Batsheva's Deca Dance

Imagine for while a bald lady in goth and four feet red heels; six men in Egyptian-looking linen skirts splashing themselves with black milk; and then you -- center stage at Jackson Hall dancing like crazy with dancers in Hassidic-style coats and hats and perhaps me laughing my guts out watching you, and that every time you eat pizza you are reminded that god is just like it. Sounds all surreal but it happened during the night the Batsheva performed the Deca Dance!

Sometimes, when I watch modern dance, in fact anything modern, some of the messages seem a little too esoteric for me. Hey, I am just a lowly grad student stuck in my lab most of the times (Or perhaps I’m just old fashioned). Anyway, whenever I think this way, I just watch the performances at face value and decide if they are entertaining for me. During the show, I thought there were a lot of fun and interesting vignettes with the Batsheva’s performance. For example, during the Black Milk dance, a bald woman in four feet high heels --sort of Tim Burton-ish type character walked across the stage. I thought that the seemingly ancient feeling, ritualistic Black Milk routine for a while had a gothic/vaudeville feel to it. Later on, she did a lip sync-- that was fun too. What made it even more memorable was because it was unexpected. Another memorable line during the show was that “God is an invention, just like pizza’. Eating pizza now has become a contemplative ritual!

The opening dance begun with a line of dancers which I thought seemed like a barrier on the stage. My notion of a wall in was reinforced when they begun to dance in unison and then some danced on their own. The movements were free flowing but they were also controlled and sharp. To me, it felt like they wanted to break free. It was a powerful message of struggling to break down walls or at least trying to break free from it. This dance was actually Naharin’s Virus. I guess, I can see that everyone was infected with the virus- that includes me. This was powerful and resonating. Similarly, the other dances have profound messages. I even think that there are definitely political messages. For example, I am sure that the Black Milk routine has political messages that centers on issues of isolationism and international interferences to name a few.

I’ve always thought that dance is the most intimate and powerful means of artistic expression simply because of its visceral nature. There is something universal about the movements in a dance that appeal to our gut senses, an unspoken language that everyone understands. It is difficult to put into words - how dance affects us. I hope my attempt to put it into writing gives it justice. I guess, it’s just like seeing a shooting star –watching a dance performance. The feeling of wonder and excitement ends just as it starts and in those fleeting moments, you just get it. Every now and then though, we get treated with the passing of a comet. It’s much brighter and it stays in the sky longer. We get just the right amount of time needed to fully appreciate it. The Batsheva dance company’s Deca Dance is just like this. I thought that each of the dance sequence had their own poignant message but they are nonetheless very entertaining as well. By far, the first four dances affected me the most. This was my first time to watch the Batsheva dance company. The Deca dance is supposed to be a re-mix of Naharin’s best choreographies. Honestly, I don’t know any of them. So instead of thinking what Naharin wanted to get across, I decided to take its meaning as how I perceived it to be. Needless to say, it made a lasting impression.

Of croissants, yogurt, pluots and trolley dances

I always have fun going to farmer's markets. There is a sense of community and I also get to taste various things for free—namely, a lot of fresh fruit and homemade goodies. Last Saturday, I was at the farmer’s market at the Ferry building in SF with my friend Mark. As usual, whether I am at the farmer’s market either at Davis or SF, I had my morning fix a cup of joe and croissant. I had one and a half croissants…the first one tasted like cardboard (I bought it from one of the small stalls at the farmer’s market) and the other one, the one from ACME bakery, was superb!. It has a nutty flaky crust and the bread itself was moist and buttery. The ACME croissant saved the day for me! I thought that the rest of the day will be my typical farmer’s market day of tasting and people watching but it ended much more interesting.

This particular weekend I tasted a number of things.First, I tasted San Benoit yogurt(very yummy), I loved the texture and the balance between the sweetness and the tartness. I also tasted some very good tasting pluots(pronounced as plu-ots as opposed to pronouncing it as pluts). Pluots are actually a cross between a plum and an apricot. They have dark purple skin like plums and orange flesh like apricots.They’re not too sweet , more importantly they have a very good texture--not as soft as plums.I also had some blood oranges, personally, I think oranges are best in the spring. I also tasted olive oil from Stone house olive oil and consequently bought one of my favorite flavored oils there, the Lisbon Olive oil—it’s infused with lemon oil. I used it as a dipping oil (try it with the cranberry and walnut levain from ACME!) and for baked or steamed fish dishes. Needless to say, my Saturday experience at the farmers market was eclectic, fun and satisfying. I thought the highlight of my Saturday morning was the farmer’s market but as Mark and I walked back to his place, we got mixed up with a bunch of people going to the Trolley Dances! I’ve read about it at ‘The California Aggie’ and thought that it was an opportune time to get lost with a mob.

