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Alternate ROOTS sprang into being in order to meet the distinct needs of artists who work in and with communities, artists who work for social justice, and artists who create work by, for, about and within communities of place, tradition, affiliation, and spirit. Founded in 1976 at the Highlander Center in New Market, Tennessee, R.O.O.T.S. was originally an acronym for Regional Organization of Theaters South. ROOTS quickly established itself as a thought leader in the field of communitybased arts and the only regional collective of artists committed to social and economic justice. In response to the needs of the growing field of community-based arts, ROOTS evolved to a multidisciplinary member-based and artist-driven organization. Member artists develop programs and ROOTS provides resources for the needs of these socially conscious artists working in the South.

As a progressive arts organization, ROOTS is at the forefront of establishing model programs for regional cultural organizing in the US. ROOTS is an exemplary incubator for participatory democracy. Through the practice of our guiding principles - Equitable Partnership, Shared Power, Open Dialogue, Individual and Community Transformation, and an Aesthetic that embraces both beauty and justice - we continue to be a model program for regional organizing that is responsive to and reflective of the needs of this unique artistic community.

A regional arts service organization with over 30 years of history, Alternate ROOTS is an invaluable national resource to artists, organizers and cultural workers. As a visible champion of activist artists, ROOTS is looked to for leadership, particularly in the Southern United States, where it provides its most direct services to its members. Alternate ROOTS provides the connective tissue for a distinct segment of the arts and culture field - artists who have a commitment to making work in, with, by, for and about their communities, and those whose cultural work strives for social justice. While this is a large sector in US arts and culture as many artists work in this way and share these aims, it is, for the most part, informally organized and collaborations are often the result of chance as much as choice. Alternate ROOTS is striving to increase those chances.

Alternate ROOTSINTRODUCTION

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THE DIRECTORFrom the desk of

Friends,

What a pleasure it is to return to this beautiful space nestled in the mountains of North Carolina to reunite with all of you after another year of spreading ourselves across many communities to do our lifework. We gather together in this space to share our experiences, learn from each other, and recharge to continue our art. Through this annual gathering we learn that we are not alone.

The 34th Annual Meeting of Alternate ROOTS will once again allow us the space to expand our understanding of art created in, by, and for community, and how that art seeks to improve on the human condition.

Please join me in welcoming the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture to this gathering as a producing partner. For years we have been cultivating the partnership to develop deeper engagement with Latino and Spanish speaking communities in the South. This partnership will help to foster greater access to the region’s resources for this community and greater participation in ROOTS.

I would also like to take this opportunity to engage the membership’s creativity and inspiration as we prepare to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Alternate ROOTS. As a major part of the celebration ROOTS will produce its first national festival in Baltimore, MD on June 22-26, 2011.

Once again, I welcome you all to the 34th Annual Meeting of Alternate ROOTS. Hopefully you will leave on Sunday full, collectively carrying with you the mission and vision of ROOTS. It radiates in our art, our partnerships, and our relationship with community. It is who we are.

With peace and love,

Carlton TurnerExecutive Director

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WELCOME!To the Alternate ROOTS Annual Meeting! From Our A.M. Co-Coordinators

Greetings,

I have enjoyed being back in the role of AM co-coordinator this year, after a hiatus of 6 years, and am looking forward to a week filled with lots and lots of art and art making! Little did I know how much my life would shift and change when I made the decision back in 1997 to attend my first full ROOTS AM. But since that

first magical time, my entire life has been upended and I have come to see the world through ROOTS-colored lenses. As we explore the notions of aesthetics and diversity and the rich tapestry of conversations that will surely flow from this intersection, I encourage you to embrace the magic of our intentional community, and imagine how you might find all of the ways it may continue to live after we say our farewells at the end of the week. And don’t forget to sleep….

D. Patton White

Welcome to the 34th Annual Meeting. This marks my 3rd Annual Meeting and my first time coordinating the event. This year, I am excited the we are embarking on a three year “aesthetics of diversity” initiative, continuing our “undoing racism” work and partnering with NALAC. Artists and cultural workers are in a prime position to address

issues facing local communities all over the South and the world. I look forward to feeling your art, engaging in probing conversations with you, and sharing visions about how art and culture are driving forces to make this world a better place.

In peace, art, and justice,Ebony Noelle Golden

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There are several different programs and services offered to Alternate ROOTS members. These programs have been developed by the membership in response to the needs of the field of community-based artists. Through these programs, ROOTS has impacted over 1,500,000 people in the Southeast over the past 30 years.

Annual Meeting (AM) The Annual Meeting is the cornerstone program for Alternate ROOTS. It is a 5-day gathering of artists, activists, educators, youth, organizers, and cultural workers – many of whom are ROOTS Board Members – that provides professional development, networking, peer review of artistic projects, and opportunities for making art. This is the annual business meeting of the Board of ROOTS and is open to the public.

