Not good at this blogging thing!

So something I have learned this year is... I am not a good Blogger... I think about blogging a lot - but I never seem to actually sit down and write (online) about what is happening... moving through my mind... I feel like I am in a constant state of sharing what I/we/CONTRA-TIEMPO does with the world - through our performances, workshops, newsletters, emails, facebook, personal conversations and phone calls -but it would be great for folks to get an inside look - and also for me to flush out ideas, thoughts and movings - through this forum... it is a thought - something to work towards. Bill T. Jones is so good at it - I love reading his ideas and thoughts and have gained so much from how generously he shares himself... So thank you Bill T. - you are inspiring me to share myself more!

So much has happened since I last wrote! Over a year and a half ago!! We performed at Lincoln Center and Jacob's Pillow in August 2009; shared our work with 1000's of screaming (with joy) teenagers at Royce Hall (UCLA) and ASU Gammage (outside of Phoenix); we took our second delegation of artists to Cuba (our third one will be in 2012 - stay tuned for more info on that!); we were invited to be a part of the Performing Diaspora Festival in CounterPULSE, to begin creating new work that will be debuted in its' entirety next year 2011.

I have been reading, thinking, writing, and moving around this idea of consumption versus nourishment - our relationship to food as a metaphor for how dissatisfied we are as human beings - always searching for something to fulfill us - answer inside of us... and how this desire to be full and complete is so connected to gender, to globalization, oppression of others and to societal control over nature... the piece has finally called forth a title: FULL.STILL.HUNGRY

I am thrilled and inspired to be working on this new work and am dreaming choreography an staging ideas at night! This is always my sign that I am moving in the right direction! My family (immediate family) went to Cuba - my father - after 50 years returned to his patria - which was one of the most moving and beautiful experiences of my life. To be a part of this homecoming - but also to make sense of my affinity with this incredibly rich and complex pais...

Last year we celebrated 5 years of being a company at a hugely successful 5th year anniversary Gala at the Los Angeles Theater Complex (LATC) downtown. We raised almost $12,000 to complete two full residencies at 186th Street Elementary and the Foshay Learning Center in South LA -both schools who are committed to working with us but don't have the funding - and now they do! We had the pleasure of performing in Reston, VA and at Dance Place in Washington, DC through a NPN residency. We immediately felt at home at Dance Place and look forward to going back in 2011 to share FULL.STILL.HUNGRY

There is so much more to tell - This fall we completed one of the most moving and inspiring residencies we have done until now at UNC Wilmington. We will also be returning there with FULL.STILL.HUNGRY - Cesar G. and I were there for two weeks and ran workshops, master classes, panel discussions around issues of immigration, race and gender politics. We also worked intensely with a group of students at Bradley Creek Elementary School - teaching them Casino Rueda - and using dance as a tool to build community and empower them as individuals! During the last week the entire company flew out and we completed the residency with a packed performance! Click HERE for a review of the performance! This residency really actualized our potential as community artists - allowing us to do what we do best - connecting with various different and dispersed communities and bringing them together - truly building community where it is needed most!

In the midst of all of this touring success our arts education programs have been SOARING! We have 24 schools currently with CONTRA-TIEMPO Arts Ed programs this year in Los Angeles County, and we are working with the Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music in NY - expanding our programs to the east coast! Next week we will be at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in Saint Paul, MN and will be heading back to the east coast (NYC) in December!

I promise - I give you my word - that I will write more often - meaning at least once a month... there is so much happening and all happening so fast that I will regret not having a blow by blow account for future reference -and I really am committed to sharing this amazing journey with the world! Nos vemos!

San Francisco & Seattle - CT hits the WEST COAST

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind - five states in a month - but no complaints - the shining faces in our audiences, brand new people to connect with, discussions, questions and new perspectives on the work - it is what we LIVE for! San Francisco was a blast. CounterPULSE is a funky cool space - we learned our lesson not to perform on Labor Day weekend next time (since most of the people I know in the bay go out of town then) - but we still had great audiences who were responsive, engaged and really excited about the work! We would love to come back to CounterPULSE - Patrick Simms was AMAZING - he helped Erik with all the Tech aspects of the show - and was a wonderful soul who made the weekend a breeze! I think the lights on the women's piece were some of my absolute FAVORITES - nice job Erik - the man's got talent that is for sure!!

The bay feels like home in a funny way. I have never lived there but you just feel the energy of the city in a way that makes me absolutely love it! It feels like NY on the west coast! We stayed with Marina's familia - who were absolutely the most loving and gracious hosts ever! Their home was a Brazilian oasis of relaxation and rejuvenation in Orinda! WHO KNEW!?

We then headed up to Seattle for a marathon tech, dress and performance for our WAA (Western Arts Alliance) LACA (Los Angeles Choreographer Alliance) Showcase! Don't you love all of our various acronyms!? We shared the show with Kujo and Amy and their crews (Lux Aterna and Antics Performance). A lot of fun - it felt like we were one big 20 person company! I danced and got down with Amy and CT's agent, Sophie, (we LOVE HER!) and some other friends from the conference the night after the showcase. The company left to return home and I stayed to schmooze and network! All in all the tour was a great success and now I am ready to start seriously gearing up for CUBA! I can't believe it is a month away!