Historic Asolo Theater !
Springtime,
bringing Between II ,
which moved community between outdoor and theater space to share a compelling story of dynamic young people struggling through the Apocalyptic present, with resilience and humor, as they survive the end of one world and dream in a futureworld of balance, harmony, connection and renewal. Storytelling takes infinite forms with this family friendly narrative with energetic expressive forms becoming poetic and dreamlike, as told through dance, dialogue, song, striking media projections of the Southwest, and unforgettable eco-innovative set design, costumes, handheld lanterns and shadow puppets - all created by intercultural collaborators and visionaries of the future!
Campus of the Ringling Center,
which is in the ancestral, occupied land of the Seminole, Angola Maroon, and Calusa people – land that we now call Sarasota, Florida.
APRIL ! Informaton about ticketing here :
https://www.ringling.org/events/between-ii-dancing-earth
Love Songs To Life Concert with Esmé Olivia
Love Songs To Life
with Esmé Olivia
April 2nd
6:00pm PDT . 7:00pm MDT .
8:00pm CDT . 9:00pm EDT .
ABOUT THIS CONCERT
In this time of changing seasons and the equinox, I will offer songs for any and all who care to listen live, via the interwebs and those quartz-containing devices that are able to connect us across space and time zones.
A few months ago, a collision of destinies forced me to shift focus from anxious over-giving(and other avoidance tactics) more bravely towards that sacred question, What do I desire?
The word desire may have origins in “de sidere," or “from the stars.” The songs that have come to me as of late feel like part of a star map that I may navigate by.
“Follow the Yesses,” “Made it Through,” and “I Walk with my Ancestors,” are some of the melodies birthed. I’ve desired generosity; the songs ask me to send them out into the world.
You are warmly invited to enjoy and sing along if you so choose.
With heart,
Esme Olivia
ABOUT ESME OLIVIA
Esme Olivia grew up in traditional Tiwa lands known as Albuquerque, NM. Hers is a weaving of lineages from Mexico, Holland, the Jewish diaspora, and the Great Mystery. A company member with Dancing Earth Creations, she has participated as a music, movement, theatre and teaching artist. The biomimicry, a core part of has led to an embodied sense of connection and reverence for life. Esme is especially keen on vocal harmonies and exploring how music, dance, and storytelling may seed new cultures and offer fresh water for the thirsty. She looks forward to releasing many new, multilingual songs to the world in 2023.
Find out more at ESMEOLIVIA.COM
ABOUT DANCING EARTH
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
“We gather as individual artists to create experimental yet elemental dances that reflect our rich cultural heritage as contemporary global peoples. We strive to embody the unique essences of cultural perspectives by creation and renewal of artistic and cultural movement rituals. Ancient and futuristic, our dances are an elemental language of bone and blood memory in motion.” - Founding Director, Rulan Tangen
Restoring the Source : “MIXED-ICISM IN MOTION" : The Integration
Restoring the Source : “MIXED-ICISM IN MOTION”
The Integration
Seasonal ecological dance practice of Movement as Medicine shared by Dancing Earth’s Founding Artistic Director/Choreographer, Rulan Tangen.
Sunday
March 26th, 2023
9-10:30am PT 10-11:30am MT
11-12:30pm CT 12-1:30pm ET
ABOUT DANCING EARTH
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
“We gather as individual artists to create experimental yet elemental dances that reflect our rich cultural heritage as contemporary global peoples. We strive to embody the unique essences of cultural perspectives by creation and renewal of artistic and cultural movement rituals. Ancient and futuristic, our dances are an elemental language of bone and blood memory in motion.” - Founding Director, Rulan Tangen
Pay What You Can, $1-$100
In the spirit of RECIPROCITY (a value infused into the movement practice), we invite your charitable donations to support the ongoing programming of Dancing Earth. Nobody is turned away for lack of funds! Sign-up with a Complimentary Ticket or Pay it Forward by sponsoring the costs for someone who has limited resources.
Artistic Director Rulan Tangen donates the fees raised from the workshop back to Dancing Earth, the great vision of her life.
ABOUT Movement As Medicine
RESTORING THE SOURCE: MIXED-ICISM IN MOTION
This workshop series are offered as part of Restoring the Source series of seasonal ecological dance practice of Movement as Medicine shared by Dancing Earth’s Founding Artistic Director/Choreographer, Rulan Tangen and offered from a spirit of love and inclusivity. For this online spring series of Mixed-icim in Motion, Dancing Earth offers movement workshops timed near new moon and full moon.
This series of five workshops, in which the Artistic Director explores her emergent movement of MIXED-ICISM as the process for an itinerant body of work . The multi disciplinary, multi sensory, multi dimensional, mysterious and magical will center into the wisdom of the body and will also include writing and drawing . During this series we will experience
Embodiment of patterns of diverse life forms as relationships with beyond human being-ness , with observation ( bio-mimicry) , memory, and empathy
Love as experienced through connection via migration and exchange between human beings
Joy as experienced through compassion for self as fluid , complex, and ever evolving
Liminal space of dreaming and the unknown sources of imagination and intuition
Multi sensory synthesis , bit and pieces to become whole in a living eco system of immersive diversity
We extend this special invite to those who have joined or expressed interest in movement sessions in the past year, to join this month’s movement, with Creatrix and Dreamvisioner Rulan Tangen. We invite your courage, creativity, compassion and care - and welcome you to bring a friend!
Photos by Daniel Quat and Randi Lynn Beach
CLASS BREAKDOWN
15 min Welcomes, intention, orientation, and invitation to share.
60 min 'Movement As Medicine' for all humans, regardless of dance background.
Final 15min Will be a group reflection circle about what is joyful, and challenging, and what transformed during our time together.
ACCESSIBILITY
Movements can be modified to even lying down on bed and listening, imagining is a powerful ‘movement’!
BRING
Open mindedness, no dance experience necessary
Layers of clothing for warmth and comfort and able to move
Barefoot or socks
Blanket or yoga mat
Water bottle
Notebook and pencil/pen
Dancing Earth self produces and collaborates with partners for a wide range of creative programming including:
Dance programming for youth
Cultivating Artist Leadership : mentoring in arts management
Seasonal Institutes for Dancing Earth intensive movement training
Restoring the Source Retreats
Cultural Exchanges
Creation of original Dance works, with costumes, music, video projection, visual art design and construction with sets and props
Cinematic Movement : Dance on Film
Choreography commissioned by schools, companies or collaborators
We thank you for your consideration and support of our Dancing Earth vision.
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
Photos by Daniel Quat and Randi Lynn Beach
Choreographer Spotlight Class with Rulan Tangen ODC SF
Choreographer Spotlight Class
with Rulan Tangen
Saturday, March 11th 2023
2:30- 4pm PT
DANCING EARTH
We’re excited to announce on March 11th, Rulan Tangen, Artistic Director for Dancing Earth Creations will be teaching "MIXED-ICISM IN MOTION", a new creative offering through ODC School's Choreographer Spotlight series. This class explores pace, rhythms, and imagery informed by elements, to embodying of patterns of diverse life forms to deepen relationships beyond human being-ness: with observation (bio-mimicry), memory, and empathy, for deeper connections, @odcsf
Register for this series here: https://odc.dance/schedule.
Choreographer Spotlight
Description of the class: MIXED-ICISM IN MOTION
Exploring pace, rhythms, and imagery informed by elements, to embodying of patterns of diverse life forms to deepen relationships beyond human being-ness: with observation
( bio-mimicry), memory, and empathy, for deeper connections
Immersing in forms and movements that carry intention, explicitly or in symbolic code
Bringing all of our bits and pieces to become whole, as a living part of a sacred eco-system of immersive diversity
I offer this movement with humble respect to Ohlone peoples who have kept this land of Yelamu in renewal with song and dance since the beginning of time ( I share links of folx I am in relation with, to learn more about good work of resilience by living cultural people of this region.
https://www.ramaytush.org/about.html
https://sogoreate-landtrust.org/
Description of Upcoming Work
“RITUAL OF RE:MIX, An Eco-Elegy”
Re-MIx explores the concept of mixed identity as a template for relation-building and adaptation in the age of climate crisis. Stemming from our body’s community-engaged knowledge-sourcing, we will develop a contemporary ritual beyond the proscenium stage, with “mixed” collaborators. Through corporeal experiences to explore our “mixed-icism” : many identity definitions will be deconstructed and expanded to cultivate a nuanced alternative to dehumanizing, essentializing, and compartmentalizing - within the living metaphor of ecological diversity as the source. Choreographically, this “re-mix” is rooted in Dancing Earth’s land-dance practice, uncovering specific forms of movement that are guided by forces of nature, emerging liminal spaces of alchemy for transformation. The performance ritual will be at the center of an offering that includes artists facilitating a multi-sensory, multi dimension, experience for community, to activate space with love, pleasure, joy, and wellness.
ONGOING CALL FOR CREATIVES (“AUDITION” ) takes the form of connecting with intriguing movers this spring, via expressions of mutual interest, invitations to respond to a writing and video request, and/or participation in Summer Intensive June 1-12 at Cal State East Bay with international cultural artist ambassadors. Artists are paid for their work because I believe our work together is world-changing. This could be a good fit for those who
feel called by their intuition to the concept of “mixed-icism”,
who are involved in eco-oriented practices ( herbalists, hikers, tree huggers, seed planters, etc!)
who have a commitment to an embodied practice as a significant aspect of their lives ( not necessarily studio based )
Who are interested in creating in many conditions: indoor, outdoor, self-directed, online, interdisciplinary
ABOUT DANCING EARTH
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
“We gather as individual artists to create experimental yet elemental dances that reflect our rich cultural heritage as contemporary global peoples. We strive to embody the unique essences of cultural perspectives by the creation and renewal of artistic and cultural movement rituals. Ancient and futuristic, our dances are an elemental language of bone and blood memory in motion.” - Founding Director, Rulan Tangen
Dancing Earth self-produces and collaborates with partners for a wide range of creative programming including:
Dance programming for youth
Cultivating Artist Leadership: mentoring in arts management
Seasonal Institutes for Dancing Earth intensive movement training
Restoring the Source Retreats
Cultural Exchanges
Creation of original Dance works, with costumes, music, video projection, visual art design, and construction with sets and props
Cinematic Movement: Dance on Film
Choreography commissioned by schools, companies or collaborators
We thank you for your consideration and support of our Dancing Earth vision.
Photos: Joe McNally and Sunny Khalsa
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
Restoring the Source : “MIXED-ICISM IN MOTION" The Liminal Space
Restoring the Source : “MIXED-ICISM IN MOTION”
The Liminal Space
Seasonal ecological dance practice of Movement as Medicine shared by Dancing Earth’s Founding Artistic Director/Choreographer, Rulan Tangen.
Sunday, March 5th 2023
9-10:30am PT . 10-11:30am MT .
