mid-year report 2017
Transcript of mid-year report 2017
1ANIKAYAmid-year2017
June2017
Dearfriends,
ThisyearhasbeenanotherincredibleyearofgrowthandchangeforANIKAYA.Sincemylastreport,newcollaborativerelationshipshavebeenestablishedinBenin,BrazilandJapan,andathomeinBoston.ThewebofDanceDiplomacygrowsstrongerandmorecomplexwitheachnewcollaboration.Projectsthatwehavebeendreamingofforyearshavebecomeareality.HereIwillintroducesomeofwhathashappenedinthepastyear,andwhatistocomeintheyearahead.
InANIKAYAfashion,eachoftheseprojectsisinterconnected.Ihaveattemptedtoorganizethemintosomekindoflinearnarrative.But,thetruthistheyareafour-dimensionalvenndiagram.ThisisANIKAYA’smission-tobreakdowntheperceivedboundariesbetweenpeople,culturesandartforms.Ourcollectiveworkrevealsthedeepandunderlyingconnectednessbetweenallofus.
Asalways,wedependonthesupportofourcommunityhereathomethathasallowedmeindividuallyandANIKAYAasanorganizationtotakerisks,knowingthatwehaveasafetynet.Thankyouformakingthisworkpossible.
Indance,
WendyJehlenFounder/ArtisticDirectorANIKAYA
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“AN-I-KAYA”-“giftofthebody.”
“an(n)”-“grace,gift”(Hebrew)
“i”(ə)–“of”(Persian)
“kaya”-“body”(Sanskrit)
TheworkofANIKAYAistotransmitgracethroughthevesselofthebody.
ANIKAYADanceTheaterhasbeenevolvingsince1998underthedirectionofchoreographerWendyJehlen.ANIKAYA’smission,istobreakdowntheperceivedboundariesbetweenpeople,culturesandartforms.OurworkhassofarextendedtoNorthandSouthAmerica,SouthandEastAsia,AfricaandEurope.
ANIKAYAweavestogethermusic,danceandstorytellingtocreateworksthatpullfromthefullrangeofthebody'scommunicativecapabilities.Weincorporatetraditionalforms,internalizingthemandthenallowingthemtoreemergeaspartofanewmovementvocabulary.Theresultisworkthatisresonantofdeep-rootedtraditions,withoutbeingboundtoanyparticulargenre,placeorpractice.Wehavetraveledwideandstudieddeeplytobringyouthese,thegiftsofthebody.
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CONFERENCEOFTHEBIRDS“Amanwhoseeyesloveriskshissoul-Hisdancingbreaksbeyondthemind'scontrol.”–Faridal-DinAttar,TheConferenceoftheBirds
Thebiggestdevelopmentof2017isaprojectthatwillweavetogethermanyofthecollaborationswehavebeendevelopingovertheyearsintoanewwork-theConferenceoftheBirds.
ConferenceoftheBirdswillbeanevening-lengthmovementtheaterworkinspiredbytheepicpoemofFaridUddinAttar,and
embodyingstoriesgatheredfrommodern-dayrefugeesandothermigrants.ConferenceoftheBirdsisataleofagroupofbirdsthatsetoffinsearchofthemythicalbird,theSimurgh.Manyofthebirdsabandonthequest.WhentheremainingbirdsarriveinthelandoftheSimurgh,theyfindthemselvesreflected–theyaretheSimurgh.WiththeBostonCenterfortheArtsascommissioningpartnerandpresenter,andtheIslamicSocietyofGreaterBostonCulturalCenterasleadcommunitypartner,wehavereceivedaBuildingBridgesgrantfromtheDorisDukeFoundationforIslamicArttocreatetheConferenceoftheBirdsathomeinBoston,bringingcollaboratingartistsfromTurkey,France,Benin,Brazil,EgyptandJapanforanintensivecreativeresidencyandpremiereintheSpringof2018.