Community/Artists Partnership Program (C/APP) C/APP is an annual grant that supports and promotes community-based residencies by providing resources of information, funds, and training to foster and support collaborations between artists and community-based organizations. ROOTS artists’ grassrootsorganizing methods are integral to C/APP projects and establish collaborations designed to give voice to community members, to empower individuals and communities who previously felt disenfranchised, to celebrate local and regional histories and culture, and/ or to build progressive change.

Resources for Social Change (RSC) RSC is a training program of Alternate ROOTS devoted to teaching, sharing and exchanging ideas, methods and techniques for creating social change through the arts. The work that ROOTS member-artists do requires a commitment to forging equal partnerships with community members. Forging these equal partnerships demands a wide set of skills not usually taught in arts academies: deep listening; acceptance of differences; the ability to communicate across culture, race, gender, age, ability, and class; creativity and flexibility when faced with challenges; negotiation and conflict resolution skills; and the ability to share power equitably.

Artistic Assistance Alternate ROOTS’ commitment to supporting the growth of individual artists extends to facilitating their evolution by providing funding for collaborations, workshops, travel and additional skill building endeavors. The Artistic Assistance Program bridges the fissure between grant sources and individual artists. Artistic Assistance gives small grants, which range from $250 - $1000, designed to provide both veteran and emerging artists with a source of critical funding to deepen and explore their creativity.

Showcases and Festivals Festivals are designed to showcase the work of Alternate ROOTS members to a larger population of Southern citizenry, as well as foster a deeper relationship among, artists, presenters, educators, community activists and youth. Through festivals, Alternate ROOTS provides a forum for artists to expand their connection within Southern communities. Festivals also provide nontraditional and emerging presenters, who would otherwise make more “commercial” choices, an opportunity to bring professional community-based artists to their venues. Additionally, non-traditional organizations are enabled to become presenters for the first time.

PROGRAMS

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IMPORTANT INFO(You might want to know about what you’ve gotten yourself into…)

The ROOTS Annual Meeting is a fun, challenging, and life-altering gathering for many people. Because this is an experiential event, it may be difficult to describe the Annual Meeting to someone who has not attended before. Below are some questions to answer some of the things that might come up if this is your first Annual Meeting.

In case of an emergency, what do I do?If the incident is in fact a real emergency, please consider that 911 might be the fastest and safest first line of defense. After that, or perhaps instead of, here are some other helpful numbers:

Ebony Golden, AM Co-Coordinator, 919-423-3780Patton White, AM Co-Coordinator, 404-441-9243Shannon Turner, Manager of Programs & Services, 540-552-3482Carlton Turner, ROOTS Executive Director, 601-473-6074Lutheridge Guest Services (a staff member is always carrying that phone), 828-606-5684.Parkridge Hospital 100 Hospital Drive Hendersonville, NC 28792, 828-684-8501 (closest hospital),Mission Hospital 509 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC 28801, 828-213-1111

Who attends the Annual Meeting?Artists, cultural workers, educators, art supporters and activists/organizers, as well as many others from throughout the South, other parts of the US, and even some international friends, attend the Annual Meeting. Participants are people who want to meet and learn about the work of community-based artists making change happen. They are people who want to learn new methods of interacting with their communities; people who want to work towards the elimination of all forms of oppression; and people who are concerned about the/their environment.

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Who will be performing?Check out the Studios and Performances sections for a full line-up of who will be featured this year. In addition to a dynamic performance schedule, there are also informal opportunities for attendees to perform. Mini-performances are a regular feature of business meetings, and late-night cabaret/open-mic sessions are open to anyone who has something to share. These performances are an integral part of a ROOTS gathering.

Is there wireless access? How will I check my e-mail?!?!?Yes, there is wireless access in Efird Hall and in the Faith Center. If you do not have a computer there are plenty of folks who have laptops that are very generous and will let you borrow to check your email. AND we encourage you to be a low-tech as you can this week. It can be a lovely thing to step away from your computer for a week.

Can I drink at the Annual Meeting?Yes – if you’re over 21. We like to let loose around here. We do, however, have a few things for you to keep in mind. Not everyone drinks or feels comfortable around drinking, either because of personal/health choices, religious convictions, or any other reason. Please be discreet about your alcohol consumption and do not push it on others. Additionally, not everyone at the AM is over 21. There will be alcohol-alternative events planned in the late evenings, which you can participate in, even if you just want to take a break from Late Night. Legally, we want to make sure that we look after each other – please don’t do something that would jeopardize the organization’s liability.

The pool is open from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. every day on Tuesday - Saturday.

