PERFORMANCE ART WAS BORN OF INTERDISCIPLINARY THINKING AND STILL THRIVES IN THOSE SPACES IN BETWEEN.
I heard that a male dancer acquaintance once make the comment that he would never go to see an old dancer. I had once respected this person but let that go when I heard his age prejudice but deep inside I was offended as well. Are we not to express ourselves to our fullest at any age???? We should stop sharing our talents and vitality because our face has a few wrinkles??? Can we not inspire others with our creativity because we are not longer beautiful in our youth oriented society????? saddened yes but I will go on being me despite what he thinks, or others like him. I too have prejudices and he has helped me to let them go and honor all expressions of creativity including my own aging.
My early life as a dancer was at home when my husband left for work. I would blast the stereo and dance for 5 hours, totally immersed in the music and movement. Music inhabited me and I loved the ease of not thinking but just moving. I never actually thought of myself as a real dancer. Then in my 40's I produced a huge party for some friends and hired a professional singer and her husband. They had a great sound system and we were all encouraged to do something artistic for our friends as they were moving away. I decided to dance. I was terrified. But once the music started it took me over. Later many people came to express their amazement that I had this "talent". Some said they cried. I was the one amazed. In my late 50's I decided to have my son video tape a dance and sent it to Cirque du Soleil as an audition. They receive 3000 audition videos and audition 700. I really did not expect a reply . I wanted to push my boundaries just to send it. When the email came from Cirque du Soleil that started with CONGRATULATIONS you are invited to audition. I began to shake. Now in my 60's I am again amazed and honored to be working with Patricia Rincon, a Mexican-American dance-maker who is the head of the dance/theater department at the University of California San Diego. Her special focus has been producing pieces for the Myth Project series and the development of an international dance festival called Blurred Borders.
Patricia has lived her whole creative life in a world that I felt would totally reject my form of dance, improvisational. Yet when we met and worked together last year on a Day of the Dead project presented at Bellas Artes in San Miguel de Allende, I felt nothing but respect from her to me. The validation as a dancer to be working at this level in my "golden" years goes beyond amazement to astonishment and deep deep gratitude.
PHOTO CREDIT STEVE ISAAK PHOTO CREDIT SCOTT UMSTATTD
This photo by Steve is from an Art Installation This was an Art Happening where participants The participating group simply provided this were not directed in what to wear or be. It was expression of women in Monarch skirts to simply based on the date. Summer Solstice. This Be interpreted in any what the viewer chose. This then became the medium for their own expression . Both photographers are professionals Scott Umstattd www.facebook.com/ScottPictures/ Steve Isaak steveisaacphoto.com JUNE 21 2017 PHOTOGRAPHER SCOTT UMSTATTD AND I AGAIN TEAMED UP ON A COLLABORATION TO HONOR THE SUMMER SOLSTICE.
We decided to create ( with very short notice) an ART happening on the night of the Summer Solstice, a time of equal night and day. We created a Facebook event and asked potential participants to come dressed in all black OR all white. Scott is great to work with because he gives little instruction but captures the essence of what the theme suggests in a very short time. We were amazed at the creativity of those who came and the results. see the entire album here. scottpictures.smugmug.com/San-Miguel-de-Allende/Summer-Solstice/n-LsFDNx/ I WOULD LOVE TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHERS TO DO SOMETHING AWESOME LIKE THIS IN SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE. NEEDED MUSIC DIRECTOR, GUITAR PLAYER, SINGER EXTRAORDINARE, A VENUE, AND MANY SINGERS. WHAT AN ART EXPERIENCE TO BE HAD. OPEN INVITATION TO COLLABORATE.!!!!
This past Saturday April and I were again teamed up in an Aztec story dance choreographed by Carman Sanchez. We were so honored to have Scott Umstattd again be interested enough in what we do that he came and got these great shots. scottpictures.smugmug.com/
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