los Angeles, CA Saturday, Feb 19, 8 - 11:30 PM

Highland Park is in for a treat. This is one bad-ass poet. Brotha can ROCK IT! I might end up there, though Studio doth call. If you have never seen this man do his do, you gotta get there.

 

 

 

 

AFROLOGICS NEWSLETTER: cart + wheel

AFRONAUTS! How you be? Habari Gani? Kuumba, that's what? Today is creativity to take it higher day in that mysterous "holiday" of Kwanzaa, and how fitting that it lands on new Year's Eve!  I have been thinking about what I would go and do, and I realized that I am still in love with a New Year's Eve at home setting intentions, clearing the energetic deadwood, and celebrating my best poems ever--my kids. Right about now, however, they are feeling all elegiac as I have both of them cleaning their rooms--disaster! What to say about this final week of 2010? It was telling that Christmas sells were up beyond industry expectations: how else could we force ourselves to ignore the obvious? I am using "we," because even I rolled into the 99cent store and temporarily lost my mind. As Reverend Billy will tell you, we shop too much. We are addicted to shopping. It is our national drug of choice, along with TV consumption. I long ago threw out the TV, but as it invades the smaller screen of my laptop, I am confronted with ever encroaching psychic slop. Cue Parliment Funkadelic!

 

So we went shopping because of the embarrassment of the Wikileaked cables. Those embarassments are MULTIPLE, large among them is pure and simple mismanagement. How on earth did that many people need access to those files? Why were they never properly archived? Next among them, why are our diplomats so damn snarky? Can't they be nice? And this of course lead to the realization that most of us are not nice in our daily dealings at work either. In fact, if you are "in it to win it" in the small-minded game of office politics, you are NEVER nice, only polite for selfish motivation. Where is that credit card?! Oh wait, I have no card? Okay, I'll just use all the cash from my check I have not received yet! Right. There are the lies told to maintain de facto slavery on the continent of Africa which are revealed in those cables. There are lies to maintain a lot of things, especially the thought, the feeling, the zeitgeist that we are a supreme nation. Kinda clear that ain't true now. Shopping feels like we still have choices (have you been following the debate over an open internet), that we live in a free society (remember those new airport rules), where every one has a chance to make something of themselves (how about that college debt that you can't shake and a degree for a non-existent job), be of service just by clicking a box (remember Haiti) and express themselves without repercussion (have you tried being an artist or gay or both or Latino in Arizona). Keep playing this game if you like. The close of 2010 is turning the wheel AND the cart. If you look just beyond all the crushed, shiny, phony stuff scattered on your metaphorical ground, you will notice a road you have never seen before. Take it. Walk into the second decade of the new millennium daring to take responsibility for your own happiness.

 

BLOWIN' BACK DA FRO : deadlines! Discounted tickets for an array of items and a few fundraising campaigns are coming to a close at midnight.

Celebrate Dance Festival had a sale on for this extravaganza in Glendale. Here is the link to the regular box office, then use the following info TODAY tog et the discount: 30% off tickets Use promo code: DANCE11 - on line at - the box office or by phone 818-243-2539 don't wait there will not be tickets on Gold Star this year - Promo Expires 12/31/10

LA Idea Project also has a discount going for this brain-food-more-than-you-can-fathom buffet: Check out their website for the link to the discount for the conference on November 5 & 6 and for an upcoming dinner on Jan 15th! I'll be at both. Holla!

The A.W.A.R.D. Show at the REDCAT is close to selling out! Unfortunately, there is no block ticket for each night, so throw fiscal responsibility to the wind (um, or not) and go to all 4 nights. If you are of this world of dance, sorry, your buddies are scattered across all four days, so suck it up and go. Conversely, write a scathing blog ont he role of competition and send it to itch dance journal!

Viver Brasil is needing to stock up on their 100 @ $100 donors before 2010 is gone! DONATE!

 

 

LOVELY!

Well, if you have plans that are not really making you feel festive or you have no plans, I have the desire to dance without music, dance to ambient sounds in a parking lot or a park, in my dance whites, in silence, to ring in the New Year. Who wanna ride in this possee?  

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Get ready for the rest: 1.1.11

The International Year of People of African Descent

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: re-le-vitate

Peace & Time!
These last two weeks have been a phenomenon: challenging, invigorating, exhausting, frustrating, and illuminating. I've missed you guys so much! I just want to thank you all for the comments on the last entry and for the vibrations that you send my way as you await the newsletter in your in box. I FEEL YOU! I have been writing, stopping and starting, trying to get better information, hoping to get out of blog-syndrome, then ultimately not posting. I stumbled across two massive dance projects that required research of the type that I used to dread. I've had a dear mentor make his transition unexpectedly and find myself making up new teaching strategies as I go along for a group of 65 frosh. The plate is full, the cup runneth over, yet I have had no appetite. But I am back y'all, on the upswing, or the lift off as it were. This close to 40, with my big daddy gone, it is clear that I have to fashion myself as a warrior, and advocate; become a change maker, a DOER. And I'll be hot damn if I wasn't already doing it with Afrologica! So I want to thank you all for enduring me initially in this experiment, then supporting me with all your loving notes, and finally asking me to be there for you with the steady stream of invites and requests for postings. I get it. I'm here, and we're gonna turn this mutha out.


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


With all the transitions and change-ups, my 'fro has been on permanent wrap down, but David Rousseve got me to take that rag offa my head and shake it, shake to the lovely absurdity that is life. BLOWIN BACK DA 'FRO this week is a PLETHORA of dance-based art, international Dance Week taking shape LA-stylee, and grants to make you holla.


UNKNOWN THEATRE
1110 Seward Street Los Angeles, CA 90038
Hysterica Dance Co. presents Crust
April 2 - 12, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm Sundays at 6pm; $18 online, $25 @ the door
I could not get in to see this piece last weekend, so I sure hope there are some tickets left! An investigation of dress, getting dressed, redressing, uncovering, this piece situates bodies in the stratum that is life in society. MUST GO.