POOL HOURS

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SCHEDULETUESDAY AUGUST 10, 2010

TIME LOCATION EVENT12:00 - 1:00 Lineberger Hall Lunch12:00 - 7:00 Faith Center Registration2:00 - 3:00 Efird Hall Work Co-op Team Captains Meeting4:30 - 5:30 Mission Hall Youth Village Gathering/Orientation (All Parents, Guardians, Staff and Youth)4:00 - 5:00 Lineberger Hall ROOTS 101 & Work Co-opTeam Meetings5:00 - 5:45 Efird Hall Opening Night Reception6:00 - 7:00 Lineberger Hall Dinner7:30 - 10:00 Faith Center All-Conference Session: Opening Night Celebration10:30 - 11:30 Lineberger Hall ROOTS 101 - Fireside Chat10:00 - Until Efird Hall Late Night

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SCHEDULEWEDNESDAY AUGUST 11, 2010

TIME LOCATION EVENT7:30-8:30 Efrid Energize Your Roots: Reflective Movement with Heather Lee8:00 - 9:30 Lineberger Hall Continental Breakfast9:00 - 12:00 Faith Center Registration

STUDIOS 9:00 - 11:00 Efird Hall (upstrs) American Fruits with African Roots (Cultural arts traditions of African dance, music, and storytelling)9:00 - 11:00 Thornburg (dwnstrs) Money Matters: Financial Tools & Coaching to Empower Individual Artists & Small Organizations9:00 - 11:45 Faith Center (divider rm.) La Pasorela de Yakima: 3 years, 2 languages, Many lessons learned9:00-11:00 Khonjoy (dwnstrs) May I see your ID (session 1)9:00-11:45 Faith Center (main rm.) An Ecological Approach to Community Accountable Arts Education/Case Study: Eternal Summer of the Black Feminist Mind11:30 - 12:45 Lineberger Hall Brunch - Featured Visual Artist: Melisa Cardona1:00 - 1:45 Siesta 1:00 - 1:45 Efird Hall (upstrs) Energize Your ROOTS: Zumba with Marquetta Dupree1:00 - 2:00 Faith Center (divider rm.) Liz Lerman Critical Response Facilitation Training with RSC2:00 - 5:00 Faith Center Registration2:30 - 5:30 Faith Center All-Conference Session: Business Meeting 5:30 - 5:45 Faith Center Performance: The Breath of the Stones by Sarah Turquety and Ingrid Obled5:30 - 6:30 Faith Center Registration6:00 - 6:30 Lineberger Hall Work Co-op Team Captains Meeting6:00 - 6:45 Lineberger Hall Dinner

PERFORMANCES 7:30 - 10:00 Faith Center Rhythm & Schmooze by Jane Goldberg Carrying the Motherload by Gabrielle Fulton It Starts With Me...And You by SpiritHouse Mime Explains String Theory by Sheila Kerrigan Down There by S.T. Shimi and Billy Munoz10:00 - Until Various Locations Critical Response & Artist Feedback11:00 - Until Various Locations Late Night

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SCHEDULETHURSDAY AUGUST 12, 2010

TIME LOCATION EVENT7:30 - 8:30 Efird Hall (upstrs) Energize Your Roots: Qi Gong with Elise Witt8:00 - 9:30 Lineberger Hall Continental Breakfast9:00 - 12:00 Faith Center Registration

STUDIOS 9:00 - 11:45 Efird Hall (upstrs) Teo Castellanos: Interdisciplinary Activist, Session 19:00 - 10:30 Thornburg (dwnstrs) Time Management for Over-committed Cultural Workers 9:00 - 10:30 Faith Center (divider rm.) Multimodal New Media: An Experiment in Creative Non-Fiction9:00 - 10:00 Khonjoy (dwnstrs) May I See Your ID?, Session 2 9:00 - 11:00 Faith Center (main rm.) Safe Spaces, Session 1 10:45 - 12:15 Faith Center (divider rm.) Mario Garcio Durham - National Endowment for the Arts11:30 - 12:45 Lineberger Hall Brunch - Featured Visual Artist: Lynn Linnemeier1:00 - 1:45 Siesta 1:00 - 1:45 Efird Hall (upstrs) Energize Your ROOTS: Reflective Movement with Heather Lee2:00 - 5:00 Faith Center Registration2:00 - 2:30 Faith Center Performance: My Mama’s Songs: Canciones de mi Madre by Liza Garza2:30 - 5:30 Faith Center All-Conference: Business Meeting 5:45 - 6:00 Chapel Performance: The Point by Sue Schroeder6:00 - 6:45 Lineberger Hall Dinner6:00 - 6:30 Lineberger Hall Work Co-op Team Captains Meeting