11-12:30pm CT . 12-1:30pm ET
ABOUT DANCING EARTH
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
“We gather as individual artists to create experimental yet elemental dances that reflect our rich cultural heritage as contemporary global peoples. We strive to embody the unique essences of cultural perspectives by creation and renewal of artistic and cultural movement rituals. Ancient and futuristic, our dances are an elemental language of bone and blood memory in motion.” - Founding Director, Rulan Tangen
Pay What You Can, $1-$100
In the spirit of RECIPROCITY (a value infused into the movement practice), we invite your charitable donations to support the ongoing programming of Dancing Earth. Nobody is turned away for lack of funds! Sign-up with a Complimentary Ticket or Pay it Forward by sponsoring the costs for someone who has limited resources.
Artistic Director Rulan Tangen donates the fees raised from the workshop back to Dancing Earth, the great vision of her life.
ABOUT Movement As Medicine
RESTORING THE SOURCE: MIXED-ICISM IN MOTION
This workshop series are offered as part of Restoring the Source series of seasonal ecological dance practice of Movement as Medicine shared by Dancing Earth’s Founding Artistic Director/Choreographer, Rulan Tangen and offered from a spirit of love and inclusivity . For the Winter series of Mixed-icim in Motion, Dancing Earth offers movement workshops timed near new moon and full moon.
This series of five workshops, in which the Artistic Director explores her emergent movement of MIXED-ICISM as the process for an itinerant body of work . The multi disciplinary, multi sensory, multi dimensional, mysterious and magical will center into the wisdom of the body and will also include writing and drawing . During this series we will experience
Embodiment of patterns of diverse life forms as relationships with beyond human being-ness , with observation ( bio-mimicry) , memory, and empathy
Love as experienced through connection via migration and exchange between human beings
Joy as experienced through compassion for self as fluid , complex, and ever evolving
Liminal space of dreaming and the unknown sources of imagination and intuition
Multi sensory synthesis , bit and pieces to become whole in a living eco system of immersive diversity
We extend this special invite to those who have joined or expressed interest in movement sessions in the past year, to join this month’s movement, with Creatrix and Dreamvisioner Rulan Tangen. We invite your courage, creativity, compassion and care - and welcome you to bring a friend!
Photos by Paulo T Photography
CLASS BREAKDOWN
7 min Welcomes, intention, orientation, and invitation to share.
51 min 'Movement As Medicine' for all humans, regardless of dance background.
Final 7min Will be a group reflection circle about what is joyful, challenging, and what transformed during our time together.
ACCESSIBILITY
Movements can be modified to even lying down on bed and listening, imagining is a powerful ‘movement’!
BRING
Open mindedness, no dance experience necessary
Layers of clothing for warmth and comfort and able to move
Barefoot or socks
Blanket or yoga mat
Water bottle
Notebook and pencil/pen
Dancing Earth self produces and collaborates with partners for a wide range of creative programming including:
Dance programming for youth
Cultivating Artist Leadership : mentoring in arts management
Seasonal Institutes for Dancing Earth intensive movement training
Restoring the Source Retreats
Cultural Exchanges
Creation of original Dance works, with costumes, music, video projection, visual art design and construction with sets and props
Cinematic Movement : Dance on Film
Choreography commissioned by schools, companies or collaborators
We thank you for your consideration and support of our Dancing Earth vision.
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
Photos by Paulo T Photography
Restoring the Source : “MIXED-ICISM IN MOTION" The Elemental
Restoring the Source : “MIXED-ICISM IN MOTION”
The Elemental
Seasonal ecological dance practice of Movement as Medicine shared by Dancing Earth’s Founding Artistic Director/Choreographer, Rulan Tangen.
Sunday, Feb. 19th 2023
9-10am PT . 10-11am MT . 11-12pm CT . 12-1pm ET
ABOUT DANCING EARTH
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
“We gather as individual artists to create experimental yet elemental dances that reflect our rich cultural heritage as contemporary global peoples. We strive to embody the unique essences of cultural perspectives by creation and renewal of artistic and cultural movement rituals. Ancient and futuristic, our dances are an elemental language of bone and blood memory in motion.” - Founding Director, Rulan Tangen
Pay What You Can, $1-$100
In the spirit of RECIPROCITY (a value infused into the movement practice), we invite your charitable donations to support the ongoing programming of Dancing Earth. Nobody is turned away for lack of funds! Sign-up with a Complimentary Ticket or Pay it Forward by sponsoring the costs for someone who has limited resources.
Artistic Director Rulan Tangen donates the fees raised from the workshop back to Dancing Earth, the great vision of her life.
ABOUT Movement As Medicine
RESTORING THE SOURCE: MIXED-ICISM IN MOTION
This workshop series are offered as part of Restoring the Source series of seasonal ecological dance practice of Movement as Medicine shared by Dancing Earth’s Founding Artistic Director/Choreographer, Rulan Tangen and offered from a spirit of love and inclusivity . For the Winter series of Mixed-icim in Motion, Dancing Earth offers movement workshops timed near new moon and full moon.
This series of five workshops, in which the Artistic Director explores her emergent movement of MIXED-ICISM as the process for an itinerant body of work . The multi disciplinary, multi sensory, multi dimensional, mysterious and magical will center into the wisdom of the body and will also include writing and drawing . During this series we will experience
Embodiment of patterns of diverse life forms as relationships with beyond human being-ness , with observation ( bio-mimicry) , memory, and empathy
Love as experienced through connection via migration and exchange between human beings
Joy as experienced through compassion for self as fluid , complex, and ever evolving
Liminal space of dreaming and the unknown sources of imagination and intuition
Multi sensory synthesis , bit and pieces to become whole in a living eco system of immersive diversity
We extend this special invite to those who have joined or expressed interest in movement sessions in the past year, to join this month’s movement, with Creatrix and Dreamvisioner Rulan Tangen. We invite your courage, creativity, compassion and care - and welcome you to bring a friend!
Photos by Paulo T Photography
CLASS BREAKDOWN
7 min Welcomes, intention, orientation, and invitation to share.
51 min 'Movement As Medicine' for all humans, regardless of dance background.
Final 7min Will be a group reflection circle about what is joyful, challenging, and what transformed during our time together.
ACCESSIBILITY
Movements can be modified to even lying down on bed and listening, imagining is a powerful ‘movement’!
BRING
Open mindedness, no dance experience necessary
Layers of clothing for warmth and comfort and able to move
Barefoot or socks
Blanket or yoga mat
Water bottle
Notebook and pencil/pen
Dancing Earth self produces and collaborates with partners for a wide range of creative programming including:
Dance programming for youth
Cultivating Artist Leadership : mentoring in arts management
Seasonal Institutes for Dancing Earth intensive movement training
Restoring the Source Retreats
Cultural Exchanges
Creation of original Dance works, with costumes, music, video projection, visual art design and construction with sets and props
Cinematic Movement : Dance on Film
Choreography commissioned by schools, companies or collaborators
We thank you for your consideration and support of our Dancing Earth vision.
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
Photos by Paulo T Photography
Restoring the Source : “MIXED-ICISM IN MOTION"
Restoring the Source : “MIXED-ICISM IN MOTION”
Seasonal ecological dance practice of Movement as Medicine shared by Dancing Earth’s Founding Artistic Director/Choreographer, Rulan Tangen.
Sunday, Feb 5th, 2023
*Note: Time change of AFTERNOON
2pm PT . 3pm MT . 4pm CT . 5pm ET
Feb 6th 11 am in New Zealand
ABOUT DANCING EARTH
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
“We gather as individual artists to create experimental yet elemental dances that reflect our rich cultural heritage as contemporary global peoples. We strive to embody the unique essences of cultural perspectives by creation and renewal of artistic and cultural movement rituals. Ancient and futuristic, our dances are an elemental language of bone and blood memory in motion.” - Founding Director, Rulan Tangen
Pay What You Can, $1-$100
In the spirit of RECIPROCITY (a value infused into the movement practice), we invite your charitable donations to support the ongoing programming of Dancing Earth. Nobody is turned away for lack of funds! Sign-up with a Complimentary Ticket or Pay it Forward by sponsoring the costs for someone who has limited resources.
Artistic Director Rulan Tangen donates the fees raised from the workshop back to Dancing Earth, the great vision of her life.
ABOUT Movement As Medicine
RESTORING THE SOURCE: MIXED-ICISM IN MOTION
The Inter-cultural
This workshop series are offered as part of Restoring the Source series of seasonal ecological dance practice of Movement as Medicine shared by Dancing Earth’s Founding Artistic Director/Choreographer, Rulan Tangen and offered from a spirit of love and inclusivity . For the Winter series of Mixed-icim in Motion, Dancing Earth offers movement workshops timed near new moon and full moon.
This movement session is collaboratively led by JADE WHAANGA Dancing Earth alumna and international Indigenous Cultural Ambassador, and leader of NU Collective from Aotearoa ( New Zealand)
She is a Dancing Earth international cultural artist ambassador for the past 7 years. She joins us from intense rain and floodwaters, bringing movement teachings of fire and clay; to experience the diversity of the ecosystem within the body, through her lived cultural experience and creative expression … We welcome friends to come and share their love and generosity, for this international intercultural offering! sharing movement of clay ( within the Dancing Earth mixed-icism vision) ... intercultural relations.
This series of five workshops, in which the Artistic Director explores her emergent movement of MIXED-ICISM as the process for an itinerant body of work . The multi disciplinary, multi sensory, multi dimensional, mysterious and magical will center into the wisdom of the body and will also include writing and drawing . During this series we will experience
Embodiment of patterns of diverse life forms as relationships with beyond human being-ness , with observation ( bio-mimicry) , memory, and empathy
Love as experienced through connection via migration and exchange between human beings
Joy as experienced through compassion for self as fluid , complex, and ever evolving
Liminal space of dreaming and the unknown sources of imagination and intuition
Multi sensory synthesis , bit and pieces to become whole in a living eco system of immersive diversity
We extend this special invite to those who have joined or expressed interest in movement sessions in the past year, to join this month’s movement, with Creatrix and Dreamvisioner Rulan Tangen. We invite your courage, creativity, compassion and care - and welcome you to bring a friend!
Photos by Paulo T Photography
CLASS BREAKDOWN
7 min Welcomes, intention, orientation, and invitation to share.
51 min 'Movement As Medicine' for all humans, regardless of dance background.
Final 7min Will be a group reflection circle about what is joyful, challenging, and what transformed during our time together.
ACCESSIBILITY
Movements can be modified to even lying down on bed and listening, imagining is a powerful ‘movement’!
BRING
Open mindedness, no dance experience necessary
Layers of clothing for warmth and comfort and able to move
Barefoot or socks
Blanket or yoga mat
Water bottle
Notebook and pencil/pen
Dancing Earth self produces and collaborates with partners for a wide range of creative programming including:
Dance programming for youth
Cultivating Artist Leadership : mentoring in arts management
Seasonal Institutes for Dancing Earth intensive movement training
Restoring the Source Retreats
Cultural Exchanges
Creation of original Dance works, with costumes, music, video projection, visual art design and construction with sets and props
Cinematic Movement : Dance on Film
Choreography commissioned by schools, companies or collaborators
We thank you for your consideration and support of our Dancing Earth vision.
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
Photos by Paulo T Photography
Restoring the Source : “MIXED-ICISM IN MOTION"
Restoring the Source : “MIXED-ICISM IN MOTION”
Seasonal ecological dance practice of Movement as Medicine shared by Dancing Earth’s Founding Artistic Director/Choreographer, Rulan Tangen.