ROYAL/T CAFE
8910 Washington Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90332; 310-559-6300
Cirque de So Lame
Friday, April 10, 8 PM; $5 , ONE NIGHT ONLY
OK. Pat Payne called me up frantic that we had to go see this. SO the shit has to be good. No real details to be found, Scratch that! I just found their website. I'm good like that! From a review I located from last year, this sounds like awesome lameness all around. MUST GO! Bob Baker Marionettes, David Lieb Hart ventriloquist and circus attire requested?!? $5?! GO. Brought to you by Zippercut. They's sho nuff crazeee.


REDCAT, map
Caden Manson/Big Art Group presents, SOS
Wednesday April 8 - Sunday 12, 2009 West Coast premiere; W-Th $25/20/12; Sat - Sun $30/24/16
REDCAT Has been ON FIRE! Go George! Tonight, a bit of lovely mayhem is planned for you in the form of a multimediated stage full of performers with live musicians. Caden takes a journey through the live feed to explore themes of rebirth, sacrifice, and ritual. The description sounds absolutely delectable, so I also have this on my MUST GO list. I need a clone! Look further down for TWO more must go events from this power presenter.


UCR PRESENTS, map
Neil Greenberg Dances presents, Really Queer Dances with Harps and Quartet With Three Gay Men
Friday, April 10, 8 PM; $34/17 + parking $8
This highly acclaimed show comes to Southern California in a mini-tour. My colleague is bringing a bit of the NYC Downtown scene to you over two weeks. Look for special programming at the SHOW Box with his entourage.


Missing something? Wanna see those posts that I never sent to you? They are all in the archive. You can search to by key word!



HIGHWAYS
1651 18th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404
Meg Wolfe presents, Tender + ShowBox guest Karen Sherman presents Demolition Boy Friday April 17 & Saturday April 18 @ 8:30 PM Sunday April 19 @ 7:00pm $20/$15
This will be a profound evening of work by the dance ninja herself, Meg Wolfe. She is joined by Gregory Barnett of Dance Good Dammit! in a searing exploration of those parts that hurt from the pressure of missing gestures and overabundant touches. They are recommending you reserve tickets RIGHT NOW. Just got mine. MUST GO.


REDCAT
Neil Greenberg Dances presents, Really Queer Dances with Harps
Wednesday, April 15 - Friday April 17 @ 8:30 PM; $25/20/12
Neil hits LA with a short run downtown. Unbelievably, these tickets are cheaper than Riverside. Get your tix if you don't have them, car pool, get there early and have some drinks in the fabulous Lounge. All they need are some hot salty snacks. This is Neil's "debut" as newly minted member of the LA experimental dance scene, so come on out and welcome him!
Next @ REDCAT, You gotta get TIX NOW for
Marc Bamuthi Joseph/The Living Word Project, The break/s: a mixtape for stage
Wednesday April 22- Sunday, April 26, 2009 @ 8:30 PM, but Sunday @ 3:00; W-F $25/20/12; Sat-Sun $30/24/16
OMG, you cannot miss this, and all the hip hop heads in town that know anything about the science will be trying to get in da door, so get your tix right now!


UNKNOWN THEATRE
1110 Seward Street Los Angeles, CA 90038
Samantha Giron Dance Project Presents: Mongrels
April 16th, 2009 - April 26th, 2009
Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm
Sundays at 6 PM; $18 online $25 @ the door
Back to back dance programming, WOOOO! About the things that come out at night no less! Something must be in the air, cause my girl Meida McNeil is doing a show at Brown University called Urban Folk Dance about the House Music scene. Here in LA, Samantha Giron brings us an investigation of the the moves of the LA Underground Club scene. I got to see a bit of this and costume mock ups, if she kept all that hair swingin', the piece should really evoke its name quite well. You miss her here, I do believe you'll get to see her at the NEXT Festival.




ONGOING CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
It's Dance Week soon! I mentioned a month back that we need to do something with $2 bills and this special week of programming. I will almost spam your inbox if I can get sites involved with the idea. At the minimum, I am asking that if you make it to any special Dance Week events, you pay in $2 bills. If you are a class provider and are paid in $2 bills, when you go to your dance/yoga/pilates class, pay in your $2 bills! The pay scale I had hoped for likely will not happen, but if you can spend that week taking classes, attending events with $2 bills, let me know!

Initially, Dance Week was one day, initiated by The International Council of Dance at UNESCO back in 1982. I've scrounged out the official Dance Day Message from 2008 from UNESCO for you to check out. It has great ideas for promoting the day, most of which are not focused on dance studios at all!! So, I challenge those of you with companies, or freelancers/stylers to do an intervention (you know I am making this up as I go, right, lol!) OK. Susan Rose showed me a film of a piece she did in Westwood a while back that I think bears repeating, especially right now: find an empty meter on a street, put in the amount of time you need and proceed to dance there. I do recommend having a possee. In the film, teams of less than 3 had a hard time holding down the spot. Don't forget to videotape. I will send blog links for these, ahem, initiatives.

SHOWBOX
Here is one place that will gladly take your $2 bills! With special programming the Week of April 13 - 21, SHOWBOX is bringing special classes via DANCEBank, a movie night, an itch launch, master classes with Neil Greenberg's dancers who will be in town for their Redcat gig. Now, some of these things are listed a low to no cost, but please, drop two $2 dollar bills in the box at the door! Bartering is also in effect.
April 11th - guest artist, Paige Martin*
April 18 - guest artist: Christine Elmo*
April 27th: Monday Movie - it's a socialist musical documentary!, East Side Story, brought to you by my favorite German former-squatter, Ari Hoffmann (at Show Box http://showboxla.blogspot.com/) free ! (okay, right there? disregard and take that woman something: green cleaning supplies, TP, industrial mop, something!)