PERFORMANCES 7:30 - 10:00 Faith Center Go Ye Therefore by Artspot Productions Always Expect a Miracle by Just Home in the Mountains Community Performance Project Goddesspell by Pacha Mamas I’ll Remember For You by Lisa Suarez A Different Kind of Listening by Polly Medlicott10:00 - Until Various Locations Critical Response & Artist Feedback10:30 - Until Efird Hall (upstrs) Late Night

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SCHEDULEFRIDAY AUGUST 13, 2010

TIME LOCATION EVENT7:30 - 8:30 Efird Hall (upstrs) Energize Your ROOTS: Reflective Movement with Heather Lee8:00 - 9:30 Lineberger Hall Continental Breakfast9:00 - 12:00 Faith Center Registration

STUDIOS 9:00 - 11:45 Efird Hall (upstrs) Zumba!: Group Dance Fitness That is Uniting Nations9:00 - 11:00 Faith Center (divider rm.) Safe Spaces, Session 29:00 -11:45 Thornburg (dwnstrs) Resources for Social Change 101 9:00 - 10:00 Khonjoy (dwnstrs) May I See your ID?, Session 3 10:15 - 11:45 Khonjoy (dwnstrs) Growing Across Generations9:00 - 11:00 Faith Center (main rm.) World Harmony: Singing in Community 11:40 - 12:00 Various Work Co-opTeam Meetings11:30 - 12:45 Lineberger Hall Brunch - Featured Visual Artist: Ricardo Levins Morales1:00 - 1:45 Siesta 1:00 - 1:45 Efird Hall (upstrs) Energize Your ROOTS: Community Body Work with Melanie St. Ours2:00 - 5:00 Faith Center Registration2:00 - 2:30 Chapel Performance: Loup Garou: A Dialogue about the Gulf Oil Disaster by Nick Slie2:30 - 5:30 Faith Center All-Conference Dreaming Session: ROOTS Fest 2011 - Many Communities, One Voice 5:30 - 5:45 Faith Center Performance: Free Land by Ariel Luckey6:00 - 6:30 Lineberger Hall Work Co-Op Team Captains Meeting6:00 - 6:45 Lineberger Hall Dinner6:30 - 7:00 Courtyard Welcome Block Party, Take 2 Performance

PERFORMANCES 7:30 - 10:00 Faith Center Hooked: Poetry of the Oppressed by Daniel Custodio May I See Your ID? by The Over 60 Collective The Barstool Poets Project: Last Call for Truth by Dino Foxx & Emmanuel Escobar Itagua Meji by Ocean Ana Rising The 6 Project by Chelsea Gregory10:00 - Until Various Locations Critical Response10:30 - 11:30 Lineberger Hall ROOTS 101 - Fireside Chat11:00 - Until Efird Hall (upstrs) Late Night

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SCHEDULESATURDAY AUGUST 14, 2010

TIME LOCATION EVENT7:30 - 8:30 Efrid Energize Your ROOTS, Qi Gong with Elise Witt8:00 - 9:30 Lineberger Hall Continental Breakfast9:00 - 12:00 Faith Center RegistrationSTUDIOS 9:00 - 11:00 Efird Hall (upstrs) Black tap, white tap: how racism has factored into tap dancing (those “Happy Feet”) over the years 9:00 - 11:45 Thornburg (dwnstrs) 9:00 - 11:45 Faith Center (divider rm.) De Word Spoken Amungst We: Talking About the World Through Gullah Geechee Culture 9:00 - 10:30 Khonjoy (dwnstrs) The Practice and Power of Medicinal Art 9:00 - 11:30 Faith Center (main rm.) Aesthetics of You: Theatre of the Oppressed and Engagement 11:30 - 12:45 Lineberger Hall Brunch - Featured Visual Artist: Natalie Cardona1:00 - 1:45 Siesta 1:00 - 2:00 Efird Hall (upstrs) Energize Your ROOTS Hip-hop Dance Break2:00 - 4:00 Faith Center Registration2:00 - 5:30 Faith Center All-Conference Session: Uprooting Racism5:30 - 6:30 Preparations for Closing Celebration5:30 - 6:30 Various Locations Visual Arts Gallery Walk6:30 - 9:30 Picnic Shelter Dinner and Closing Celebration10:30 - Until Efird Closing Night Jam Session

SUNDAY AUGUST 15, 2010TIME LOCATION EVENT8:00 - 9:30 Lineberger Hall Continental Breakfast9:00 - 11:45 Faith Center All-Conference Closing Session Faith Center (divider rm.) Executive Committee Meeting11:30 - 1:30 Entire Camp Operation Cleansweep12:00 - 1:30 Lineberger Hall Left Overs Lunch12:30 PM EVERYONE MUST BE CHECKED OUT OF THEIR ROOMS!

