Between Underground & Skyworld “BTW US”
Together, the company and community will explore renewable energy from spiritual, cultural and practical perspectives. Cosmological themes evoking the power of the Sun, Moon, constellations, and other energy sources are woven with these media to engage with current urgencies around renewable energy and resource depletion. These themes will come from the contributions of the core global and mixed heritage Indigenous artists as well as the Native and non Native community members at each residency location. With a renowned background in relation-building for communities in 18 states and 8 countries, Dancing Earth is excited to return to share this new project!
BTW US is being shared as a work in progress, which represents the performance experience of our multi-year, multi-dimensional, project of Indigenous-centered Futurities. We explore the remembering of ancestral cultural perspectives as re-creation stories for vital collective future. This vision will include community engaged processes to cultivate and imagine a sustainable and regenerative future. Onstage and offstage, we are conjuring a journey in which all possibilities exist, in an exhilarating illumination of the practical, spiritual, and cultural aspects of renewable energy. We thank our community for joining us in this preview showing of the first emergence of the performance activation of this vision!
latest tour
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - October 26 & 27, 2019
DANCE BRIGADE’S DANCE MISSION presents:
Between Underground & Skyworld, in 2 acts with a ten minute intermission.
act one
Constellations: A Beam of light enters space, making way for luminous beings: these superheroes represent core values of cultural teachings such as bravery, patience, kindness, groundedness, vision for generations ahead. As apparitions of destructive practices of earth appear, they reach towards masks of animals, so they can take forms to give messages and guidance to humans.
Journey: Then, time speeds forward into the apocalypse of the present, with a new generation struggling for survival, and finding resilience. They crawl and climb a mountain to seek guidance, only to be told the knowledge is in their medicine bundles (their backpacks), as a creation story. Directed to cross the waters, they remember the ways of star navigation. They find humble items in their backpacks, are these the gifts which symbolize qualities and teachings ? Eventually they find that connection, even to what is considered trash as having life force to the considered and appreciated. They move beyond greed and selfishness to share and exchange with each other, before moving into dream realm where they are all connected, in a starlit web of energy and life force.
act two
Dreaming: In a dreamscape of balance and harmony, humans and constellations move together in recognition of their shared heritage.
Being: Arising early, they now remember to give respectful greeting to the morning sun. With guidance from skyworld above and their roots below, they reflect the challenges of current realities, and the humans peel away layers towards understanding the forces and systems that have shaped the present. They dig deeper, to prepare themselves for the deeper meaning of the medicine bundles, and the responsibilities of those gifts. They move into connection with each other, generously embodying the wisdom and qualities, empathy, honesty, courage, gratitude, strength, kindness that are their superpowers. With these powers, they walk in beauty, with each other, with all people, with all forms of life as sacred.
The next step, of the future, is the dance to be made by us all collectively, the energy of continual renewal… So the open portal of possibility is brought into the audience, for us all to dream and co-create together…
cast
DANCING EARTH Performing Artists: Natalie Aceves-Ghezzi, Kayla Banks, Raven Bright, Dakota Camacho, Olivia Camfield, Devon Chen, Justin Giehm, Andreina Maldonado, Trey Pickett, Rulan Tangen.
Additional company collaborators during creative process: Natalie Benally, Deollo Johnson, Esmé Olivia, Anne Pesata, Jade Whaanga, and all Summer Institute artist collaborators since 2017.
Artistic Director: Rulan Tangen.
Concept: Rulan Tangen and Dancing Earth artists, incorporating collaboration and visioning sessions with diasporic community members through lived cultural research and relationship building.
Choreography by: Rulan Tangen and Dancing Earth artists.
Rehearsal assistants for BTW US: Natalie Benally, Esme Olivia & Deollo Johnson.
Projections: Marion Claire Wasserman of Elemental Designs, with cinematography of Moon dance/lullaby by Louis Leray. Drone camera work with Luke Fitch and Cedar Jocks - artists and community members in projection imagery include Ciera Budge, Deollo Johnson, Anne Pesata, Elijah Kennar, Justin Giehm, Venaya Yazzie, Melanie Pesata, Hyda Maria, Talavai Denipah-Cook.