LULA WASHINGTON DANCE STUDIO, April 24 - 26
There is a whole day of events planned at this fantastic studio. If you have never been, time to fix that! With discipline, respect, and determination, Lula's students are a joy to watch, and actually to take classes with, so get ready for some intergenerational fun. More details next week.

I kinda thought that Dance South LA Project would have something going, but nothing turned up. It is likely that they are working with Lula Washington. If they are not, can somebody ask them what they have planned next?



EARTH DAY FESTIVALS
Earth Day is sooon upon us on April 22, the Wilshire Center will host it's second Car-Free Day from 11-2PM, but mysteriously...there will be no street closures! What? Here's the link for you to go down and recycle your e-waste for free. But f you want to help me out, hold on to your e-waste: I will need it for props and sets for a big show I have coming up. More details to follow. LA's big festival is not until June 27 (?) and will be in Venice. I won't put another question mark ^^ just raise my eyebrows.

Santa Monica
Arguably the largest one in the area, this Earth Day event had vendors, exhibits and hands on workshops up and down the Promenade in downtown Santa Monica. ¡BUT research is showing that it has been folded into the Venice Eco-Fest!

Everywhere
If you want to find out other things happening for Earth Day, here is a network with a search engine. Maybe you can find one that is actually a festival on the 22nd!




GRANTS & ART OPPORTUNITIES
AMI Productions
One of my spiritual communities, Agape, is lighting up the world in a grand way: with their communication wing, Agape Media International, they are announcing AMI Productions, a Film, Television & Theatrical production company. They are not playing around and production values will be HIGH. Click here for the open call for screenplays, television pilots and/or plays. Your work should be transformative, promoting unconditional love from a deep knowing place. Wanna hear something from Agape? Go to their site and find podcasts, video clips, songs and of course, the schedule for meetings. http://www.agapemedia-film.com/submissions.html

DanceUSA Audience Development Grant
Engaging Dance Audiences is a big effort, but the dollars are worth it: $25K - $150K grant size. This one is intricate, with three different categories, a built in data collection system, but it is open to organizations and individuals. Must be a member in good standing. http://www.danceusa.org/fundingguidelines




LOVELY!
Alrighty! I am not gonna rail too much about the pirates off the coast of Somalia while we do nothing about the pirates in our banking and financial system. My heart sinks every time I see a WaMu become a Chase Bank. But less I despair too deeply, it is important to keep in mind that this system of owning value separate from labor and attempting to define it as a tangible thing in a piece of paper, is coming to a close. Even Dance Week in the US is a complete fabrication to support an industry and not an activity. That link above will take you to a central website that is running under a .org denomination, meaning it is not-for-profit, however, it does appear that it is "owned" by The United Dance Merchants of America. Does this change the love, fervor and grace people have invested in this week? No, at least I hope not, but there is a very real way that the types of dance promoted on the site directly increase the demand for their products. The good ole American Way; but hey, it's efficient. My parking meter challenge up there is a way to bring the attention back to the dance and the bodies channeling it. If you take public transportation, you should make sure to dance a few phrases on the bus or train! Now don't have no shame: put your hat or bucket out and collect those tips! Let's support and promote people and their precious bodies. There are lots of ways to do it. I am happy to announce that Echo Park has set up an Time Bank! They launched in the summer of 2008 and have really taken off since the collapse of December 2008. If you are in the area, check them out! More importantly, they host workshops and are ready to help you set up your own system to barter/trade time for goods and services. I just missed their last workshop, but I will go to the next and report back! So keep up with me on Twitter @doctoradancer for breaking news types of things. You can also find my digital hat/bucket/basket/flower pot set out there! I'm signed up on tipjoy.com. If you're feeling me, drop me some change: it will be invested to bring you more performance analysis, video, podcasts and webcasts! Look for announcements about my consulting venture, Vita Vibrare, where I am Thinking at a Higher Frequency to lift you to your greatest good. DO YOU FEEL IT?! YES!, Alright now, I"ll see you around town.

in love,
-Anna

NEWSLETTER: cleansing breath

SO grateful to say : PEACE & BLESSINGS!

Last week found me sitting vigil while my student's filed their last bit of work for me during the quarter. I also had new students for next quarter begging into a full course, the new TA wondering where the syllabus was for the other course and the universe telling me it was time to MOVE SOMETHING! I tweeted as best I could, but could not get my head enough space to send a coherent newsletter. Rather than annoy, I opted out while I handled business. Now fresh off a flu so painful that I thought I had dengue fever again, I just have to say thank you that I survived. It hurt! It also hurt watching two long-running So. Cal dance festivals go head to head on last weekend. The pain was not so much that I could not go ( I was sitting for friends pre-flu) but that one festival was starved for patrons (New Dance @ St. Joseph's Ballet), while the other (Celebrate Dance) was sold out. I saw this train wreck coming, though I do hope that in the end St. Joseph was able to fill its seats. If you want to read more on this, check Afrologica as it is becoming a bit of a series on demographics, value, and arts management. It is clear, that dance artists have to pay careful attention to the head 2 head mashups; it is less true now that there is always an alternative audience. Bailout watching is a great example. AIG seems to think we will soon get fatigued and not want to hear about them anymore. WRONG! Even comedy goes all populist shrill when bailouts come up. If you missed Comedy Central's Jon Stewart of the Daily Show rip Cramer from CNBC's Mad Money a new one, here is the link. This stuff is stealing our art audiences! And I don't mean cause its got their attention; ITS GOT THEIR CASH. Thus, stimulus money continues to trickle up and not flow out (we'd even settle for a downwards trickle at this point) California is practically without government, and hence financing which means the great city-wide shakedown has commenced: pick a city, any city. One thing to think about are all the people being served with tax notices by the City of LA for operating businesses from their homes. With the rents charged here (no thanks to the housing board) you MUST run a business from your home, or you gotta move out of town. Whoops! There we are back to that shrinking middle class. Schools were hit with a barrage of pink slips this week, last hired first fired even if they were hired to alleviate overcrowding. Universities are making excuses to fire junior faculty who would in more normalized times attain tenure (a dude on my campus has challenged our chancellor to a debate for firing him), Madoff goes to jail alone (impossible!) and Obama's smile makes people want to give their money back to the gamblers again. Yeah. Nothing will be as it was folks. Time to MOVE IT or LOOSE IT. Obama got that message and sent his private "all-power-to-the-peoples" army door to door this weekend making sure we don't forget how to do government right. Take one big inhalation, exhale to clear the way for the subsequent greatness that is life, and get crackin on how you're gonna help fix our localized version of this mess. I for one, have mailed off my pledge to join the constitutional convention for the state of California. It is time to recognize the uncommon move, the arduous move, as the most elegant. Just keep breathing.