Sunday, January 22nd 2023
9-10am PT . 10-11am MT . 11-12pm CT . 12-1pm ET
ABOUT DANCING EARTH
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
“We gather as individual artists to create experimental yet elemental dances that reflect our rich cultural heritage as contemporary global peoples. We strive to embody the unique essences of cultural perspectives by creation and renewal of artistic and cultural movement rituals. Ancient and futuristic, our dances are an elemental language of bone and blood memory in motion.” - Founding Director, Rulan Tangen
Pay What You Can, $1-$100
In the spirit of RECIPROCITY (a value infused into the movement practice), we invite your charitable donations to support the ongoing programming of Dancing Earth. Nobody is turned away for lack of funds! Sign-up with a Complimentary Ticket or Pay it Forward by sponsoring the costs for someone who has limited resources.
Artistic Director Rulan Tangen donates the fees raised from the workshop back to Dancing Earth, the great vision of her life.
ABOUT Movement As Medicine
RESTORING THE SOURCE: MIXED-ICISM IN MOTION
This workshop series are offered as part of Restoring the Source series of seasonal ecological dance practice of Movement as Medicine shared by Dancing Earth’s Founding Artistic Director/Choreographer, Rulan Tangen and offered from a spirit of love and inclusivity . For the Winter series of Mixed-icim in Motion, Dancing Earth offers movement workshops timed near new moon and full moon.
This series of five workshops, in which the Artistic Director explores her emergent movement of MIXED-ICISM as the process for an itinerant body of work . The multi disciplinary, multi sensory, multi dimensional, mysterious and magical will center into the wisdom of the body and will also include writing and drawing . During this series we will experience
Embodiment of patterns of diverse life forms as relationships with beyond human being-ness , with observation ( bio-mimicry) , memory, and empathy
Love as experienced through connection via migration and exchange between human beings
Joy as experienced through compassion for self as fluid , complex, and ever evolving
Liminal space of dreaming and the unknown sources of imagination and intuition
Multi sensory synthesis , bit and pieces to become whole in a living eco system of immersive diversity
We extend this special invite to those who have joined or expressed interest in movement sessions in the past year, to join this month’s movement, with Creatrix and Dreamvisioner Rulan Tangen. We invite your courage, creativity, compassion and care - and welcome you to bring a friend!
Photos by Paulo T Photography
CLASS BREAKDOWN
7 min Welcomes, intention, orientation, and invitation to share.
51 min 'Movement As Medicine' for all humans, regardless of dance background.
Final 7min Will be a group reflection circle about what is joyful, challenging, and what transformed during our time together.
ACCESSIBILITY
Movements can be modified to even lying down on bed and listening, imagining is a powerful ‘movement’!
BRING
Open mindedness, no dance experience necessary
Layers of clothing for warmth and comfort and able to move
Barefoot or socks
Blanket or yoga mat
Water bottle
Notebook and pencil/pen
Dancing Earth self produces and collaborates with partners for a wide range of creative programming including:
Dance programming for youth
Cultivating Artist Leadership : mentoring in arts management
Seasonal Institutes for Dancing Earth intensive movement training
Restoring the Source Retreats
Cultural Exchanges
Creation of original Dance works, with costumes, music, video projection, visual art design and construction with sets and props
Cinematic Movement : Dance on Film
Choreography commissioned by schools, companies or collaborators
We thank you for your consideration and support of our Dancing Earth vision.
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
Photos by Paulo T Photography
Restoring The Source: Movement as Medicine
Restoring The Source: Movement as Medicine
Seasonal ecological dance practice of Movement as Medicine shared by Dancing Earth’s Founding Artistic Director/Choreographer, Rulan Tangen.
Sunday, December 4th, 2022
9-10am PT . 10-11am MT . 11-12pm CT . 12-1pm ET
ABOUT DANCING EARTH
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
“We gather as individual artists to create experimental yet elemental dances that reflect our rich cultural heritage as contemporary global peoples. We strive to embody the unique essences of cultural perspectives by creation and renewal of artistic and cultural movement rituals. Ancient and futuristic, our dances are an elemental language of bone and blood memory in motion.” - Founding Director, Rulan Tangen
Pay What You Can, $0-$100
In the spirit of RECIPROCITY (a value infused into the movement practice), we invite your charitable donations to support the ongoing programming of Dancing Earth. Nobody is turned away for lack of funds! Sign-up with a Complimentary Ticket or Pay it Forward by sponsoring the costs for someone who has limited resources.
Artistic Director Rulan Tangen donates the fees raised from the workshop back to Dancing Earth, the great vision of her life.
ABOUT Movement As Medicine
For this seasonal series of Movement as Medicine, Dancing Earth offers movement workshops timed near half moon, full moon. During these sessions, we will reach through our individual and collective bodies, exploring dreamscape and landscape, shape and movement that connect us with various life forms impacted by the moon : plants, waters, animals, birds, and humanity - in a myriad of different forms!
Dancing Earth invites humans of the earth to gather and move together for the last class of the year as we move towards Winter Solstice, embracing the long nights of dreaming and the incumbent return of light. We will synthesize of many of the previous seasons classes with movement expressions of THE ELEMENTAL BODY
Through movement of our individual and collective bodies, we will explore :
Embodiment of patterns of movement of earth and cosmos as relationship and gratitude
Dreamscape and landscape as sources of imagination and intuition
Love and joy as through connection, compassion, empathy with human and beyond-human beings
Experience gratitude and reciprocity through movement , encouraging the body at this time towards rest and dreaming and warmth
Specifically :
This Sunday, day of sun, dia del sol, day of soul, WE CELEBRATE THE ELEMENTAL BODY. Our movement will reconnect us with elements including :
Air as breath of life and motivator movement
Ground under our feet and expressions of earth in form of skin and muscle
Water as flow through channels of body including veins and arteries and rivers
Constellations as energetic charge of light and heat experienced through limbs and edges of body
Mountains and rocks within bones as grounding points
Seeds of potentiality and transformation within soft organs, vitalizing torso as trunk and stem of plants and trees
Integrating these elements for activation of various spheres and dimensions
Re-mix of all these elements and worlds into a world of ‘mixed-icism
We extend this special invite to those who have joined or expressed interest in movement sessions in the past year, to join this month’s movement, with Creatrix and Dreamvisioner Rulan Tangen. We invite your courage, creativity, compassion and care - and welcome you to bring a friend!
Photos by Daniel Quat
CLASS BREAKDOWN
5min ' Welcome, intention, orientation, and invitation to share.
30 min 'Movement as Medicine' for all humans, regardless of dance background.
15mins' More challenging movement which can be adapted as needed by participant
5mins ' Cool down/stretch
Final 5min 'Will be a group reflection circle about what is joyful, challenging, and what transformed during our time together.
ACCESSIBILITY
Movements can be modified to even lying down on bed and listening, imagining is a powerful ‘movement’!
BRING
Open mindedness, no dance experience necessary
Layers of clothing for warmth and comfort and able to move
Barefoot or socks
Blanket or yoga mat
Water bottle
Notebook and pencil/pen
Dancing Earth self produces and collaborates with partners for a wide range of creative programming including:
Dance programming for youth
Cultivating Artist Leadership : mentoring in arts management
Seasonal Institutes for Dancing Earth intensive movement training
Restoring the Source Retreats
Cultural Exchanges
Creation of original Dance works, with costumes, music, video projection, visual art design and construction with sets and props
Cinematic Movement : Dance on Film
Choreography commissioned by schools, companies or collaborators
We thank you for your consideration and support of our Dancing Earth vision.
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
Photos by Daniel Quat
Danza Ofrenda: Contemporary Dance Performance Ritual Solo w Rulan Tangen
Danza Ofrenda : Un Tiempo de Otoño, en la Tierra de los Otomíes
Contemporary Dance Performance Ritual Solo w Rulan Tangen
Sunday, November 20th, 2022
2:30-4pm PT . 3:30-5pm MT
4:30-6pm CT . 5:30-7pm ET
ABOUT DANCING EARTH
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
“We gather as individual artists to create experimental yet elemental dances that reflect our rich cultural heritage as contemporary global peoples. We strive to embody the unique essences of cultural perspectives by creation and renewal of artistic and cultural movement rituals. Ancient and futuristic, our dances are an elemental language of bone and blood memory in motion.” - Founding Director, Rulan Tangen
Pay What You Can, $1-$100
In the spirit of RECIPROCITY (a value infused into the movement practice), we invite your charitable donations to support the ongoing programming of Dancing Earth. Nobody is turned away for lack of funds! Sign-up with a Complimentary Ticket or Pay it Forward by sponsoring the costs for someone who has limited resources.
Artistic Director Rulan Tangen donates the fees raised from the workshop back to Dancing Earth, the great vision of her life.
Dancing Earth self produces and collaborates with partners for a wide range of creative programming including:
Dance programming for youth
Cultivating Artist Leadership : mentoring in arts management
Seasonal Institutes for Dancing Earth intensive movement training
Restoring the Source Retreats
Cultural Exchanges
Creation of original Dance works, with costumes, music, video projection, visual art design and construction with sets and props
Cinematic Movement : Dance on Film
Choreography commissioned by schools, companies or collaborators
We thank you for your consideration and support of our Dancing Earth vision.
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
Photos by Daniel Quat
Danza Ofrenda : Un Tiempo de Otoño, en la Tierra de los Otomíes
Contemporary Dance Performance Ritual Solo w Rulan Tangen
Join me for a ritual of embodiment, of movement that roots into the present as both ancient and futuristic, a reflection of relationship with a moment of time, and place.
I offer this response to time and place with humbleness, respect and gratitude to the invitation for a 3 week artistic residency as a culminating ritual that is emergent, an evolving work in progress like life, with the intention of cultivating connections through creation and collaboration.
On the first night, the importance of the Mezquite trees was shared with me and I dedicate this dance solo ritual to these tree beings, for their ancestral relationship to human being-ness, as an embodied dream for the future of their beingness in renewed and revitalized relationship .
(thankful to Yolitzma for the wisdom shared )
Please click here to learn more about the wisdom of the trees
For your own participation as a witness to this offering, we invite you to bring your dreams for the future, to consider what are we collectively nourishing for our lives and others yet to come, to bring into the space to be activated through embodiment by the artist.
ADDITIONAL OFFERINGS: To experience movement interactively , the morning before the performance Sunday Nov 20, Rulan will offer a live and virtual workshop of restorative movement as medicine , information will be posted soon on www.dancingearth.org/event
Acompáñame en un ritual de encarnación, de movimiento que se enraíza en el presente como algo antiguo y futurista a la vez, un reflejo de la relación con un momento del tiempo, y del lugar.
Ofrezco esta respuesta al tiempo y al lugar con humildad, respeto y gratitud a la invitación para una residencia artística de 3 semanas como un ritual culminante que es emergente, un trabajo en progreso como la vida, con la intención de cultivar conexiones a través de la creación y la colaboración.
En la primera noche, se compartió conmigo la importancia de los árboles de mezquite y dedico este ritual de danza en solitario a estos seres arbóreos, por su relación ancestral con el ser humano, como un sueño encarnado para el futuro de su ser en una relación renovada y revitalizada.
