West Suburban Cultural Arts Council: Brunch Performers are announced

Good Afternoon,  

Performers booked for the West Suburban Cultural Arts Council March 5th Showcase/Brunch:

We are delighted to have 5 performers coming to our Showcase/Brunch on Monday, March 5^th.  

The meeting will be from 9am – 11:30 am.

Here are the 5 performers:

March 5th, 2011

Brunch & Showcase

Eve Agush

Eve Agush is a flamenco dancer, teacher and choreographer (she also teaches tap and yoga and has 19 years experience working with children). Eve does school visits and shares her love of flamenco. She demonstrates the dance, tells the history of the art form, teaches the audience about the rhythm, how to clap and shout jaleo (which is calls like ¡Ole!) and how to stamp their feet and move in the rhythm of flamenco. She generally comes by herself, although larger performance can be arranged with live guitar, song and more dancers.

She is a Artistic Director of Always B Dancing, performing flamenco and jazz tap. She is alos creator of YOga-Snacks anin-school yoga program. Her web site is www.AlwaysBDancing.blogspot.com and it is a blog kept about the classes, workshop and performances that she does.

Jennings & Ponder

Jennings and Ponder -   Tim Jennings and Leona Ponder interpret traditional folk tales, hand crafting shows for each audience.  They bring a harp, tow concertinas and a small theatrical set up, lights, rug, furniture for their performance.

Agent: Ellen Weiner,  elweiner@comcast.net

DAVID HARRELL

David has written a one person play that he acts out called “A Little Potato and Hard to Peel”.  His show is a wonderful story about his life as a child being born missing his right hand.  This show will be best for MS/HS.

His Agent is Lauri: W: 781-400-5310  866-543-7664   C: 781-608-8132

lauri@treetopartists.com  www.treetopartists.com 

SUMNER McCLAIN

Sumner McClain is an African American storyteller.  He is an extraordinarily gifted performer who has delighted audiences of all ages. His repertoire is broad and diverse appealing to all- from the sublime to the silly-there’s something for everyone. His many appearances include numerous First Night venues, the Boston Children’s Museum, Springfield Art Museums, Three Apples Storytelling Festival, Boston Globe Book Festival, in addition to hundreds of library and school appearances. Listening to Sumner’s stories will put a smile on your face and lighten your steps.

Selections Include: Original and Traditional Stories/Some Themes:

●Overcoming Fear, Love, Sharing Responsibility, Appreciating Differences, ●Enhancing Self-Esteem, Peer Pressure

Supplementing the African-American Perspective

●The life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; original narrative as seen through the eyes of his father 'Daddy King'

●Black authors in children's literature

Sumner McClain shares the process of weaving a story. In performances and workshops, he introduces the idea that each person might retell a story in his/her own way. In sharing the retelling, we in the classroom or audience learn a little more about where we and others are coming from. And thus we become more appreciative of our differences.

Sumner's message is Yes! You can be anything you want to be.

Agent, Ellen Weiner: elweiner@comcast.net

Steve Kidd

Sigh/Omelas

Steve Kidd, Sigh/Omelas

Sigh / Omelas” is a poignant, moving drama about children who are affected by and afflicted with HIV and AIDS. This powerful play is based upon Steve’s experiences working with these children in a summer camp. He portrays 4 characters and the narrator. His original dramatic text is interwoven with Ms. LeGuin’s haunting and provocative story of the fictional utopian city of Omelas, where people live in perpetual happiness and joy . . . but at what cost?

Stevejkidd@gmail.com

Enjoy the day,

Jane Boyle

President

Kensington kids get taste of Spain: Passport program in ninth year

By Lisa Tetrault-Zhe

newsletter@seacoastonline.com

January 20, 2012 2:00 AM

KENSINGTON — Kensington Elementary School traveled to Spain without ever leaving town.

Students have spent the last week studying Spain as part of the annual passport program. The culmination of the program came Tuesday night, when students and parents took to the floor to learn the flamenco dance.

"The world is getting smaller," said parent volunteer Noreen Hall, who helped organize the event. "In Europe, the countries are closer together, but here in the U.S., we're more isolated. It's things like the cultural passport program that get us in touch with the rest of our world."

According to Principal Barbara Switzer, the program is in its ninth year.

"So far, we've visited Kenya, India, Jamaica, China, Russia, Korea, Ireland, Italy and now Spain," Switzer told the parents. "Aside from Kenya, we've had a student connection to all of those countries."

Two guests were on hand to participate and further develop the Spanish feel to the evening. Classical guitarist George Little of Amesbury, Mass., played a few Spanish pieces, while flamenco dancer Eve Agush of Natick, Mass., demonstrated and led the audience in a few dances.

"Flamenco dancing is so deep; it's a way of life," Agush said. "You have to take it with you everywhere you go. It's not like a pair of shoes that you can take on and off. I'm a girl from Brookline, Mass., but I have the fire."

