Performing Artist and Educator
.......there was a sobbing nocking
at my door.... i opened the window to let the rain in and a thousand screams
floaded my mouth.... tap dancing on a clock with 13 hours i moaned durges
and sang hymns and the moon wept stars down to blanket her cold children.......
| Poetry |
Newsletters
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| Dear Community, seasons greetings to you all! I hope you are enjoying family and friends as we begin to have longer days and prepare for a new decade! This Newsletter contains information regarding my trip in September to Palestine/Israel, updates on the progress of my artistic work, links to a new blog post (http://birdseyeproject.worpress.com and on my Facebook under notes) and resources for you to participate in the Peace and Justice movement, if you so choose. But first, thank you for all your
support in the last year, both moral and fiscal! I am hoping to raise $10,000 by March 1st
2010 for production costs, supplies and artist fees for collaborating
artists in order to farther the work I started in 2009. Your donations
are greatly appreciated
-I successfully completed the WE
GOT ISSUES! arts and activism leadership, training and am indebted
to my amazing mentors and tribeswomen who assisted me through a
transformative year. 2010! Friday Jan 22nd, 7pm May 8th and 9th, Homeless in Homeland works in progress performance at Art Share Los Angeles I AM AVAILABLE FOR READINGS AND PERFORMANCES
OF EXCERPTS OF HOMELESS IN HOMELAND!! Main points of my trip to Israel/Palestine in September 2009:
Organizations I connected with while in the region: -Bustan: I had the opportunity to visit an unrecognized Arab/Bedouin Village in the Naqab/Negev Desert with the current director of Bustan, Raed Almickawi. The Naqab/Negev Desert is considered by International Law to be Israel and not Occupied Palestine unlike the West Bank and Gaza Strip which are considered occupied territory. The situation in this southern desert region between the Bedouin and the Israeli State, is extremely complex, misunderstood, rarely spoken of, and is a different face of the Israeli Occupation. Bustan is an organization that is empowering the Bedouin Community in the Naqab/Negev Desert and has assisted villages in becoming recognized by the state and in gaining basic rights including access to resources on land that they have lived on for thousands of years. For more info on Bustan please visit www.bustan.org and for info on land rights recognition please go to www.rcuv.net -ICAHD: The Israeli
Committee Against House Demolition is an organization based in Jerusalem
who does solidarity work to decrease the number of Palestinian homes
demolished by the state of Israel and spread information that educates
the International and Israeli community on the issues and facts
of the occupation through the lens of House Demolitions. While in
Jerusalem, I went on a tour of East Jerusalem to better understand
the current situation with settlement expansion in the area and
also did writing and research for ICAHD's new information pamphlets
on home demolitions in the Bedouin community in the Naqab/Negev.
Please visit them at www.icahd.org -Sulhita: My last few days in the region, I had the privilege of extending my stay to attend a Sulhita; a weekend conference with Israeli and Palestinian youth for the purpose of dialogue and developing positive relationships. Among the organizers of the Sulhita were wise and dedicated social activists from the Jewish Israeli, Arab Israeli, Palestinian and International communities. This was a profound experience which in many ways I am still processing. What I learned from sharing space with these lovely young people and the visionary organizers is that dialogue is not easy, it is confusing and frightening and yet also joyous, but it is essential. To know more about Sulhita go to www.sulha.org and please also visit http://www.theparentscircle.com/ and http://altariq.wordpress.com/. I also urge you to visit www.heartbeatjerusalem.org to learn about an organization bringing Israeli and Palestinian youth together to make music. Social Actions and Tools: If you are in the Los Angeles area, there is a Silent Candlelight Vigil for Gaza, Monday Dec 28th marking the anniversary of Operation Cast Lead, the Israeli attack on Gaza. Monday Dec 28th 5-630pm There are vigils in many other cities as well and currently 1,400 Gaza Freedom Marchers are waiting in Egypt to cross into Gaza. More at http://www.gazafreedommarch.org
Again, thank you for your support in the work I am doing as an artist and activist. Without it, my work would not be possible. blessings to you
August 17th 2009
Dear Community, I hope you are enjoying the last legs of summer! Thank you to all the folks who came out to my poetry/music gig two weeks ago hosted by the Indigo Lounge at 2nd st Jazz! The other poets were fresh and the band was fantastic! I will let y’all know if and when I have another gig there. A shout-out to those who came to support the young artists and performers of Art Share Los Angeles on Saturday and witness the strength of my spoken word students; they rocked hard and wowed the audience with their presence and words!
Big thanks to all who have made donations to the Homeless in Homeland project; this project would not be possible without your financial and support and belief in the work! Homeless in Homeland is an interdisciplinary arts project using autobiographical material as a Jewish American woman with a background in Sufism to investigate the search for a sense of home with regard to culture, identity and the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict. While I am still raising funds to cover the costs for production of my spoken word album and one woman theater show, I have raised $3,436 of my $4,000 goal for August 20th! This is enough to purchase my ticket back to Israel/Palestine for the month of September and cover some other costs; the additional $564 I aim to raise IN THE NEXT 2 DAYS will ensure that this trip goes smoothly! You can still make donations large or small through my fiscal sponsor at https://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/contribute/donate/2591. Remember, I consider donors to be collaborators in this work and I want to hear your thoughts about it from artistic, political, cultural and humanitarian perspectives!!