(gracias a Yolitzma por la sabiduría compartida)
Para tu propia participación como testigo de esta ofrenda, te invitamos a traer tus sueños para el futuro, a considerar lo que estamos alimentando colectivamente para nuestras vidas y las de otros por venir, para traer al espacio para ser activado a través de la encarnación por el artista.
OFERTAS ADICIONALES: Para experimentar el movimiento de forma interactiva, la mañana antes de la actuación del domingo 20 de noviembre, Rulan ofrecerá un taller en vivo y virtual de movimiento restaurativo como medicina, la información se publicará pronto en www.dancingearth.org/event
Click here For more about Rulan
Click here for more about Dancing Earth
Special thanks to Mariana and Ethan for selection for this residency and to DANCING EARTH
"Vengo a esta tierra con respeto, maravillado por toda la creatividad y la belleza, seguramente enraizadas en la vitalidad de la resiliencia frente al dolor de la colonización, del pueblo otomí que ha cantado y bailado esta tierra desde el principio de los tiempos. Humildemente ofrezco esta danza como un ritual contemporáneo para este momento y lugar, en honor al árbol de Mezquite."
"I come to this land with respect, in wonder of all the creativity and beauty, surely rooted in the vitality of resilience against the pain of colonization, of the Otomi people who have sung and danced this land into being since the beginning of time. I humbly offer this dance as a contemporary ritual for this moment and place, to honor the Mesquite tree ." Rulan Tangen
Photos by Daniel Quat
Restoring The Source: Movement as Medicine Nov 20th
Restoring The Source: Movement as Medicine
Seasonal ecological dance practice of Movement as Medicine shared by Dancing Earth’s Founding Artistic Director/Choreographer, Rulan Tangen.
Sunday, November 20th, 2022
7-8am PT . 8-9am MT
9-10am CT . 10-11am ET
ABOUT DANCING EARTH
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
“We gather as individual artists to create experimental yet elemental dances that reflect our rich cultural heritage as contemporary global peoples. We strive to embody the unique essences of cultural perspectives by creation and renewal of artistic and cultural movement rituals. Ancient and futuristic, our dances are an elemental language of bone and blood memory in motion.” - Founding Director, Rulan Tangen
Pay What You Can, $1-$100
In the spirit of RECIPROCITY (a value infused into the movement practice), we invite your charitable donations to support the ongoing programming of Dancing Earth. Nobody is turned away for lack of funds! Sign-up with a Complimentary Ticket or Pay it Forward by sponsoring the costs for someone who has limited resources.
Artistic Director Rulan Tangen donates the fees raised from the workshop back to Dancing Earth, the great vision of her life.
Dancing Earth self produces and collaborates with partners for a wide range of creative programming including:
Dance programming for youth
Cultivating Artist Leadership : mentoring in arts management
Seasonal Institutes for Dancing Earth intensive movement training
Restoring the Source Retreats
Cultural Exchanges
Creation of original Dance works, with costumes, music, video projection, visual art design and construction with sets and props
Cinematic Movement : Dance on Film
Choreography commissioned by schools, companies or collaborators
We thank you for your consideration and support of our Dancing Earth vision.
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
Photos by Daniel Quat
ABOUT Movement As Medicine
For this seasonal series of Movement as Medicine, Dancing Earth offers movement workshops timed near half moon, full moon. During these sessions, we will reach through our individual and collective bodies, exploring dreamscape and landscape, shape and movement that connect us with various life forms impacted by the moon : plants, waters, animals, birds, and humanity - in a myriad of different forms!
This movement session is coming from the Otomi homelands, in dedication to the plant and tree - beings, in their generosity and regeneration. Through movement of our individual and collective bodies, we will explore :
Embodiment of patterns of movement of plants and trees as relationship and gratitude.
Dreamscape and landscape as sources of imagination and intuition.
Love and joy as through connection and compassion with human and beyond-human beings.
*Please note earlier time this week only
We extend this special invite to those who have joined or expressed interest in movement sessions in the past year, to join this month’s movement, with Creatrix and Dreamvisioner Rulan Tangen. We invite your courage, creativity, compassion and care - and welcome you to bring a friend!
Photos by Daniel Quat
CLASS BREAKDOWN
7 min Welcomes, intention, orientation, and invitation to share quotes.
46 min 'Movement as Medicine' for all humans, regardless of dance background.
Final 7 min Will be a group reflection circle about what is joyful, challenging, and what transformed during our time together.
ACCESSIBILITY
Movements can be modified to even lying down on bed and listening, imagining is a powerful ‘movement’!
BRING
Open mindedness, no dance experience necessary
Layers of clothing for warmth and comfort and able to move
Barefoot or socks
Blanket or yoga mat
Water bottle
Notebook and pencil/pen
Restoring The Source: Movement as Medicine
Restoring The Source: Movement as Medicine
Seasonal ecological dance practice of Movement as Medicine shared by Dancing Earth’s Founding Artistic Director/Choreographer, Rulan Tangen.
Sunday, November 6th, 2022
9-10am PT . 10-11am MT . 11-12pm CT . 12-1pm ET
ABOUT DANCING EARTH
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
“We gather as individual artists to create experimental yet elemental dances that reflect our rich cultural heritage as contemporary global peoples. We strive to embody the unique essences of cultural perspectives by creation and renewal of artistic and cultural movement rituals. Ancient and futuristic, our dances are an elemental language of bone and blood memory in motion.” - Founding Director, Rulan Tangen
Pay What You Can, $0-$100
In the spirit of RECIPROCITY (a value infused into the movement practice), we invite your charitable donations to support the ongoing programming of Dancing Earth. Nobody is turned away for lack of funds! Sign-up with a Complimentary Ticket or Pay it Forward by sponsoring the costs for someone who has limited resources.
Artistic Director Rulan Tangen donates the fees raised from the workshop back to Dancing Earth, the great vision of her life.
ABOUT Movement As Medicine
For this seasonal series of Movement as Medicine, Dancing Earth offers movement workshops timed near half moon, full moon. During these sessions, we will reach through our individual and collective bodies, exploring dreamscape and landscape, shape and movement that connect us with various life forms impacted by the moon : plants, waters, animals, birds, and humanity - in a myriad of different forms!
Our first session of Autumn/Winter comes during the Taurus full moon of Scorpio season. Combining these constellatory influences we will find space to flow with the breath of life at the edge of symbolic death with the moon cycle.
Explore restorative gentle sensuous movements:
to release what is no longer needed
to find space for flow + gratitude
connect deeper to imagination, intuition and joy
embody compassion and connection
We extend this special invite to those who have joined or expressed interest in movement sessions in the past year, to join this month’s movement, with Creatrix and Dreamvisioner Rulan Tangen. We invite your courage, creativity, compassion and care - and welcome you to bring a friend!
Photos by Daniel Quat
CLASS BREAKDOWN
5 min Welcomes, intention, orientation, and invitation to share quotes.
50 min 'Movement as Medicine' for all humans, regardless of dance background.
Final 5min Will be a group reflection circle about what is joyful, challenging, and what transformed during our time together.
ACCESSIBILITY
Movements can be modified to even lying down on bed and listening, imagining is a powerful ‘movement’!
BRING
Open mindedness, no dance experience necessary
Layers of clothing for warmth and comfort and able to move
Barefoot or socks
Blanket or yoga mat
Water bottle
Notebook and pencil/pen
Dancing Earth self produces and collaborates with partners for a wide range of creative programming including:
Dance programming for youth
Cultivating Artist Leadership : mentoring in arts management
Seasonal Institutes for Dancing Earth intensive movement training
Restoring the Source Retreats
Cultural Exchanges
Creation of original Dance works, with costumes, music, video projection, visual art design and construction with sets and props
Cinematic Movement : Dance on Film
Choreography commissioned by schools, companies or collaborators
We thank you for your consideration and support of our Dancing Earth vision.
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
Photos by Daniel Quat
Presidio Theatre, CA : Between Underground & Skyworld Performance
photos by Randi Lynn Beach
Between Underground & Skyworld
Presidio Theatre Performing Arts Center
Saturday, September 24th, 7pm PT
Sunday, September 25th, 2pm PT
Presidio Performing Arts Theatre
99 Moraga Ave
San Francisco, CA 94129
Raise your spirit to the skies. We live Between Underground & Skyworld. Dancing Earth Creations final tour destination brings us home to Yelamu-occupied Ohlone territory known as San Francisco, CA.
ABOUT Between Underground & Skyworld, 2022
Dancing Earth’s Between Underground & Skyworld brings to the stage a compelling story of dynamic young people struggling through the Apocalyptic present, with resilience and humor, as they survive the end of one world and dream in a futureworld of balance, harmony, connection and renewal. Storytelling takes infinite forms with this family friendly narrative with energetic expressive forms becoming poetic and dreamlike, as told through dance, dialogue, song, striking media projections of the Southwest, and unforgettable eco-innovative set design, costumes, handheld lanterns and shadow puppets - all created by intercultural collaborators and visionaries of the future!
Dancing Earth 2022 Fall Tour Cast
ABOUT Dancing Earth
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
Dancing Earth at Kennedy Center.
Founded by Artistic Director Rulan Tangen, to serve a need rarely met in the USA, DEC gives hope and opportunity to Native, mixed, global Indigenous and BIPOC talent who have been largely outside the dialogue of mainstream performance because of lack of access. DEC is an organic constellation of largely self-taught dancers, composers, costumers, filmmakers, and spoken word artists.
Together, DEC artists work with community members, culture carriers, and Native elders to explore the rich diversity of ancestral heritage, contemporary identity, and intra-cultural relationship building, by collaborating on innovative ecologically themed performances. DEC’s work promotes environmental awareness, cultural diversity, and understanding between peoples through contemporary arts expressions.
“We gather as individual artists to create experimental yet elemental dances that reflect our rich cultural heritage as contemporary global peoples. We strive to embody the unique essences of cultural perspectives by creation and renewal of artistic and cultural movement rituals. Ancient and futuristic, our dances are an elemental language of bone and blood memory in motion.” - Founding Director, Rulan Tangen
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 and are honored to bring this production here to homelands of the Ute people: we are honored that this new work emerges from land and sky that has been danced and sung into renewal by First Nations people of the Southwest since the beginning of time, and this vision includes contributions of respected and beloved cultural community members.
SHOW DESCRIPTION
ACT I
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 different make 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 be considered and appreciated. They move beyond greed and selfishness to share and exchange with each other, before moving into the dream realm where they are all connected, in a starlit web of energy and life force.
ACT II
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 a 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…
OUR HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS
TOURING OF THIS PRODUCTION MADE POSSIBLE BY: “Between Underground & Skyworld” was made possible with funding by the New England Foundation for the Arts' National Theater Project Production and Touring award, with lead funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and additional support from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
As well as a heartfelt thanks for the support of Dancing Earth from: The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, NoVo Foundation, California Arts Council, Gerbode Foundation.
