Body and Soul

“I believe that art has the power to create change,” says Emily Berry, artistic director of B3W and my guest for today’s podcast. Recently, Berry set a new dance on her students at Queensborough Community College, dealing straight on with the issue of race. Given the prominence of this issue–for better or for worse--in this year’s presidential campaign, I thought it appropriate to take a look at how one contemporary dance artist has chosen to address this longstanding societal divide.

You can see videos of Berry's work at http://www.b3w.org.

BIO

Emily Berry is the Artistic Director of B3W, formerly the Emily Berry Dance Company, which has performed in the US, England and Mexico. She has performed with Ann Arbor Dance Works, Boris Willis Moves, Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh & Company, Michele Dunleavy, Lesole’s Dance Project (South African), and Ashe Moyubba Afro-Cuban Folkloric Dance Ensemble. She has performed at such venues as the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Dance Place, Teatro de Danza in Mexico City, and a solo show in England, as well as numerous dance festivals. Emily is a Certified Movement Analyst. She also has a MFA in dance from George Mason University and a Bachelor of Dance Arts from the University of Michigan. She has taught at Oakland University, George Mason University, Marymount University, Coppin State University, Montgomery College, and the Community College of Baltimore County. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Dance at Queensborough Community College. Emily has presented a paper titled “On Looking: Representations of the female body in art” at Northampton University in England at the Post-Feminists Practices in the Arts Conference. She was also a panelist at the Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies Conference in New York on Dance and Politics.

COMPANY MISSION STATEMENT

B3W (Beyond Third Wave), formerly the Emily Berry Dance Company, uses video, text, music, and movement to address the state of humanity.

The company has performed in the US, England, and Mexico, presenting works tackling such issues as race, the glass ceiling, domestic violence, women in prison, and war since 1995. The Third Wave is referring to the third wave of the women’s movement. While the work is mostly coming from a feminist perspective, the work is not limited to feminist issues, which adds “Beyond” to the title of the company. The company's fundamental belief is that art has the power to create change.

LINK

http://www.b3w.org

Body and Soul is the official podcast of InfiniteBody dance blog at

http://infinitebody.blogspot.com.

Subscribe through iTunes or at http://magickaleva.hipcast.com/rss/bodyandsoul.xml.

(c)2008, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

A few weeks ago, I interviewed choreographer Neta Pulvermacher about her UF/NYC Dance Xchange program for dance majors from University of Florida's College of Fine Arts. The students are now here in New York, and I met them last evening at Judson Memorial Church where we attended a Movement Research performance. After watching dances by Rose Anne Spradlin, Rebecca Lazier, DD Dorvillier and Julian Barnett, we gathered around, and I asked the students to share some of their reactions to the show.

LINKS

Interview with Neta Pulvermacher

http://infinitebody.blogspot.com/2008/04/neta-pulvermacher-body-and-soul-podcast.html

Joyce SoHo

http://www.joyce.org

University of Florida College of Fine Arts, Scool of Theatre and Dance

http://arts.ufl.edu/theatreanddance/

Body and Soul is the official podcast of InfiniteBody dance blog at

http://infinitebody.blogspot.com. Subscribe through iTunes or at

http://magickaleva.hipcast.com/rss/bodyandsoul.xml.

(c)2008, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

This material may not be reproduced in any way, either in part or in its entirety, without the expressed written permission of Eva Yaa Asantewaa.

In Part 2 of our conversation about the 2008 La MaMa Moves! dance festival, co-curators Nicky Paraiso and Mia B. Yoo discuss a new

addition to their festival schedule--a forum for choreographers.

GUEST BIOS

See Part 1.

EVENT

La MaMa Moves! -- May 2-June 1

For up-to-the-minute calendar and ticketing details, see the link

below or call 212-475-7710.

LINK

La MaMa e.t.c.

http://www.lamama.org/

Click on Dance Festival 2008

Body and Soul is the official podcast of InfiniteBody dance blog at

http://infinitebody.blogspot.com. Subscribe through iTunes or at

http://magickaleva.hipcast.com/rss/bodyandsoul.xml.

(c)2008, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

La MaMa Moves! again! Ellen Stewart's legendary East Village theater presents its big annual dance festival, starting this weekend with a presentation of Ivy Baldwin Dance. I spoke with co-curators Nicky Paraiso and Mia B. Yoo about all of their sensational events, including the "Dancing for Micki" benefit in honor of Micki Wesson, the great supporter and champion of New York dance.