Sound Design / Original compositions commissioned from: Dakota Alcatrara-Camacho, Ehren Kee Natay, Esme Olivia
Additional soundscapes created by: Dakota Camacho, Marc Mr. Boogie Gonzalez, John Rangel and Esme Olivia in sound design, Randy Baryons The BlessingWay, Ras K’Dee, Bernadette Smith, Desirae Harjo, Kanyon Sayers Roods, and John Coltrane’s Naima (JowCol Music) as arranged by John Carlos Perea (Aerep Music) with rapping in Matao by Dakota Alcantara-Camacho, vocals by Esme Olivia and Natalie Benally, and additional spoken word and rapping by Deollo Johnson, Esme Olivia, Kayla Banks, Trey Pickett, Olivia Camfield. Sampling tracks which may include from esteemed artists such as Robert Mirabal with Aspen Mirabal, Kona Mirabal, Masa Mirabal; Saami singers Ethel Marja Mortensson, Elina Mikalsen, Katarina Barrruk; Tanya Tagaq Gills and Bjork; Beastie Boys; DJ Teao Sense; Tribe Called Red with John Trudell; Keith Secola, Pura Fe; Kanyon Sayers Roods; Bernadette Smith; Grace Nono; Ciera Budge; Ras K. Dee; Nina Simone; Lauryn Hill; Climbing Poetree; environmental sounds; “Wee Totaa” - Lyrics in Tongva & English by L. Frank Manriquez, music composed by L. Frank & Esme Olivia; Rainbow Bridge story of people of Tonga and uncle Sione, Incorporating voices, poems, and words by Dancing Earth artists and community members, other tracks and sounds as intuitively selected with support of DJ Beeson (Kino Benally).
Script Consultant: Ty Dafoe of Indigenous Directions.
Tech Director/Stage Manager: Madeline Wilson & Harry Rubeck. Special thanks to Peter Holt for additional technical support.
Management: Tiśina T. Parker.
Costume, Accessories and Masks: Connie WindWalker.
Set Design: Kayo Muller and Drew VahnBruhn.
Headdress: Susan Baker.
Other Acknowledgements: This creative work arises from responses and reflections from community conversations about climate change, commodification, and colonization, and the importance of cultivating hope to mobilize body, mind, spirit and emotions at this time, individually and communally. What is the collective futurity we are making? What is renewable and what is energy; what are a myriad of ways to renew eco-cultural sustainability that embraces relevant the cultural teachings of the past from elders as well as the great imagining of the future by the younger generation? This performance work of BTW US is part of a larger Indigenous Futurities multi-faceted project that includes all of us in every way!
We also want to acknowledge every Dancing Earth summer guest artist and company members who have been exploring these questions with deep conversations and creativity, as well as countless cultural advisors who include: Tony Skrelunas, Camilla Trujillo, Lupita Salazar, Natalie Benally, Molly Pesata, Anne Pesata, Talavai Denipah Cook, Randle Charles, Maria Firmino Castillo, Fidel Tohil Bernal, Dr Kina Murphy, Dr Yolanda Teran Maigua, Jorge Males, Norma Diala, Leny Strobel, Marion Wasserman, Alicia Rencountre Da Silva, Valeria Alarcon, Hazel James, Teahonna James and Kevin Belin, Jonathan Sims, Jon Ray, Ibrahim Loeks, Roxanne Swentzel, Ciera Budge and many other powerful visionaries (some of these who gathered with Dancing Earth with support from Invoking the Pause for Climate Change Trailblazers).
Dancing Earth is respectfully based in Ogaa Po Ogeh - occupied Tewa territory known as Santa Fe, NM and Yelamu - occupied Ohlone territory known as San Francisco, CA: we are honored that this new work in progress emerges from land and sky that has been danced and sung into renewal by First Nations of the Southwest since the beginning of time, and this vision includes contributions of respected and beloved cultural community members.
latest tour
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - October 26 & 27, 2019
DANCE BRIGADE’S DANCE MISSION presents:
Between Underground & Skyworld, in 2 acts with a ten minute intermission.
