All World Dance: News for Lovers of Dance

Multiple Dance Acts to Appear in 15th Annual Philadelphia Live Arts Festival

John Jasperse - Canyon [Photo: Alex Escalante]

The Philadelphia Live Arts Festival celebrates its 15th year of live performances in association with Philly Fringe September 2 through 17.

A wide range of performing arts are included with such dance acts as John Jasperse, Cie. Willi Dorner, Kyle Abraham and Abraham.In.Motion, Headlong Dance Theater and Chris Doyle, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Shantala Shivalingappa.

World premieres include New York choreographer John Jasperse' Canyon and a new participatory work by Austria's Cie. Willi Dorner.

Kyle Abraham & Abraham.In.Motion - The Radio Show
[Photo: Steven Schreiber]

Brooklyn's Kyle Abraham and Abraham.In.Motion brings The Radio Show to Philly, a work inspired by his youth in Pittsburgh:

"Some of choreographer Kyle Abraham's fondest memories are of driving with his family and listening to Pittsburgh's radio station Hot 106.7FM WAMO and its sister station AM 860. On September 8, 2009, WAMO, the only black urban radio station still in Pittsburgh, went off-air...The Radio Show investigates the effects of the abrupt discontinuation of a radio station on a community and in turn relates it to the effects of Alzheimer’s and loss of memory on a family."

Kyle Abraham & Abraham.In.Motion - The Radio Show
[Photo: Steven Schreiber]

Philadelphia's Headlong Dance Theater and Chris Doyle take their audience on a "short trip to the red planet" in Red Rovers:

"Two robotic explorers. One lonely landscape. Dust is in the hard drive. Wires are crossed. Interplanetary yoga. Sending a text 19,000,000 miles. Combining dance theater, art installation, silent films, vintage Donkey Kong, and Mars, Red Rovers immerses you in a show about scientific searching, comical mishaps, and the impossibility of connection across vast distances."

Shantala Shivalingappa - Namasya [Photo: Laurent Philippe]

Shantala Shivalingappa, born in India and raised in Paris, performs Namasya, an evening of solo dances:

"Namasya...is made up of four solos choreographed by Ushio Amagatsu, Pina Bausch, Shivalingappa herself, and Savitry Nair (Shantala’s mother)...Namasya pays homage to friends and mentors who have passed away, to traditions and forms that have influenced her life, and to artists from whom she has drawn inspiration."

Shantala Shivalingappa & Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui - Play [Photo: Koen Broos]

Shantala Shivalingappa joins Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, of Flemish and Moroccan descent, in a duet titled Play:

"Play is...a place for experiments between two riveting performers...Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, the sinuous western contemporary dancer whose movements ride a wave of chaos, and the Indian dancer Shantala Shivalingappa, whose masterly control of movement comes from her training in the classical Indian form Kuchipudi."

"Play portrays the teasing, playful games they engage in to form a world of their own. Role-play, seduction, imitation, human-sized puppets, blindfolds, masks, music: all are employed to win the other over, to test boundaries, and finally to express the joy of communicating through dance."

Official Site: Philadelphia Live Arts Festival & Philly Fringe

Related All World Dance Coverage:
Cie. Willi Dorner's Bodies in Urban Spaces
Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival 2011: Ballet Genève, Carte Blanche, Laboratory Dance Project, Tangueros del Sur +

Michael Sakamoto's Project, The Empty Room, Seeks Your Support

Soil (work-in-progress) Section of The Empty Room
[Source: Michael Sakamoto]

Butoh dancer Michael Sakamoto is seeking funds for a group endeavor, The Empty Room, which involves multiple dancer/choreographers and dance styles:

"Michael Sakamoto joins forces with an international team of dance and music collaborators, including award-winning choreographer Rennie Harris (Rennie Harris Puremovement), new music composer Amy Knoles (California EAR unit), Japanese koto and guitar duo Reiko Imanishi and Shinichi Isohata, Thai dancer Waewdao Sirisook, and Japanese actor-dancers Tetsuro Koyano and Mao Arata (Pappa Tarahumara), to offer a vision of a sustainable future that starts with oneself."

"Each work in The Empty Room combines a different dance form and commissioned music score and is directly inspired by a Zen koan or text as well as a specific theme of social engagement. For example, the latest segment in rehearsal, 'Soil,' uses classic butoh movement, a custom soundscore of koto, guitar, and rain, and a koan about farmers in existential struggle with the earth, all resulting in an implicit commentary on environmental crisis issues."

The project is seeking $7000 and will receive a matching grant from the California Community Foundation. According to an email from Michael Sakamoto, there are also gifts for donors "including CDs, limited edition photo prints, and even koans and dances personalized by the artists just for you!"

He also states:

"Because we believe strongly in this performance as a form of social engagement, we’ve set our production budget at a fraction of what it would normally cost. For only $7000, we can complete 'The Empty Room' for its premiere next Summer in Los Angeles. With only $10,000 to $15,000, the work can travel for up to seven presentations booked or in negotiation in five countries, including the US, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Japan."

Sounds like a bargain! You can find out more on the fundraising site which includes more information about the various sections of The Empty Room as well as a video overview of the project.

