An Hour of Spring and The Ultimate Dancer
April 30, 2009 · Posted in dance bloggers · Comment
Updating the blog forthnightly was a great idea on paper, but clearly it didn't happen. Sorry about that. It's the last day of April and I'm trying to redeem myself by actually making the deadline for the first time...
Bellydance fusion: the differences that make a difference
April 30, 2009 · Posted in dance bloggers · Comment
creative genius: a loaded notion
April 30, 2009 · Posted in dance bloggers · Comment
I am not generally one to go out and buy New York Times Bestsellers, but they always seem to find me long after the general public has had their way with them (though I must admit I was ahead on the DaVinci Code craze). That said, I've been reading Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love for the past week or so and it's really striking a chord in me. I found a lecture she gave at the TED Conference 2009 in which she thoughfully discusses a clever solution to approaching the joys and trials of making work throughout one's artistic life. There's something to it...
A day late and a peso short….
April 30, 2009 · Posted in dance bloggers · Comment
I have been in Cali, Columbia performing with an international dance festival. Being in a foreign land and still dancing I feel connected to National Dance Week.
The official National Dance Week website offers advocacy tools as well as links to proclamations and guides to youth activities. Here is a state-by-state listing of National Dance Week events.
A message for 2009 about National Dance Week:
The future of dance lies where there are persons who do not dance.
These belong to two categories: those who simply did not learn, and those who think that they are not able to dance. They represent the greatest challenge for the dance teacher's profession.
In line with UNESCO's struggle against prejudice and discrimination, we are trying to expand the boundaries of dance and to change the current perception of what a dancer is.
Dance performances are not necessarily exhibitions of extreme physicality, accurate precision, or bursting emotion - they can be celebrations of interaction between performers. We can enrich dance concerts with dancers, singers, actors, narrators, mimes, acrobats etc., of all ages and all degrees of ability.
Bringing the 'excluded' into dance is a moral duty, but also opens a great door in times of economic crisis and unemployment. In every country there are millions of persons with physical or mental disabilities. We believe they are ready to dance.
They will create jobs to thousands of dance teachers. They can be assisted by the Ministry of Health, whose budget is many times bigger than that of the Ministry of Culture.
Integrating marginalized persons into the practice of dance is as important as integrating them into the workforce.
CID holds to the philosophy that everyone can dance.
Dance Day 2009 is dedicated to inclusive dance. Let us include all members of society into our classes and our performances.
Prof. Alkis Raftis
President of the International Dance Council CID
UNESCO, Paris
******************************
1. The official Dance Day message is mailed to over 150,000 dance professionals in 200 countries. It is translated to dozens of languages. Please ask for a translation, or translate the message to the language of your country; send it to dance organizations and the media. You can find guidelines and previous messages at the CID web site.
2. Dance Day has been established in view of attracting attention to the art of dance, every year on the 29th of April. On that day, dance companies, dance schools, organizations and individuals, professionals as well as amateurs, are asked to organize an activity addressing an audience larger than their usual one.
3. The International Dance Council (Conseil International de la Danse - CID) is the official umbrella organization for all forms of dance in all countries of the world.
- CID is recognized by UNESCO, national and local governments, international organizations and institutions.
- Its members are the most prominent federations, associations, schools, companies and individuals in more than 150 countries.
- It is the supreme forum bringing together international, national and local organizations, as well as prominent individuals active in dance.
- It was founded in 1973 within the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, where it is based.
- UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
Speech by Ms Choy Su-Ling, ADC Launch
April 30, 2009 · Posted in dance bloggers · Comment
Speech by Ms Choy Su-Ling at the ADC launchGood afternoon ladies and gentlemen.
Thank you so much for coming today.
I would like to share with you how AsiaDanceChannel came to be.
AsiaDanceChannel is first and foremost a corporate social responsibility programme with the objective of promoting dance and preserving dance heritage.
In the scope of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues, ADC’s CSR projects fall under ‘Social.’ While many Environmental and Governance projects are already in place, ADC provides one of the most comprehensive touch points to address Social issues, using dance as a channel.
When we talk about dance in the context of Asia, it often cannot be separated from music and theatre because all these are intrinsically linked together as the manifestation of the culture, custom, and lifestyle of a certain community. We need to make a collective effort to preserve these multi-cultures without which the substance for interculturalism would not exist.
