Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Califa Celebrates 20 year Capoeira legacy at the Malonga Center


20 YEAR CAPOEIRA LEGACY AT THE HISTORIC MALONGA CENTER 
<FREE CLASSES OFFERED BY OMULU CAPOEIRA KINTUARI >
CAPOEIRA*DANCE*BATIZADO*MACULELE*MASTER INSTRUCTOR

FREE Dance Class 6:30p-8:00p Afro Brasilian, 
Fri. DEC. 13, 2013, 2nd flr Studio A - LIVE Drums!
Oakland, CA --  Maintaining a deep connection with Omulu Capoeira, pioneered by Mestre Preguiça 30 years ago,  Regina Califa strives to  cultivate these traditions and its sustenance at the Malonga Center, lead by Anthony Busca Hé Fidel since 2006 along with the leadership of Mestre Preguiça now based in Los Angeles; Miss Califa was initiated into the roda in the late 90's under the aegis of Mestre Carlos Gilberto Aceituno, dynamic teacher and illustrious founder of the Oakland "Kintuari" chapter in 1993. The chapter's name Kintuari [Unity] was adorned by the late  Ta Malonga Casquelourd, a close friend and colleague of Mestre Carlos' Mestre Preguiça. It reflects the visionary efforts by Mestre Carlos to bridge inter-chapter relations with community engagement, giving special attention to Youth empowerment, instrumental in catapulting the organization's presence as a well-rounded portal for  training in Capoeira, Youth programming and the Arts.  JOIN 20 year Omulu Capoeira- Kintuari chapter and leading Omulu Instructors in this Community  GIVE in the Spirit of its legacy past, present and future. Axe Omulu

 Check FULL schedule below for more of the weekend of activities.
Classes & Batizado at:
Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts
1428 Alice St. 2nd floor, Studio A - Oakland, CA
Stop by the Omulu Capoeira Kintuari Office for a visit.

Coordinator: Anthony Fidel“ Instrutor Busca Hé”

Fri. December 13, 2013
*5:00p-6:15p Youth Capoeira 
*6:30p-8:00p Afro Brasilian Dance with Regina Califa

▹8:15p-10:00p  Master Class with Mestre Preguiça

Sat. December 14, 2013
*4:00p-5:15p Maculele with Professor Espantalho

▹5:30p-7:00p Master Class with Mestre Preguiça

7:15p - 8:15p Open Roda

Sun. December 15, 2013
*10:00a-2:00p Batizado e Troca de Cordas 
*Free to public, donations accepted.
Supporting Instructors:
Eugene King "Professor Espantalho", Raul Nevarez "Professor Pica Pau", 
Uriel Arauz "Instrutor Uriel", & Daniel Rosse "Graduado Apache"

Monday, November 25, 2013

AGO Ire'o Monday - Honoring 'dem

Friday, November 15, 2013

nzo.califa's POWER of 3 campaign gets SWAY motion!

Sheer gratitude for Sway Calloway of "Sway In The Morning Show" SHADE45 (Sirius XM Radio) for powering up Our campaign with a Facebook post of support this morning.

Funding for Our #NOLA kinship supports 23 students K-12 to participate for the 1st time in New Orleans Fringe Festival Nov. 21-24: http://www.gofundme.com/Negras-Quilombolas

_____________________
UPDATES 


#NOLA Teaching-Artist/ Producer wins for 23 Youth in Arts Campaign Success!
Just yesterday Friday, November 16th nzo.califa Dance Works joined powerful #Dance-building movements through harvesting our network resources to get on board to the #Powerof3.  One of our target cohorts "Negras Quilombolas" initiated by Ja'neese Brooks-Galathe of New Orleans, rally's support from New Orleans loyal Community supporters to online efforts launched through a 30-day GoFundMe crowd funder on Facebook. With a celebrated $2151.00 raised to date, even until its last day Ja'neese stays in gratitude with faith unwavering encouraging the #GIVE and forges ahead...


7Pm - Nov. 15th

and overnight
GOOOAAAAALLLL!!!