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SPECIAL THANKS!(You might want to know about what you’ve gotten yourself into…)

The membership and staff of Alternate ROOTS would like to extend a very special thanks to the following people, who worked tirelessly for many months to help make this gathering happen. Through conference calls, through tough decisions (and fun ones), we thank you for your hard work.

Ashley SparksCarlton TurnerChip EpstenEbony GoldenEleanor Brownfield

Emery WrightGwylene GallimardLiza GarzaMaria DeleonMelanie Grace Lawrence

Melisa CardonaPatton WhiteRobert “Bobby B” MartinShannon TurnerVictor Payan

We’d also like to thank the Work Co-Op Team Captains for their hours of scheduling and preparation for this awesome way of organizing ourselves:

Billy Munoz, Tech TeamChris Adams, Tech TeamImhotep Dlanod, Kitchen TeamPegah Rahmanian, Hospitality TeamRobert “Bobby B” Martin, Work Co-Op Captain

Shon Sims, ConciergeTammy Clemons, Green TeamTeresa Cunningham, Youth Team

And a final note of thanks. We have been at Camp Lutheridge for six years now because they’re so good to work with and are such a lovely venue for us to do what we do. In particular, Ben, Matt, Suzanne, Pastor Mike, and Neil. You’re the best!

Founded in 1989, the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture (NALAC) is the only national Latino arts service and advocacy organization in the U.S. NALAC serves as a catalyst for the ongoing vitality, diversity, presentation and appreciation of Latino art and culture and provides vital services to thousands of artists and organizations in every region of the country.

NALAC’s programs are dynamic, and they create the conditions to build professional support systems, to advocate for Latino arts sector and to stimulate the creation of innovative new works.

We are excited to be partnering with Alternate Roots and to combine our efforts to better serve the growing and changing cultural landscape of the United States. We look forward to an important dialogue on the aesthetics of diversity at this critical moment in history and to meeting many artists doing valuable work in their communities.

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STUDIOSTo the Alternate ROOTS Annual Meeting! From Our A.M. Co-Coordinators

Studios, also sometimes referred to as workshops, provide attendees to the Annual Meeting the opportunity to work closely with and/or learn from a particular artist or team of artists. In addition to artistic disciplines, studios often relate to a theme, such as arts-in-education, prison-industrial complex, community partnerships, etc. These workshops are professional development opportunities for attendees.

ELISE WITTWorld Harmony: Singing In CommunityLearn more about your own voice, and build community through group singing. Expect songs from many cultures, as well as elements of theater, dance, t’ai chi, yoga, and Alexander technique to combine with vocal exercises and improvisation. Even people who think they “can’t carry a tune in a bucket” in no time find themselves part of a glorious chorus. Music reading is not a prerequisite.

ALEXIS PAULINE GUMBS & JULIA ROXANNE WALLACE

Do you love the community you live in? Do you see your neighbors as your core artistic inspiration? Have you ever dreamt that you could spark creative space in your community without pandering for outside funding? Check out what we’ve learned by creating the Eternal Summer of the Black Feminist Mind in Durham, NC and learn how you can create your own sustainable, impactful community

accountable arts initiative using an ecological approach to community building!

MARQUETTA DUPREEZumba!: Group Dance Fitness that is uniting nationsDitch the workout, join the party! Come and experience the program that is uniting nations. Zumba is dance fitness based in Latin rhythms, but even more than that it is a community building and support tool that is uniting people all over the world. In rhythm, you will dance, sweat, and laugh, while you cha-cha, samba and maybe even do a little hip-hop! Zumba is taking the world by storm, its your turn to join the fun!

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JACK BENTZ, ASHLEY SPARKS, & ERIKA SANCHEZLa Pastorela de Yakima: 3 years, 2 languages, Many Lessons LearnedLa Pastorela: Lessons from a Bilingual Multigenerational Play will reflect on the lessons learned from the community-based story play La Pastorela de Yakima. An Artistic Director with a vision of bridging Latinos and Anglos hires an out-of-town Anglo to direct a bilingual Christmas play - 3 years later the community has transitioned to producing the show without the help of outside artists. This studio will give insights into large group facilitation, grassroots producing, blocking a scene with a room full of toddlers, and talk honestly about the challenges of multi-cultural work. Co-lead by Jack Bentz, Erika Sanchez, and Ashley Sparks.

GWYLENE GALLIMARD & JEAN-MARIE MAUCLETMay I See Your Id?

The studio will first highlight the principles at the base of a call to form a multi-disciplinary collective/ensemble of people over 60 year old, with an attempt to search the space between their generation and youth growing of age in the 21st century. People who have participated in the first step of the process as well as anyone taking the studio will be led to create a 20 minute MULTI-GENERATIONAL piece/presentation that will be performed at the Annual meeting followed by a facilitated feedback session.