As a nation, we are not only blessed with natural resources but also cultural resources. As we transit into an innovation-fuelled economy, the driving force in the next phase of our development will be the imaginative and creative capacity of our people. The new architects of the global economic landscape are those who apply their imagination, creativity and knowledge to generate new ideas and create new value. Multi-dimensional creativity – including artistic and literary creativity – will be the new currency of success.
Many countries now see the creative industries as a key competitive advantage in the globalised economy. Ideas and imagination have become valuable assets and drivers of economic opportunities and growth. We must harness creativity and the power of innovation to forge ahead in a competitive and globalised economy. To succeed and thrive, we must tap on the creative cluster - which are arts, culture, design and media – and recognise them as one of the vanguards of economic growth.
Industries which are inspired by cultural and artistic creativity have the potential to create economic value through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property. For example, dance repertoires are intellectual property.
The efforts include developing creative capabilities, stimulating sophisticated demand and strengthening industry players to become credible and significant players in the global creative landscape. This is a tall order and we cannot do it alone. AsiaDanceChannel strive to bridge dance communities with business communities. For a start, we are making an effort to lobby for cultural philanthropy in corporate CSR agenda. We need to create a unique people-private-public collaborative platform providing various levels of support, including facilitation and funding.
The emerging social contract dictates that profit seeking must be carried on within a broader context than the traditional economic calculus. The corporation is a social organization as well as an economic organization and its performance will be appraised in social as well as economic terms. Businesses must restructure its objectives so that social goals are put on par with economic goals.
If I were to ask you who is the Martha Graham or Merce Cunningham of Asia? Nobody knows. This is a pity because in Asia we have so many Grand Masters and dance exponents who are custodians of dance heritage. In 2005, UNESCO declared mak yong, a traditional dance-drama from northern Malaysia, a “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.” AsiaDanceChannel.com wants to put Asian talents and culture on the world map. By promoting and raising the profile of Asian dance and dancers, we hope that the younger generation would develop an interest in inheriting these art forms.
Most of the large continents such as USA, Europe and Australia, have dance magazines, so why not Asia? Asia comprise of an aggregate of the cultural heritage of many nationalities, societies, religions, and ethnic groups in the region. AsiaDanceChannel.com, as a new media channel fills the gap for rich Asian content and gives dance in Asia the share of voice it deserves.
The objective of the dance magazine is to create dance ‘audienceship’ converting individuals with no prior inclination towards dance to someone that does.
Last but not least, I would like to take the opportunity to thank the Media, Dance and Southeast Asia Departments of University Malaya for their collective efforts in putting up the International Dance Day celebrations. I would also like to thank Creative Technology Advances Sdn Bhd, our technology sponsor, for taking the lead in cultural philanthropy through the provision of their technology support.
And finally, happy International Dance Day!
Thank you.
AsiaDanceChannel.com – Asia’s First Online Dance Magazine Launch
April 30, 2009 · Posted in dance bloggers · Comment
AsiaDanceChannel.com – Asia’s First Online Dance Magazine Launch
29 April 2009 marks an important date for the dance communities as Asia’s first online dance magazine, AsiaDanceChannel.com, was launched in conjunction with International Dance Day. The double celebration heralds the revival of society’s interest in dance.
“Most of the large continents such as USA, Europe and Australia, have dance magazines, so why not Asia? Asia comprise of an aggregate of the cultural heritage of many nationalities, societies, religions, and ethnic groups in the region. AsiaDanceChannel.com fills the gap for rich Asian content and gives dance in Asia the share of voice it deserves,” said founder Ms Choy Su-Ling, a dance blogger.
“Who is the Martha Graham or Merce Cunningham of Asia? Not many people know. This is a pity because in Asia we have so many Grand Masters and dance exponents who are custodians of dance heritage. In 2005, UNESCO declared mak yong, a traditional form of dance-drama from northern Malaysia, a “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.” AsiaDanceChannel.com wants to put Asian talents and culture on the world map. By promoting and raising the profile of Asian dance, we hope that the younger generation would develop an interest in inheriting these art forms.”
However, the online dance magazine does not only cover traditional and classical dance forms. It also covers contemporary, ballet, modern, jazz, Latin American and other dance forms practiced and enjoyed in Asia. The online dance magazine now features dance reviews, interviews, event listings, and videos. Readers are able to plan ahead for shows and festivals not only in their own country but even as they travel Asia. The magazine not only targets dancers and dance enthusiasts but also people who have a general interest in culture and art, and travellers. In fact, the goal of creating dance ‘audienceship’ is to convert individuals with no prior inclinations towards dance to someone that does.
