Artists aren’t going anywhere, I’m not going anywhere and neither is this blog! A long overdue HAPPY NEW YEAR to every one out in the blogosphere! There’s been a whirlwind of changes this year, I’m still trying to find my footing; you should see my inbox, ayayayay. Yet, I wouldn’t change any of it. I feel SO BLESSED in all aspects of my life!
Change equals growth! And so do collaborations. This past March, CONTRA-TIEMPO collaborated with Vox Femina on Nuestras Voces, or Our Voices, at Zipper Concert Hall. What an incredibly surreal experience! 40 BEAUTIFUL, TALENTED and POWERFUL women sang their hearts and souls out. I couldn’t even fathom the magnitude of the evening. CONTRA-TIEMPO had been rehearsing to a recording. I can honestly say that I was BLOWN AWAY when we performed it live! A part of me wanted to join the audience at moments, so that I could soak everything in. Soak in the beauty of 40 womens’ uplifting voices. Soak in how the CONTRA-TIEMPO dancers se entregaron/ how they lent their spirits, hearts and bodies to the music; the movements were fluid, clean and graceful. Soak in the audience’s engagement, enthusiasm and energy. This is harmony, amigos!
There was something infectiously contagious about the evening. It’s so difficult to describe the sheer beauty. This has been a moment that has moved me artistically that I don’t experience everyday. A month later, the SYNERGY still makes me smile. This is what art is supposed to do; it’s what I live for! We hope to capture this synergy again when Cesar G. and I perform an abstract tango with Vox Femina this Saturday at Intercultural Conversations in Culver City; this is a free event mi gente, and it’d be great to see you all there!
One piece of copy about the Nuestras Voces event makes me giggle – “Who would have thunk to pair choral music with Latin dance?” (just ignore the sensual/spicy bits of the copy – that’s for another blog). Well, really, who would have?! Apart from being amazing people and supporters of CONTRA-TIEMPO, Vox Femina’s mission is completely aligned with CONTRA-TIEMPO’s. They give women VOICE through song, and we transform the world through dance by bringing to life VOICES that are not traditionally heard on the concert stage. VOILA! While our communities and audiences intersect, our mutual dedication to making our world an even better place than we found it through our art bonds us.
This (hopefully) long and fruitful partnership has paid off too! Apart from making me smile and grow as a person, this collaboration brought to fruition a new piece for the FULL.STILL.HUNGRY debut. Vox Femina’s Kasardescribes how the earth is tired. And in a piece that’s roots are in nourishment, food and consumption, Kasar is perfect! Be sure to check out Vox Femina at our Ford Amphitheatre FULL.STILL.HUNGRY debut on September 23, 2011!
Like I said, FULL.STILL.HUNGRY’s roots are set in the earth, but, boy, how the show’s been restructured. There are so many branches that our going this way and that, it’s so exciting! My hermanito, Cesar Alvarez, CONTRA-TIEMPO’s composer, just came into town last weekend, and he got to see the actual space. Let’s just say FULL.STILL.HUNGRGY won’t look or sound like what it did a month ago.
FULL.STILL.HUNGRY, CONTRA-TIEMPO and I are all growing and evolving as I write this (yes I don't have to be doing everything all the time :)! Where the tangled web we weave or branches form, nobody knows, well maybe we d, and it is going to be spectacular!!! I can't wait!