In Part 2 of our conversation--a separate podcast--Nicky and Mia discuss a new addition to their festival schedule--a forum for choreographers.

Nicky Paraiso is currently Performance Curator at The Club at La MaMa Experimental Theatre, and co-curates (with Mia B. Yoo) La MaMa Moves!, La MaMa’s annual spring dance festival. He has been a prolific actor at La MaMa, and the New York downtown theater and performance scene, since 1979. Paraiso has been a member of Meredith Monk/The House and Vocal Ensemble (1981-1990), touring extensively throughout the United States, Europe and Japan. He has worked as an actor and musical director with playwright/actor/director Jeff Weiss and his partner Carlos Ricardo Martinez since 1979, and has performed with Yoshiko Chuma and the School of Hard Knocks since 1988. Nicky is also a critically-acclaimed solo performance artist, whose one-man shows Asian Boys, Houses and Jewels and House/Boy have been presented at La MaMa ETC, Dixon Place, PS122, Dance Theater Workshop and on tour. House/Boy, originally presented by La MaMa ETC in association with Ma-Yi Theater Company, written & performed by Paraiso and directed by Ralph B. Pena, has been presented as part of the KO Performance Festival’s 15th Anniversary season at Amherst College, at Pillsbury House Theater’s Late-Night Series in Minneapolis (November 2005) and also at the 4th Festival Internacional de Cabaret in Mexico City (June 2006), among other venues. House/Boy was recently presented as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival in October 2007 and also in November at the Initiation International Festival 2007 in Singapore. Paraiso's awards include a 1987 BESSIE Award for Performance, a 2004 Spencer Cherashore Fund grant for mid-career actors and a 2005 NY Innovative Theater Award. He was a finalist for the prestigious Cal Arts/Alpert Award in 1998. Nicky is a graduate of Oberlin College and Conservatory, and holds an M.F.A. from New York University's Graduate Acting Program.

Mia B. Yoo is an actress and director who earned her BA in Theatre at Brown University and her MFA in Acting at Columbia University. She has appeared with the Great Jones Repertory Company, the American Repertory Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company. She is an Artistic Associate at La MaMa e.t.c. and co-curates La MaMa Moves! with Nicky Paraiso.

EVENTS

La MaMa Moves! -- May 2-June 1

Ivy Baldwin Dance at The Club at La MaMa e.t.c., May 2-11, Friday-Saturday, 10pm; Sunday, 5:30pm

For up-to-the-minute calendar and ticketing details, see the link below or call 212-475-7710.

LINKS

La MaMa e.t.c.

http://www.lamama.org/

Click on Dance Festival 2008

Ivy Baldwin Dance

http://www.ivybaldwindance.org

Body and Soul is the official podcast of InfiniteBody dance blog at

http://infinitebody.blogspot.com. Subscribe through iTunes or at

http://magickaleva.hipcast.com/rss/bodyandsoul.xml.

(c)2008, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

The Kitchen, located in Chelsea, and The Studio Museum in Harlem have a couple of exciting things in common. Both centers herald innovation in the arts. And now both have Hoofers' House--an intimate tap jam session celebrating tap dance on the cutting edge. Rashida Bumbray--who co-founded Hoofers' House at SMH and now serves as Assistant Curator at The Kitchen--joins me to talk about this new partnership and The Kitchen's upcoming free event, hosted by master tap dancer/teacher Jason Samuels Smith (May 23).

BIO

Rashida Bumbray is a dancer and curator living in Harlem. While Bumbray's primary dance form is tap, she has studied with international dance masters of various forms in Brazil, The Gambia, and London. Her personal work combines her passion for dance and visual art in the interest of creating and presenting work that interrogates society and inspires transformation.

Bumbray has been Assistant Curator at The Kitchen since Fall 2006. Previously she enjoyed a five and half year tenure at The Studio Museum in Harlem, as Curatorial Assistant and Exhibition Coordinator. She is co-founder and curator of Studio Sound, the Studio Museum's lobby music installation which featured new works by Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR), Marc Cary, and Charlie Dark’s The Black Atlantic Project: a musical chain letter. Recently she co-curated the exhibition Mai-Thu Perret: An Evening of the Book with Debra Singer and has organized several music events at The Kitchen, including new concert works by Pheroan akLaff, LaTasha N. Nevada Diggs, Guillermo E. Brown, Min Xiao-Fen, and Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber. She is also the co-founder of Hoofers’ House, the Studio Museum's quarterly jam session for tap dancers, which is now co-produced by The Kitchen.

