Showing posts with label Film. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Film. Show all posts

Friday, June 17, 2016

Satellite Collective presents Dig Dance

SATELLITE COLLECTIVE
presented
DIG DANCE
Performed at 92Y Harkness Dance Center, Home of Dance Education Laboratory, NYC
June 10-12, 2016

still from "Gran Jericho"
directed by Lora Robertson
presented by Satellite Collective
92Y; Dig Dance

Artistic Director Kevin Draper gave a lovely introduction of the various genres of works to be performed by emerging artists from New York City Ballet and Juilliard and more seasoned artists who recently retired from Alvin Ailey. The program opened up with the spoken word, followed by four works of contemporary ballet, modern dance, a short film and a live string quartet. The multidisciplinary approach proved to be an interesting paradigm with some collaboration between the musicians and dancers.

The dancers were beautiful, the musicians talented, although the music was not for everyone's ears. The short film by Lora Robertson with the protagonist dancing around a steeple seemed a bit long. Satellite Collective brought the steeple physically to the space so it would have been more creative to have had the dancers dance around the real steeple as a surprise for the audience after the short film ended or during the short film.

The last dance was about kindred spirits or lovers who portrayed a relationship that was appreciated, then spurned with retreat, to turn back into the embrace of one another resembling a typical sequence to most types of relationships. Or was the story about the beginning, maturation, and death of a relationship, to be reborn again?

 Overall, the interdisciplinary program showcased new works but it needs fine tuning.
By
- Laura Thompson -

Monday, May 18, 2009

Just Laugh! the movie

"Just Laugh," a documentary produced by Laugh Loud Productions (http://www.justlaugh.org/) is about the healing concept of laughter. The medical community claims laughter is the best medicine and we should laugh at least 15 minutes a day which is equivalent to 15 or 20 minutes of exercise. Which would you rather do? Laugh or exercise? Both are healthy recommendations.

My friend, Reverend T. Kenjitsu Nakagaki, or Reverend TK, as he is affectionately called at The New York Buddhist Church was interviewed in the movie concerning the Buddhist notion of laughter. His message was to smile at others with your lips as well as smile with your eyes as a means of giving with no expectation of getting anything in return. Smiles and laughter are gifts to be given.

After the film during the Q&A, a lady from the audience asked about the laughing buddha. Reverend TK answered that the laughing buddha is of Chinese origin. It means don't take life too seriously and have the ability to laugh at yourself. Personally, I have two laughing buddhas at home. Guess it's time to remember not to take life so seriously during these difficult economic times and just laugh!

Live. Love. Laugh.

Laura Thompson