It was fabulous...

The performance was GREAT! It felt so good to do something I believed in to my toes. It was the first overt political statement I've made through dance. I can't wait to post the footage... soon, I promise!

A huge thank you to the dancers and to Paul for making it happen. And, of course to those who came out to support us; without you it would be another rehearsal.

Whew! On to the next episode...

FREE Performance 6pm TODAY!

I'm this tired! I took this pic of Shallom (one of the fab dancers in this piece) and my kid... we were all delirious - as usual!

Objects of Hope: America - First Draft
Part of the DC Improvisation Festival
Friday, Sept 28th 6 pm
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
901 G Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
http://www.improvfestival.com/performance_schedule.html
FREE!!

We've been dancing our butts off this week to prepare. I'm thrilled to have the space, location, and support that allowed this piece to come to fruition. This is the first time I've made a blatant political statement through dance. I'm a bit nervous about public response, but also relieved and content to have made the work. Of course, the work is never really finished.... I just made play-dough (at 2 a.m.) as part of the audience participation aspect. And I have one piece of music to edit, but you know... that's how we do.

Help from the Universe...

So, two weeks ago I didn't have the people I needed to pull off the performance I have on Friday. The universe heard my plea for the right dancers and "WHAM" they walked through the door.

I am a very lucky lady. I can't wait for Friday to come.

These dancers have given me a minimum of 2 hours daily this week to pull this work together and into performance shape.

:)

In Flight

Glances across a room
Huge curious sky colored eyes filled with questions
Tall, linear, elegant and stylish
He laughs often with his companions
Occasionally our eyes meet
We smile
Our meals end
He pauses, lingering a half-moment longer than the rest
His head tilts, body tenses
But, he silently strides away

Dinner Party

Glasses clinking as friendships are forged and renewed.
Bellies fill to the tune of political discourse and stories past.
How it was, should, and might be; our objects of hope.

Garlic butter scented memories of children giggling, romping, and cuddling up to new faces.
Bedtime stories, lavender bubbles, and mom's golden touch put little hands, feet, and hearts fast asleep.

A stolen Glance.
The press of a hand.
Invitations of something more intimate as the sun fades and the air cools.

A porch party quartet dances on, glasses clinking as friendships warm.
Red velvet cake melts on the tongue, sweetening the already rich and lush canvass of the day. The contours smooth and silky,
painted in my mind with shades of reds accented with hues of deep blue and green;
the colors of my happiness.

Written for Randy, not quite on his Birthday.
18 Sept 2007
KEM

Alabama

So, my mom is doing research deep into our family roots. While looking in Alabama she came across this:

from history of covington county alabama.
pilgrim's rest church

September 1865 Read and received letter to association.

October 1865 Took up the case of "Sister Mary Carter for the act of
whoredom and appointed Sister Scofield, Sister Mary Jackson, and Sister
Elizabeth Parker in case of failure, to labor with Sister Carter and report of
their labors at our next conference."

November 1865 Heard the report of the committee appointed to labor with Sis.
Mary Carter. On move and second, voted to "test her fellowship" and excluded
her from membership.

Apparently, condemning thy neighbor instead of forgiving was aight then too. Hmmm.

Insomnia

So, I do this thing at night. I'm exhausted, but not ready to rest. I get mentally itchy and need to create something. I suppose I'm not alone in that, or blogs wouldn't be such a popular outlet.

Typically I make a movement phrase or write a poem or read.... blogging is new to me. We'll see where it goes.

Life has me psyched for so many things... yet, the need to connect with people and be truly part of my own humanity has eclipsed many other priorities. It has given me strength to try new things and a grounding for risk-taking with my art.

Here's to change.

Interesting Essay

I came across this... it is quoted in C. William Michaels book No Greater Threat: America After September 11 and the Rise of a National Security State. It's pertinent to the piece I'm working on: Objects of Hope: The America Project. The author was 12 years old at the time of writing.


Published on Wednesday, April 3, 2002 by Common Dreams
What the American Flag Stands For
by Charlotte Aldebron

The American flag stands for the fact that cloth can be very important. It is against the law to let the flag touch the ground or to leave the flag flying when the weather is bad. The flag has to be treated with respect. You can tell just how important this cloth is because when you compare it to people, it gets much better treatment. Nobody cares if a homeless person touches the ground. A homeless person can lie all over the ground all night long without anyone picking him up, folding him neatly and sheltering him from the rain.

School children have to pledge loyalty to this piece of cloth every morning. No one has to pledge loyalty to justice and equality and human decency. No one has to promise that people will get a fair wage, or enough food to eat, or affordable medicine, or clean water, or air free of harmful chemicals. But we all have to promise to love a rectangle of red, white, and blue cloth.

