For me, dancing is both a sacred and spiritual act. I was reminded of that as I sat and listened to the recently selected Performing Diaspora (PD) artists discuss there work during their orientation meeting here at CounterPULSE (CP) a few weeks ago (I am intern at CP for the summer). As I sat there I was overcome with an immense feeling of transcendence. As each person passionately described the motivations behind and the visions for their new
Wow! I can honestly say I have never been so turned on by a group of men before. I don't mean this in any strictly sexual way, after all I tend to label myself as a straight male, but the essence of these pieces delves so much deeper than the visceral. It was poetic to see such a strong and raw group of men expose their vulnerabilities so willingly and so passionately. Scott did an exquisite job of treading the
What is kathak? Kathak is a unique dance form which incorporates rhythmic virtuosity, compelling storytelling, poetry, recitation, song, swift and subtle movement, and a rich philosophy whose roots extend thousands of years. In 1992, I enrolled in a Kathak class at SFSU with world-renowned master, Pandit Chitresh Das. Little did I know the vast ocean that lay before me. Enthralled by the immense depth and potential for self-expression, I continued to study in the traditional manner (guru shisya parampara), one
What is guqin? The guqin, a seven-stringed zither, is China’s oldest stringed instrument with a documented history of about 3,000 years. It became part of a tradition cultivated by Chinese scholars and literati and has been associated with philosophers, sages, and emperors since the time of Confucius. Perhaps because of this illustrious history, following the rise to power of the Chinese Communist Party in 1949, the guqin came to be viewed as one of the “Four Evils” and was the
from brittany: (www.danceceres.org) In this work, I am reminded how many times it takes an idea/concept to enter the body before it actually sinks into to my bones? Some times a feeling is instantaneous- other times it takes years to absorb and safely reside. How long does a new experience rest quietly in the bones before our consciousness gives us context towards a deeper grasp-- before a reason to understand that backlogged experience presents itself and we fully come into
This week, I frantically drove to a graffiti exhibit and documentary screening in Downtown Los Angeles of the movie "GraffLife" directed by Randy DeVol. It follows the secret night missions and on the run daytime activities of urban taggers living in my home and city. I thought I was late; this was one of the first events that was going to serve as important sensory information. I rushed to get to the venue to find a noisy bar where everyone
Colonialism does strange things to a culture. Ignoring one’s own indigenous “ordinary” culture, and blindly imitating others’ “legitimate” culture is one of them. It takes years and a lot of efforts before a culture realizes its self-worth during the post-colonial journey. At present, urban culture in India and Indian diaspora around the world is undergoing this journey. Let me share some of my life and thoughts with you as a rural folk artist from India who, first, migrated to a
Mexican folk dance has been a part of California since the the late 18th century. In those days the itinerant dance "maestro" went from Rancho to Rancho teaching the latest European dance fads to a multigeneretional clientele. When the Californios held their "meriendas" and "bailes", this was the perfect opportunity for every elegible bachelor and young señorita to display their skills in dancing the cuadrilla, polka, waltz, and schotis. In those days it was fashionable, even necessary, for the "gentlemen
If I were being safe I would say my art form is Haitian Folkloric Dance, then I would expound on it. However this would not be absolutely accurate. I am Haitian blooded African American raised in the United States by Haitian immigrants...."black". The two cultures are quite distinct yet share a "way","taste", "movement". This gives me a type of "dual consciousness". Haitian Dance has deep roots in Africa. They are planted in African traditions . The art I create expands
The essence of the esthetics of Indonesian dance, and that particularly from the islands of Java and Bali, can be explained through three words: wirama, and wirasa. Wirama means the harmony and internal rhythm of the movement. Wiraga is the intensity and fullness of the movement not in term of its external power, but more along the lines of being filled with chi (in Chinese) or prana (Sanskrit). Soft and delicate movement can be wiraga while movement that is seemingly strong and powerful can lack it altogether. Wirasa is the feeling of the movement. The word “feeling” here is used not in sense of emotion or passion, but in term of the sensation when emotion and mental construct are set aside.
This has been a season of firsts for me and the company: our first gallery installation in May, our first time at CounterPULSE, my first truly whimsical, comic dance—and now my first time out blogging. I’m the kind of person who re-writes and re-punctuates texts messages before sending them, so the idea of publishing my thoughts “casually” on a blog feels like a bigger deal than it probably actually is. And it’s not like I don’t have a lot to
It’s not exactly a “dance barn” – no animals were ever kept up in the rehearsal space, there aren’t any bales of hay – but when I tried to think of a name for this place, that’s what first came to mind. We are in the Mendocino back-country, full of nervous ganja farmers, far enough outside Willits that no one hears us but the bullfrogs and the crickets. This place is off the grid. We all sleep on futons on
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Apr. 27th, 2024 @ 3:00PMEvent Detail Button
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