REINDIGENIZE The Bay - October 27, 2019
CULTURE SHARE PRE-SHOW presented by DANCE MISSION:
Dance Mission Theater and Costanoan Indian Research Inc with Curator/Community Organizer Tisina T. Parker, in collaboration Dancing Earth present REINDIGENIZE The Bay. With cultural collaborators, artists, activists: Michael Andrews, Christine Antone, Michelle Antone, Michael Bellangel, Gregg Castro, Nizhoni Ellenwood, Ras K’Dee, Manny Lieras, Aurora Mamea, Angel Marquez, Yvonne Marshall, Joni Marshall-Lieras, Sage Andrew Romero, Kanyon Sayers-Roods, Keith Secola Jr., Betty Trujillo. Special technical assistance by Harry Rubeck & Stella Adelman.
Virtual Reality Media presented by Toasterlab: Ian Garrett, Justine Garrett, Andrew Sempere.
For Groundworks Media, Toasterlab has had media and technology support from: Tenhikie Brant, Keep Ya Joy, Elly Jessop Nattinger, Jacob Niedzweicki, Sophie Traub.
Toasterlab is supported through: Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, US Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT), York University.
California Native Opening Welcome & Land Acknowledgement offered by: Bernadette Antoinette Smith - Northern Pomo, Ras K’Dee - Afro-Pomo, Kanyon Sayers-Roods - Mutsun Ohlone, Gregg Castro - T'rowt'raahl Salinan / Rumsien Ohlone.
Pre-Show Film: How Turtle Got the Cracks on his Back: Storytelling by Kanyon Sayers-Roods, Directed by Rulan Tangen & Ian Garrett. Camera Ian Garrett, Second Camera Madeline Rack. Editor Ian Garrett, Music by Ras K’dee, Esme Olivia, Bernadette Anoinette Smith. Production Management/Coordinator Tisina T. Parker.
our heartfelt thank you to our supporters
SANTA FE: In Kind Donors & Volunteers: Natalie Benally, Stephanie Camfield, Norma Diala, Mitra Lujan, Cheryl Odom, Veena Vasista.
SAN FRANCISCO: Our awesome Management Consultant Teri Storrs, Housing support from Sabina Brown. Volunteer assistance from Polly Bates, Cynthia Clark, Natalie Contreras, Lauren Turley. Social Media support from Joanna Cruz.
funding made possible by
We extend our appreciation to the following funders whose embracing vision makes possible this San Francisco preview of BTW US: The Zellerbach Family Foundation, The Phyllis C. Wattis Foundation, The Kenneth Rainin Foundation.
Dancing Earth gratefully acknowledges the support of San Francisco Arts Commission, California Arts Council and Intersection for the Arts.
BTW US was made possible with funding by the New England Foundation for the Arts' National Theater Project, with lead funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and additional support from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
We are also grateful to for additional production development for our work from the original seed conversations with community all the way towards touring through 2021! Dance Brigade’s Dance Mission, MAP Fund, The Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation, Invoking the Pause: For Climate Change Trailblazers.
As well as heartfelt thanks support of Dancing Earth from: The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, NoVo Foundation, McCune Charitable Foundation of New Mexico.
And, we are grateful for additional support including in kind support from: Honor The Earth, Patagonia Environmental Grant, Institute of American Indian Arts, New Mexico Dance Coalition, Pomegranate Dance Studio, Railyard Performance Center, Wise Fool New Mexico.
2020 virtual tour
BTW US is an interactive site-immersive experience that welcomes each guest into a dream-realm of performance ritual. Incorporating mobile installation, oration, dance, music, immersive media, and eco-innovative set design, the performance will take place at curated bio-regions that are the homelands to several different Indigenous communities across the United States.