LISA MOUNT & MK WEGMANTime Management for Over-committed Cultural Workers Anybody got too much time on their hands? No, didn’t think so. Cultural workers are rarely idle, but not always working at what will do the most good. The more we control our time, the less time controls us, and the greater our artistic and activist achievements are likely to be. Lisa and MK will offer an appropriately brief workshop on knowing the value of your time and using a few key tools to manage it.

SPIRITHOUSE Growing Across GenerationsFounded in 1999, SpiritHouse is a North Carolina based grassroots collective working to support the empowerment and transformation of communities most effected by racism, poverty, gender discrimination and the school to prison pipeline through grassroots programs, cultural arts and community collaborations.

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RICARDO LEVINS MORALESThe Practice and Power of Medicinal ArtIn this studio we will get a taste of “medicinal art.” We’ll learn how to apply the insights of cultural organizing as we would a bag of medicinal herbs: to raise a fever by increasing the polarization of a conflict; to lower a fever; to reawaken community identity or rekindle needed stories; to raise awareness of an issue or build solidarity for those in need of it.

Rather than creating a collective product, we will generate strategies to address challenges that group participants face back home. The goal is to leave with more power than we came in with.

NINA ANGELA MERCER & KIMANI FOWLER/OCEAN ANA RISING, INC.Safe Spaces

The Safe Spaces workshop addresses violent traumas experienced in and on our bodies. Though we are focused on the intimate space of the individual’s body, we understand our communities and world as extensions of ourselves. Thus, Safe Spaces workshops engage the traumas emerging through our experience of war against our physical bodies, hearts,

neighborhoods, and global communities. Safe Spaces uses creative visioning, writing, collage, and performance techniques to engage workshop participants in an artistically inspired space of transformation and healing. The workshop culminates in a collective performance of monologues written by workshop participants inside a set created out of participants’ collage-work.

JOI M. SEARSAesthetics of You: Theatre of the Oppressed and EngagementThe Aesthetics of You is a participatory workshop which examines how an individual engages with the world around them. Combining “Theatre of the Oppressed” with ethnographic theatre techniques developed by playwright/performer Anna Deavere Smith, this workshop provides an investigation into the performing of self.

STUDIOS CONTINUED

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JANE GOLDBERGBlack tap, white tap: how racism has factored into tap dancing (those Happy Feet) over the yearsBlack Tap, White Tap: what is the difference and how race plays a controversial role within this art in US history in the study of this American dance/music form. You are moving the music and dancing the music.

MARIO GARCIA DURHAMNational Endowment for the ArtsJoin Mario Garcia Durham, Director of Artist Communities and Presenting at the NEA, for an update on NEA programs, initiatives and funding opportunities. He will also give tips for applying to the NEA, including best ways to communicate with staff, strategizing for maximum effectiveness. This Studio session is for anyone interested in applying to the NEA and those who wish to improve their organizations grant writing knowledge and capabilities.

NANA AGYEIWAAH ANAN (a-JAY-wa)American Fruits with African Roots (cultural arts traditions of African dance, music, and storytelling)The proposed “American Fruits with African Roots” studio is a lively and exciting series of 60-120 minute music, movement and storytelling workshops, conducted by Nana Agyeiwaah Anan (a-JAY-wa), accompanied by percussionist/vocalist, Nyame Nti Nsarewaya. They will culminate in a 45-60 minute performance that furthers the audience’s experience of African culture, through dance, music and folklore. This production furthers Dance To A Different Drum’s mission of building communities, through our work with other organizations, celebrating and bringing about a knowledge and understanding of African culture by presenting it in a way that American audiences can understand.

TEO CASTELLANOSInterdiciplinary ActivistParticipants in this workshop will use personal experience, ritual, spirituality, reach across not only cultural lines, but lines of discipline, from theater to dance to writing/poetry and music. Participants will not only bring their cultural and knowledge of their discipline to the group, but will also take risk venturing outside of their own art form sharing the power of give and take and their experience of working in communities. Michael Chekhov Technique as well as the Zen Pedagogy that Teo has been developing with his company will influence this work. These different disciplines and experiences will come together to create an original short performance piece by the conclusion of the workshop.

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STUDIOS CONTINUED

CHRISTINE LURIEMultimodal New Media: An Experiment in Creative Non-FictionMultimodal New Media: An Experiment in Creative Nonfiction is a writing studio for all artists. The goal is to discuss alternative and experimental writing styles that involve multimedia. Traditional writing styles can be very restrictive; the writing encouraged here will not be. Come and engage in a discussion on what writing is and can be, from plain text to hypertext, embedded links, and beyond. We don’t all speak the same way. Why shouldn’t our writing be just as varied too?