Betsy Ross would be quite surprised to see how successful her creation has become. But Thomas Jefferson would be disappointed to see how little of the flag's real meaning remains.

Charlotte Aldebron, 12, wrote this essay for a competition in her 6th grade English class. She attends Cunningham Middle School in Presque Isle, Maine. Comments may be sent to her mom, Jillian Aldebron: aldebron@ainop.com

###


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She Creeps...

I wrote this a while ago when I was in a funk. I'm in a funk again, so I'll repost. It'll clear soon enough, but I am where I am. :)

26 March 2007

She Creeps

My brain is loud, then silent.
These emotions a raging ball of tempestuous urge, desire, and need.
Spirit low and empty, then full of light and optimism.

This is far better than the creeping, dreadful and loathsome melancholy. Melancholy laced in apathy, she whispers to my heart while I rest. I wake to remnants of a sorrow so vast and black, the emptiness is blaring loud in its oppressive silence.

I fear I will not wake from the dreams she offers my beating heart. Or, worse, awaken to a dank, cold void as reality.

I choke back tears and realize I’m grateful for them; sadness is better than nothingness.

I long for better dreams, aching to find a new home for her pale whispers and silently screaming darkness.

And yet, she remains. Cold, alone and creeping…

- KEM

What is happiness?

I'm feeling GREAT today. Mostly due to a very happy child - she LOVES school and couldn't wait to get back to it this morning. That alone is enough for create some positive vibes. Socially, I'm a happy cat, too. In terms of work, I'm making today a productive day, full of new challenges and drive.

Will this motivation and general contentment last? I don't know, and I don't know the exact place it comes from... regardless, I am happy in this moment. Perhaps I'm on to something...

k.k. :)

kindergarten

Today is the first day! I'm psyched and my daughter is getting ready for the big day...

Life happens quickly sometimes!

moments

I woke up this morning holding my daughter's hand.

Beautiful!

g-rated holiday

So, today my dear friends visited from NYC. They have an almost-one-year-old and I have a 6 year old. We went to the zoo, a playground, and out to eat. We may watch a movie... a very tame holiday indeed! And, it feels good that way.... I must be aging!

cleaning up

I'd forgotten how lovely everyday chores can be for the mind. The repetitive action of cleaning my space clears my mind and allows for more creative thoughts to arise. I need to remember this more often; the de-cluttering and cleansing of the external leads to the same of the internal. I know this... I just get lax sometimes. Tonight was a blissful reminder of that old lesson.

Today started in sheer perfection. From my lover's arms I made peace with the sun, back to my lover's arms, and then into a productive day spent preparing for the toil of September and the adjustment to a new routine.

Tonight I'm also surrounded by old friends who have seen me through good times, bad times, and into the now. They are visiting from nYc, my favorite American city. I am a lucky lady indeed.

Here's to tomorrow....

k.k.

good lovin'

Exhausted from too little sleep,
hungry and tired,
I came here.

Rested
Warm memories of love
linger on my skin.
Recovered, restored, and full of life,
I depart.

- KEM
July 2007

Objects of Hope

So, I'm finally getting off my rear and beginning the next project. I NEED YOUR HELP!!! Yes, that's right, you... all of you. The project, Objects of Hope, will be a movement, sound, and visual display of our personal objects of hope. We all have them, they are all personal, and they are quite different, sometimes rare, and truly wonderful. However, we barely talk about or celebrate them. Last year was a look back in order to move forward... well, it's time to move forward. Join me.

Please respond to the following questions as you see fit. (pictures/drawings/sound/words/movement/etc.)

1. What are your objects of hope?

2. Why? Is there a particular story for any or all?

3. How do you celebrate/remember your Objects of Hope?

4. Anything else to share?

Many thanks for your time and willingness to share your experiences. Please request anonymity if you desire it. This project will include your stories, those shared by youth in both studio & outreach settings, college students, friends, family, and strangers. Who knows where this path will lead... forward as you like.

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

peace,
k.k. :)

Contradiction Dance
2211 Washington Ave #101
Silver Spring, MD 20910
www.contradictiondance.com

CONTRADICTION DANCE: An Exchange Between Life & Dance

Contradiction Dance is a place where theater meets dance meets pop-culture. The company's vision is to make dances that report on, reflect, and question the world in which we live. Nurtured on the belief that artists and audience members communicate in a dialog through a chosen medium, Contradiction Dance fosters discussion, reflection, and change through live performance and dance education.

horoscopes...

Yesterday's was too apt:

Pisces (feb 19-mar 20)
You keep falling apart and getting put back together again. It takes strength to let go - and also to reconstruct. That you're willing to do it means that you're really living life to the fullest.

hmmm.


I think I'm ready for the put back together part. :)

- k.k. :)


image: copyright Enoch Chan 2007