ThisisthefirsttimethattheBostonCenterfortheArtshascommissionedanewdancework.ItispartofarevolutionfordanceinBoston.ANIKAYAishonoredtobethefirstinwhatwehopewillbecomeaseriesofworld-classnewworkscreatedinBostonbyBostonareachoreographers,andpresentedbytheBostonCenterfortheArts.
ThenarrativeofConferenceoftheBirdswillbecreatedduringaseriesofstory-gatheringworkshopsbeingscheduledforthefallof2017.
Collaborators:
KEMALKARAÖZTurkey
SHAWPONGLIUUSA
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TheseworkshopswillbuildafoundationforthenarrativeofConference,andthestoriesgatheredwillbewovenintocompositestoriesthatwillmakeupthecharactersofthe“birds”.
WithsupportfromaLiveArtsBostongrantfromTheBostonFoundation,wewillconductstory-gatheringworkshopsandpresentworks-in-progressofthenarrativesofthe“birds”throughoutthefallinpublicspacesintheBostonarea.
InMarch2018,thefullcompanywillbeinresidenceattheBostonCenterfortheArts,culminatinginthepremiereperformancesofConferenceoftheBirdsinApril2018.Inconjunctionwiththepremiere,weintendtohostagatheringofartists,programmers,andothersinterestedinexploringthepossibilitiesofcombattingIslamophobiathroughthedanceandtheater.
LUCIANERAMOS-SILVABrazil
MOHAMMEDYOUSRY“SHIKA”Egypt
KAEISHIMOTOJapan
MARCELGBEFFABenin
TARAMURPHYUSA
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RUNLIKEAGIRLInMay,inpartnershipwithCentreChorégraphiqueMulticorpsandfundedbytheEmbassyoftheUnitedStatesinBenin,ANIKAYAconductedthefirstfully-implementedseriesofRunLikeaGirlworkshops.
RunLikeaGirllooksatthewordsandphrasespermeatingourculturesthatchipawayattheself-esteemofgirls,creatingafalseimageofgirlsandwomenas“weak.”Thesewordsandphrasesaredetrimentalaswelltoboysandmen,astheyaretaughttohideandsuppresstheiremotions,theirnaturalempathetictendancies,andcreateasystemthatlimitsallofourpotential.
Weconductedthreeweeksofactivities:oneweekoftraininganddevelopmentfortwoCompagnieMulticorps,ChristyandOrphée,who,withMarcelandWendy,becametheRunLikeaGirlteaching/sensitizationteam.Theweekconsistedofmovementwork,discussionandresearch.Thefollowingweek,theteamledafive-dayinCotonouanda
four-dayworkshopinParakouwithdancersandactors,eachculminatinginashowingforthepublic.
Thisprocesswasademonstrationofthepowerofembodiedknowledge,deconstructingpatternsofmovementandofmindandbuildingnewones.Thechangesevidentinjustfourtofivedaysofworktogetherareevidencethatdanceworks.
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ANIKAYAandMulticorpsaregratefulforthefaithplacedinusbytheteamattheUSEmbassyinBeninandwelookforwardtocontinuedpartnershipinthisandotherendeavorsofDanceDiplomacy.
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(R)EVOLVESeptember2016markedthebeginningofanewmulti-facetedcollaborationwithBeninoischoreographer/dancerMarcelGbeffa.Thecollaborationbeganwithpreliminaryresearchforanewwork,(R)evolve,aritual,drawingonritualpracticesandgeometriesofnatureandphysics,astudyofthepowerofcarefullyconstructedrepetition.ThisworkcontinuedinBostoninFebruary,BrazilinMarchandagaininCotonouinMay.InMay,withtheadditionofTogolaisesinger/composerLadyApoc,theworkbecameatrio.TheprocesswillcontinueinBostoninOctober2017.
(R)evolveisacarefullyconstructedritual,drawingonecstaticpracticesfromculturesaroundtheworld.Theresultisapulsing,driving,mesmerizinghour-longjourney.Theritualisbuiltonacycleofrepetitionandexpansion,doublingbackonitselflikethecoilsofasnake.
Ourresearchisonhowrepetitionaffectsthebodyonamuscular,skeletal,neural,evencellularlevel.Thisrepetitionisfractal,repeatingoninfinitelevelsandscalesinthemovements,phrasesandoverarchingstructureofthework.
