Mid-yearReport|June2017

A N I K A Y A / A K H R A , I N C

http://anikaya.org

1ANIKAYAmid-year2017

June2017

Dearfriends,

ThisyearhasbeenanotherincredibleyearofgrowthandchangeforANIKAYA.Sincemylastreport,newcollaborativerelationshipshavebeenestablishedinBenin,BrazilandJapan,andathomeinBoston.ThewebofDanceDiplomacygrowsstrongerandmorecomplexwitheachnewcollaboration.Projectsthatwehavebeendreamingofforyearshavebecomeareality.HereIwillintroducesomeofwhathashappenedinthepastyear,andwhatistocomeintheyearahead.

InANIKAYAfashion,eachoftheseprojectsisinterconnected.Ihaveattemptedtoorganizethemintosomekindoflinearnarrative.But,thetruthistheyareafour-dimensionalvenndiagram.ThisisANIKAYA’smission-tobreakdowntheperceivedboundariesbetweenpeople,culturesandartforms.Ourcollectiveworkrevealsthedeepandunderlyingconnectednessbetweenallofus.

Asalways,wedependonthesupportofourcommunityhereathomethathasallowedmeindividuallyandANIKAYAasanorganizationtotakerisks,knowingthatwehaveasafetynet.Thankyouformakingthisworkpossible.

Indance,

WendyJehlenFounder/ArtisticDirectorANIKAYA

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“AN-I-KAYA”-“giftofthebody.”

“an(n)”-“grace,gift”(Hebrew)

“i”(ə)–“of”(Persian)

“kaya”-“body”(Sanskrit)

TheworkofANIKAYAistotransmitgracethroughthevesselofthebody.

ANIKAYADanceTheaterhasbeenevolvingsince1998underthedirectionofchoreographerWendyJehlen.ANIKAYA’smission,istobreakdowntheperceivedboundariesbetweenpeople,culturesandartforms.OurworkhassofarextendedtoNorthandSouthAmerica,SouthandEastAsia,AfricaandEurope.

ANIKAYAweavestogethermusic,danceandstorytellingtocreateworksthatpullfromthefullrangeofthebody'scommunicativecapabilities.Weincorporatetraditionalforms,internalizingthemandthenallowingthemtoreemergeaspartofanewmovementvocabulary.Theresultisworkthatisresonantofdeep-rootedtraditions,withoutbeingboundtoanyparticulargenre,placeorpractice.Wehavetraveledwideandstudieddeeplytobringyouthese,thegiftsofthebody.

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CONFERENCEOFTHEBIRDS“Amanwhoseeyesloveriskshissoul-Hisdancingbreaksbeyondthemind'scontrol.”–Faridal-DinAttar,TheConferenceoftheBirds

Thebiggestdevelopmentof2017isaprojectthatwillweavetogethermanyofthecollaborationswehavebeendevelopingovertheyearsintoanewwork-theConferenceoftheBirds.

ConferenceoftheBirdswillbeanevening-lengthmovementtheaterworkinspiredbytheepicpoemofFaridUddinAttar,and

embodyingstoriesgatheredfrommodern-dayrefugeesandothermigrants.ConferenceoftheBirdsisataleofagroupofbirdsthatsetoffinsearchofthemythicalbird,theSimurgh.Manyofthebirdsabandonthequest.WhentheremainingbirdsarriveinthelandoftheSimurgh,theyfindthemselvesreflected–theyaretheSimurgh.WiththeBostonCenterfortheArtsascommissioningpartnerandpresenter,andtheIslamicSocietyofGreaterBostonCulturalCenterasleadcommunitypartner,wehavereceivedaBuildingBridgesgrantfromtheDorisDukeFoundationforIslamicArttocreatetheConferenceoftheBirdsathomeinBoston,bringingcollaboratingartistsfromTurkey,France,Benin,Brazil,EgyptandJapanforanintensivecreativeresidencyandpremiereintheSpringof2018.