More sophisticated modules of the website are in the pipeline and AsiaDanceChannel.com has Creative Advances Technology Sdn Bhd (CAT), the technology sponsor, to thank. CAT is the developer of the highly successful VirtualMalaysia.com, the official e-tourism portal for the Ministry of Tourism, Malaysia, which today receives over 30 million hits and 1 million pageviews a month. Following the success of the portal, CAT developed the Malaysian Tourism Online Unified Reservation System (myTOURS), a consolidated tourism e-business platform funded by the MDeC development grant.
“Most of the large continents such as USA, Europe and Australia, have dance magazines, so why not Asia? Asia comprise of an aggregate of the cultural heritage of many nationalities, societies, religions, and ethnic groups in the region. AsiaDanceChannel.com fills the gap for rich Asian content and gives dance in Asia the share of voice it deserves,” said founder Ms Choy Su-Ling, a dance blogger.
“Who is the Martha Graham or Merce Cunningham of Asia? Not many people know. This is a pity because in Asia we have so many Grand Masters and dance exponents who are custodians of dance heritage. In 2005, UNESCO declared mak yong, a traditional form of dance-drama from northern Malaysia, a “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.” AsiaDanceChannel.com wants to put Asian talents and culture on the world map. By promoting and raising the profile of Asian dance, we hope that the younger generation would develop an interest in inheriting these art forms.”
However, the online dance magazine does not only cover traditional and classical dance forms. It also covers contemporary, ballet, modern, jazz, Latin American and other dance forms practiced and enjoyed in Asia. The online dance magazine now features dance reviews, interviews, event listings, and videos. Readers are able to plan ahead for shows and festivals not only in their own country but even as they travel Asia. The magazine not only targets dancers and dance enthusiasts but also people who have a general interest in culture and art, and travellers. In fact, the goal of creating dance ‘audienceship’ is to convert individuals with no prior inclinations towards dance to someone that does.
More sophisticated modules of the website are in the pipeline and AsiaDanceChannel.com has Creative Advances Technology Sdn Bhd (CAT), the technology sponsor, to thank. CAT is the developer of the highly successful VirtualMalaysia.com, the official e-tourism portal for the Ministry of Tourism, Malaysia, which today receives over 30 million hits and 1 million pageviews a month. Following the success of the portal, CAT developed the Malaysian Tourism Online Unified Reservation System (myTOURS), a consolidated tourism e-business platform funded by the MDeC development grant.
“We recognize that in Asia, dance is an integral part of the culture and therefore the agenda to promote and preserve dance heritage can be achieved by fully harnessing the power of communications technology through myTOURS. We are very pleased that AsiaDanceChannel invited us to be a part of this initiative that contributes such a tremendous intangible economic value to the nation,” said Mr Vincent Kok, Chief Operating Officer of CAT, when officiating the launch of the online dance magazine.
International Dance Day was celebrated jointly with the Media, Dance and Southeast Asia Departments of University Malaya. Students put up an afternoon of performance featuring the taklempong ensemble, and Zapin, Ngajat Iban, Bharatanatyam and contemporary dances. According to tradition, the International Dance Day Message circulated around the world by the International Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute UNESCO (ITI/UNESCO) was read out.
In 1982, the ITI/UNESCO founded International Dance Day to be celebrated every year on 29 April. The date commemorates the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre, born in 1728, who was a great reformer of dance. In 1995, in an effort to unite dance, the ITI/UNESCO entered into a collaborative effort for the celebration of International Dance Day with World Dance Alliance as their only official partner. Every year, a message from a well-known dance personality is circulated throughout the world. This year, the honour goes to Mr Akram Khan, an acclaimed choreographer of Bangladeshi decent. The intention of International Dance Day and the Message is to bring all dancers together on this day, to celebrate this art form and revel in its universality, to cross all political, cultural and ethnic barriers and to bring people together in peace and friendship with a common language - Dance.
International Dance Day was celebrated jointly with the Media, Dance and Southeast Asia Departments of University Malaya. Students put up an afternoon of performance featuring the taklempong ensemble, and Zapin, Ngajat Iban, Bharatanatyam and contemporary dances. According to tradition, the International Dance Day Message circulated around the world by the International Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute UNESCO (ITI/UNESCO) was read out.