And, we are grateful for additional support including in kind support from: Honor The Earth; Patagonia Environmental Grant and Action Works Match Fund; William Miglino and Cindy Montoya of New Mexico School for the Arts; Sheila and Jonah at Institute of American Indian Arts; New Mexico Dance Coalition; Myra Krien of Pomegranate Dance Studio; Elise Gent of Railyard Performance Center; Julie Brette Adams; Norman Lee Johnson; Kate Sweetster; filmmaker Francois; Layla Amis of Modas Dance; photographers Francois Achan, Randi Lynn Beach and Tyra Sandoval; Tanaya Winder; Suzy Di Santos, Felicia Meyer, Charles Leslie, LeAnn Brubaker, Jane Collard Gould and costume students, Alexis makeup assistance and Fort Lewis College and Concert Hall staff, crew and educators; and support for the initial tech residency and premiere from ASU Gammage; Jane King of Northwest Vista College in San Antonio, Dance Ensemble Students of the NVC, Laura Rios, Rosie Torres, Gera & Vanè of San Artè de Corazon, Bob Martin and Presidio Theatre and many other community, cultural ambassadors of the Yanaguana Lands (San Antonio, Tx), cultural ambassadors of the Lands of Yelamu ( San Francisco, CA) and our cultural ambassadors of the Ohlone Lands (East Bay, CA).
CAST & CREDITS
CO-FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: Rulan Tangen
PROGRAM MANAGER: Angel Guanajuato
TECH DIRECTOR: Deirdre Morris
TAMU STAGE MANAGER: Krissie Day
REHEARSAL ASSISTANT TO ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: Esme Olivia
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Gregg Castro, Ohlone Culture Carrier
PERFORMING ARTISTS: Justin Giehm, Gabriel Carrion-Gonzales, Raven Bright, Rulan Tangen, Sarah Hogland-Gurule, with luminarias carried by CALIFA honorees: Emma Dewey, Taraneh Sarrafzadeh, Haley Maynard, Jesus Jach Cortes and students of Cuicacalli, Gina, Julia Miller Vasquez, Natalie Contrtas, Terri Storrs
CONCEPT: Rulan Tangen and Dancing Earth 2017-2022 associate artists, incorporating collaboration and visioning sessions with diasporic community members through lived cultural research and relationship building
CHOREOGRAPHY: Rulan Tangen with collaborative contributions from Dancing Earth 2017-2022 associate artists
PROJECTION: Marion Claire Wasserman of Elemental Designs, 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, Melanie Pesata, Hyda Maria, Talavai Denipah-Cook
SOUND DESIGN: Original compositions commissioned from: QVLN Quetzal Guerreo, AudioPharmacy, Dakota Alcatrara-Camacho, Ehren Kee Natay, Esme Olivia, Randy Barton. Initial Sound Design by: Dakota Camacho, with additional support from Marc Mr. Boogie Gonzalez, John Rangel and Esme Olivia, integrating original, remixed, and graciously shared tracks by Randy Bartons The BlessingWay, AudioPharmacy, Ras K’Dee, and John Coltrane’s Naima (JowCol Music) as arranged by John Carlos Perea (Aerep Music) with rapping in Spanish by Gina Madrid, additional vocals by Esme Olivia and Natalie Benally, and additional spoken word 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; voices of Bernadette Smith, Desirae Harp, 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 as composed and recorded by Esme Olivia with support from Rulan Tangen, Incorporating voices, poems, and words by Dancing Earth artists and alumna artists and community members.
INITIAL STORY & TEXT CONSULTANTS: Ty Dafoe of Indigenous Directions, Kalani Queypo and Michael Rohd
COSTUME, ACCESSORIES, & MASKS: Connie WindWalker for animal masks, shadow puppets, accessories and costumes with additional costume items by Rulan Tangen. Randolph Duke for solar discs. Additional shadow puppets by Raven Bright
SET DESIGN: Kayo Muller and Drew Van Bruhn
MOON HEADDRESS: Susan Baker-Dillingham
2019-2022 DRAMATURGICAL AND COACHING SUPPORT: Deirdre Morris, Liz Letman, John Flax of Theater Grottesco, Michael Rohd, Layla Amis, Javon Jones, Santana Shorty
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 future that we are making? What is renewable and what is energy; what are a myriad of ways to renew eco-cultural sustainability that embraces 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 bigger vision 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 and creative 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, Teneil Whiskeyjack, Emma Dewey, Andy Goodman, Javon Jones, Antonella Fagone, Ursula Carasco, Taraneh Sarrafzadeh and many other powerful visionaries (some of these who gathered with Dancing Earth with support from Invoking the Pause for Climate Change Trailblazers).
CAST BIOGRAPHIES, Fall Tour 2022
Rulan Tangen
Dancing Earth Founder & Artistic Director / Choreographer
Rulan Tangen Dancing Earth Founder and Artistic Director / Choreographer (Kampampangan and Pangasinan of Luzon Island in Pacific aka Philippines, and Norwegian): Rulan Tangen's work explores movement as an evolving language of global Indigenous and inter-cultural relation building, rooted in inclusion of diverse cosmologies from her own experience and those of the artists with whom she co-creates. Her contemporary dance practice strives to serve as a functional ritual for transformation and healing, integrating concurrent universes of ancient futurities in the moment, expressing energetic connection with all relations – human and beyond. As Founding Artistic Director/Choreographer of DANCING EARTH, she has passionately cultivated successive generations of global Indigenous contemporary performing artists as cultural ambassadors and conduits for social change She is recipient of 2018-19 Kennedy Center Citizen Artist award for Service, Justice, Freedom, Courage, and Gratitude and is grateful for all that roots her, for the dreaming and doing of Dancing Earth: moving the world into renewal.
Angel Guanajuato
Coming soon…
Deirdre Morris
Tech Director
Holds a masters from UC Davis and is an international performing artist, producer, dramaturge, activist, and educator. Her practice spans theatrical forms that focus on spectacle based physical theater, contemplative movement based performance and site specific installations.
Elaine Talamaivao
CALIFA Community Organizer and On Site Opening Ceremony Director
My name is Elaine Talamaivao (She/Her) I currently live, dance and provide community outreach on Cahuilla and Tongva land. Through my love of dance, I provide community opportunities for youth to share in the ancient art of storytelling through dances and languages of my ancestors stretching from Aotearoa, Samoa and Hawaii. I am working as Community Organizer for the new and incredible California project to nourish our intercultural communities in this challenging year; Dancing Earth’s Califa: RE-SToring the Source Retreat.
Esmé Olivia
Performing Artist, Teaching Artist, and Rehearsal Director
Esmé Olivia grew up in traditional Tiwa Pueblo lands known as Albuquerque, NM to a Mestiza Mexican-American mother and Dutch-Jewish father. Her blood is a peace treaty she honors through prayers of dance, poetry and song. After competing on the 2005 National Poetry Slam Champion team, she received her BA from Hampshire College in multi-disciplinary performance and arts-based education. She has worked as an artist educator with many groups in New Mexico and beyond, including the New Mexico School for the Arts and the Institute of American Indian Arts. Esmé has participated as a movement, theatre, music and teaching artist in the constellation of Dancing Earth since 2017. She lives on the Big Island of Hawai’i and in Jicarilla Apache, Pueblo and Ute terrain with her partner, where they expand on how music, dance and storytelling may seed new culture. Learn more at EsmeOlivia.com. Esme’s Dance shot by Karla Flores for Dancing Earth.
Gabriel Carrion-Gonzales
CALIFA Retreat Leader, Performing Artist, Teaching Artist
Gabriel Carrion-Gonzales is a Queer Brown Chicano male-identifying body native to the South Valley of ABQ, NM, unceded Tiwa territory. Gabriel has the resources to trace his maternal lineage to Guadalupe Hildago, MX, and Hatch, NM. His paternal lineage to Cabazone Peak, NM and Bernalillo, NM. Gabriel has spent 14 years of his 24 years of life on this Earth discovering himself as a dancer/mover/artist. Through this journey, he has learned much about light, love, body positivity, and encouraging others and himself to exist in their highest form possibly through dance and the arts.
Gabriel began his dance training in the 3rd grade at Navajo Elementary with the National Dance Institute of New Mexico's outreach program, he continued with this program 8th grade where he transitioned to study with the New Mexico Ballet Company and other local dance schools. Gabriel decided to move to Pennsylvania to study classical ballet at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet for 2.5 years. He returned to New Mexico to study psychology at the University of New Mexico. Following graduation, Gabriel accepted a position with AmeriCorp working at the National Hispanic Cultural Center before transitioning to working as a residency artistic associate with the National Dance Institute of New Mexico!
Gabriel has been a part of two national artistic administration leadership cohorts (Dance/USA Institute for Leadership Training mentee 2020-2021 and David Herrera Performing Companies LatinXtensions mentee 2021-2022). Gabriel serves Dancing Earth not only as an artist but also as an Executive Producer and Intercultural Impact Partner for the CALIFA Project umbrellaed under DE.
Justin Giehm
Performing Artist and Teaching Artist
Justin Giehm is a dancer, model, and aspiring actor based in Colorado, of Navajo, German and mixed heritage. At a young age, Justin began dancing by teaching himself from YouTube and later went on to teach various styles of dance, including hip hop. He became a member of Dancing Earth in 2014, joining the Summer Institute and a show called SEED with 60 community members in the Four Corners area. Later touring with Seeds Re Generation to Canada, Guahan and O’odham and Ute territories in the US, including performances at the John F. Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts and Ordway Theater. His work with Dancing Earth lead to being casted in TV series Jamestown which filmed in Europe, and in ‘Dr. Atomic’ with director Peter Sellars at Santa Fe Opera. In October 2019 and January 2020 he performed in Dancing Earth’s latest work Between Underground & Skyworld in Yelamu/San Francisco and ASU Gammage Tempe/Phoenix.
Raven Bright
Performing Artist, Teaching Artist, Social Media Intern, and Storage Master
Raven Bright is a NM based artist with 15 years of background Raven Ilm Bright, of Navajo and Anglo heritage from Gallup, New Mexico, traces his roots not only from the blood of his families, but also from the heart and soul of the HipHop and Indigenous contemporary dance communities of which he is a part. From Gallup’s Foundations of Freedom crew, he then achieved a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Fort Lewis College. Subsequently he was selected for a full scholarship for Dancing Earth’s Summer Institute, and has been a collaborating artist on the creation of Between Underground & SkyWorld. He toured with the company to Arizona and San Francisco, as well as the company’s 2019 invitation to the Kennedy Center with the production of SEEDS REGENERATION. In 2020 he was the dance champion of the acclaimed Breaking Hearts event. When the pandemic canceled Dancing Earth’s 2020 performances, Raven has been contributing to the well-being of his community as an essential worker - for which we thank him- and we all appreciate that he can offer this dance class to Poeh to inspire others, and return him once a week to his purpose as a multi-disciplinary teaching artist. Besides his passion for dancing and visual art, Raven is also a dedicated teacher of dance, giving back to his community with workshops for Santa Fe Indian School, Navajo Prep, and six years teaching experience at Gallup’s Foundations of Freedom Dance Studio. This year, Raven is featured in the Albuquerque installment of the public television series “If Cities Could Dance,” and Covid response of dancers in unity.