ThisisthefirsttimethattheBostonCenterfortheArtshascommissionedanewdancework.ItispartofarevolutionfordanceinBoston.ANIKAYAishonoredtobethefirstinwhatwehopewillbecomeaseriesofworld-classnewworkscreatedinBostonbyBostonareachoreographers,andpresentedbytheBostonCenterfortheArts.

ThenarrativeofConferenceoftheBirdswillbecreatedduringaseriesofstory-gatheringworkshopsbeingscheduledforthefallof2017.

Collaborators:

KEMALKARAÖZTurkey

SHAWPONGLIUUSA

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TheseworkshopswillbuildafoundationforthenarrativeofConference,andthestoriesgatheredwillbewovenintocompositestoriesthatwillmakeupthecharactersofthe“birds”.

WithsupportfromaLiveArtsBostongrantfromTheBostonFoundation,wewillconductstory-gatheringworkshopsandpresentworks-in-progressofthenarrativesofthe“birds”throughoutthefallinpublicspacesintheBostonarea.

InMarch2018,thefullcompanywillbeinresidenceattheBostonCenterfortheArts,culminatinginthepremiereperformancesofConferenceoftheBirdsinApril2018.Inconjunctionwiththepremiere,weintendtohostagatheringofartists,programmers,andothersinterestedinexploringthepossibilitiesofcombattingIslamophobiathroughthedanceandtheater.

LUCIANERAMOS-SILVABrazil

MOHAMMEDYOUSRY“SHIKA”Egypt

KAEISHIMOTOJapan

MARCELGBEFFABenin

TARAMURPHYUSA

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RUNLIKEAGIRLInMay,inpartnershipwithCentreChorégraphiqueMulticorpsandfundedbytheEmbassyoftheUnitedStatesinBenin,ANIKAYAconductedthefirstfully-implementedseriesofRunLikeaGirlworkshops.

RunLikeaGirllooksatthewordsandphrasespermeatingourculturesthatchipawayattheself-esteemofgirls,creatingafalseimageofgirlsandwomenas“weak.”Thesewordsandphrasesaredetrimentalaswelltoboysandmen,astheyaretaughttohideandsuppresstheiremotions,theirnaturalempathetictendancies,andcreateasystemthatlimitsallofourpotential.

Weconductedthreeweeksofactivities:oneweekoftraininganddevelopmentfortwoCompagnieMulticorps,ChristyandOrphée,who,withMarcelandWendy,becametheRunLikeaGirlteaching/sensitizationteam.Theweekconsistedofmovementwork,discussionandresearch.Thefollowingweek,theteamledafive-dayinCotonouanda

four-dayworkshopinParakouwithdancersandactors,eachculminatinginashowingforthepublic.

Thisprocesswasademonstrationofthepowerofembodiedknowledge,deconstructingpatternsofmovementandofmindandbuildingnewones.Thechangesevidentinjustfourtofivedaysofworktogetherareevidencethatdanceworks.

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ANIKAYAandMulticorpsaregratefulforthefaithplacedinusbytheteamattheUSEmbassyinBeninandwelookforwardtocontinuedpartnershipinthisandotherendeavorsofDanceDiplomacy.

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(R)EVOLVESeptember2016markedthebeginningofanewmulti-facetedcollaborationwithBeninoischoreographer/dancerMarcelGbeffa.Thecollaborationbeganwithpreliminaryresearchforanewwork,(R)evolve,aritual,drawingonritualpracticesandgeometriesofnatureandphysics,astudyofthepowerofcarefullyconstructedrepetition.ThisworkcontinuedinBostoninFebruary,BrazilinMarchandagaininCotonouinMay.InMay,withtheadditionofTogolaisesinger/composerLadyApoc,theworkbecameatrio.TheprocesswillcontinueinBostoninOctober2017.

(R)evolveisacarefullyconstructedritual,drawingonecstaticpracticesfromculturesaroundtheworld.Theresultisapulsing,driving,mesmerizinghour-longjourney.Theritualisbuiltonacycleofrepetitionandexpansion,doublingbackonitselflikethecoilsofasnake.