EVENT

Hoofers' House, May 23, 8pm. Free. For details, visit The Kitchen site (link below).

LINKS

The Kitchen

http://thekitchen.org

The Studio Museum in Harlem

http://www.studiomuseum.org

Jason Samuels Smith

Divine Rhythm Productions

http://www.divinerhythmproductions.macwebsitebuilder.com/

JasonSamuelsSmith.html

Body and Soul is the official podcast of InfiniteBody dance blog at

http://infinitebody.blogspot.com. Subscribe through iTunes or at

http://magickaleva.hipcast.com/rss/bodyandsoul.xml.

(c)2008, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

Acclaimed dancer-choreographer Nora Chipaumire--recipient of a 2007 New York Dance and Performance ("Bessie") Award--joins me to discuss her vision and mission as a Zimbabwe-born contemporary dance artist of Shona heritage. She previews her April 30-May 1 solo season at Dance Theater Workshop.

BIO

Nora Chipaumire was born in Mutare, Zimbabwe during the Chimurenga Chechipiri, or second war of liberation. A self-exiled artist now based in New York, she investigates the collaborative process within cultural, political, economic, and technological identities of African contemporary life. Her work is transnational, unafraid, and eager to burn cultural, creative, and geographic boundaries. She creates provocative and politically relevant multimedia dance work, illuminating the struggles of human identity in an increasingly borderless world. Her work is inspired by art from her native country such as shona sculpture and chimurenga music--art that results from the often violent convergence of rural, urban, African, non-African, cultural, economic, colonial, and technological ideas. A visionary African contemporary dance artist, her work speaks to the human condition with power, authority, and urgency.

Nora Chipaumire is a recipient of a 2007 New York Dance and Performance (aka "Bessie") Award. She is also a Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography (MANCC) 2007-08 Choreographic Fellow. She is a recipient of National Dance Project (NDP) Tour Support in 2007-08. She also received a Jerome Travel and Study Grant to participate in the JANT-BI Diaspora Project in Toubab Dialaw, Senegal in May and August 2007. Nora was honored with the Mariam McGlone Emerging Choreographer Award from Wesleyan University Center for the Arts on March 10, 2007. She is featured in the documentary "Movement (R)evolution" and is the subject of the documentary-in-progress, "Nora Chipaumire: A Physical Biography," directed by Alla Kovgan and David Hinton, supported by a 2007 EMPAC DANCE MOViES Commission.

A graduate of the law school of the University of Zimbabwe, Chipaumire received her MA in Dance and MFA in Choreography and Performance from Mills College in Oakland, CA. She has shown her work widely and danced with a variety companies in the US and abroad. Most notably, she is a member of Jawole Willa Jo Zollar's world-renowned Urban Bush Women.

UPCOMING EVENTS

"Chimurenga" at Dance Theater Workshop, April 30-May 3 (7:30pm).

Coffee and Pre-Show Talk, April 30 at 6:30, with Charmaine WaTalk, April 30, with Brian McCormick

Student Matinee, May 2, at Noon

LINK

Dance Theater Workshop

http://www.dancetheaterworkshop.org

Urban Bush Women

http://www.urbanbushwomen.org/

Body and Soul is the official podcast of InfiniteBody dance blog at

http://infinitebody.blogspot.com. Subscribe through iTunes or at

http://magickaleva.hipcast.com/rss/bodyandsoul.xml.

(c)2008, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

New York-based choreographer Neta Pulvermacher, who teaches at the University of Florida, joined me to talk about her plans for this year's big student field trip to New York--the Second Annual UF/NYC Dance Xchange (May 3-10, 2008)--and also share a preview of other exciting upcoming projects.