GARY L. MOORE & DENISE DELGADODe Word Spoken Amungst We: Talking About the World Through Gullah Geechee CultureFor Gullah Geechee and the 7 Dreams, artist/curator Gary L. Moore curated an exhibition at the Miami-Dade Public Library based on his perceptions of the Gullaj/Geechee culture of his childhood in Pee Dee, South Carolina. The exhibition was part of an ongoing project making connections between Gullah culture, spirituality, African-American history, art and issues of gentrification and community development. In this studio, Moore and Library curator Denise Delgado will talk bout the project, screen a documentary video of the event De Word Spoken Amongst We: Talking About the World Through the Gullah-Geechee Culture, and invite participants into a community discussion and art workshop about the themes of the project.

ALISHA TONSICMONEY MATTERS: Financial Tools & Coaching to Empower Individual Artists & Small OrganizationsOffered through the Network of Ensemble Theaters’ ABCs (All-Together Building Capacity) professional development series for independent artists and those working in laterally-structured groups, MONEY MATTERS includes a workshop and one-on-one coaching sessions. Using participatory exercises, the workshop empowers you to better manage the financial “business” of your artmaking and community work, sharing basic tools for: budgeting your income, expenses and cash flow; organizing & keeping track of the money connected to your work; and using your recordkeeping to make better choices. Workshop participants can sign up for one-on-one coaching sessions to ask specific questions or explore particular issues in a private setting.

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LOGISTICS OF A GREEN EVENTIn recent years, Alternate ROOTS has increased its efforts to “green” the Annual Meeting and minimize the collective ecological footprint of a multi-day gathering with a large number of people. Sustainability is basically the principle of providing for our needs in a manner that does not compromise meeting the needs for future generations. But, it is also about more than environmental issues and impacts. The three-legged stool is a common analogy that describes the three equally important components of holistic sustainability: ecological, economic, and social sustainability.

Alternate ROOTS is of and for the earth, and it clearly embodies a community working for social sustainability by addressing oppression and injustice and celebrating diversity and creative expression. ROOTS also strives for economic and social sustainability through universal Work Co-op assignments, which provide the essential operational functions of the meeting and offer a non-hierarchical structure that does not burden low-income participants with the bulk of the work. So, it is only natural that Alternate ROOTS, as an organization and individual members, act collectively and intentionally to make practical efforts toward making the Annual Meeting as ecologically sustainable as possible.

One of the Work Co-op options is the Green Team, which is primarily responsible for coordinating the camp-wide composting and recycling and general awareness of green practices and opportunities. However, it is important to think of the overall community we build this week as members of the Green Team because we are all responsible for conserving energy and water, reducing waste, and putting compost, recycling, and garbage in their proper places. The Logistics Page includes tips for how individual participants can prepare to make a difference before arriving. There will also be numerous resources and opportunities to learn more and do your part throughout the Annual Meeting.

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A WORD FROM THE CHAIRArtists are frequently called dreamers. I’d like to push that a little farther and say we are Visionaries. In the midst of crisis we are the ones that birth joy, carry the tears and stories of our communities, and challenge systems to be reinvented. We see what is possible, do what is impossible and create fantastical worlds that reflect new ways of living. We are divine alchemists in our

communities creating space for stories and boldly honest expression.

The Annual Meeting is time to be among Dreamers, Visionaries, Alchemists. It is time for us to embody our values and for 5 days generate the world we want to see on a grand scale. A world that embraces the multiplicity of identity, the intricacies of communication, and delights in differences. A world full of creativity and art-making!

Welcome to the Annual Meeting – I hope that you connect with alchemists, experience transformative epiphanies, and take the risk to create and collaborate to generate at least a small moment of visionary art!

Ashley SparksAlternate ROOTS Board Chair

We are excited that several performances and showings this year are requesting talk-backs that extend beyond the traditional Critical Response Process we have provided in the past. The artists have challenged us to hold more action-oriented conversations and less critique at the conclusion of their performances. Ebony Golden has been working with several organizations this year to develop a concept that she has therefore named “Cultural Arts Direct Action” which looks at how creatives are combining traditional organizing and art-making to pursue political and social shifts in local communities. The CADA Series is dedicated to providing a space for community to consider the role of “radical creative expression” in current social justice movements.

1. Loup Garou: A Dialogue about the Gulf Oil Disaster by MondoBizarro and ArtSpot Productions (New Orleans, LA)

2. A New Kind of Listening: Community Arts, Able-ism, and Experimental Theater by Polly Medlicott (Asheville, NC)

3. History Live: Racism, Legacy, and Personal Responsibility by The Conciliation Project (Richmond, VA)

CULTURAL ARTS DIRECT ACTION FORUM SERIES

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GLOSSARY OF TERMSAn Alternate ROOTS

ROOTS has a 30+ year history of creating and defining language. Here are a few things you might hear, though not all of these terms are ROOTS-specific:

All-Conference Session: Creative program updates and evaluations; conducting organizational business, surveying the field; planning the future and clarifying our vision; voting in new members. All meeting attendees, no matter how new they are to the organization, are encouraged to participate.