Ourresearchisonhowrepetitionaffectsthebodyonamuscular,skeletal,neural,evencellularlevel.Thisrepetitionisfractal,repeatingoninfinitelevelsandscalesinthemovements,phrasesandoverarchingstructureofthework.

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DELICATENESSINTIMESOFBRUTALITYInFebruary2017,WendytraveledtoJapanwithsupportfromNEFA’sNewEnglandDanceFundandtheAPAPCulturalExchangeFundtobeginanewprojectwithbutohartistDAKEI.DAKEIisanaccomplishedDeafButohartistanddirectoroftheShizukubutohcompany.TheprojecthasnowbeengrantedsupportbytheJapanFoundation'sPerformingArtsJapanprogramtocontinuedevelopmentoftheworkandbringittotheUS,aswellasatravelgrantfromtheNetworkofEnsembleTheaterstodocumentthecollaborativeprocess.DelicatenessisaresponsetoaworkofperformanceprotestinSãoPaulo,atthebeginningofthepoliticalcrisisinMay2016.Theworkwastitled“ManifestodaDelicadezaemtemposdeBrutalidade.”Thisworkisamanifest,apromise.

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ENTANGLINGEntanglingisaprojectinspiredbyQuantamEntanglement,aphenomenonbywhichtwoatomsthatarephysicallyseparatedinspaceandtime,become,forallintentsandpurposes,one.Entanglingisacollaborationwithdancer/choreographerLacinaCoulibalyofBurkinaFaso.

ThisyearEntanglinghasbeenperformedatthePaulMellonArtsCenterinWallingford,CTandtheEducationalCenterfortheArtsinNewHaven,CT,thelatterwithsupportfromaNewEnglandStatesTouringgrantfromNewEnglandFoundationfortheArts.

NEXTUP:LISTEN

In2017,ANIKAYADanceTheaterwillbeworkingwithstudentsattheHoraceMannSchoolfortheDeafandHardofHearingtodevelopanewmovement-basedperformancework,“Listen,”tobeperformedinpublicspacesthroughoutBoston.Listenwillemployaseriesofimprovisationalandchoreographicstrategiesthatdevelopandutilizephysicallisteningandcollectiverhythm.Theworkwillbecreatedoveraseriesofsessionsthreetimesperweekduringthesummerof2017,andperformanceswilltakeplaceinAugustandSeptemberprimarilyonweekends.Performanceswilltakeplaceatoutdoorsitesthroughoutthecity.TheprojectwillbeledbyANIKAYAArtisticDirector,WendyJehlen,alongwithtwoANIKAYAcollaboratingartists–LacinaCoulibaly(BurkinaFaso/NYC)andJohnYing(Boston).

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FOCUS–BRAZIL:

ANIKAYAdoBRASILANIKAYA’sBrazil-basedcompany,ANIKAYAdoBrasil,iscurrentlyaresidentcompanyatCentrodeReferênciadaDançadaCidadedeSãoPaulo(CRD).ThisyearweadvancedinthestagingofForestandperformedatFabricadeCriatividadeandCentrodeReferênciadaDançainSãoPaulo.ANIKAYAdoBrasilpresentedworkshopsontheprocessandcontentofForestaspartoftheirresidencyactivitiesatCRD.Producer/RehearsalDirector:RodrigoCândidoDancers:RodrigoCândidoRaísaTomassinWellingtonSantanaÁtilaMunizRaquelFlorNunesJulianadoNascimentoMarcelGbeffa(Benin)Documentarian:FábioMinagawa

BORBOLETASNOSINTESTINOSBorboletasnosIntestinosisacollaborationbetweenWendyJehlen,LucianeRamos-Silva(dance)andPedroMatallo(photography/videography/projection),bothofBrazil.ThecollaborationbeganasadocumentationofWendyandLuciane’ssite-responsiveimprovisationsandhasgrownintoaprojectexploringthelayeringofspacesandcontextsthroughphotoandvideodocumentationandsubsequentprojectionsofpastiterationsintofutureperformances.Photosandvideoareprojectedontostructuresandsurfacesinthegivenenvironment.Thedanceisperformedwithin

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theseprojections,anddocumentedagain,tobelayeredintothenextperformance.Audiencemembersareencouragedtowalkamongtheprojectionsandthedancersduringtheperformance.Theperformanceisastudyinvulnerability,anembodimentandvisualizationofthepermeabilityofourselves.