BIO

Neta Pulvermacher is the founder and project director of the UF/NYC Dance Xchange. She was born and raised in Kibbutz Lehavot Habashan, Israel. She graduated from Juilliard in 1985 and holds an MFA from the ADF/Hollins University. She founded The Neta Dance Company in 1987 and since then has choreographed over 65 works for her company and for numerous ballet and modern companies. Her company tours throughout the US as well as in Europe and Israel. Neta is an Assistant Professor of Dance at the University of Florida. She has choreographed for director, Mira Nair’s feature film, The Namesake, which was released in March of 2007. Most recently she was invited to the MANCC at FSU to work with the Limón Dance Company. She is the founder and producer of the A.W.A.R.D. Show! which now takes place in New York, Florida and Utah. Recent commissions include: Matte Asher Dance Company in Israel, Frank Sinatra High School for the Arts, Klor Music and Dance Center in Israel, Roger Williams University, and others. She is the proud mother of Alon. Upcoming projects: "Lady Justice Rides the Wagon" (a site Specific Work with real NY women judges) at City Hall Park and a New York season which will include the premiere of the full length "Air" in fall 2008.

LINKS

The Neta Dance Company and The 2008 A.W.A.R.D. Show

http://www.netacompany.org

Joyce SoHo

http://www.joyce.org

University of Florida College of Fine Arts, Scool of Theatre and Dance

http://arts.ufl.edu/theatreanddance/

Body and Soul is the official podcast of InfiniteBody dance blog at

http://infinitebody.blogspot.com. Subscribe through iTunes or at

http://magickaleva.hipcast.com/rss/bodyandsoul.xml.

(c)2008, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

This material may not be reproduced in any way, either in part or in its entirety, without the expressed written permission of Eva Yaa Asantewaa.

Brazil-born/New York-based Regina Nejman will bring "Reveal" to the Merce Cunningham Studio, May 1-4. This new dance-theater piece explores the meaning of privacy in today's technology-driven world, delving into the relationship between privacy and technology, and the impact of this relationship on everyday life.

BIO

Regina Nejman has been creating her own choreography since 1993. She formed Regina Nejman and Company in 1997. Recipient of the Outstanding Choreography Award at the 2005 New York International Fringe Festival for the premiere of "The Velocity of Things," Regina and her company have been steadily touring Brazil for the past two years, where the company has been received with standing ovations. Regina is a 2007/08 Artist in Residence at Joyce SoHo and has been awarded a Dance Theater Workshop Outer/Space residency for next summer. She has received commissions from Princeton University, The Yard and The New Jersey City University, and her work has been presented at Jacob's Pilow Dance Festival, Symphony Space, Joyce SoHo, The New York Film Academy, The New York International Fringe Festival, Dance Theater Workshop, Danspace Project and Merce Cunningham Studio.

EVENTS

Visit an open rehearsal of "Reveal" with Regina Nejman and Dancers on Friday Apr 18 (12–2pm) at Joyce SoHo. Regina invites audience feedback and will dialogue with the audience on the issue of privacy. Free admission with reservation at 646-792-8377.

See "Reveal" at Merce Cunningham Studio, 55 Bethune Street (11th Floor), Manhattan, May 1-2 (9pm), May 3-4 (8pm). Information and reservations at 212-714-9116.

Body and Soul is the official podcast of InfiniteBody dance blog at

http://infinitebody.blogspot.com. Subscribe through iTunes or at

http://magickaleva.hipcast.com/rss/bodyandsoul.xml.

(c)2008, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

This material may not be reproduced in any way, either in part or in its entirety, without the expressed written permission of Eva Yaa Asantewaa.

Alex Escalante's new evening-length work--"Clandestino"--pays tribute to his Mexican heritage, his immigrant parents, and the courage of undocumented workers, living in the United States, who, in the spring of 2006, turned out for massive rallies for their human rights. At a time when illegal immigration has become an exploited political flashpoint, Escalante asks audiences to confront their own feelings and opinions on this issue. The personal is the political, and vice-versa, in this vibrant presentation featuring live and recorded music, film, and a movement vocabulary inspired by contemporary Mexican social dances. Visit "Clandestino" on MySpace (see link below).

