July 31, 2007Interview with Alessandra BelloniHere's an audio interview I recorded recently with the multi-talented Alessandra Belloni. I met with her shortly before she left for the Goddess Conference in Glastonbury, England where she would present some of her fascinating work around the music and ritual dance traditions of Southern Italy. We hit it off right away because for her (a native of Italy) as well as for me (an Afro-Caribbean native New Yorker) rhythm and dance have profound healing and transformative powers. We found we had much in common! I hope you'll enjoy the audio interview as much as I did. Listen to audio interview (MP3 - 36 minutes) Alessandra Belloni Links
- Her short bio is at the bottom of this post. Or you can read her extended bio. - Alessandra's annual healing dance percussion workshop at La Chiara di Prumiano in Tuscany Upcoming New York City Performance Coming to New York: Alessandra Belloni's Giullari di Piazza in Tarantella! Spider Dance: A Winter Solstice Celebration presented by Theatre for the New City, December 21-22. Tickets: 212-254-1109. Alessandra Belloni Bio Alessandra Belloni is a singer, percussionist, dancer and actress who stands as one of the most important voices of traditional southern Italian music and dance today. She is artist-in-residence at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Alessandra is Artistic Director and Founder of I Giullari di Piazza (the Players of the Square). For her mastery of musical styles--both at home and abroad--she has been acclaimed as one of the greatest living percussionists in the world, and has her own signature series of Italian tambourines designed with the largest percussion company in the world, Remo Inc. Read her complete bio...
Posted by Eva Yaa Asantewaa at 2:52 PM - Permalink
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Nadine Helstroffer is one of dance's treasures--a poetic, luminous performer whose choreography reflects her insight into life, nature and spirituality. She has been a good friend for many years, and I'm pleased to present an interview we recorded in the home she shares with filmmaker John Bush. Among other things, Nadine and I talked about their experiences filming in Tibet, and I urge you to follow the links for more information about all of John and Nadine's projects. (Nadine's bio is included at the bottom of this post). Listen to audio interview with Nadine Helstroffer (MP3 format) Background Materials for Audio Interview Nadine provided us with video excerpts from her upcoming film Shimmer (working title), which we discuss toward the beginning of the interview: Vajra Realm Vajra Realm is a 12-minute dance film performed outdoors at sacred Tibetan sacred sites. Here are two screen shots: Vajra Sky Over Tibet Trailer Vajra Realm is a special feature on the DVD for the film Vajra Sky Over Tibet. You can watch a video trailer: Nadine Helstroffer Bio Nadine Helstroffer, French-born, has been presenting her choreography in the U.S., Canada and France since 1981. Her work includes Clock Lock, Threshold and Earthbound. She has taught dance and directed workshops in France, Korea and the U.S. Since 1998 she has been leading the BodyResonance Workshop which explores the link between meditation and movement. She has been presenting her workshop at the Zen Center of NYC, the New School University, New York Insight Meditation Society and Bowling Green State University. Ms. Helstroffer obtained a doctorate in philosophy under the direction of Daniel Charles of the Sorbonne (Subject: An Innovative Approach to Dance) at Nanterre University/Paris-X, France, in 1980. Her academic interests in Eastern philosophies and her exposure to the East through her dance career have guided her toward an integration of Eastern philosophies and Western movements. She collaborated with composers Yas Jaz from Sankai Juku Company, Philip Fraser (devotee of Shri Shri Ravi Shankar) and David Hykes, founder of the Harmonic Choir. In New York, the Rubin Museum of Art commissioned her 30-minute solo piece, Absence Presence, performed in the gallery of the exhibition "Handprints and Footprints of Buddhist Art" in 2005 and filmed by John Bush. She was also invited by the museum to dance her choreography as part of a performance by Hykes's Harmonic Choir. In collaboration with filmmaker John Bush, she is preparing a 40-minute dance film--working title, Shimmer--shot entirely outdoors in New York City. An excerpt--"Portal"--has been screened at Galapagos Art Space, curated by the experimental film group Ocularis, and has had a special screening at the 2006 High Falls Film Festival. Vajra Realm, a dance pilgrimage with Nadine Helstroffer filmed in Central Tibet, was released in January 2007 as a special feature on the DVD Vajra Sky Over Tibet, the third film of the Yatra Trilogy by John Bush. It is distributed by WGBH Boston. For additional information on Vajra Realm and all of Ms. Helstroffer's work, you can visit Direct Pictures.
Posted by Eva Yaa Asantewaa at 8:45 AM - Permalink
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Eva Yaa Asantewaa (read her profile) just recorded an introductory audio message about her dance podcasts: Listen to podcast (MP3 format)
Posted by Doug Fox at 3:24 PM - Permalink
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Now celebrating its centennial, Japan Society has announced Turning Japanese, its far-ranging fall season of contemporary performing arts (PDF press release with detailed performance listings). Festivities planned include a remounting of puppeteer Basil Twist’s Bessie Award-winning Dogugaeshi, a birthday tribute to legendary butoh performer Kazuo Ohno, and much more. Numerous performance venues around the city-–such as P.S. 122, Dance Theater Workshop, Danspace, HERE and the Brooklyn Academy of Music–-will present works by Japanese and American artists who cross time and cultures. I spoke with artistic director, Yoko Shioya, at Japan Society’s beautiful center on East 47th Street. She shared her thoughts on the far-ranging influence of contemporary Japanese performing arts and on the origins and significance of butoh. Listen to audio interview (MP3 format - 33 minutes) Yoko Shioya became Artistic Director in 2006, overseeing the Society's Performing Arts and Film Programs. Since joining the Society in 1997, she has expanded collaborative projects with American cultural organizations and universities to introduce Japanese performing artists and also launched new initiatives, including an artists’ residency project and a workshop series. Also known in Japan as a writer/researcher on the public and private arts support systems in the U.S. and Japan, Ms. Shioya has been invited to speak at numerous symposia, lectures and TV programs presented by the Agency for Cultural Affairs of the Japanese government, Keidanren, the Academy of Cultural Economics and the Japan Council of Performers' Organizations, among others. In 1998, her first book, New York: How the City and Its Artists Coexist, was published by Maruzen Publishing Co. She has been a regular contributor to arts columns on performing arts and exhibitions for the Asahi newspaper, and is currently a committee member of The Bessie Award and the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council’s Fund for Creative Community in dance. Ms. Shioya holds BAs in musicology and dance history from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. Images from the Fall 2007 Performing Arts Season Click on any of the below pictures to see larger images: Video Highlights from Turning Japanese Click on either of the images below to watch video excerpts:
Posted by Eva Yaa Asantewaa at 11:50 AM - Permalink
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Welcome to Great Dance Podcast! My name is Eva Yaa Asantewaa, and I'm delighted to bring you the first interview in this ongoing series of talks with performers, choreographers, master teachers and collaborators devoted to the great art of dance. Who’s on tap today? Ayodele Casel and Jason Samuels-Smith-–two of my favorite performers, now appearing in Tap City, New York’s annual festival of all things tap! Ayodele and Jason--both native New Yorkers and great ambassadors of tap--are not only master performers but also educators. I caught up with them this afternoon at the festival’s workshop site at Chelsea Studios on West 26th Street in Manhattan. Listen to audio interview (30 minutes - MP3 format) Ayodele Casel’s career includes not only tap dance but also television, film and stage acting. She toured internationally as the only female member of Savion Glover’s N.Y.O.T. troupe and also toured with the Jazz Tap Ensemble. She has appeared nearly everywhere–from Bill Clinton’s White House to Madison Square Garden at half-time for the New York Liberty! And that’s not to mention her three sold-out, solo tap shows here in New York. Emmy-Award winning choreographer Jason Samuels-Smith joined the Broadway cast of Bring in Da’Noise, Bring in Da’Funk at the age of 15. Like Ayodele, he also danced with Savion Glover’s N.Y.O.T. troupe. He has been honored by the City of Los Angeles for founding the Los Angeles Tap Festival in 2003, which he continues to direct. In 2004, he launched his own dance company, A.C.G.I (Anybody Can Get It). Produced by Tony Waag and his American Tap Dance Foundation, Tap City features four nights of performances at the Duke on 42nd Street and numerous workshops, showcases, lectures, films and talks about tap. One of summer’s hottest tickets, it draws performers, dance instructors, students and ardent fans from across the U.S. and around the world. Tap City runs from Wednesday, July 11 through Saturday, July 14 at 7pm and 9:30pm at the Duke on 42nd Street with a different program each evening. For a full schedule and ticketing details, visit www.atdf.org. Still Tappin’ And if that’s not enough tap for you, Susan Goldbetter, Circuit Productions invites you to check out some free neighborhood shows this summer: Composer/percussionist Andy Algire teams up with the Feraba: African Rhythm Tap Dance, Wednesday, July 18 at 1pm at Riverbank State Park, 679 Riverside Drive at 145th Street, Manhattan (212-694-3612) and on Friday, July 20, 6:30pm at Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 145 Brooklyn Avenue (718-735-4400). Max Pollak and RumbaTap–who mix tap with Afro-Cuban rhythms and spiritual traditions--will also appear at Brooklyn Children’s Museum on Friday, August 17, 6:30pm (718-735-4400). Also, Riverside Park South and Summer on the Hudson presents Tap Happens!, curated by tap dancer/producer Laraine Goodman on Sunday, July 22, 2pm-4pm at Pier 1 (70th Street on the Hudson River), including performances and a free-for-all tap jam (646-263-7926).
Posted by Eva Yaa Asantewaa at 5:30 PM - Permalink
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