During my time in the middle-east this fall, I will be finishing my book of poetry due for release in January that will be developed into a record and theater performance. I will also be working with a few peace/justice organizations including the Israeli Committee Against House Demolition (www.icahd.org), the Jerusalem Peacemakers (www.jerusalempeacemakers.org) and hopefully Bustan (www.bustan.org)! My goal is to bring back tools to YOU so that you can contribute to bringing justice and peace to the people of Palestine/Israel in simple, effective and non-threatening ways. I will be developing relationships with other artists and activists and reconnecting with colleagues working in this movement including my dear friend Deema Dabis living in her ancestral homeland of Palestine in the West Bank; check out her blog at http://onefire.wordpress.com! I’ll be sending out a September newsletter while I am there, but I will also be posting a blog weekly at www.birdseyeproject.wordpress.com and at www.myspace.com/sariaidanamusic. I am currently looking for periodicals in the USA that might be interested in printing updates from me regarding the facts on the ground; let me know if you know of any I should be in communication with, especially if you have a direct contact! Another colleague of mine, Carter Dewberry, has a weekly column at www.thefrontpageonline.com and might write a bit about what I am up to in the middle-east, so check that out, but check that out anyway! Carter is a wonderful artist and musician with fantastic ideas about the world that inspire and uplift!
If you are interested in knowing more about Homeless in Homeland, please let me know and I can forward you some of my outline materials. If you want to hear a few of the poems that currently make up the material you can listen to them as well as other material at www.myspace.com/sariaidanamusic. If you have not yet donated and wish to, you can donate at https://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/contribute/donate/2591. Remember, Homeless in Homeland is now a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts services organization. Contributions in behalf of Homeless in Homeland may be made payable to Fractured Atlas, through the above link, and are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law. If you do not need your donations to be eligible as a tax deduction, you can send checks to:
Birds Eye Project PO Box 50413 Los Angeles, CA 90050
And they will be placed directly into my business account.
On my return, I am excited to begin working with record producer/engineer/sound designer Troy Alcendor and Director/Choreographer Susan Josephs. I will be gathering sound bites and photos while in the middle-east that will be used in the music and theatrical material that I plan to debut in the spring. As I did in the last newsletter, I have attached Susan and Troy’s respective bios so that you can know a bit about them. Cross your fingers and say some prayers that the grant we applied for last month comes through!!! I will find out in October and of course, let you know!
Many blessings to you And as always, may justice ring harmoniously in your own life!
All my Best, Saria Idana
www.sariaidana.com
July 20th 2009 Dear Community!! I hope you are enjoying the summer season!
First off, thank you for your continued interest and support of my work! You help make my work possible. I am writing to update you on some exciting events and projects I am involved in as an artist and educator, and to let you know of a few ways that you can contribute to this work through being audience at events and/or by making donations of a fiscal nature. Good news; Homeless in Homeland is now fiscally sponsored by Fractured Atlas a non-profit arts services organization. You may donate here.
This newsletter includes info about upcoming performances of mine, of my students and updates about Homeless in Homeland and the nature of my fundraising campaign to GET BACK TO ISRAEL/PALESTINE to make that project possible. Each has its own section and heading, so you can skip to whatever section interests you most!!
I will be performing a poetry set with live jazz band this coming Sunday July 26th at 10pm and will have the pleasure of sharing the stage with poet and literacy educator AK Toney. The band starts at 9pm @ 2nd St Jazz 366 E. 2nd st. Los Angeles, CA 90012
I will be a featured poet in the upcoming issue of the online mag. Off Beat Pulp where they will also be loading recordings of the poems, though you can also find them at my myspace page.
Art Share Los Angeles Student Performance
I am extremely excited that a few of the students from my Poetry to Performance class at Art Share Los Angeles will be performing in the Summer Showcase. The group piece they are performing is entirely written by them and it is moving material! I am grateful to have the opportunity to work with these articulate and inspiring young folk and I am delighted to be working with Art Share and planning another class for their next session. The showcase will include fierce dance pieces as well as theater works, art on display and our poetry class!
The show is Saturday Aug 15th at 4pm Los Angeles Theater Center 514 S. Spring St Los Angeles CA, 90013
Tickets are $20 advance $25 at the door and $50 VIP which includes a pre-show reception at 3pm.
More info at www.artsharela.org and www.thenewlatc.com
Homeless in Homeland: Fundraising NOW!!!!
This project is a huge process of integration and an amazing opportunity for me to step into my voice and power as an artist. With this project I am integrating poetry, music and theater as well as my passion for social justice, community dialogue and art. In the artistic material I am integrating the personal and the political. The material focuses on the quest for a sense of belonging in relation to identity, culture, history and the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. It is predominantly autobiographical and illuminates why I, as a Jewish woman believe strongly in human rights and therefore in justice and dignity for Palestinian people. I am not against Israel, I am for humanity and this project is a way for me to assist in Takkun Olum, healing the brokeness of the world.