As we got ‘mixed up’ with the group of people –which I thought was a pretty substantial number of audience, I wondered what kind of dances would they be showing. I was excited because this was my first time to see the performances on the trolley dance and also because I thought the venue was unusual. Honestly, as we went around streets and by-ways, I got sort of lost and didn’t know where we were. At any rate, the first performance which also becomes my favorite one is the particular dance choreographed by Janice Garrett. It was very entertaining and I thought the movements of the dance were fresh and un-inhibited. I particularly liked the playful nature of the dance and the way the dancers moved their hips. I don’t think a normal person can do their moves as graceful as the dancers did—I know I can’t. Mark tried to imitate the moves later in the day but it was a disaster (and don’t deny it Mark).

From Ray Charles to Mozart - A Weekend of Engaging Music

This past weekend I had the good fortune of obtaining complimentary tickets for two fantastic performances at the Mondavi Center. Sweet! Last Friday night, I was treated to a concert by John Scofield along with Mavis Staples with their tribute performance to the music of one of my favorite singers, Ray Charles. I then got to cap my weekend with a Sunday with Mozart, a series celebrating the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth. Needless to say, my weekend started out rocking and ended with up with a bang!

First, I would like to mention that I am a Ray Charles fan. Hearing my favorites like Hit the road Jack, You don't know me, Georgia and many others through a different interpretation was both fresh and exciting for me. I thought that while John Scofield's music is influenced by Ray Charles, his musicality still emerged from his performance. If music is said to be the outlet for the soul, then I guess John Scofield bares it quite a lot. While watching John Scofield (and also Mavis Staples) jam, I realized that the freedom to express one's self through jazz was quite powerful. I also thought there was a cool, calm, collective element in listening to John’s and Mavis’ performance. To be honest, I prefer classical type music with its recurring themes and structure. However, I felt there was something liberating just listening to the seemingly free flowing musical expressions of John and Mavis on stage that night. Later in the show I found myself immersed in their music and even wanting to stand and dance as well! I looked around, as I often do (c’mon everyone likes to people watch.) and realized that a number of people at the grand tier were already dancing! So, I stood up and I let the rhythm of the blues take me away. Overall, this event was a fresh and entertaining way to start out my weekend. Wished you were there!

I always look forward to the Sundays with Mozart' series of the Mondavi Center and was lucky enough to get tickets to this event. I find the series enriching, engaging and entertaining. The format of the show is such that there is a lecturer, the inimitable Robert (Bob) Greenberg, who discusses the musical elements of the pieces which in this case is played by the virtuoso performance of the Alexander String Quartet. Bob Greenberg's analysis of Mozart’s music may sometimes be overwhelming for a non-music major like me however, he is able to sustain my interest in his lecture through his creative writing, wit and candor. Bob has a vivid mind that helps the audience visualize the musical techniques used by Mozart. For example, in discussing one of the pieces, Bob likened the music’s movement to that of a somersaulting gymnast, complete with head and tail movements. Bob is a cool guy and he is passionate about music. I even think that he is a performance in himself. In any case, I still find that some of Bob's expert analysis of Mozart quite technical and at times even intimidating. Perhaps, one cannot do away with intimidation and technicality when dealing with the compositions of Mozart. That or perhaps it is only because of my limited understanding of music – I did follow the somersaulting gymnast though. Having said this, I still believe that the challenge in a successful arts education series is in bringing classical music to new audiences and at the same time engaging continuing audiences to a deeper musical appreciation. Bob's lecture is a good balance that addresses both new and continuing audiences. You should try it one of these days. It’s a good way to start appreciation of music in many levels.

This particular Sunday, Bob was a no show though. Apparently, his wife was giving birth. With Bob's absence, the Alexander string quartet read his 'script' instead. I've always admired the Alexander string quartet for their superb interpretation of classic chamber music. They play effortlessly yet their articulation is crisp and intense. On this show, they managed to both deliver Bob's script and render a charming musical show. Needless to say I loved their performance. I thought that their interpretation of the third movement of 'The Hunt' was amazing. It was an emotional experience for me. The show ended up at around ten in the evening. I thought it was a very nice way to end my weekend. My friend and I then went back to my place, had some tea and apple pie to cap the weekend.

This weekend reminds me of the reason I like music in general. I believe that no other art form can evoke as much emotion to its audience as music can. Whatever musical genre makes your heart tick, the bottom line is that it rocks your soul. Having said this, I believe that the beauty of exposing yourself to various musical genres is in the attempt of better understanding yourself. Try it one of these days and you’ll realize what I am trying to tell you.

I hope your weekend was half as good as mine. See you at the Mondavi!