Sarah Hogland-Gurule
Performing Artist, Teaching Artist , Grantwriter, and Choreographer for upcoming project
Sarah Hogland-Gurulé (she/they) is a Xicana living in Tiwa land, her ancestral homeland known as Albuquerque, NM. She is a dance artist and educator guided by the belief that dance is a form of embodied healing, remembrance and visioning; all essential tools for collective liberation. Sarah began her dance training at Keshet Dance and Center for the Arts and continued training as a pre-professional at the University of New Mexico, where she received a bachelor of arts in contemporary dance (summa cum laude) and conservation biology (magna cum laude). She has performed with MALACARNE, Pat Graney Company and CHERDONNA (Seattle, WA) in addition to Lawine Torrèn (Austria) and Yeztli Danza y Arte (Albuquerque, NM). Her solo work has been presented by the American Dance Festival’s Emerging Choreographer’s Showcase, Seattle’s Next Fest New Works, Seattle People of Color Arts Salon, Isis Women Arts and the University of New Mexico. Sarah also teaches dance to incarcerated youth and women, as well as locally in the community. She has also been a contracted artist through the City of Albuquerque as part of their inaugural CityMakers program and an artist in residence at Explora Children’s Museum. She performs regularly with Meow Wolf Santa Fe and is broadening her movement curiosities to pole dance, house dance and popping.
Dancing Earth STAFF
CO-FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: Rulan Tangen
EXECUTIVE & SOUTHWEST IMPACT PRODUCER: Angel Guanajuato
EXECUTIVE & CALIFA INTERCULTURAL IMPACT PRODUCER: Gabriel Carrion-Gonzales
MARKETING DIRECTOR: Samara Smith
BOOKKEEPER: Barbara Ortega
GRANT CONSULTANT: Elizabeth Cameron
OPERATIONS CONSULTANT: Paulo Rocha-Tavares
TECH DIRECTOR: Deirdre Morris
CALIFA COMMUNITY ORGANIZER: Elaine Talamaivao
Presidio Theatre, CA : Between Underground & Skyworld Performance
photos by Randi Lynn Beach
Between Underground & Skyworld
Presidio Theatre Performing Arts Center
Saturday, September 24th, 7pm PT
Sunday, September 25th, 2pm PT
Presidio Performing Arts Theatre
99 Moraga Ave
San Francisco, CA 94129
Raise your spirit to the skies. We live Between Underground & Skyworld. Dancing Earth Creations final tour destination brings us home to Yelamu-occupied Ohlone territory known as San Francisco, CA.
ABOUT Between Underground & Skyworld, 2022
Dancing Earth’s Between Underground & Skyworld brings to the stage a compelling story of dynamic young people struggling through the Apocalyptic present, with resilience and humor, as they survive the end of one world and dream in a futureworld of balance, harmony, connection and renewal. Storytelling takes infinite forms with this family friendly narrative with energetic expressive forms becoming poetic and dreamlike, as told through dance, dialogue, song, striking media projections of the Southwest, and unforgettable eco-innovative set design, costumes, handheld lanterns and shadow puppets - all created by intercultural collaborators and visionaries of the future!
Dancing Earth 2022 Fall Tour Cast
ABOUT Dancing Earth
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
Dancing Earth at Kennedy Center.
Founded by Artistic Director Rulan Tangen, to serve a need rarely met in the USA, DEC gives hope and opportunity to Native, mixed, global Indigenous and BIPOC talent who have been largely outside the dialogue of mainstream performance because of lack of access. DEC is an organic constellation of largely self-taught dancers, composers, costumers, filmmakers, and spoken word artists.
Together, DEC artists work with community members, culture carriers, and Native elders to explore the rich diversity of ancestral heritage, contemporary identity, and intra-cultural relationship building, by collaborating on innovative ecologically themed performances. DEC’s work promotes environmental awareness, cultural diversity, and understanding between peoples through contemporary arts expressions.
“We gather as individual artists to create experimental yet elemental dances that reflect our rich cultural heritage as contemporary global peoples. We strive to embody the unique essences of cultural perspectives by creation and renewal of artistic and cultural movement rituals. Ancient and futuristic, our dances are an elemental language of bone and blood memory in motion.” - Founding Director, Rulan Tangen
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 and are honored to bring this production here to homelands of the Ute people: we are honored that this new work emerges from land and sky that has been danced and sung into renewal by First Nations people of the Southwest since the beginning of time, and this vision includes contributions of respected and beloved cultural community members.
SHOW DESCRIPTION
ACT I
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 different make 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 be considered and appreciated. They move beyond greed and selfishness to share and exchange with each other, before moving into the dream realm where they are all connected, in a starlit web of energy and life force.
ACT II
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 a 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…
OUR HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS
TOURING OF THIS PRODUCTION MADE POSSIBLE BY: “Between Underground & Skyworld” was made possible with funding by the New England Foundation for the Arts' National Theater Project Production and Touring award, with lead funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and additional support from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
As well as a heartfelt thanks for the support of Dancing Earth from: The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, NoVo Foundation, California Arts Council, Gerbode Foundation.
And, we are grateful for additional support including in kind support from: Honor The Earth; Patagonia Environmental Grant and Action Works Match Fund; William Miglino and Cindy Montoya of New Mexico School for the Arts; Sheila and Jonah at Institute of American Indian Arts; New Mexico Dance Coalition; Myra Krien of Pomegranate Dance Studio; Elise Gent of Railyard Performance Center; Julie Brette Adams; Norman Lee Johnson; Kate Sweetster; filmmaker Francois; Layla Amis of Modas Dance; photographers Francois Achan, Randi Lynn Beach and Tyra Sandoval; Tanaya Winder; Suzy Di Santos, Felicia Meyer, Charles Leslie, LeAnn Brubaker, Jane Collard Gould and costume students, Alexis makeup assistance and Fort Lewis College and Concert Hall staff, crew and educators; and support for the initial tech residency and premiere from ASU Gammage; Jane King of Northwest Vista College in San Antonio, Dance Ensemble Students of the NVC, Laura Rios, Rosie Torres, Gera & Vanè of San Artè de Corazon, Bob Martin and Presidio Theatre and many other community, cultural ambassadors of the Yanaguana Lands (San Antonio, Tx), cultural ambassadors of the Lands of Yelamu ( San Francisco, CA) and our cultural ambassadors of the Ohlone Lands (East Bay, CA).
CAST & CREDITS
CO-FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: Rulan Tangen
PROGRAM MANAGER: Angel Guanajuato
TECH DIRECTOR: Deirdre Morris
TAMU STAGE MANAGER: Krissie Day
REHEARSAL ASSISTANT TO ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: Esme Olivia
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Gregg Castro, Ohlone Culture Carrier
PERFORMING ARTISTS: Justin Giehm, Gabriel Carrion-Gonzales, Raven Bright, Rulan Tangen, Sarah Hogland-Gurule, with luminarias carried by CALIFA honorees: Emma Dewey, Taraneh Sarrafzadeh, Haley Maynard, Jesus Jach Cortes and students of Cuicacalli, Gina, Julia Miller Vasquez, Natalie Contrtas, Terri Storrs
CONCEPT: Rulan Tangen and Dancing Earth 2017-2022 associate artists, incorporating collaboration and visioning sessions with diasporic community members through lived cultural research and relationship building
CHOREOGRAPHY: Rulan Tangen with collaborative contributions from Dancing Earth 2017-2022 associate artists
PROJECTION: Marion Claire Wasserman of Elemental Designs, 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, Melanie Pesata, Hyda Maria, Talavai Denipah-Cook
SOUND DESIGN: Original compositions commissioned from: QVLN Quetzal Guerreo, AudioPharmacy, Dakota Alcatrara-Camacho, Ehren Kee Natay, Esme Olivia, Randy Barton. Initial Sound Design by: Dakota Camacho, with additional support from Marc Mr. Boogie Gonzalez, John Rangel and Esme Olivia, integrating original, remixed, and graciously shared tracks by Randy Bartons The BlessingWay, AudioPharmacy, Ras K’Dee, and John Coltrane’s Naima (JowCol Music) as arranged by John Carlos Perea (Aerep Music) with rapping in Spanish by Gina Madrid, additional vocals by Esme Olivia and Natalie Benally, and additional spoken word 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; voices of Bernadette Smith, Desirae Harp, 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 as composed and recorded by Esme Olivia with support from Rulan Tangen, Incorporating voices, poems, and words by Dancing Earth artists and alumna artists and community members.
INITIAL STORY & TEXT CONSULTANTS: Ty Dafoe of Indigenous Directions, Kalani Queypo and Michael Rohd
COSTUME, ACCESSORIES, & MASKS: Connie WindWalker for animal masks, shadow puppets, accessories and costumes with additional costume items by Rulan Tangen. Randolph Duke for solar discs. Additional shadow puppets by Raven Bright
SET DESIGN: Kayo Muller and Drew Van Bruhn
MOON HEADDRESS: Susan Baker-Dillingham
2019-2022 DRAMATURGICAL AND COACHING SUPPORT: Deirdre Morris, Liz Letman, John Flax of Theater Grottesco, Michael Rohd, Layla Amis, Javon Jones, Santana Shorty
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 future that we are making? What is renewable and what is energy; what are a myriad of ways to renew eco-cultural sustainability that embraces 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 bigger vision 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 and creative 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, Teneil Whiskeyjack, Emma Dewey, Andy Goodman, Javon Jones, Antonella Fagone, Ursula Carasco, Taraneh Sarrafzadeh and many other powerful visionaries (some of these who gathered with Dancing Earth with support from Invoking the Pause for Climate Change Trailblazers).
CAST BIOGRAPHIES, Fall Tour 2022
Rulan Tangen
Dancing Earth Founder & Artistic Director / Choreographer
Rulan Tangen Dancing Earth Founder and Artistic Director / Choreographer (Kampampangan and Pangasinan of Luzon Island in Pacific aka Philippines, and Norwegian): Rulan Tangen's work explores movement as an evolving language of global Indigenous and inter-cultural relation building, rooted in inclusion of diverse cosmologies from her own experience and those of the artists with whom she co-creates. Her contemporary dance practice strives to serve as a functional ritual for transformation and healing, integrating concurrent universes of ancient futurities in the moment, expressing energetic connection with all relations – human and beyond. As Founding Artistic Director/Choreographer of DANCING EARTH, she has passionately cultivated successive generations of global Indigenous contemporary performing artists as cultural ambassadors and conduits for social change She is recipient of 2018-19 Kennedy Center Citizen Artist award for Service, Justice, Freedom, Courage, and Gratitude and is grateful for all that roots her, for the dreaming and doing of Dancing Earth: moving the world into renewal.
Angel Guanajuato
Coming soon…
Deirdre Morris
Tech Director
Holds a masters from UC Davis and is an international performing artist, producer, dramaturge, activist, and educator. Her practice spans theatrical forms that focus on spectacle based physical theater, contemplative movement based performance and site specific installations.
Elaine Talamaivao
CALIFA Community Organizer and On Site Opening Ceremony Director
My name is Elaine Talamaivao (She/Her) I currently live, dance and provide community outreach on Cahuilla and Tongva land. Through my love of dance, I provide community opportunities for youth to share in the ancient art of storytelling through dances and languages of my ancestors stretching from Aotearoa, Samoa and Hawaii. I am working as Community Organizer for the new and incredible California project to nourish our intercultural communities in this challenging year; Dancing Earth’s Califa: RE-SToring the Source Retreat.