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DELICATENESSINTIMESOFBRUTALITYInFebruary2017,WendytraveledtoJapanwithsupportfromNEFA’sNewEnglandDanceFundandtheAPAPCulturalExchangeFundtobeginanewprojectwithbutohartistDAKEI.DAKEIisanaccomplishedDeafButohartistanddirectoroftheShizukubutohcompany.TheprojecthasnowbeengrantedsupportbytheJapanFoundation'sPerformingArtsJapanprogramtocontinuedevelopmentoftheworkandbringittotheUS,aswellasatravelgrantfromtheNetworkofEnsembleTheaterstodocumentthecollaborativeprocess.DelicatenessisaresponsetoaworkofperformanceprotestinSãoPaulo,atthebeginningofthepoliticalcrisisinMay2016.Theworkwastitled“ManifestodaDelicadezaemtemposdeBrutalidade.”Thisworkisamanifest,apromise.
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ENTANGLINGEntanglingisaprojectinspiredbyQuantamEntanglement,aphenomenonbywhichtwoatomsthatarephysicallyseparatedinspaceandtime,become,forallintentsandpurposes,one.Entanglingisacollaborationwithdancer/choreographerLacinaCoulibalyofBurkinaFaso.
ThisyearEntanglinghasbeenperformedatthePaulMellonArtsCenterinWallingford,CTandtheEducationalCenterfortheArtsinNewHaven,CT,thelatterwithsupportfromaNewEnglandStatesTouringgrantfromNewEnglandFoundationfortheArts.
NEXTUP:LISTEN
In2017,ANIKAYADanceTheaterwillbeworkingwithstudentsattheHoraceMannSchoolfortheDeafandHardofHearingtodevelopanewmovement-basedperformancework,“Listen,”tobeperformedinpublicspacesthroughoutBoston.Listenwillemployaseriesofimprovisationalandchoreographicstrategiesthatdevelopandutilizephysicallisteningandcollectiverhythm.Theworkwillbecreatedoveraseriesofsessionsthreetimesperweekduringthesummerof2017,andperformanceswilltakeplaceinAugustandSeptemberprimarilyonweekends.Performanceswilltakeplaceatoutdoorsitesthroughoutthecity.TheprojectwillbeledbyANIKAYAArtisticDirector,WendyJehlen,alongwithtwoANIKAYAcollaboratingartists–LacinaCoulibaly(BurkinaFaso/NYC)andJohnYing(Boston).
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FOCUS–BRAZIL:
ANIKAYAdoBRASILANIKAYA’sBrazil-basedcompany,ANIKAYAdoBrasil,iscurrentlyaresidentcompanyatCentrodeReferênciadaDançadaCidadedeSãoPaulo(CRD).ThisyearweadvancedinthestagingofForestandperformedatFabricadeCriatividadeandCentrodeReferênciadaDançainSãoPaulo.ANIKAYAdoBrasilpresentedworkshopsontheprocessandcontentofForestaspartoftheirresidencyactivitiesatCRD.Producer/RehearsalDirector:RodrigoCândidoDancers:RodrigoCândidoRaísaTomassinWellingtonSantanaÁtilaMunizRaquelFlorNunesJulianadoNascimentoMarcelGbeffa(Benin)Documentarian:FábioMinagawa
BORBOLETASNOSINTESTINOSBorboletasnosIntestinosisacollaborationbetweenWendyJehlen,LucianeRamos-Silva(dance)andPedroMatallo(photography/videography/projection),bothofBrazil.ThecollaborationbeganasadocumentationofWendyandLuciane’ssite-responsiveimprovisationsandhasgrownintoaprojectexploringthelayeringofspacesandcontextsthroughphotoandvideodocumentationandsubsequentprojectionsofpastiterationsintofutureperformances.Photosandvideoareprojectedontostructuresandsurfacesinthegivenenvironment.Thedanceisperformedwithin
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theseprojections,anddocumentedagain,tobelayeredintothenextperformance.Audiencemembersareencouragedtowalkamongtheprojectionsandthedancersduringtheperformance.Theperformanceisastudyinvulnerability,anembodimentandvisualizationofthepermeabilityofourselves.