She explained that flamenco dancing isn't just a dance, but also tells a story and is done in homes throughout Spain.

"There are four (parts) to the dance — first is meeting, second is courtship, third is the breakup and fourth is reuniting the couple," Agush said.

Grades 1 to 5, a total of 184 students, spent the past week learning about Spain in physical education (dancing and games); art (studying Spanish paintings); and library (reading about Spain).

Two students agreed the best part of the week was the food.

"I really liked it," said Joseph Samuelson, a fourth-grade student. "We had Spanish rice, and also a dish with eggs and potatoes. It was delicious."

"The paella was wonderful," said fifth-grade student Lauren Sanderson.

Trying to adapt to the culture of Spain was an enjoyable challenge, according to Sanderson.

"Learning the language and the songs was interesting," Sanderson said. "Learning the dancing was the hardest part."

Physical education teacher Lili Spinosa, who spent the week teaching students Spanish games, said she enjoyed watching her students make the connection of the similarity to the two countries.

"I'm always amazed at how interested they are in the rest of the world, whether they're looking at the globe or learning a game," Spinosa said. "They see that the more we learn about other countries, the more we realize how alike we really are."

She explained the school invited a foreign exchange student from Spain, who's a sophomore at Exeter High School, to visit with students.

"Our students saw him and realized that they really can go anywhere," Spinosa said. "They're realizing that there is a whole lot more out in the world than just little Kensington, New Hampshire, which is the center of their world right now."

Information: www.alwaysbdancing.blogspot.com.

Instructor Creates Confidence Through Kids' Flamenco & Tap

Natick resident Eve Agush teaches tap, flamenco and yoga to both adults and children. By Alissa Letkowski

Throughout Natick resident Eve Agush's life, dance has always been a way for her to challenge her mind and her body. Now a choreographer and instructor, Agush is giving back the gift of self-expression to her students, young and old.

Originally a tap dancer studying at the renowned Leon Collins Tap Dancer's Paradise in Brookline, it wasn't long before Agush wanted to expand her dance expertise and try her hand at a new artform—Flamenco.

"I just wanted something more. I wanted form, I wanted to learn more about movement," said Agush, whose mother encouraged her to try the Spanish dance classes. "As I grew in Flamenco, it became a natural thing for me to want to teach what I know."

Now, Agush is spreading her passion for the dance to adults and, most fondly, to children, across MetroWest.

"I love teaching adults, but there's just something really special to me about working with children. I want them to learn, I want them to memorize, but I don't expect perfection," said Agush, who teaches children's tap and adult flamenco at Sereda DanceWorks in Natick two days a week.

"Every child, at the end of the year, feels successful because they've completed the work. They have this positive experience of working in a group situation, but on an individual art form, rather than in a sport where it's all about how the whole team is doing." 

Agush spends her week traveling to different venues in the area, teaching a wide variety of classes—from Flamenco, to tap, to yoga once a month at Brown Elementary, a program that she hopes to expand to other schools in town.

In Natick, she teaches two Monday tap classes—for kids age 6 to 9 and for those 10 and older at Sereda DanceWorks. On Fridays at Sereda, she teaches an hour-long morning flamenco class for adults and home-schooled teens.

Agush also offers a weekly yoga class for veterans at the Edwards Church in Framingham, youth flamenco and tap at the Dance Complex in Cambridge and youth flamenco in Newton. 

"I think there's something lost in not being brought up with the arts, which are very individualized forms of expression," said Agush, who said she feels schools focus too much on team sports, rather than on the arts. "It's stimulating not just to your body; it's stimulating to your mind."

Agush said she hopes to gather other flamenco enthusiasts in the area to celebrate International Dance Day on April 29 with a Flamenco flash mob, possibly in Natick.

To learn more about Eve Agush and her passion for dance and yoga, visit her blog,AlwaysBDancing.blogspot.com and like the Always Be Dancing Facebook page.

For more information and updates on all things Natick, like Natick Patch on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Make sure to tell your friends about us!

Desk Bound Yoga-Snack: Ms. Forzaglia's class:

Today's Yoga-Snack was desk bound, offering Ms. Forzaglia some in class tools to use during her very busy school days.
1. The class started seated at their desks, arms folded on the desk, heads down on the hands, eyes closed. To help them set their minds on a positive approach and outcome to anything they want in their lives. I set these intentions for the day: being more present, powerful, enthusiastic, gentle, loving, kind, fun, grateful. Each one of us is full of infinite abilities and that it is possible under any circumstances, whether you are happy, sad, hot, cold, ill, well... to achieve your intentions.
2. Sitting up, breathing in with the nose and out, stretching our arms above our heads, fingers interlaced, feeling the full length of out spines.
3. Lifting one foot: foot circles in one direction and then the other; lower leg circles in one direction and then the other. Waggle fingers. Wrist circles in one direction and then the other. Shoulder shrugs. Shoulder rolls forward and back.
4. Seated cat and cow (spinal flexion and extension)
5. Crossing one leg over the other, with the knee out to the side, this is an excellent hip opener. Pull the toes front of the leg to align the knee then lean forward, possibly pressing the knee open a bit.This may be enough or lean over more until your hands come tot he floor. Drop your chin towards your chest and breath. Put hands to the hips and sit up feeling your long spine. Switch sides.
6. Sitting sideways on the chair, to the right side. Right hand grips the top-back of the chair to pull, left hands grips the side-back of the chair to push. gently twist towards the back of the chair, keeping hips down and feet flat on the floor. The left knee might move out forward past the right. This is fine. Twists should be done with gentle energy, rest and then twist some more-always breathing. Relax twist and switch sides.
7. Standing now at the back of the chair-we did a modified chair sun salutation:
    a. Mountain pose
    b. Up mountain, let head drop back and gaze at hands; only if this feels good to your neck (breathe in)
    c. Step left foot back (breathe out) far enough to create a lunge (right knee can be as close to a right angle as comfortable). Arms up (Warrior I) (breathe in and out a few times)
    d. Step left foot forward (breathe in) and drape over chair (maybe hands on seat) for a supported forward bend (breathe out and in a few times. Breath in)
    e. Step right foot back (breathe out) far enough to create a lunge (left knee can be as close to a right angle as comfortable). Arms up (Warrior I) (breathe in and out a few times. Breathe in)
    f. Step forward (breathe out) but have feet hip width apart and be able to lean forward with hands on the back of a chair so that you create a right angle at the hips (chair downward facing dog pose) (breathe on and out a few times).
    g. Breathe in- Come up to standing- up mountain
    h. Breathe out-mountain pose.
8. Standing poses with the chair for stability: modified dancer to full dancer; tree
9. Sit once again. Head on hands folded on desk. One minute of stillness and relaxation. Remember the intentions and go forth into the day buoyed by your intentions.

Thank you and namaste!
Eve


   

Johara and Snake Dance Theater present: Into the Fire

Johara and Snake Dance Theater present:Into the Fire

A Fundraiser for Maiti Nepal and its founder, CNN Hero 2010 Anuradha Koirala, in their fight against Human Trafficking in Nepal and India.
To learn more about Maiti Nepal, visit www.maitinepal.org orwww.tabootrafficking.org/Taboo/Home.html

Into the Fire will appear in Cambridge, MA at the YMCA Theater 820 Massachusetts Avenue on Sunday March11, 2012 at 7-9pm, doors open at 6:30pm. — A Passionate Evening of Middle Eastern and Belly Dance Fusion, along with Flamenco, Salsa, and Brazilian Capoeira Featuring new choreography by Johara & Snake Dance Theater Company.The event is a fundraiser for Maiti Nepalin their fight against human trafficking and will include a silent auction.

Enjoy a colorful variety in the world of belly dance and beyond. Special Guests: Za-Beth, Ahlam Selene Dance Company, Axcent Dance Company, Eve Agush with Roberto Rios and Yvonne La Lyra, Salsa Y Control, Capoeira Brasil Boston Academy, Naraya, Lady Snake, the Middle Eastern Drum Ensemble, and more!

Tickets: $20 general admission, $25 priority seating, and  $10 children under10. $25/$30 at the door space permitting.

For tickets, information, or to donate to the silent auction

www.joharasnakedance.com

Join event on facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/PressForTruthPresentsIntoTheFire#!/events/272774372776046/

The director, legally blind choreographer Johara, Juliette Cusick, has been producing dance concerts in the largely unknown genre of Middle Eastern Belly Dance in Boston area theaters since 2001. She has been featured on the covers of the Brookline and Watertown Tabs and appeared in the Boston Globe, Herald, and Phoenix for her work.  She has performed in Turkey, Greece, Brazil, and across the United States. Some highlights include: the Boston Institute of Contemporary Art, Chicago Turkish Festival, Turkish Festival at the New York’s Hyatt Regency, and Boston’s Jordan Hall.

About the cause: Though slavery is illegal everywhere, there are more slaves now than ever. An estimated 20,000 Nepalese girls are trafficked into brothels in India each year and the number is increasing rapidly. Founder Anuradha Koirala was named the 2010 CNN Hero for her groundbreaking work in intercepting and rehabilitating girls who were tricked into prostitution. In Nepal, these girls are shunned by their families and society, but Maiti Nepal—“maiti” means “a mother’s home” in Nepali—provides the shelter, medical care, and vocational training that the girls need to survive.

If you would like more information, or to schedule an interview with the producer, Juliette Cusick, please call 617-780-8890 or email: johara@joharasnakedance.com