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 weekend is Redcat Studio cause I helped curate it!!!! I can't believe it either. We are very excited to present to you some fantastic work that we can't wait to crow about a year or so down the road "we had it first!" LOL! I got to meet so many interesting folks and learn a lot about LA art scene, many thanks to George and . Aside from amazing myself (geez I'm blushing), I'm also excited by the return of Collage dancers and all sorts of new projects that address our historical moment. Dive in!


REDCAT, map
631 W Second St, Los Angeles, CA,
Winter Studio
Sunday March 22 & Monday March 23, 8:30 PM; $15/$12/$8
Time for another installment in the Studio series at the REDCAT. I always look forward to this because it's a great way to discover something new and find out more about that person you see at all those events, lol! But this particular series bears a bit of my imprimatur as it were and portends a night of delicious surprises and serendipity (can you tell I've been reading a novel set in the 1700s). Really, there are breakthrough pieces on this bill. We worked hard to create a "show," which made all of us sweat a bit because there were more than 6 excellent pieces. But come and judge for yourself. Drinks after in the lounge on Sunday? The cast:

ANTICS PERFORMANCE: GONE WILD, ORI BAREL: IN A TUBE, BLANK-THE-DOG PRODUCTIONS: CAROLYN BRYANT PROJECT
KEITH GLASSMAN: SONNET (STROKE), ELIZABETH HOEFNER: MOTH-ASOMATI, KATHERINE SALTZBERG: LOS ANGELYNE

TEMPLE AKIBA
5249 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City, CA 90230
Heidi Duckler Collage Dance Theatre presents Really, All About Eve
Sunday, March 22 at 4 p.m.; $20 admission + $1 processing fee for PayPal transactions
Hmmmm. Okay, so I am recommending cause I love what Duckler does and Ms. Mecca Vazie Andrews is in the show, but not sure what to expect with a revisitation of the story of Eve. Their question: "was Eve framed?" This causes me to think about advertising my new service, but I'll restrain myself right now. This is an amazing company, with sharp and unusual takes on space and its relationship to meaning. With Plotz playing live, this should be a rather inventive afternoon.


HIGHWAYS
LOS ANGELES WOMEN'S THEATER FESTIVAL 16TH ANNIVERSARY: UNITED WE STAND!
Thursday, March 26 7:00pm Champagne GALA & Awards Ceremony; 28th, Friday 8:00pm; Saturday 2:00pm & 8:00pm; Sunday 2:00pm & 7:00pm
"A Multicultural Multidisciplinary Festival of Solo Women from throughout the U.S. join hands with the LAWTF for another extraordinary annual festival." My girl the Negrita Maldita, Ms. Pat Payne Spunky Sho Nuff Hurself is on the bill, so you best recognize that this at no flimsy gatherin of folks who could pay for the four walls and gonna show you just any ole thang. NOPE! You will be entertained, and schooled while they at it. Get your tix!
For ticket info visit: www.lawtf.com or call: 818-760-0408


UCLA ROYCE HALL, map
Los Angeles, CA 90095
David Rousseve/REALITY presents Saudade
Wednesday April 1 - Saturday April 4, 8PM & Sunday April 5th @ 7 PM; $46, $34, $15 tix
"Buoyed by mystical images of flight, the night sky and the deep southern bayou, and grounded in folklore, historical fact and personal experience, Saudade is a mosaic of character monologues told from a uniquely southern, African American perspective." As a Southerner myself, I can attest to how difficult it is to leave that place, and how difficult it is to stay. Rousseve has built an illustrious career coming to terms with the forced migration that is " Southern black artist." I hope to see you there.

REDCAT
Saturday April 4- Sunday 5th, 8:30 PM; $20/$16/$10
Gamelan Burat Wangi
The Monkey King is coming to a stage near you! Ok, not quite. Ramayana Monkey Chant, or kecak as it is known in Bali will be presented by this local treasure of a company. If you went to Pichet Klunchun & Me by Jerome Bel and were really pissed off at the whole thing, or just let down that you did not get the background text to the monkey dances, then go to this to clear your kinesthetic memory. You'll be dazzled, too.


coming up:
April 15 - 17 @ Redcat, Neil Greenberg presents Really Queer Dances With Harps
April 17 - 19 @ Highways Show Box presents the premiere of Tender, a new work by choreographer Meg Wolfe (in collaboration with Gregory Barnett), and Demolition Boy by guest artist, Karen Sherman (Minneapolis)
April 22ish, Face Book issue of itch dance journal, jump in and make it happen, details to come




WORKSHOPS & ONGOING CLASSES
Juan Carlos Blanco has moved to LA!!! Catch him every Sunday @ Studio #1- West LA, 2037 Granville Ave., West Los Angeles, CA for mixed level Afro-Cuban dance class that covers Yoruba, Arara, Congo & Franco-Haitian traditions. Cost $15. Accompanied by live percussion. Drop ins welcome! He is also building a company, so stick around for his repertory class that follows immediately afterwards if you are looking for this type of dance adventure.