Critical Response: Annual Meetings give members the chance to perform their original work, see other member’s work, and to participate in the Critical Response Process (created by Liz Lerman); a powerful, but user-friendly technique designed to provide artists with critical feedback on works-in-progress.

Ex Com: The “Executive Committee” of ROOTS is frequently referred to as the “Ex Com.” The Ex Com is comprised of elected representatives, a slate of officers, and the staff.

Late Night: Based on an open mic or cabaret format, Late Night is an opportunity for you to get up and show some of your stuff. Totally casual and off-the-cuff, Late Night is a place where our night owls come together to share poetry, dance, skits, monologues, blog entries, whatever you want to show. Each evening has a host/hostess/hosting team and that’s who you would speak to about getting on the list.

Letter of Interest (LOI): Often granting organizations, such as foundations, ask for an initial 2-3 page letter introducing the organization, the project idea, and briefly outlining what a full request for funds would go toward. If the funder likes the LOI, a full application will be recommended.

Mini-performances: During “Good Morning ROOTS,” you will have the option of using up to 5 minutes to perform, talk about, or demonstrate in any way you see fit, just what it is you’re up to when you’re not attending meetings.

Open Space: A meeting technique that acknowledges your power to set your own agenda. Come prepared to share with one another. Studios, workshops, discussion sessions, and performances will all happen during time designated as Open Space.

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Region: ROOTS has a 14 state service area, plus the District of Columbia. Our service area has been subdivided into regions, which are MD/VA/WV/DC, KY/TN/NC, GA/SC/AL, FL, LA/MS, TX/AK.

Request for Proposals (RFP): When a funder is announcing a new round of grant opportunities, or has a project to announce, they will sometimes broadcast throughout the field what is known as an RFP. The RFP typically gives a brief introduction to the foundation, describes the funding program, outlines the timeline for due dates and announcements, has contact info, and occasionally features some frequently asked questions.

Rhizome: Taken from a horticultural term that relates to plants that grow through their “root structure,” rhizomes are small groupings of ROOTS members and friends who convene and participate in ROOTS-related activities across the region. Rhizome events are generally coordinated through ROOTS Regional Representatives. A Rhizome is often a smaller grouping within a region, ex.: GA/AL/SC = Region, Charleston = Rhizome activity.

Spontaneous performance/happenings/combustion: Also known as “gettin’ ROOT-y.” We occasionally burst out into song during the middle of a meal, create an impromptu performance on the way to the pool, or make a sculpture of tin cans. You don’t need permission to join this sort of thing – you just have to give yourself permission.

Strategic Planning: This is the process of setting priorities and new directions for an organization. These priorities will serve as a road map for future programmatic decisions. Every 3-5 years ROOTS evaluates and sets new directions. This year we will be spending some time in an all-conference session in order to discuss and ratify our new strategic plan. All meeting attendees, no matter how new they are to the organization, are encouraged to participate.

Studios: Studios, also sometimes referred to as workshops, provide attendees to the Annual Meeting the opportunity to work closely with and/or learn from a particular artist or team of artists. In addition to artistic disciplines, studios often relate to a theme, such as arts-in-education, prison-industrial complex, community partnerships, etc. These workshops are professional development opportunities for attendees.

Ann BrawleyAshley Sparks

Atlanta RhizomeBailey BarashBecca Young

Beth Heidelberg Bob Kilby

Camille Shafer Carol Burch-Brown Carpetbag TheatreChris DoerflingerClyde McelveneDaniel BrawleyDeane Brown

Ed Kilby

Gwylene GallimardHannah Vaughan & Norm

RobinsonJasmine Coles

Jean CookJean-Marie Mauclet

Joan Kerrigan Judi JenningsJudith DeWitt

Kathie deNobriga Latonnya Wallace

LeKia HallLeslye Joy Allen

Linda KeslerLisa Mount

Lucinda FlodinMK Wegman

Omari FoxRodger French

Schley CoxShannon TurnerSheila Kerrigan

Stephen T ClappTeo Castellano

Tim Miller Tom Kilby

Toni ShifaloVanessa Manley

The Annual Meeting Program was designed by Kai Porter (www.kaiporter.com) Cover design by Ricardo Levins Morales

SPECIAL THANKS!The 34th Annual Meeting of Alternate ROOTS is made possible through support from the following:

Throughout the year, Alternate ROOTS is supported by: