March is almost here and that means the Vancouver Salsa Congress is just a few days away! Close to home and always great dancers. The organizers have done a great job in developing the "mysterious" theme and catering it to an international audience of dance lovers. Looking forward to the Palladium night! (on2 baby!)
As for this past weekend, the last show I attended was BQ Dance Theater's show of "Nincompoopania".
Choreographer Carla Baragan's Ecuadorian aesthetic influence of mystic tales and imaginary folkoric characters never fails to dissappoint in her creative productions. What at first sight seems to be a world of alien encounters, slowly transforms into a children's world of play, discovery and competing wills. In watching these creative movers communicate without words and only detailed physicality, I couldn't help think about the way we all struggle to communicate thoughts, emotions and passions through the limiting use of words. At least for me there is always the sentiment that words are never enough, so at times I decide to not speak, or at other times over-speak. Perhaps this is why when you're dancing,solo or partnered, you find yourself smiling, as if something from your inner and your outer being just connected with music and dance. Some may call it movement therapy, however, this point of view carries with it an assumption that something is wrong. Expression is key, period, and physical expression is usually the most liberating if not reflective of our inner essence.
Thank you to those who volunteered your help with the Arts Education Forum held at Seattle University--some first steps to starting the dialog with all communities regarding what you think should be included in Public School Arts Education. Stay tuned for more!