CORPOSEMPERIGO/CORPOSPERIGOSOSCorposemPerigo/CorposPerigososisastreetdance/theater/ritualprojectbeingcreatedbetweenthreeartists/companies:ANIKAYA/WendyJehlen(US),FragmentoUrbano&LucianeRamosSilva(Brazil).Weareworkingfromdifferentculturalspaces,butwithacommonresearchinritualandperformanceascommunitybuildingandfortifyingtools.Thereisanadditionalattentiontoresistanceintimesofextremepoliticaldanger.Thecollaborationtakestheapproachthatweareallinthistogether,thatweareconnectedonalllevels.Thetitleofthework,“CorposemPerigo/CorposPerigosos”refersbothtothestateofdangerwefindourselvesinaswomen,peopleofcolorandartists,asrightwinggovernmentstakecontrolofbothofourcountries,andthedeepandintrinsicpowerthatwehaveaspeopleinhabitingmarginalizedbodiestodisruptthisdestructiveprocess.OurcollaborationbeganinNovember2016.Wewillcreateasite-responsiveworkinteractingwiththeenvironment,eachother,andthepublic.
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FinancialReport
In2017,ANIKAYAhasreceivedaseriesofimportantgrantstosupportourworkathomeandabroadthathaveallowedustoexpandinamajorway.Sinceourlastmid-yearreport,wehavereceivedgrantsfrom:TheDorisDukeFoundationforIslamicArtTheBostonFoundationNewEnglandFoundationfortheArts–throughtheNewEnglandDanceFund,theNewEnglandStatesTouringfundandtheCreativeCityprogramTheJapanFoundationTheUSDepartmentofState/EmbassyoftheUSinBeninNetworkofEnsembleTheatersAssociationofPerformingArtsPresentersTheKatesFoundationSomervilleArtsCouncilCambridgeArtsCouncilTheJamesKSpriggsFoundation,aFidelitydonor-advisedfundIndividualdonorstotheDanceDiplomacycrowdfundingcampaign-summerof2016.
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DanceWorksThisyearwehaveseeninconcretewayshowdanceandDanceDiplomacycanchangelives.
InBrazil,Itaughtanewworkshoptitled“Empatia–RasaeButoh,”ontwoverydifferentapproachestotheevocationofemotionthroughmovement.Duringthisworkshop,oneoftheparticipantsbrokedowncrying.Shehadalwaysbeenuncomfortablebeingtouched.Throughthisworkshopshehadgottenintouchwithherbodyinanewway,whichallowedhertoconnectwithothersphysicallyandemotionally.
AttheEducationalCenterfortheArts,middleschoolstudentsontheautismspectrummaintainedeyecontact,andrelaxedwithouthesitationintophysicalcontactinwaystheirteachershadneverimagined.
InBeninduringtheprocessofRunLikeaGirl,wewatchedasworkshopparticipantsgrewasmovers,dancersandasconscioushumanbeings,excavatingcenturiesofinternalizedoppression,andlearningtoseegenderinnewways.Theobservablechangesthatoccurredduringtheseshort,4-5dayworkshopsgavemehopeforthefutureofoursocieties.
Thisiswhatdancecando.
Yourdonationismoreimportantthanever.ThisyearhasbeenoneofincrediblegrowthforANIKAYA.Weneedyoursupportaswedevelopasustainablefoundationforourgrowingprogramsathomeandabroad.Yoursupportisvitaltothesuccessofthiswork.Aswecontinuetoexpandintonewcommunitiesandcultures,anddeepenourrelationshipstothecommunitiesweserve,pleaseconsiderbecomingapatron.
Alldonationsaretax-deductible.
Donationsbymailmaybemadeto:ANIKAYA/Akhra,Inc.67DaneSt.Somerville,MA02143
Togiveonline,pleasevisitourwebpage:www.anikaya.org/support