In 1982, the ITI/UNESCO founded International Dance Day to be celebrated every year on 29 April. The date commemorates the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre, born in 1728, who was a great reformer of dance. In 1995, in an effort to unite dance, the ITI/UNESCO entered into a collaborative effort for the celebration of International Dance Day with World Dance Alliance as their only official partner. Every year, a message from a well-known dance personality is circulated throughout the world. This year, the honour goes to Mr Akram Khan, an acclaimed choreographer of Bangladeshi decent. The intention of International Dance Day and the Message is to bring all dancers together on this day, to celebrate this art form and revel in its universality, to cross all political, cultural and ethnic barriers and to bring people together in peace and friendship with a common language - Dance.
29 Abril dance day!
April 29, 2009 · Posted in dance bloggers · Comment
INTERNATIONAL DANCE DAY MESSAGE APRIL 29, 2009AKRAM KHAN (Bailarín y coreógrafo, Londres 1974)
Este día muy particular, el Día internacional de la Danza, está dedicado al lenguaje único que cada uno de nosotros sabe hablar en este mundo, el lenguaje inherente a nuestros cuerpos y a nuestras almas, el de nuestros antepasados y de nuestros niños Este día está dedicado a cada dios, gurú y antepasado que nos han enseñado e inspirado cada canto, impulso y el instante que nos hubieran incitado a movernos. Está dedicada al niño que querría poder moverse como su ídolo, y a la madre que dice "eres ya capaz de eso". Este día está dedicado a cada ser de toda confesión, color y cultura que transforma las tradiciones de su pasado en historias del presente y en sueños para el futuro. Este día está dedicado a la Danza, a sus miríadas de expresiones y a su capacidad inmensa de expresar, de transformar, de unir y de regocijar.
INTERNATIONAL DANCE DAY MESSAGE APRIL 29, 2009
Akram Khan
This very special day is dedicated to the one language
that everybody in
this world can speak, the inherent language of our bodies
and our souls, of
our ancestors and of our children.
This day is dedicated to every god, guru and grandparent
that ever taught and
inspired us,
To every song and impulse and moment that's ever moved us
to move.
It is dedicated to the little child that wishes it could
move like its star,
And to the mother who says, 'you already can'.
This day is dedicated to every body of every creed, colour
and culture that
carries the traditions of its past into stories of the
present and dreams of
the future.
This day is dedicated to Dance, to its myriad dialects and
its immense power
to express, transform, unite and delight.
Akram Khan
This very special day is dedicated to the one language
that everybody in
this world can speak, the inherent language of our bodies
and our souls, of
our ancestors and of our children.
This day is dedicated to every god, guru and grandparent
that ever taught and
inspired us,
To every song and impulse and moment that's ever moved us
to move.
It is dedicated to the little child that wishes it could
move like its star,
And to the mother who says, 'you already can'.
This day is dedicated to every body of every creed, colour
and culture that
carries the traditions of its past into stories of the
present and dreams of
the future.
This day is dedicated to Dance, to its myriad dialects and
its immense power
to express, transform, unite and delight.
Creation Dance – Beginners Dance 2009-04-29 19:53:00
April 29, 2009 · Posted in dance bloggers · Comment
MTV NEEDS YOU!!If you’re 18 or over,
love to dance,
are up for a laugh
and want to star
in a new show on TMF
go to mtv.co.uk/casting
and register!!!
MTV UK are looking for fun, funny and daring contestants for a new TV Series
The format is complicated so pay attention:
People Dance to their favourite music videos and take their clothes off.
But it is not what you think…this is not a lewd, crude show, this is MTV!! And we are not only looking for professionals to take part, we are looking for all kinds of people, all shapes and sizes with all sorts of unique, weird and wonderful quirks to shake their thang!
If you are PROUD of your body, want to SHOWCASE your moves then we are looking for YOU!
It’s fun, carefree and of course it’s all done in the best possible taste, but more than that, it is going to be a MASSIVE LAUGH!!
So if you would like to apply for an audition to take your clothes off and shake your thing in front of our cameras, then send us your details!
If you are successful, auditions will take place on London in late May and/or early June
Anyone (so long as you’re over 18 years old) can apply to audition, if you think you’re brave enough….log on to www.mtv.co.uk/casting for more details.
Good luck!!!
Dancing With the Stars…Melissa is Safe
April 29, 2009 · Posted in dance bloggers · Comment
Thank goodness Melissa is safe. Chuck should have said goodbye to this competition weeks ago. And here's the fun tango number that won over the judges, even though I really liked team mambo. Come on, you can't beat Mark in tights!