News on the Creative Front: my friend and colleague; performer/writer/director, Susan Josephs has agreed to assist me in developing the poetry into a performance text and direct the work as a one woman show. Musician/audio engineer/producer Troy Alcendor has agreed to work on the project creating a spoken word album as well as sound design for the theater piece. Last week I had the opportunity to apply for a grant that would make it possible to pay these wonderful artists to collaborate on the project. MY FIRST SELF WRITTEN GRANT APPLICATION!! Cross your fingers and say some prayers! I am posting Susan Josephs’ and Troy Alcendor’s bios at the end of this email so you can know a bit more about these great collaborating artists. Please know that I also consider donors to be collaborators in my my work. All who donate will be invited to a preview workshop performance of the one woman show and I invite you to ask me about my process and share with me your thoughts both at that time and NOW!
Homeless in Homeland is now a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts services organization. Contributions in behalf of Homeless in Homeland may be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law. You can donate at here.
My current goal is to raise $4,000 by August 20th so that i can get back to Israel/Palestine for the month of Septemeber, however I have a season's fundrasing goal of $15,000 by Oct 20th to facilitate the development of the theater show and spoken word album. While in the region in September I will be finishing the book of poetry Homeless in Homeland due for release in January 2010 and conducting an internship with ICAHD the Israeli Committee Against House Demolition (www.icahd.org) in order to develop the community engagement element that will be integrated in some way as part of every performance/presentation of the material. If everyone on this email list donates $20, I will be on my way! I will be sending updates while I am on the ground, so keep a look out for them.
I know now is an exciting time for this work as I have been spontaneously meeting amazing artists and activists who are in alignment with this work in some way! Synchronicity is a powerful message!
If you cannot contribute financially at this time, I am also looking for decent digital video camera, a digital audio recorder and discounted rehearsal space. If you can donate any of those things, please let me know and there is a possibility that your donation can be tax deductible through Fractured Atlas!!
Again, thank you for your interest and support, and may justice ring harmoniously in your own life!
Sincerely,
Saria Idana www.sariaidana.com www.birdseyeproject.org
Susan Josephs- is a Los Angeles-based director, writer and dance/theater artist, having most recently collaborated with choreographer Maria Gillespie on the dance-theater work “Wasteland (arrival)” as dramaturge, playwright and director of the work’s physical theater sequences. She also recently served as assistant artistic director for the On Dry Ground Performance Project founded by Andrea Hodos, where she co-directed performances at Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles. Other directing experience includes an artistic residency at Brandeis University, where she worked with high school students in a summer drama workshop and at the Kings Bay Y in Brooklyn, where she directed community theater productions. Her plays “The Manhattan Bible” and “Un-Lonely Planet” were produced in New York at the 92nd Street Y and Theater for the New City. Dramaturgically, she’s also collaborated with Israeli vocalist/performance artist Victoria Hanna for New York performances at Joe’s Pub and the Kitchen. Susan also spent a number of years in New York performing extensively in Off-Off Broadway Theater and experimental dance-theater productions. Her dance and theater training is extensive and includes recent workshop intensives for professional level performers, choreographers and theater makers with the Joe Goode Performance Group and the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange. Susan is also a freelance arts journalist and her articles about dance frequently appear in the Los Angeles Times.
Troy Alcendor (Alcendor) Resident DJ/Musical Artist
A self-described Sonic Architect and Musical Archeologist, Alcendor studies the old and explores the new, all the while cultivating his own unique voice in a world of sound that he feels is currently evolving in an incredible way. His music is influenced by an innumerable host of sounds, not only music, but the voices of the desert, the cadence of the street corner, and the sounds within that he seeks to release.
When he first encountered the painterly cinematics and emotionally articulate soundtrack of Julian Schnabel’s “Before Night Falls”, it was a revelation of the power of thoughtfully paired image and music.
Alcendor was born in the US Virgin Islands, grew up on the Nellingen Kasserne Military Base in Stuttgart, Germany, and spent a decade in Atlanta, GA before heading to Los Angeles to pursue music and the wide range of collaborative possibilities that this city has to offer. Current projects include the self-titled debut from Frank Hill Ensemble, the debut 5 Signs release, Left-Handed Acquisition (both including fellow Cinesounds DJs ABF and Foniks), and the upcoming solo release The End of An Age.
Work:
Lead Sound Design -CSINY The Game Additional Sound Design - The Lost Cases of Sherlock Holmes Sound Design – LA Film Festival Submission “Returning Vengeance” (Short) 5 Signs Vinyl LP - Producer/Lead Mixer Frank Hill Ensemble - Executive Producer That Girl - Producer Cryosleep EP - Executive Producer copyright 2008 Saria Idana |
poet singer-songwriter theater artist dancer Artistic Director of
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