Linda Yudin has closed out her Friday class at Dance Garden and moved it to MONDAYS 6:30 - 7:30, $15 single with class packages available. Badaró is having guests at Dance Arts Academy Tuesdays 8 - 9:30.

Rae Blum is back in the saddle at Dance Arts Academy on Thursdays 7:30 - 9:30 PM, $15 or what you can

Kimberly Mullen is in Hawai'i right throwing down a special spring break workshop, but her class at Electric Lodge on Saturdays at 10:30 AM will continue next week.

Meg Wolfe and SHOWBox are about to astound you...stay tuned.

Check the dance map for studio addresses and directions to them!




COLLABORATION
This from Ronald Burton:
Dear Dance Practitioners,
In my return to class next week, I will be conducting a mock audition practice for my students. If you can contribute any information in any technique as to the "real life" practice of preparing, dress, etiquette, what you look for, standing out, choreography retention etc. all will be welcomed credited additions to my information for sharing with my students. Please submit to my email address: rburton01@wesleyan.edu
help a brotha out! Plus, maybe if we ask real nice he will post a blog of the replies.


FRINGE FESTIVAL
nope, not in Edinbourough, but in Hollywood! They are in full production to secure performance venues and a call will go out soon to artists to submit their proposals. But as it is a Fringe Festival, you will be welcomed to put your show up wherever you find a space for it. Application process will open this summer, festival in 2010. Looking forward to this! http://www.hollywoodfringe.org for the details.




GIG
Viver Brail is seeking a Part Time Managing Director!

Provides direction and day-to-day management of several key such as finance, administration, communications, human resources and development; assumes responsibility for major projects such as booking services and touring assistance; assumes responsibility for organization in absence of E.D. Participates as a member of the senior management team to formulate and implement policies and plans to meet the organizations short and long-term objectives. Please go to their website for further details.



LOVELY!
Wow, I always forget how hard it truly is to come back from a big illness. Sorry Cari that I did not make the party:( but I spaced, and listening to my and my children's cough, we still do not need to be out in public. I've been over on Twitter learning new things about the world and meeting people. It is astounding how all of a sudden there is a rush to the microblog mindcast. Like, now everything has to get downsized, including our messages. Actually, what is happening there is likely a great road map for the power of the incremental. With our new found realization that value resides in the people you know, not in the stuff you have hoarded, and that your true monetary worth is only your payments for your labor, ie, your j-o-b, reaching large goals (goodness, what even is large now) takes a personal swarm, not a massive expensive launch of product. Celebrate Dance had a veritable swarm of groups participating and each group worked their email base to sell out 1200 seats, and they were willing to give away price to create value: 25% discount for groups over 15. The value here is the dance class crew, the large extended families, the high school dance team coming out together to see dance styles they would not have opted to see if their rep was not on the bill. It was like a Twitter homepage on stage: items floating by that might not make sense to you, but move you to investigate further. That's all it takes to ignite dance passion in the souls of new patrons. Yeah, we used to talk about enticment and seduction to get someone through the door, but now, we are talking value, that feeling of being loved, of being felt like a kiss that stays with you long after the show is done, that makes you look into the eyes of strangers and pass it on. Now there's a tweet. Let's keep at that.

in love,
-Anna

NEWSLETTER: cranked

Hello you!

My goodness. We are just about done with the winter quarter here at work and my body is in hyperdrive. Had to go to the pin doctor to see if he could turn down my dial. So far, so good. But I had no idea how dependent I had become on working at the speed of sound. Luckily, my adrenals were not blown (whew), in fact everything was fine but the heart and lungs--I am runnin hot like an overclocked computer, like a souped up mustang on synthetic oil, like a credit-addicted economy on cash. Burning through it! Who knew that a yawn could be welcomed back like a long lost friend? This week yawns were passed out by the handfuls while we all scrambled to get out of the heat caused by our charbroiled cash reserves. One yawn: the NEA is getting down to the business of stimulating artists with some of that cash. As I thought, they are kinda hoarding most of it, or rather, disbursing it in undemocratic ways by giving money to former grantees directly, and then making a portion available for organizations to apply for to re-grant. I wish the MAP fund folks were in charge of the purse strings. But since they are not, there is a small group of us here in LA wrapping our brains around how to create value, maintain spaces and deliver more cost-effective performances without an influx of cash. So keep your eyes peeled, and be ready to donate to various 'micro-fundraisers', cause we likely still gonna need to pay the rent with cash.


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


BLOWING BACK DA FRO right now is Facebook as the 6th largest nation on the planet. Dig that! And as such, there is a lot going on "in there" that is actually going on "out here." You know we have conquered time and space when someone sends you a chat message asking you to come to their workshop and call them, they in NYC and you in LA and the workshop is next week. YES! Look at all this work taking the sting out of the stimulus.


HIGHWAYS
1651 18th St., Santa Monica, CA
Fringes-Margins-Borders
Friday MARCH 6 + Saturday, March 7 @8.30pm,Sunday, March 8 @3.00pm; $20
L.A.'s Queer Exchange: Deadlee, Ian MacKinnon, Saleem, and special guest Scott Turner Schofield + San Francisco Artists: Thisway/Thatway (aka Stephanie Cooper), Sean Dorsey Dance, Gigi Otalvaro-Hormillosa : MUST GO!!! Art that makes you go "Oh my God, I am a part of the problem!!" Nothing more healing than that. Knowledge is power. Now go make some noise (that was a sideways rejoinder...).