SFB, “Jewels,” 4/25/2009
April 29, 2009 · Posted in dance bloggers · Comment
San Francisco Ballet"Jewels"
April 25, 2009, 8PM
George Balanchine’s “Jewels” is well regarded for its homage to modern ballet’s roots. This plotless ballet, which debuted in 1967, is comprised of three abstract sections: “Emeralds,” “Rubies,” and “Diamonds” to represent France, the US, and Russia respectively. While the choreography may not be groundbreaking, dance aficionados still praise “Jewels” for its wide range of emotions and for being one of Balanchine’s timeless ballets. Often presented in parts, the ballet as a whole is rarely seen on stage outside of New York, but our fine city is sparkling this week with San Francisco Ballet’s superb take on “Jewels.”
Normally, I prefer the sultriness and pizazz of “Rubies,” but Sofiane Sylve’s take on the lead swan-like principal role in “Diamonds” has me thinking otherwise. Sylve danced the pas de deux with a pure, unaffected grace and fragility that left me gasping for breath by the end. Her partner, Pierre François Vilanoba, matched her as best he could, but in “Jewels,” as in most of Balanchine’s work, the majority of the focus is on the women. The demi soloists shone brightly, including Lily Rogers and Jennifer Stahl, and Quinn Wharton, a tall, sandy haired fellow, danced with a kingly presence. One of the things that differentiates “Diamonds” from the other two sections is the big wow moment when the corps enters, sweeping its feet across the stage with the stark brightness of the cream colored costumes radiating simplicity and elegance, and this time was no different. The only caveat I had was with Tony Walton’s white lite-brite/scatter plot effect across the back scrim (which continued in corresponding colors through the other two sections). Sorry, but I’m not a fan. Please bring back the Tiffany blue background and extravagant chandeliers, I beg of you.
Elana Altman devoured the stage as the tall girl in “Rubies.” Yes, Vanessa Zahorian proved she’s more than just everyone’s technically amazing whiz kid with her coy hip action and flirty romp with the compact yet powerful Pascal Molat, but Altman showed she’s got the chops to play with the big kids. At one point, she lunged into a deep grand plié in second (for all those non-technical peopleout there, a squat) with her arms held high above her head in a rising V, and all eyes were on her. This steely dancer has been refining this role for a few years, and her mettle showed.“Emeralds,” as the opener, is velvety and supple, with wrists crossed at times like sylphs and a shy or demure quality lurking underneath. With a score by Gabriel Fauré, the dancers lightly skipped and waltzed. Early on, Lorena Feijoo, joined by guest artist Seth Orza (on loan from Pacific Northwest Ballet) made her slightly nontraditional mark on Violette Verdy’s role. Feijoo played the role as a young lover, displaying at times lust, sadness, grief, and contentment. It was an interesting interpretation, but I think I prefer the more aloof, non-narrative portrayals that I’ve seen in the past. Yuan Yuan Tan, however, looked spellbinding in Mimi Paul’s role, with her feet dripping under her as she quietly tip toed across the stage with her arms melting about in the air around her. Quiet and comforting, Tan seemed almost motherly, as if she were ready to wrap her arms around her partner, Damian Smith, and rock him ever so softly to sleep.
Elyse Bourne staged “Jewels,” and additional coaching was provided by several originators, including Mimi Paul, Violette Verdy, and Suzanne Farrell, and this high quality showed. However, Haydee Morales’ costumes (on loan from Miami City Ballet) were loud—the stone piece thumped and plunked as the dancers jumped and kicked--, and the added percussion was neither needed nor wanted. But I’ve got to wonder, if “Jewels” was choreographed now, would Balanchine have changed things? Perhaps the US would be sapphires to represent our blue collar history. Maybe he’d add a tribute to Japan or England or Spain. We’ll never know, but it’s fun to dream about, even for a minute or two.
The program continues with a wide range of casts, many of which should be impressive debuts for some of the company’s most promising young soloists and corp members. And if you happened to catch “Jewels,” you might just find a diamond (or a ruby or emerald) in the rough.
Sofiane Sylve and Pierre-François Vilanoba in Balanchine's "Diamonds."
Elana Altman in Balanchine's "Rubies."
Photos © Erik Tomasson
Elana Altman in Balanchine's "Rubies."
Photos © Erik Tomasson