BIO

Alex Escalante, originally from Los Angeles, graduated from SUNY Purchase. He has worked in New York with Donna Uchizono, Jennifer Monson/Birdbrain, Doug Elkins, Doug Varone, David Neumann, Gerald Casel, the Metropolitan Opera, and has been fortunate to tour as Merce Cunningham's personal assistant. He was featured in the musical film Romance and Cigarettes, directed by John Turturro. His own work, as well as choreography for theatre with Division 13 Productions, has been presented at Dance Theater Workshop, Danspace Project, La MaMa E.T.C., Dixon Place, Movement Research at Judson Church, Joe's Pub, and Here Arts Center. In February 2007, his most recent work, Swallow Sand, was presented by Dance Theater Workshop as part of a Studio Series residency. Escalante is currently a 2007-2008 Movement Research Artist-in-Residence. He also works as a freelance photographer and is an avid surfer.

EVENT

Premiere of "Clandestino" at Danspace Project, St. Mark's Church, Thursday-Saturday, April 10-12 (8:30pm)

Reservations: 212-674-8194 or at Danspace Project's Web site (see link below).

LINKS

Alex Escalante's "Clandestino"

http://www.myspace.com/_clandestino

Danspace Project

http://www.danspaceproject.org

Body and Soul is the official podcast of InfiniteBody dance blog at

http://infinitebody.blogspot.com. Subscribe through iTunes or at

http://magickaleva.hipcast.com/rss/bodyandsoul.xml.

(c)2008, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

This material may not be reproduced in any way, either in part or in its entirety, without the expressed written permission of Eva Yaa Asantewaa.

Here’s my conversation with Sandra Catena, popular belly dance instructor and performer, personal trainer and author of “The African Belly Dance”–the first murder mystery to feature a belly dancer as its protagonist.

BOOK FACTS

“The African Belly Dance” is a murder mystery featuring Santina Cole, a first generation Italian-American from Newark, New Jersey. Santina was raised in a blue-collar family with deep Catholic roots and much to the chagrin of her family, becomes a belly dancer. Santina is a feisty, funny, red hot woman from the hood who finds herself in the middle of trouble. While performing in West Africa at a Lebanese nightclub, a murder occurs. Santina is in the thick of it and helps find the killer. Get on this magic carpet ride that takes the reader from Newark, New Jersey to Manhattan to West Africa!

BIO

Sandra Catena has performed in Europe, West Africa, Canada and the United States. She has also performed on national television shows such as MTV, The Joy Brown Show and WB11 News. Since 1980, Sandra has performed in New York's Oriental nightclubs, theaters and colleges. Sandra starred in a 14-week run of "A Belly Dancer's Story" (10/96-2/97) in New York City. "A Belly Dancer's Story" was written, choreographed and performed by Sandra. She also produced and choreographed the following shows in theaters in New York: "A Night of Middle Eastern Dance" (6/01&02/00); "A Belly Dance Extravaganza" (11/18/00); "Belly Dance Nights" (01/07&14&21/01); "Arabian Nights" (06/03&04/01); "Holiday Exotica" (12/18/01); "Belly Dance Fever" (5/25/02); "Holiday Hafla" (12/15/02); "Oriental Dreams" (7/03/03); "A Belly Dancer’s Story" (3/14/04 and 6/15/04); and belly dance recitals at Lafayette Grill (6/12/05, 10/23/05, 3/23/06); “Modern Egyptian Rhythms” (12/3/06).

Sandra Catena is a master teacher of Oriental dance. She teaches private and group classes regularly in New York City. Sandra also teaches at Shakti Yoga, The 14th Street Y and has taught at New York University, City University of New York, Sarah Lawrence College, The New Age Health Spa, The Hospital for Joint Diseases, The Seminar Center, The Discovery Center, Asphalt Green, Carmine Street Recreation Bureau, Broome Corner Studios, Rod Rodgers Dance Studios, Dance Theater Workshop, Joyous Life Energy Center, Five Points Fitness and Djoniba's Drum and Dance Center, all in New York.

EVENT

Wednesday, March 26 (6:30-8:30pm): Book signing party (with performance, reading and cash bar) at Boucarou, 64 East 1st Street, East Village, Manhattan

LINKS

Sandra Catena

http://www.bigapplebellydance.org

Boucarou Lounge

http://www.boucaroulounge.com

Body and Soul is the official podcast of InfiniteBody dance blog at

http://infinitebody.blogspot.com. Subscribe through iTunes or at

http://magickaleva.hipcast.com/rss/bodyandsoul.xml.

(c)2008, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

This material may not be reproduced in any way, either in part or in its entirety, without the expressed written permission of Eva Yaa Asantewaa.