TRACK 16 (@ Bergamot Station), map
2525 Michigan Avenue
Irrational Exhibits & High Performance (C)art
Saturday, March 7 8PM -10PM; FREE
The HP (c)Art is a performance of the now defunct arts publication, High Performance. This appearance will be a collaboration between HP (c)Art and Leigh Ann Hahn. Be prepared to sing. This is a must go as mijo Marcus Kuiland Nazario is involved and Leigh Ann is the curator of the fantastic Grand Performances series. Gotta go!!! I'll be there with the kiddies. Parking may suck so car pool is advised.

PHYLLIS STEIN ART, map
207 West 5th Street, East Los Angeles, CA
Performance Happy Hour closing party for "America"
Saturday, March 7 8PM -10:30 PM; FREE
Phyllis Stein Artists in Residence SARAH PAUL OCAMPO with Advanced Beginner, Mecca Vazie Andrews with The Movement Movement, with SPECIAL GUESTS Bridget Irish, Kate Rigg and Sister Mantos invite you to come out and play with them. This will likely be unusual and daring, like most of what Ms. Mecca likes to do. Tough call. if you can't get out to Bergamont, or the thought of Santa Monica turns your stomach, go to this.


CASA 0101, map
2009 E. First Street, Los Angeles, CA
Healing Aloud part 1
Fri Mar 6 & Saturday March 7 @ 8 PM; Sunday at 3pm; $20 at the door (I could not find advance sales info)
TeAda presents two short new works to heal women's souls. "Breakfast with my Mother" by Maria Martinez investigates dementia, retirement and gardens in Chicana communities. Written and performed by Marcella Pabros-Clark, "Healing Mars" is a dance theatre piece about self-healing, against the advice of the medical system. I like TeAda, and though these sound heady, they are likely great fun, informative and timely. Definitely timely.


upcoming:
New Dance @ St. Joseph's Ballet in Orange Co. March 13 & 14; $15 and limited seating on sale now!!
David Rousseve & Reality, Saudade, UCLALive, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA March 31-April 5; $46, $34
REDCAT Winter Studio 2009, March 22- 23; $8/$12/$15 (I co-curated!)
REDCAT Gamelan Burat Wangi, April 4 - 5; $20, $16, $10
Neil Greenbergs' Really Queer Dance with Harps, REDCAT, April 15 - 18, $25, $20, $12


Looking for details from last week? check the archive. If you join Afrologica, you can look at a live calendar whenever you feel like it!



WORKSHOPS & ONGOING CLASSES
Special! Malang Bayo is back to teach kutero and djembe orchestra dances from Senegal. TUESDAY MARCH 17 @ 6:30-8PM; THURSDAY MARCH 19 @ 6:30-8PM; SUNDAY MARCH 22 @ 1-2:30PM @ LULA WASHINGTON DANCE STUDIO 3773 CRENSHAW BLVD., LA, CA 90016 $15 PER CLASS. Call Malang: 347/693-6395 for questions. Intermediate to advance level.
+ ACTION
Alright ya'll. I know with this economic downturn, you're starting to make like a chipmunk and stash nuts in those cheek pockets of yours, but do not abandon your dance classes. If you were planning to start one as your New Year's Resolution and you realized that things were gonna be tough way back in November so "why bother to plan to things that cost money," time to change your mind. There are lots of reasons: 1) the cost of these classes are just a bit more than a movie and waaay less than your cable or cell bill and better for your body; 2)spending money on a dance class adds capital to your local economy; 3)you don't actually enjoy having a large ass the way you thought you would; 4) it is cheaper to buy a class package than it is to replace your wardrobe; 5)your happiness index is directly correlated to your physical fitness; 6)I told you to go.

Alright, I'll admit to ending my attendance at Viver Brasil's Tuesday night class because I was tired of coming home to no parking; but then I got assigned to teach a T, Th schedule which means I cannot get back in time to take the class. I miss class. I have enjoyed having those extra dollars. The teachers miss their students and those dollars. The students have not enjoyed getting flabby or dancing around alone at home. So I would like to try an experiment that I will issue as a challenge here: let's do a day of classes at several area studios, a solid day, classes begin at 9 AM and go until 10 PM. Each class is $6, payable with $2 bills directly to the instructor. If you take more than 2 classes, you pay $4 directly to the studio, also in $2 bills.

Teachers, you then go out and spend your money only at local stores in the area where you live or at shows of local artists. It would be great if you could pool your money with another teacher to buy rehearsal/class time at the same studio. The studio would then spend their money to pay any staff or service provider in cash with same stipulation: local stores (no chain or big box stores), local art event/show. Then we could see where and how our money flows.

I am going to contact some of you directly to work on this with me. You likely know who you are, lol. If you want to be a part of this or do your own version in another city, please contact me so we can work together to build some momentum across the media and social networks.


LOVELY!
I have been inspired to do this by a pharmacist in a small town called Brewton, AL. He gave $16,000 in $2 bills to his employees as his own version of the stimulus package and asked them to donate 10% to a charity first, then shop downtown. The effect has been uplifting and noticeable, demonstrating what a little bit of cash can do for a community. Los Angeles is huge, but it is a loose (getting looser by the week) federation of villages, many comprised of micro-communities. A soul-ar system (cc). Though our dollars may look like a drop in a bucket, they will not feel like one to the teachers and small businesses that will receive them. Yes, this is a test of the emergence of a new type of fiscal broadcast. Stay tuned.

in love,
-Anna

ps: don't forget daylight savings time! set your clocks tonight!

NEWSLETTER: freeze go freeze go> a revelation of some length

Peace & Blessings!