CORPOSEMPERIGO/CORPOSPERIGOSOSCorposemPerigo/CorposPerigososisastreetdance/theater/ritualprojectbeingcreatedbetweenthreeartists/companies:ANIKAYA/WendyJehlen(US),FragmentoUrbano&LucianeRamosSilva(Brazil).Weareworkingfromdifferentculturalspaces,butwithacommonresearchinritualandperformanceascommunitybuildingandfortifyingtools.Thereisanadditionalattentiontoresistanceintimesofextremepoliticaldanger.Thecollaborationtakestheapproachthatweareallinthistogether,thatweareconnectedonalllevels.Thetitleofthework,“CorposemPerigo/CorposPerigosos”refersbothtothestateofdangerwefindourselvesinaswomen,peopleofcolorandartists,asrightwinggovernmentstakecontrolofbothofourcountries,andthedeepandintrinsicpowerthatwehaveaspeopleinhabitingmarginalizedbodiestodisruptthisdestructiveprocess.OurcollaborationbeganinNovember2016.Wewillcreateasite-responsiveworkinteractingwiththeenvironment,eachother,andthepublic.

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FinancialReport

In2017,ANIKAYAhasreceivedaseriesofimportantgrantstosupportourworkathomeandabroadthathaveallowedustoexpandinamajorway.Sinceourlastmid-yearreport,wehavereceivedgrantsfrom:TheDorisDukeFoundationforIslamicArtTheBostonFoundationNewEnglandFoundationfortheArts–throughtheNewEnglandDanceFund,theNewEnglandStatesTouringfundandtheCreativeCityprogramTheJapanFoundationTheUSDepartmentofState/EmbassyoftheUSinBeninNetworkofEnsembleTheatersAssociationofPerformingArtsPresentersTheKatesFoundationSomervilleArtsCouncilCambridgeArtsCouncilTheJamesKSpriggsFoundation,aFidelitydonor-advisedfundIndividualdonorstotheDanceDiplomacycrowdfundingcampaign-summerof2016.

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DanceWorksThisyearwehaveseeninconcretewayshowdanceandDanceDiplomacycanchangelives.

InBrazil,Itaughtanewworkshoptitled“Empatia–RasaeButoh,”ontwoverydifferentapproachestotheevocationofemotionthroughmovement.Duringthisworkshop,oneoftheparticipantsbrokedowncrying.Shehadalwaysbeenuncomfortablebeingtouched.Throughthisworkshopshehadgottenintouchwithherbodyinanewway,whichallowedhertoconnectwithothersphysicallyandemotionally.

AttheEducationalCenterfortheArts,middleschoolstudentsontheautismspectrummaintainedeyecontact,andrelaxedwithouthesitationintophysicalcontactinwaystheirteachershadneverimagined.

InBeninduringtheprocessofRunLikeaGirl,wewatchedasworkshopparticipantsgrewasmovers,dancersandasconscioushumanbeings,excavatingcenturiesofinternalizedoppression,andlearningtoseegenderinnewways.Theobservablechangesthatoccurredduringtheseshort,4-5dayworkshopsgavemehopeforthefutureofoursocieties.

Thisiswhatdancecando.

Yourdonationismoreimportantthanever.ThisyearhasbeenoneofincrediblegrowthforANIKAYA.Weneedyoursupportaswedevelopasustainablefoundationforourgrowingprogramsathomeandabroad.Yoursupportisvitaltothesuccessofthiswork.Aswecontinuetoexpandintonewcommunitiesandcultures,anddeepenourrelationshipstothecommunitiesweserve,pleaseconsiderbecomingapatron.

Alldonationsaretax-deductible.

Donationsbymailmaybemadeto:ANIKAYA/Akhra,Inc.67DaneSt.Somerville,MA02143

Togiveonline,pleasevisitourwebpage:www.anikaya.org/support