Mohan Khokar Dance Archives of India Opens Exhibit

Ashish Khokar Speaks at a Dance Event [Source: DevaniyaDances]

Yesterday an exhibit of resources from the Mohan Khokar Dance Archives of India opened at the Habitat Centre's Visual Arts Gallery in New Delhi. The exhibit, titled A Century of Indian Dance - 1901-2000, features a wide range of items documenting the dances of India including books, photos, masks, posters and costumes. It will be on display for a week and then travel on to the USA, UK, multiple European countries and Singapore.

The Mohan Khokar Dance Archives are said to be the "most comprehensive compilation on the history and heritage of Indian dance" yet is still in need of a permanent home.

The collection was gathered by Mohan Khokar who found many ways to support Indian dance including building this huge collection and authoring literally thousands of articles and papers. Khokar died in 1999 and passed his collection on to his son, Ashish Khokar, an art historian who now advocates for a museum, ideally the Mohan Khokar Dance Museum.

Official Site: Mohan Khokar Dance Archives of India

Peru's Qoyllur Rit'i Festival Changes As the Glaciers Disappear

Glacier Gods [Source: Carolyn Kormann]

The annual Qoyllur Rit'i festival is an annual event that takes place in the Sinakara Valley in the Peruvian Andes mountains to honor the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i. Like many such events, it is an ancient indigenous festival that was morphed into a Catholic festival in the process of colonization.

The tradition is for participants to hike up the mountain and dance and sing for three days. Ritual battle was banned by the Catholic Church but the tradition of ukukus, trickster figures, climbing up the mountain and retrieving large blocks of ice has been banned due to concerns about the disappearing glaciers. The disappearance of the glaciers will destroy the way of life of many Peruvian people and so the festival has taken on a new sense of urgency.

Taytacha Qoyllur Rit'i [Source: Angel Romero]

Barbara Fraser describes the festival and discusses the issue of the disappearing glaciers. It's well worth reading to better understand a truly unique event in which dance is considered an integral part of one's religious life.

Online Photo Exhibit: Qoyllur Rit'i: In Search of the Lord of the Snow Star

Saigon Electric: Street Dance Movie Set in Saigon

Saigon Electric U.S. Poster [Source: Saigon Electric]

Saigon Electric, originally titled Saigon Yo!, was released in Vietnam is April and is set for release in the U.S. on October 7 after a series of special showings on the film festival circuit. Many of the roles in Saigon Electric were cast with dancers rather than established actors or actresses introducing new faces to the screen.

Saigon Electric aka Saigon Yo! Trailer [Source: Saigon Electric]

From the Seattle International Film Festival site:

"Boldly fusing hip-hop dance battles, romance, and a cross-section of youth culture in contemporary Vietnam, Saigon Electric is a film bursting with energy, showcasing a strong, youthful artistic presence in the global metropolis of Saigon."

"Mai, a traditional ribbon dancer from the countryside, has arrived in Saigon for dance school. After nerves destroy her big audition, she meets street-smart Kim who hip-hop dances with Saigon Fresh, a local crew vying for the top spot in international competitions. After Kim disgraces herself in a battle and quits the crew, she finds herself falling for Hai, a rich kid with a powerful family who has considerable charm and the promise of a better future. Meanwhile, Mai develops a relationship with the captain of Saigon Fresh, and the film blossoms into an intoxicating double romance."

Suboi - Walk [Source: 84 Production]

The above song is from the Saigon Electric soundtrack with street scenes that could easily pass for Los Angeles. Videos for Suboi's Friends and Away are also available.

A series of posters have been released including this cool teaser poster featuring a boombox by Saigon-based 84 Production

Official Site: Saigon Electric

Flex FX Productions' Bollywood Dance Company Take Bolly-Flex on Tour

Bolly-Flex On Tour [Source: Flex FX Productions]

Bolly-Flex on Tour is a new show from Flex FX Productions featuring the Bolly-Flex dance team that appeared on UK-based Sky1's Got To Dance tv show plus the additional dancers that make up the full Flex FX company for a cast of 25.

Bolly-Flex Got To Dance Semi Final [Source: Got To Dance Sky1]

Flex FX Productions is based in Whitechapel, London, England under the direction of Naz Choudhury featuring Indian classical dancer Leena Patel.

For more about Flex FX Productions with some studio pics of the dancers, see The Bollywood Dancers of Whitechapel.

Official Site: Flex FX Productions

Related All World Dance Coverage:
Bollywood Moves Dance Competition Finalists Compete for IIFA Awards Performance Spot

Asheville, NC Hosts 84th Annual Mountain Dance & Folk Festival

Avery Smooth Dancers [Photo: Jerry Nelson Photography]

The Folk Heritage Committee presents the 84th Annual Mountain Dance & Folk Festival, a gathering of dancers, musicians and a bunch of interesting characters, I'm guessing, on August 4 through 6 at Asheville, NC's Diana Wortham Theatre:

"Founded by Bascom Lamar Lunsford in 1928, the Festival showcases real mountain performers who share songs and dances that echo centuries of Scottish, English, Irish, Cherokee and African heritage. Each evening is a joyful exploration of the rich culture found in the valleys and coves between the Great Smokies and the Blue Ridge Mountains."