Apologies for my disappearance: my body decided it needed to rest, but my ego was having none of that. You can guess how that mind/body split thing worked out for me. So while I was knocked out in bed wishing for muscle relaxant, I was thinking of the looming tax revolt spurred by the "bailouts" of the 5 largest banks in the US. This could get pretty ugly, because from what I have heard from my friends of various political stripes, bailing out the banks seems about as smart as giving a crackhead $10 on a Friday night. "They made this mess. They misrepresented gambling as "investments," they deserve to fail, right?" Well, yeah, in a world where private financial markets are not sewn into government trade agreements, that would be the case. Example of what we are really talking about: when I first went to Brazil, I opened a Citibank account back in 1990, because it was the only US bank in Brazil at that time that had a post in Salvador. I could have my money deposited into my account here, and withdraw it there (Citi was also helping to orchestrate a flight of capital from Brazil that was startling through currency speculation). I could also receive emergency mail through American Express via the consulate. Okay. Peep that. Federal communication could be delivered to me through a private financial institution and US legal tender could be rendered in Brazilian cruzeiros without my having to present actual currency. If the large banks here collapse, the world banking system collapses. There has not been enough time to actually reconcile the ledgers between banks, between governments and--here's the kicker--between banks and investors. The logical move, the move that stabilizes instead of freezes for a bit is to nationalize those banks, but who said we were dealing in logical here? What to do? Get your bartering on. Set a rate of exchange among friends. Cancel all your credit cards and live beyond your FICO score; live through personal commitment and 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


BLOWIN BACK DA 'FRO right now is this big long realization that I got to do it to it since as a person kinda left by the wayside of the last few bubbles, I am in better economic shape than most. If this is you too, time to hustle and be of service. We got ta rethink "skill set." A laugh or two or genuine awe are fantastically valuable things right about now. You got a chance to see what I mean this, the last weekend of Black Artist Employment Month.



CALIFORNIA AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM
600 State Drive, Exposition Park, Los Angeles, CA 90037
Friday, February 27th, 7 PM - 10PM; $5- $10 suggested cash donation
"Quiet as It's Kept: CHANGE," A Performance Ritual By Ulysses Jenkins
This portends a night of epic experiences. Though a performance the following is tucked inside: "Quiet As Kept: Change" will serve as a reception for Ms. Hassinger and is a ritual performance which brings together the artist who were presented last year at the Getty panel "African American Avant Garde" in performance with other Los Angeles & Northern California artist in a celebration of the African Diaspora and Black Woman." Live music, Black Arts-era artists and performers, + Viver Brasil should add up to a fascinating evening. Plus there should be folks there from the CAA (massive art school conference in town) and Tavis Smiley's "State of Black America" gathering at the Staples Center. Dress to the nines...artist stylee!


UCLA LIVE
Batsheva presents MAX
Saturday February 28, 8 PM & Sunday March 1, 7 PM; $54, $42, $28
Incredible dancing from a company from an incredibly problematic place. I place this in the newsletter in conflict, but with a clear head: I am not going nor do I recommend that anyone else go. Art should always be the first line of open communication, but between parties that are pretending not to know each other, not as export material during a massive conflagration. This tour should not have happened, as beautiful as these dancers are; they are needed at home to help heal the gaping wound that is Gaza: 14 Israeli dead, 14,000 and counting Palestinians dead. A nation turned into a gang, another turned into its own worst nightmare...Sometimes, the show should not go on. I have a hard time thinking of this tour as a triumph of the human spirit. What do you think?


REDCAT
631 W. 2nd St
Jérôme Bel: Pichet Klunchun and myself
Friday February 27 & Saturday 28 8:30 PM; Sunday March 1, 7 PM; $12/$20/$25
Instead, go check out this choreographic essay on tradition, cultural exchange, cultural imperialism and formal decay. This piece has received good reviews and will likely be rather challenging: here's the stuff we don't like to think about while thinking about dance. My friend Ananya Chatterjea saw that I was going (will be on the next ear full of dance podcast chatting about it) and wrote on my wall (Face Book) that I had to call her as soon as I saw it since she has not been able to stop thinking about it. She also called me in a panic about going to see Batsheva in Minnesota. Omigawd, dance scholars!

also at the REDCAT
Redcat Children's International Film Festival!
February 21 - March 8th, each weekend.
Each program is $5 and jammed packed at around 75 minutes. Most programs are shorts, perfect those wee little attention spans. And your kids will like it too! My picks: Nickelodean Family Fun Day(yikes); then next weekend "Rise and Shine" and "Animated Genusis: The Films of John & Faith Hubley" (jazz scores!). Check out all the programs and buy tix in advance.



HIGHWAYS
1651 18th St., Santa Monica, CA
DreamAwake presents "Simple Matters"
Friday + Saturday, February 27 + 28 @8.30pm; $20
Featuring Vladimir Levitansky, Noah Veil, Martina Oskarsson, Kate Gibson, and Eleni Zaharopoulous, this show should be wickedly funny and entirely thought-provoking. Vladimir Levitansky is "an artistic resource" for Cirque de Soleil and has generated his own special blend of clowning: "Bul-Artoh, a synthesis of Clown, Comedia Dell-Arte, Buffoon, and Butoh." What a tough weekend! You could see Jerome Bel on Friday then this one a Saturday for a complete re-think of art in the social sphere. Or you go to just have a good time.


UCLA, GLORIA KAUFMAN HALL
(Room 200), 120 Westwood Plaza, map
New Dance and Theatrical Works-in-Progress

Saturday, February 28 @ 8pm; FREE; Parking $9 in Lot 4

As if there were not already too much to choose from, Angela Jordan and Michael Sakamoto open their process to the public this weekend in preparation for their joint show in the department of World Art and Culture. This is a great opportunity to engage artists as they move towards a "final product." Angela Jordan’s “Trio” and “Don” blend modern, West African, and postmodern dance to explore love, gender relations, while Michael Sakamoto presents “Vestiges of Creation,” a series of dance theater vignettes filled with: mysterious characters, dark netherworld, ritual embodiment, cultural conventions, and of course audience expectations.


