It's hard to write a brief blurb about yourself when it starts like this: I graduated with a degree in Performing Arts and Social Justice, with an emphasis in Dance. I ended up in Los Angeles where I'm attempting to start a business and make my way as an artist. One day, I woke up and went hey, I think I'm actually a starving artist. I primarily perform as a professional belly dancer, but also still have the occasional modern dance gig.
These are the things that Inspire me and the things (I like to think) I've learned, especially about being a dancer in LA. I also like to pass on information about classes, auditions and more in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
Robert Moses’ KIN Audition
For all you bay area people…
auditioning for Robert is a great experience because he really pushes you!
Robert Moses’ KIN
SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. at ODC Commons ( 351 Shotwell at 17th Street)
ABOUT RMK: Since founding Robert Moses’ Kin in 1995, Robert Moses has collaborated with a number of prominent dancers, musicians, composers, sculptors, authors, poets, and designers to realize the concept of dance as a unifying form of art, an art form that speaks broadly from a specific place. While touring nationally and creating over 90 original works, Robert Moses’ Kin has earned a host of awards, including four Bay Area Isadora Duncan Awards (IZZIES), a Bay Guardian Outstanding Local Discovery Award in Dance (Goldie) and a San Francisco Weekly Black Box Award for Choreography.
Robert Moses’ Kin has toured to universities, colleges, and festivals throughout the U.S., including Jacob’s Pillow, Bates Dance Festival, Colorado Dance Festival, Dance Center at Columbia College, University of Nevada, University of Texas, Orange Coast College, Dance Umbrella, Stanford University, ProArts Collective, the Maine Festival, and New York’s City Center’s Fall for Dance Festival, among other venues. In addition to his work with Robert Moses’ Kin, Moses has choreographed for San Francisco Opera, Ailey II, Philadanco, Cincinnati Ballet, Eco Arts, Transitions Dance Company of the Laban Center in London, African Cultural Exchange (UK), Bare Bones (UK), Oakland Ballet, Moving People Dance, and Robert Henry Johnson Dance Company, among others. He has choreographed for film, theater and opera, with major productions for the Lorraine Hansberry Theater, New Conservatory Theater, Los Angeles Prime Moves Festival (L.A.C.E.), and Olympic Arts Festival.
Favorite Dance Classes #1: Janice Garrett @ ODC in San Francisco, CA
Janice teaches a Cunningham inspired modern technique class that is both mentally and physically challenging. Her quirky but still technically based choreography will push your spatial abilities farther than any other dance class I’ve ever taken and force you to become comfortable with your ability to change sides with a combination immediately. Above all, Janice is an inspiring and supportive teacher.
Trust me, you’d be hard pressed to find a better class.
CELEBRATING AMERICAN HEROES
The San Francisco Bach Choir invites you to attend its final concert of the 2009/2010 season—Celebrating American Heroes. Inspired by the men and women who have given their lives to protect the lives of others, this program will feature vocal music from the Civil War era along with a newly commissioned work, Thanksgiving for Heroes, that is dedicated to members of the Armed Services, National Guard, Police, and Fire Departments throughout the country who died in the service of their nation and community during 2009. The new work was conceived in the aftermath of the death of Lt. Curtis Massey, a member of the Culver City Police Department, who was killed in a car accident with a wrong-way driver on the freeway going to work last year. It was this tragic incident—followed shortly thereafter by the horrible events that took the lives of four officers from the Oakland Police Department, and later in the year by the Station fire in Los Angeles County in which two firefighters lost their lives—that provided the catalyst for this memorial tribute. In presenting this concert, the San Francisco Bach Choir is offering a public expression of gratitude and support by the arts community to all people who risk their lives to protect and serve.
Thanksgiving for Heroes is a new work composed by Eric Davis for soprano, baritone, chorus, piano and dancers. Rachel Lopez has been invited to choreograph the dance component of the new work for the choir’s historic performance venue, Calvary Presbyterian Church, in San Francisco. The text for Thanksgiving for Heroes was drawn from the poetry of Edwin Markham. Best known for his influential poem, “The Man with the Hoe,” Markham worked in the San Francisco Bay Area during the late 19th and early 20th century, and was an important voice in the social reform movement advocating for child labor laws and worker’s rights. The poet’s natural gift for soaring, inspirational, humanistic verse provides the backdrop for this celebration of our local and national heroes in music and dance. While Markham’s verses were written during and just after World War I and were written to honor the heroism of soldiers in that conflict, they are used in Thanksgiving for Heroes to reflect the courage and virtue of men and women today in each branch of public service who have given their lives in the line of duty. Please join us in this community event to show our gratitude for all those who have dedicated their lives to making the world a safer place in which to live.
Celebrating American Heroes performed by the San Francisco Bach Choir will take place on Saturday, May 15 (8:00pm), and Sunday, May 16 (4:00pm), at Calvary Presbyterian Church, 2515 Fillmore Street (Fillmore and Jackson Streets), San Francisco.