Esmé Olivia
Performing Artist, Teaching Artist, and Rehearsal Director
Esmé Olivia grew up in traditional Tiwa Pueblo lands known as Albuquerque, NM to a Mestiza Mexican-American mother and Dutch-Jewish father. Her blood is a peace treaty she honors through prayers of dance, poetry and song. After competing on the 2005 National Poetry Slam Champion team, she received her BA from Hampshire College in multi-disciplinary performance and arts-based education. She has worked as an artist educator with many groups in New Mexico and beyond, including the New Mexico School for the Arts and the Institute of American Indian Arts. Esmé has participated as a movement, theatre, music and teaching artist in the constellation of Dancing Earth since 2017. She lives on the Big Island of Hawai’i and in Jicarilla Apache, Pueblo and Ute terrain with her partner, where they expand on how music, dance and storytelling may seed new culture. Learn more at EsmeOlivia.com. Esme’s Dance shot by Karla Flores for Dancing Earth.
Gabriel Carrion-Gonzales
CALIFA Retreat Leader, Performing Artist, Teaching Artist
Gabriel Carrion-Gonzales is a Queer Brown Chicano male-identifying body native to the South Valley of ABQ, NM, unceded Tiwa territory. Gabriel has the resources to trace his maternal lineage to Guadalupe Hildago, MX, and Hatch, NM. His paternal lineage to Cabazone Peak, NM and Bernalillo, NM. Gabriel has spent 14 years of his 24 years of life on this Earth discovering himself as a dancer/mover/artist. Through this journey, he has learned much about light, love, body positivity, and encouraging others and himself to exist in their highest form possibly through dance and the arts.
Gabriel began his dance training in the 3rd grade at Navajo Elementary with the National Dance Institute of New Mexico's outreach program, he continued with this program 8th grade where he transitioned to study with the New Mexico Ballet Company and other local dance schools. Gabriel decided to move to Pennsylvania to study classical ballet at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet for 2.5 years. He returned to New Mexico to study psychology at the University of New Mexico. Following graduation, Gabriel accepted a position with AmeriCorp working at the National Hispanic Cultural Center before transitioning to working as a residency artistic associate with the National Dance Institute of New Mexico!
Gabriel has been a part of two national artistic administration leadership cohorts (Dance/USA Institute for Leadership Training mentee 2020-2021 and David Herrera Performing Companies LatinXtensions mentee 2021-2022). Gabriel serves Dancing Earth not only as an artist but also as an Executive Producer and Intercultural Impact Partner for the CALIFA Project umbrellaed under DE.
Justin Giehm
Performing Artist and Teaching Artist
Justin Giehm is a dancer, model, and aspiring actor based in Colorado, of Navajo, German and mixed heritage. At a young age, Justin began dancing by teaching himself from YouTube and later went on to teach various styles of dance, including hip hop. He became a member of Dancing Earth in 2014, joining the Summer Institute and a show called SEED with 60 community members in the Four Corners area. Later touring with Seeds Re Generation to Canada, Guahan and O’odham and Ute territories in the US, including performances at the John F. Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts and Ordway Theater. His work with Dancing Earth lead to being casted in TV series Jamestown which filmed in Europe, and in ‘Dr. Atomic’ with director Peter Sellars at Santa Fe Opera. In October 2019 and January 2020 he performed in Dancing Earth’s latest work Between Underground & Skyworld in Yelamu/San Francisco and ASU Gammage Tempe/Phoenix.
Raven Bright
Performing Artist, Teaching Artist, Social Media Intern, and Storage Master
Raven Bright is a NM based artist with 15 years of background Raven Ilm Bright, of Navajo and Anglo heritage from Gallup, New Mexico, traces his roots not only from the blood of his families, but also from the heart and soul of the HipHop and Indigenous contemporary dance communities of which he is a part. From Gallup’s Foundations of Freedom crew, he then achieved a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Fort Lewis College. Subsequently he was selected for a full scholarship for Dancing Earth’s Summer Institute, and has been a collaborating artist on the creation of Between Underground & SkyWorld. He toured with the company to Arizona and San Francisco, as well as the company’s 2019 invitation to the Kennedy Center with the production of SEEDS REGENERATION. In 2020 he was the dance champion of the acclaimed Breaking Hearts event. When the pandemic canceled Dancing Earth’s 2020 performances, Raven has been contributing to the well-being of his community as an essential worker - for which we thank him- and we all appreciate that he can offer this dance class to Poeh to inspire others, and return him once a week to his purpose as a multi-disciplinary teaching artist. Besides his passion for dancing and visual art, Raven is also a dedicated teacher of dance, giving back to his community with workshops for Santa Fe Indian School, Navajo Prep, and six years teaching experience at Gallup’s Foundations of Freedom Dance Studio. This year, Raven is featured in the Albuquerque installment of the public television series “If Cities Could Dance,” and Covid response of dancers in unity.
Sarah Hogland-Gurule
Performing Artist, Teaching Artist , Grantwriter, and Choreographer for upcoming project
Sarah Hogland-Gurulé (she/they) is a Xicana living in Tiwa land, her ancestral homeland known as Albuquerque, NM. She is a dance artist and educator guided by the belief that dance is a form of embodied healing, remembrance and visioning; all essential tools for collective liberation. Sarah began her dance training at Keshet Dance and Center for the Arts and continued training as a pre-professional at the University of New Mexico, where she received a bachelor of arts in contemporary dance (summa cum laude) and conservation biology (magna cum laude). She has performed with MALACARNE, Pat Graney Company and CHERDONNA (Seattle, WA) in addition to Lawine Torrèn (Austria) and Yeztli Danza y Arte (Albuquerque, NM). Her solo work has been presented by the American Dance Festival’s Emerging Choreographer’s Showcase, Seattle’s Next Fest New Works, Seattle People of Color Arts Salon, Isis Women Arts and the University of New Mexico. Sarah also teaches dance to incarcerated youth and women, as well as locally in the community. She has also been a contracted artist through the City of Albuquerque as part of their inaugural CityMakers program and an artist in residence at Explora Children’s Museum. She performs regularly with Meow Wolf Santa Fe and is broadening her movement curiosities to pole dance, house dance and popping.
Dancing Earth STAFF
CO-FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: Rulan Tangen
EXECUTIVE & SOUTHWEST IMPACT PRODUCER: Angel Guanajuato
EXECUTIVE & CALIFA INTERCULTURAL IMPACT PRODUCER: Gabriel Carrion-Gonzales
MARKETING DIRECTOR: Samara Smith
BOOKKEEPER: Barbara Ortega
GRANT CONSULTANT: Elizabeth Cameron
OPERATIONS CONSULTANT: Paulo Rocha-Tavares
TECH DIRECTOR: Deirdre Morris
CALIFA COMMUNITY ORGANIZER: Elaine Talamaivao
Dancing Earth CALIFA Presents: Afro Contemporary Dance Workshop w/Yeni Lucero
Dancing Earth CALIFA presents: Special Guest Artist Yeni Lucero
AFROFUSION w/Yeni Online Masterclass
Wednesday, September 21st
1:45-2:45pm PT
“If we allow ourselves to move like water and take on the idea of just moving, there is no idea of arrival, there's just moments of BEING If anything BE in your BEING, everything this society don't want you to be.. turn off to • TUNE IN.”
ABOUT DANCING EARTH
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
Founded by Artistic Director Rulan Tangen, to serve a need rarely met in the USA, DEC gives hope and opportunity to Native, mixed, global Indigenous and BIPOC talent who have been largely outside the dialogue of mainstream performance because of lack of access. DEC is an organic constellation of largely self-taught dancers, composers, costumers, filmmakers, and spoken word artists.
Together, DEC artists work with community members, culture carriers, and Native elders to explore the rich diversity of ancestral heritage, contemporary identity, and intra-cultural relationship building, by collaborating on innovative ecologically themed performances. DEC’s work promotes environmental awareness, cultural diversity, and understanding between peoples through contemporary arts expressions.
“We gather as individual artists to create experimental yet elemental dances that reflect our rich cultural heritage as contemporary global peoples. We strive to embody the unique essences of cultural perspectives by creation and renewal of artistic and cultural movement rituals. Ancient and futuristic, our dances are an elemental language of bone and blood memory in motion.” - Founding Director, Rulan Tangen
Dance Mission Theater: Between Underground and Skyworld Performance Excerpts and Engagement
photos by Randi Lynn Beach
Excerpts of Between Underground & Skyworld
Dance Mission Theater
Monday, September 19th
7pm PT
Dance Mission Theater
3316 24th Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
Dancing Earth is happy to come home to the Dance Mission community this month, where they debuted in 2004! This year Dancing Earth has moved into cooperative artist leadership, and you are invited to meet the artists for an engaged and embodied dialogue about creative process, inspirations, and intentions, including a sharing of an excerpt of their upcoming production
Between Underground and Skyworld, recipient of Gerbode choreography award and National Theatre Project award, and now on national tour with performances at Presidio Theatre on September 24th and 25th, 2022.
Meet the intercultural, innovative, interdisciplinary artist-leaders;
Engage in creative conversation about current performance intention, process, and inspiration;
Experience some of the choreography performed by the artists;
Enjoy movement practices that have evolved from the process;
Collaborate in a future community creative visioning practice; All attendees can receive a discount code to upcoming performances at Presidio Theater Sept 24th @7pm and 25th @ 2pm.
ABOUT DANCING EARTH
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
Founded by Artistic Director Rulan Tangen, to serve a need rarely met in the USA, DEC gives hope and opportunity to Native, mixed, global Indigenous and BIPOC talent who have been largely outside the dialogue of mainstream performance because of lack of access. DEC is an organic constellation of largely self-taught dancers, composers, costumers, filmmakers, and spoken word artists.
Together, DEC artists work with community members, culture carriers, and Native elders to explore the rich diversity of ancestral heritage, contemporary identity, and intra-cultural relationship building, by collaborating on innovative ecologically themed performances. DEC’s work promotes environmental awareness, cultural diversity, and understanding between peoples through contemporary arts expressions.
“We gather as individual artists to create experimental yet elemental dances that reflect our rich cultural heritage as contemporary global peoples. We strive to embody the unique essences of cultural perspectives by creation and renewal of artistic and cultural movement rituals. Ancient and futuristic, our dances are an elemental language of bone and blood memory in motion.” - Founding Director, Rulan Tangen
Dancing Earth CALIFA Presents: Decolonial Cinema; a conversation circle of Digital Curanderas
Dancing Earth CALIFA presents:
Roberto Fatal y gente:
Decolonial Cinema; a conversation circle of Digital Curanderas
Friday, September 16th
6:30-9:30 PT
A panel discussion about film Digital Curanderas as a case study for how to decolonize practices of filmmaking with Q & A.