Looking for details from last week? check the archive. If you join Afrologica, you can look at a live calendar whenever you feel like it!


WORKSHOPS & ONGOING CLASSES
A few weeks back I announced all the international dance camp notices I received...so I thought! My daughter deleted that part of the newsletter apparently, so I will have to build it from scratch. Basically, I was urging you all to go to one of these by setting aside money in a local credit union in preparation for your trip. Yes, you can help your community while you get your self together to travel. For most of these, you will need to sock away $400 +/mo to be ready to get on the plane. Just keep thinking "beyond the FICO score."

Congolese Drum and Dance Workshop in Maui, Hawai'i starts today!!!! AND IT"S 30 YEARS OLD!!! Somebody send me! I need a break. Really. Okay, then. You go, you need a break too. Hot dancing, smoking drumming and fantastic food all over looking the ocean on a lush camp ground. I have been to this workshop a few times with my son. We had a blast. The drumming is clean and sweet; the dance instruction sensational. Disclosure: I was in Fua Dia Congo back in the 90s. Friday, Feb 27 - Monday, Mar 9 2009. You can attend for a few days or jump in for the full run. $90/day; $800 for entire thing. Air & car travel is on your own, there sometimes there is a shuttle from the airport on Maui into Camp Kenae. Dancing is inside. A few bunk dormitories, but camping highly recommended. Pack lightly; wash frequently. Lots of info on their website and you can pay via paypal there, too!


OUAGADOUGOU Dance and Drum! Baker & Tarpaga Dance Project & DAFRA Drum Ensemble in association with Napam Beogo/Center for Artisans and Visual Arts invites you to study West African Dance and Drumming in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso this Summer, August 1-15th, 2009 Fee: $2500, covers all workshops, lodging, three delicious homemade meals per day, local travel with group, and excursions outside of the city. Airfare to and from Burkina Faso is not covered. Dance: Traditional Manding, Gourmanche, Gourounsi, Warba; Contemporary African Dance and Improvisation. For further questions and more information email: bakertarpagadance@gmail.com; Phone: 323-641-7476
$250 Non Refundable Deposit Due By: May 1, 2009
Full Payment Due By: June 1, 2009
Please mail deposit to:
Olivier Tarpaga
2631 West 17th St
Los Angeles, CA 90019

Salvador, Bahia Brasil with Viver Brasil!! One of the longest running arts edutours to Latin America concerned specifically with the arts of the African Diaspora, "Roots and Contemporary Development of Afro-Brazilian Dance & Music Workshop" will connect you with the top dancers, choreographers and researchers in the City of Seven Gates. As disclosure, I am on the board, but as a researcher of this field in particular, I can tell you that this program has great integrity. August 1-17, 2009: Package Price: $3495, based on double occupancy price includes travel from LA, NY or Miami to Brazil, airport transfers, all course-related activities and events, translators, double occupancy accommodations (upon availability) and breakfast. If you are traveling from a city other than LA, Miami or NY, you will be responsible for flight costs from your departing city. $400 Deposit (check or money order) due upon registration (no early bird info). Deposit is non-refundable. Full Payment Due: June 15, 2008. You can have all your questions answered and even pay your registration fee via paypal on the company's travel program page!


Contra-Tiempo ahas a CUBA trip, but I can't find details. More info to come on that.

Camp Faretta will happen in July I believe. That is a West African Dance camp in Cali, data to follow.

Congo Drum & Dance returns to the mainland in August, check their site.

Tambacounda is likely to happen this year to help lift up djembefolla Abdoulaye Diakite. Stay tuned for that.




LOVELY!
I am very excited by this glut of work to see and experience this weekend! We can continue to expect each weekend to get more challenging because there is a lot for artists to make work about. And since we are experiencing a "Recession" (wink wink nod nod), artists will need to put up more and more work at less and less cost to the consumer in order to continue making work. You know that bumper sticker: "I owe, I owe, so off to work I go"? I can't stand but, hot damn, here we are a toiling in the mines getting to pretend like we wanted to give billions of our national rainy day fund to a bunch of thieves. This is not the way out of a recession, but it is the way out of indentured servitude. THAT'S what these folks in the gov'ment are really seeing when they decide to bailout the banks first and not to award the small local banks and credit unions. Those banks did not fall for the hype, continued to serve their communities, and now shoulder far more than their fair share of the FDIC expense to cover the bad bets of Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers, Citibank, Wamu, Wachovia, Bank of America...the list grows everyday. Mainstream press has stopped reporting. They have not stopped trying to divert our attention to good old standbys like racist engravings and sexists proclamations over motherhood. You feel it though, that sensation that you are looking directly at something without seeing it, even though there appears to be quite a bit of information coming your way. The tax revolt is coming as a global tidal wave. It won't be Republican. It won't be labor revolt. It may or may not usher in a socialist reality here in the US. It will not be led by the Greens or pushed by a clamor for a green economy. It likely will never be characterized as communist. The tax revolt is coming because the largest number of investors in these companies drinking our taxes like a cactus after a rainstorm is, well us!!! We poorly invested our money and now that we are not getting dividends, now we have to pay for our bad investments because they are costing us money. Paying three times is not sitting well with most of us, and since we owe ourselves, we are likely to say, we ain't gonna pay, and hopefully then, once we have recognized that value lies not in instruments of investment but in exchanges between people, we can then go about building a society that is just and fair, that acts locally while thinking globally, that provides mechanisms for citizens and non-citizens alike to be treated with respect and grace. That recognizes that people have to flow just as easily across borders as "capital" does. A society where artistic practice is not considered leisure, but a road map to a stable, vibrant economy. Watch what happens in Sacramento in the coming weeks. It will be monumental. Get up there and place your voice in the chorus. Bring some percussion.