Anne Bluethenthal is a passionate choreographer. Not one to get lost in murky abstraction or trendy postmodernism, she tackles issues that relate directly to the heart, and she doesn't waste time on anything that she doesn't feel strongly about. Bluethenthal's latest evening of work is titled Dances of Carino (Part 1), a dance-theatre piece that looks at "the body as microcosm of the world, the value of caring and women's victories across the globe." The piece features Bluethenthal's woman–centered company and the earthy and impassioned dancing they're known for. The program will also feature a rotating list of guest artists that work in a similar vein.
"Dances of Carino explores the total concept of caring, loving, giving of affection and tenderness, teaching, healing, child-rearing and tending to our elders, traditionally the work of women," explains Bluethenthal. "As such, it has become the invisible work that enables all other activities. It is a concept and a service that is rarely monetarily rewarded, and therefore remains largely invisible to our economics-focused eyes."
Bluethenthal's choreography is grounded in a strong philosophical point of view. "In a culture like ours that is addicted to doing, to ever-increasing speed, effort, work, knowledge, and acquisition," she says, "the act of giving has receded far from the forefront of our minds." Collaboration is an important part of Bluethenthal's work, and for Dances of Carino she is working with composer Ajayi Jackson, dramaturge Adele Prandini and set-designer/muralist Nadine Gay. Also on the bill is an impressive roster of rotating guest artists, including poet and queer icon Judy Grahn (June 8-10), singer and women's activist Melanie DeMore (June 16-17), emerging choreographer Amara Tabor Smith (June 14-15) and Mission-based Latin funk singer "artivista" Mama Coatl (all performances).
Ethnic dance fest
Twenty-nine years is a long time to produce a dance festival, especially one that caters to ethnic dance. It's not an easy niche, and drumming up support is a constant uphill battle. No one knows this better than the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival. This year, the festival will be presenting three weekends of new work (see list below) featuring 29 companies representing 20 cultures. This year's program is also presenting new commissions by Diamano Coura West African Dance, Lily Cai, Jyoti Kala Mandir and Charya Burt.
"Many people think that traditional dance forms are static," says Executive Director Julie Mushet, "but the truth is that fabulous new works are being created by dancers working in traditional forms all around us. This year's Festival illuminates the fact that traditional artists are contemporary artists as well, and many of the artists on the Festival stage are simultaneously preserving traditional dance forms and experimenting in exciting and unprecedented ways."
This festival is an intriguing microcosm of cultural anthropology, especially when you consider artists like Lalo Izquierdo from De Rompe y Raja, who is one of only four people in the world who knows how to do the dance he is doing, in essence a dying form. In addition to preservation, this year's festival is encouraging artists to create new work, including Charya Burt, who is creating a new piece based on Tennessee Williams' Glass Menagerie. Classical Cambodian dance and Williams might seem like an unlikely combination, but there are interesting parallels among Cambodian women, the influence of Western culture, and the fusion of contemporary and traditional art. Says Burt, " This piece explores the relationship between the social expectations of Americans and the traditional roles Cambodian women feel compelled to follow. Many Cambodian women in the US are able to have professional careers and make a living independently, but the cultural constraints of living in immigrant communities make the adoption of contemporary ways remarkably difficult."
Anne Bluethenthal at Dance Mission, 3316 24th St., SF, June 8-17. Tickets ($10-$20): (415) 273-4633. See www.abdproductions.org for times.
SF Ethnic Dance Festival at The Palace of Fine Arts, 3301 Lyon St., SF, June 9-24. Tickets ($22-$36): (415) 392.4400. See www.worldartswest.org for times.
SF Ethnic Dance Fest 2007 line-up
Weekend 1 (June 9-10)
White Crane Lion and Dragon Dance (Chinese)
Nritta Katha (Indian)
Theatre Flamenco (Spanish)
Shabnam (Middle Eastern Belly Dance)
LIKHA Folk Ensemble (Pilipino)
Gadung Kasturi (Balinese)
De Rompe Y Raja (Afro Peruvian)
Instituto Mazatlan Bellas Artes (Mexican)
Hui Tama Nui (Tahitian)
Weekend 2 (June 16-17)
Arenas Dance Company (Cuban)
China Dance School (Chinese)
El Tunante (Peruvian)
Hearan Chung (Korean)
Barbary Coast Cloggers (American)
Kantuta (Bolivian)
Ensambles Ballet Folklorico (Mexican)
Tara Catherine Pandeya (Tajik)
Abhinaya Dance Company (Indian)
Charya Burt (Cambodian)
Te Mana O Te Ra (Tahitian)
Weekend 3 (June 23-24)
Jyoti Kala Mandir (Indian)
Lily Cai (Chinese contemporary)
Al Juthoor (Palestinian)
Raices de Mi Tierra (Mexican)
Imani's Dream (American Hip Hop)
Dunsmuir Dancers (Scottish)
Bolivia Corazon (Bolivian)
Koraci Folklore Ensemble (Croatian)