This week, international dance shares the stage in Berkeley with Afro-Peruvian drumming and acrobatic spectacle as Cal Performances hosts groups from China and Peru, respectively. The performances at UC Berkeley's Zellerbach Hall highlight Cal Performances' commitment to supporting the international arts as a forum to increase understanding between cultures.
"Cal Performances has a great opportunity, and responsibility, to present the best music and dance from around the world. We've got a vastly diverse audience in the Bay Area, and we've got Zellerbach Hall, with its large and flexible stage that can accommodate the best companies from Peru or China or wherever," said Cal Performances director Robert Cole. "If we didn't present these dynamic companies, many of the groups on our World Stage series would not be seen in this part of California. The arts are the last best hope for building bridges among cultures. Politicians certainly aren't doing it!"
The Los Angeles Times calls Peru Negro a "nonstop carnival of rhythm." Appearing tonight only (March 20, 8 p.m.), Peru Negro will perform music and dance developed by African slaves when the city of Lima was developing and Peru's agricultural industry was emerging. In an interview with LatinoUSA, director Juan Morillo said, "During the founding of Lima, there were more blacks than whites because having black servants was a sign of social status. After that, slavery spread to the south, to the areas of agriculture." It was during that time that African slaves developed a distinctive style of music that fused percussions with song and movement.
Dance is a pivotal part of Peru Negro's performances, used to show how music is incorporated into Afro-Peruvian culture. As Peruvian cultural ambassadors, the group tours internationally, and their music has been nominated for two Grammies.
From Peking
The Peking Acrobats from China have been one of the world's most popular acrobatic troupes since 1952, widely respected for their interpretation of a discipline developed more than 2,200 years ago. The performers, hand-selected at 5, are trained in juggling, tumbling and magic arts. As precursors to the Peking Opera, acrobatics are an integral part of the Chinese performing arts culture.
In performance, the company maneuvers high above the stage with difficult wire-walking, and offers challenging displays of contortion and flexibility.
The New York Post has described the company's featured 27 gymnasts, jugglers, cyclists, tumblers and musicians from the People's Republic of China as "pushing the envelope of human possibility."
ODC returns
San Francisco's most popular modern dance company returns to the Yerba Buena Center for week two of their three-week run. This is a great opportunity to see an excellent company at the height of their skills and maturity. This week's program will feature a couple of new premieres by co-directors Brenda Way and KT Nelson, as well as several repertory pieces.
RIP New College
It seems unlikely that San Francisco's iconoclastic New College will rebound from its financial troubles; it will probably close after losing its accreditation. This is bad news for their successful Experimental Performing Institute (EPI), a program from which some of the Bay Area's cutting-edge choreographers have emerged. EPI will probably find a new home, and they are considering several offers, including moving into the old Jon Sims building. Sad to see another queer SF cultural institution struggle, but here's hoping good news is around the corner.
Peru Negro, March 20; Peking Acrobats, March 21-23; at Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley. Tickets (510) 642 9988 or www.calperformances.net.
ODC/San Francisco at YBCA, 701 Howard St., SF, March 20-30. Tickets ($15-$40): (415) 978 2787 or www.ybca.org.