Meeting ID:
854 4764 6302
Roberto Fatal Bio
Roberto Fatal is a filmmaker and storyteller. They come from Rarámuri, Tewa Pueblo, Ute, and Spanish ancestors and Mexican-American culture. Their Queer, gender fluid, Mestize/Mixed identity informs the sci-fi, apocalyptic films they make. Their work centers on humans who sit at the intersections of time, space and culture. From this unique vantage point, these characters can bridge divides, see all sides, find new paths forward and recall multiple histories long forgotten. The mixed people of Fatal’s stories can connect us deeply to an undercurrent of humanity that we often overlook in a world that is increasingly divided. Survival, intersectional identity, perseverance, love, empathy, community, connection and creation are at the heart of their characters and films. Fatal is a Sundance Indigenous Film Fellow and an Imagine Native Director's Lab feature film fellow. Their debut feature script, ELECTRIC HOMIES, was selected by GLAAD x The Black List as one of the best unproduced screenplays of 2022.
J. Andrea Amezcua Porras Bio
J. Andrea Amezcua Porras is a Queer, TwoSpirit Coahuiltecan /ChicanIndia, Mother, Culture Bearer, Intersectional Artist/ practitioner, curator and producer with over 25 years of experience in performance, organizing, facilitation, grant making/reviewing, philanthropy. They currently Freelance with individual artists on independent projects. They also CoVision as a consultant with the SF African American Art and Culture Complex Porras respectfully migrates /resides between Yelamu and Nisenan Territories (San Francisco /Sacramento CA.) Porras received a B.A. in Theatre /Dance with a focus on Cultural Anthropology from Sacramento State University. They also represented CSUS recruiting hundreds of first generation students from area high schools, and was a Peer Teaching Mentor in Ethnic, Theatre, Cultural Anthropology and Dance through the Education Opportunity Program. Porras has also studied, taught and performed as an Afro- Modern and Danza Mexika traditional dancer, predominantly co creating in ceremonia and performance spaces alike across California, and later in Mexico, Cuba Africa and NY. Porras recently transitioned out of their 5 tenure as Grants Art Specialist for the California Arts Council, where they managed a portfolio totaling approximately $7 million in funding year after year. They co-founded both Movimiento Molcajete (1997) Contemporary Indigenous Teatro & MA Series Arts (2018), a 501c3 non-profit which serves as an incubator platform for BIPOC artists — prioritizing women, Queers of color and Trans Familia.
Jennifer Koreny Bio
After working in the tech space Jenny pivoted to pursue her passion, a career in scripted TV. She’s worked in production and for the producers of Parks and Recreation, The Muppets, Will & Grace, Criminal Minds and Dave. Most recently she worked on The Mapleworth Murders as Script Coordinator with SNL & 30 Rock writers. She produced work shown at the Cannes Emerging Filmmakers Pavillion, Lincoln Center, IFC House at SXSW and was an audience award winner at Outfest. She's an advocate for filmmakers & artists utilization of Web3 and is an alum of the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Her photography has exhibited at galleries in New York & LA.
ABOUT DANCING EARTH
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
Founded by Artistic Director Rulan Tangen, to serve a need rarely met in the USA, DEC gives hope and opportunity to Native, mixed, global Indigenous and BIPOC talent who have been largely outside the dialogue of mainstream performance because of lack of access. DEC is an organic constellation of largely self-taught dancers, composers, costumers, filmmakers, and spoken word artists.
Together, DEC artists work with community members, culture carriers, and Native elders to explore the rich diversity of ancestral heritage, contemporary identity, and intra-cultural relationship building, by collaborating on innovative ecologically themed performances. DEC’s work promotes environmental awareness, cultural diversity, and understanding between peoples through contemporary arts expressions.
“We gather as individual artists to create experimental yet elemental dances that reflect our rich cultural heritage as contemporary global peoples. We strive to embody the unique essences of cultural perspectives by creation and renewal of artistic and cultural movement rituals. Ancient and futuristic, our dances are an elemental language of bone and blood memory in motion.” - Founding Director, Rulan Tangen
Texas A&M University : Between Underground & Skyworld Performance
photo by Randi Lynn Beach
Between Underground & Skyworld Performance
Texas A&M University
Thursday, September 15th
7pm CT
Rudder Auditorium
401 Joe Routt Blvd
College Station, TX 77843
In their latest work, mixed-heritage dance company Dancing Earth investigates renewable energy from differing ancestral, cultural, and practical perspectives. Between Underground & Skyworld seeks to balance Indigenous Elders’ cultural teachings with the realities of a new generation struggling for survival in the apocalyptic present.
The audience is invited into dreamscapes of balance and harmony and future-looking possibilities for connection and renewal. The performance will use mobile installation, oration, dance, music, immersive media, and eco-innovative from design company’s mixed-heritage dancers, artists, and collaborators.
ABOUT DANCING EARTH
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
Founded by Artistic Director Rulan Tangen, to serve a need rarely met in the USA, DEC gives hope and opportunity to Native, mixed, global Indigenous and BIPOC talent who have been largely outside the dialogue of mainstream performance because of lack of access. DEC is an organic constellation of largely self-taught dancers, composers, costumers, filmmakers, and spoken word artists.
Together, DEC artists work with community members, culture carriers, and Native elders to explore the rich diversity of ancestral heritage, contemporary identity, and intra-cultural relationship building, by collaborating on innovative ecologically themed performances. DEC’s work promotes environmental awareness, cultural diversity, and understanding between peoples through contemporary arts expressions.
“We gather as individual artists to create experimental yet elemental dances that reflect our rich cultural heritage as contemporary global peoples. We strive to embody the unique essences of cultural perspectives by creation and renewal of artistic and cultural movement rituals. Ancient and futuristic, our dances are an elemental language of bone and blood memory in motion.”
- Founding Director, Rulan Tangen
Co-Sponsored By Dancing Earth : DIVINE IN I: Cultural Experience Festival
Co-Sponsored By Dancing Earth : DIVINE IN I: Cultural Experience Festival
Date: Saturday, September 10th, 2022
Divine in i, an intercultural community arts festival honoring the Divine Spirit within, celebrating The Divine Coloring Book, inspired by folklore and spirituality from Haiti, Brazil and the Philippines. Produced by Christine Joy Amagan Ferrer a.k.a Tineltinejoy Creator, Author & Designer of The Divine Coloring Book.
“Let's tap into the Divine within, to see the Divine in each other and connect with the Divine in ALL things around us. As we flow with this sacred intention and reverence on the daily, it will be a LIT spiritual journey towards healing, radical expansion, elevation and deeper love. It's time to revel in Divine Love with all our heart, soul and mind.” - Christine Joy Amagan Ferrer (a.k.a. Tinejoy), Creator, Author and Designer of The Divine Coloring Book
Time: 12:30pm-6:30pm PST
BIO
Meet Christine Joy Amagan Ferrer, @tinejoy, Divine in i, Event Producer, Dancing Earth Restoring The Source and Nourishing The Source CALIFA honoree, creator, author and designer of The Divine Coloring Book.
Tine is a multidisciplinary creative soul from San Francisco. A jack of all trades, but a master of nothing but herself. She is a curator of sacred wellness, a cultural arts practitioner and healing arts facilitator.
Rooted in Philippine, Haitian and Afro-Brazilian folkloric music and dance. Spirituality, folklore, indigenous art forms and rhythms across diasporas, of Spirit ground her. By day, she has been empowering youth through movement arts for over a decade. By night, she is also a freelance designer and media producer. She delivers solutions for community organizations and individuals acting for the greater collective. Through visual, written and embodied storytelling, she uses movement, media and design to help the people tell their stories.
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
“We gather as individual artists to create experimental yet elemental dances that reflect our rich cultural heritage as contemporary global peoples. We strive to embody the unique essences of cultural perspectives by creation and renewal of artistic and cultural movement rituals. Ancient and futuristic, our dances are an elemental language of bone and blood memory in motion.” -Founding Director, Rulan Tangen
Dancing Earth Fall Tour Events: Self Care Sunday w/ Elaine Talamaimoana
Dancing Earth: Self Care Sunday w/ Elaine Talamaimoana
Date: Sunday, September 28, 2022
Join us this Sunday, 8/28, 10am PST for a special Self Care Sunday to kick off our fall tour festival events with CALIFA leader, community organizer, Elaine Talamaivao, @Tala Mai Moana on IG Live. Take time to practice ways to destress in your everyday life, learn different modes to raise your energy and come back to a deeper sense of self.
Time: 10-11 am PST
BIO
Dancing Earth's Elaine Talamaivao, @talamaimoana , community leader, Pacific Island dancer, choreographer, film maker/producer, community organizer for our CALIFA Honorees. Elaine Talamaivao is a Polynesian dancer, teacher and lover of all cultures and dance forms. Her introduction to Polynesian dance started at her father’s practices in Mulivai Samoa, while he prepared with the Samoan Dance Theatre for their South Pacific and European tours. She would leave Samoa and migrate to Aotearoa, New Zealand, to live with her grandparents, where the Fa’a Samoa traditions were practiced thoroughly in their home.
Eventually, her love for culture took her to lead the Polynesian and Kapa Haka Clubs for Tawa and St Mary’s College, where both High Schools became game changers and power houses among the local High School Poly Festivals in the capital city, Wellington. Her popularity grew in the way she taught both the youth and adults.
Through workshops at Whitireia Polytechnic, she was able to collaborate and learn from Porirua’s leading choreographers and artists. This experience opened a curiosity into the interweaving of contemporary Māori and Pasefika dance styles and traditions. Her love for dance and storytelling eventually led her to the United States to further her education. Though she had moved to three different nations, several things remained constant — her love for culture and dance, but even more so, her love to teach others about the dances and languages from the South Pacific. In her education, Elaine received degrees from both Riverside Community College and the University of California, Riverside.
She continued to collaborate with other filmmakers and choreographers of indigenous dance – growing many relationships in the national and international storytelling world. Elaine has an extensive professional background in the arts. While employed for the City of Riverside, Elaine created the Riverside Arts Academy’s curriculum and schedule. RAA is a grant-funded program that serves the underrepresented in Riverside’s East Side. Under Elaine’s guidance, the program went on to be recognized by the State of California – California Parks and Recreation Services for Cultural Diversity as well as the founding team that assisted with the Academy’s affiliation with The Harmony Project.
Elaine has also performed as a guest at various indigenous forums, including at UCLA, UC Riverside, and the Culver Center. She currently continues to work with the academic community at the University of Redlands. Elaine’s passion in teaching Polynesian culture has stayed constant, as she has watched the growth and success of Tala Mai Moana, @talmaimoana To date, TMM has performed both around the United States and internationally. TMM has now expanded within the City of Riverside to provide Summer Day Camps, workshops and virtual classes that are dedicated to teaching the Polynesian culture to Riverside’s under-served youth, as well as continuing community growth among several homeschooling academies and non-profit leadership organizations. Elaine continues to strive in providing easily accessible Polynesian cultural classes to all.
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS dynamically activates our mission, to create contemporary dance and related arts through global indigenous and intercultural relationships centered in ecological and cultural diversity for creativity, health, and wellness.
“We gather as individual artists to create experimental yet elemental dances that reflect our rich cultural heritage as contemporary global peoples. We strive to embody the unique essences of cultural perspectives by creation and renewal of artistic and cultural movement rituals. Ancient and futuristic, our dances are an elemental language of bone and blood memory in motion.” -Founding Director, Rulan Tangen