Stoney Creek Cloggers [Photo: Jerry Nelson Photography]

A whole bunch of performers will appear including a number of dance teams plus Sit Down Square Dance:

Stoney Creek Cloggers
Avery Smooth Dancers
Green Valley Cloggers
Mountain Laurel
Southern Mountain Smoke
Fines Creek Flatfooters
Extreme Tradition
Cole Mountain Cloggers
Dixie Darlins
Southern Appalachian
Mountain Tradition Cloggers
Southern Mountain Fire
Bannerman Family
UNCA Smooth Dancers
Appalachian Mountaineers

Avery Smooth Dancers [Photo: Jerry Nelson Photography]

A related series of free performances called Shindig on the Green is already in progress on Saturdays in downtown Asheville through September 3.

Given that I've relocated to Asheville and have Scottish, English and Irish ancestors, I should probably be checking this out!

Tickets: Diana Wortham Theatre

Official Site: 84th Annual Mountain Dance & Folk Festival

6th Sabah International Folklore Festival Gathers 18 Troupes in Malaysia

6th Sabah International Folklore Festival [Source: SIFF]

The 6th Sabah International Folklore Festival (SIFF) will bring together 18 dance companies from Malaysia and 17 other countries July 17 to 27 in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.  Performers include:

India - The JAL Academy of Dance (JAPA)
Sloval Republic - KLNKA
Indonesia - Indra Dance Group
Latvia - Folk Dance Group 'Kalve'
Namibia - Ondunga Cultural Group
Taiwan - Ou Yang Huei-Chen Art Dance Company
Malaysia - Warisan Art Troupe
Belgium - Vlagkunst vzw Flago
Estonia - Estonian Women Dance Group 'Kullketrajad'
Philippines - Jambangan Cultural Dance Company
Egypt - Luxor Folklore Group
Thailand - Bunditpatanasilpa Institute
Singapore - National Arts Council
Russia - Michaar
China - Zhu Hai Hansen Dancing Group
Kazakhstan - Shalkyma
South Korea - Kim Myung Ju Dance Company
Turkey - Serkan Kaplan

Official Site: 6th Sabah International Folklore Festival

Shangaan Electro Music Pushes South African Dancers to a Faster Beat

Tshe-Tsha Boys [Source: jasondlane1 ]

I'm just now finding out about Shangaan Electro in the wake of the first European tour from South African artists. Word of this new music and dance style began to spread last year via YouTube videos and a record compilation from Honest Jon's Records titled simply Shangaan Electro.

Shangaan Soweto Dance Party [Source: nialler9 ]

Shangaan Electro was developed by Richard Hlungwani aka Dog aka Nozinja (his stage name) who moved to the Soweto township of Johannesburg bringing ethnic Shangaan music from the Limpopo province with him.

Dog replaced the bass and lead guitar with marimba and electric keyboards, raised the beats per minute and Shangaan Electro was born.

Interview with Richard "Nozinja" Hlungwani [Source: Afropop Worldwide]

Shangaan Electro dancing features "hyperfast footwork" and "odd avian-like leg movements". Performers often wear brightly colored skirts and outfits, sometimes sporting masks, as shown in the videos above.

Pretty wild stuff!

San Jose Obon Festival Dancers & the Women Who Dress Them in Kimonos

San Jose Betsuin Obon Festival 2011 [Source: San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin]

The San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin held its annual Obon Festival over the weekend in San Jose, California.

Sharon Noguchi talked to the dressers, women who help dancers dress in their kimonos. Apparently this event takes place at many Buddhist temples in California, perhaps at Buddhist temples all over the world, and many of the temples have dressers available because dressing in a kimono poses a unique set of challenges.

The dressers Noguchi interviewed were getting up in years and were having problems recruiting younger women to help. Perhaps they will follow a previous generation in finding a solution:

"A similar scenario played out about 20 years ago in San Jose, where the issei, the immigrant generation, had been running the dressing room. 'Every year they had been telling people, you've got to learn to dress yourself,' Iwasaki said. 'Then one year, they didn't show up. People were shocked.'"

"Tanabe, who had come to the room to be dressed, and others ran to look for help. All the older ladies said they were busy. So she and other younger women pitched in, drawing on what they had observed over the years. Iwasaki ended up taking over the dressing room from her mother-in-law, Tsuruko Iwasaki, one of the women 'on strike'. And she's overseen it ever since."

Obon Dances 2007 [Source: jkktube]

The above video of the 2007 festival gives one a good sense of the dancing and the wide ranging mix of participants.

The video page has more information including a list of the 15 dances performed that year:

"On Sunday, the San Jose community danced Obon Odori to celebrate a Japanese festival called Obon Matsuri (odori=dance, matsuri=festival). Obon is a Japanese Buddhist festival to honor one's ancestors. The colorful clothing are mostly yukatas and happi coats (different from kimonos)."

Apparently only a small number of the women wear actual kimonos which may, in part, have to do with things like needing a dresser!

The article by Noguchi also has a nice slideshow of the dancers being dressed.