Intermission

As I prepare to fly off to Italy for a few weeks, a pause to reflect on Body and Soul's past and contemplate its future. 'Til November, then! Ciao!

Please listen to my audio message.

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Interview with Dalia Carella

Dalia Carella is one of those bold, glamorous, old-school entertainers clearly born to rule the stage. And she's a serious creative artist whose painstaking approach to the dances of diverse cultures has been shaped by mentors of notable integrity. Now she has joined the faculty of Dance New Amsterdam, where I spoke with her about her career and her pioneering involvement in DNA's Performance Project. She's introducing students to the rich music and dance traditions of the Near and Middle East and the Maghreb. Her four-week workshop will culminate in a new piece to be performed by her students along with works by other DNA faculty members, October 26-28. Get the details at DNA.

(The following audio interview was recorded live and on location at Dance New Amsterdam. In the process, we picked-up some of the sounds of the city including the sirens in the opening seconds.)

Listen to interview with Dalia Carella (MP3 - 38 minutes)

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Interview with Jen Abrams

When my "half-hour" interview with dancer-choreographer Jen Abrams concluded, we were amused to see that it had actually lasted a full hour! But that's what it takes to tell even part of the story of her work with the WOW Cafe Theater collective, an historic and essential part of the still-hearty cultural abundance of Manhattan's rapidly-changing East Village. Listening to Jen talk about her background in contact improvisation, I discovered a fascinating connection between contact improvisation and the "open source," grassroots nature of WOW. Her intensity and strength as an artist working in dance, theater and poetry are more than matched by the tenacity of this theater collective and space that she so clearly loves.

Listen to audio interview with Jen Abrams (MP3 - 60 Minutes)

"Other Voices - Eva Yaa Asantewaa talks to lesbian choreographers Jen Abrams and Pat Catterson" in The Village Voice.

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Interview with Fran Kirmser

When you need to look at the arts from a lot of different angles, it's helpful to have someone like the versatile Fran Kirmser in your corner. I spoke with Fran last Friday about the many roles she has played in her distinguished career as a performer, choreographer, theater producer, master fundraiser, a consultant to dance and theater companies, and a founder of Manhattan Theatre Source. This radiant, seemingly tireless advocate of dance and theater has a grand vision and the practical tools to back it up, and she'll be sharing her expertise with artists in a series of workshops this fall at The Field.

Listen to interview with Fran Kirmser (MP3 - 30 minutes)

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Interview with Choreographer and Performer Camille A. Brown

Last week, I met with Camille A. Brown, who recently made a huge impression as the choreographer and performer of her solo, The Evolution of A Secured Feminine, and we talked about the steady evolution of her remarkable career. She has won rave reviews for her appearances with Ronald K. Brown/Evidence, and now she's setting an ensemble piece on the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, one of the world's most celebrated dance troupes, for its upcoming season at City Center. Camille is a young artistic star on the rise.

Listen to interview with Camille A. Brown (MP3 - 27 minutes)

Multimedia Guide

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