We were all overjoyed, none more than  Ms. Ja'nese, loyal New Orleans supporters and throughout.   More great news delivered by @Shine_Agent on Twitter - Negras Quilombolas  is highlighted as a "BEST PICK" at the New Orleans Fringe Festival. #Stellar


Here's WHY we all support Negras Quimbolas... Boa Sorte Ja'neese and Marcio com muito Axe' and to the 23 Youth on #SHINE at the New Orleans Fringe Festival and Family Fringe Festival 2013.
November 20th - 24th, 2013...



        www.nofringe.org                                          Negras Quilombolas Campaign

Thursday, November 14, 2013

GIVE to the POWER OF 3 in #Dance Motion - #OAK, #NOLA, #STL

nzo.califa Dance Works is excited to align with such creative and powerful #Dance movements in Community-building, preserving legacies for generations today and next. Please extend beyond an arm's reach and exercise your GIVE with kinship alike. Knowing that the journey along the way yields the best rewards, help these Leaders reach their intended GOAL where everybody wins!  ~A Heartfelt thanks.

*live links for each project below, just read & then click*
abunDANCE Donor Campaign empowering the GIVE revitalizing philanthropic efforts in our Community

*campaigns listed in order of time-sensitivity
_____________________
#New Orleans 
Negras Quimbolas: http://www.gofundme.com/Negras-Quilombolas 
#Oakland  
Dancestory2013: http://youtu.be/1nQfV3evqBI/
#St. Louis 
80 to Sustain: Katherine Dunham Museum: http://kdcah.org/membership-giving/

# in gratitude

Thursday, October 31, 2013

All SOULS Dia de los Fet Gede e Malonga - WAH!

Baron Samedi-Haitian and his purple'd lovelies - Artist: Gerard Fortune *
 compiled by nzo.califa Dance Works - in Go[o]d Spirit of the Season

Sat. 10.26 4p-9p_Finehouse Art Collective - 3192 St, MLK-Ashby BART 
#OAK Wanda Kruda, La Prima & Collette Eloi & El Wah Movement 

Fri/Sat. Nov. 1st-3rd |Fet Gede Mko nou c Vodou | FB: "maknoucvodou"
Jacmel, Haiti 8 Rue de E'glise | entre la Place et la Cathédrale

Fri. Nov.01 7:15p-8:45_Ms. Blanche Brown's Afro Haitian Dance 
#SFO ODC Dance Commons - 351 Shotwell St | nr 16th st BART
Fri. Nov.01 6p-11p_Plezi Gede - DROM 85 Avenue A | regine@haiticulturalx.org
#NYC Haitian Cultural Exchange, La Troupe Makandal & Makini Sacred Arts
Fri. Nov. 01 10p-until Tap Tap Restaurant - Haitian Cuisine/Culture 
819 5th Street Miami Beach, FL

Fri. Nov.01 4p_33rd Gede Ceremony 7p 3319 Rosalie Alley off Rampart: btwn Piety/Desire
#NOLA The Island of Salvation Botanica & Magical Pharmacie/ La Source Ancienne Ounfo 

SAT. Nov.02 4p-11p Altar Installations @Garfield Park 26th/Harrison; 
#SFO Procession begins-7P 22nd/Bryant |Donate for St. Anthony Foundation-Food/Shelter-www.stanthonysf.org 

SAT. Nov.02 Westen Addition 6P meet @Marcus Books -1712 Fillmore St
#SFO 7P Art, Muisic, SOULfood-Wellness @ New Liberation Comm'ty Garde - 1100 Divis/Eddy

Sat.Nov.02 Fet Gede-3p Hosted by Karen/Doug: 444 South Main St, Adrian, MI
Between the Waters Society, Co-chairs| info: sapphire49221@gmail.com

Sun. Nov.03 2pm-7pm_Celebrating 10 yrs RTL-Fet Gede, Humanist Hall 390 27th st
#OAK Dance, Drum & Song  [btwn Telegraph & Broadway] www.raratoulimen.com

JOIN IN THE CELEBRATION:
Fua Dia Congo's motto: Wa Dia Fua Yika Dio 
"What You inherit You must add value to."
Fua Dia Congo Presents:
A Celebration of Music, Dance, Art & Culture and the enduring 
Spirit of Ta Malonga Casquelourd (1947-2003)

NOVEMBER 1st - 4th 2013 
Palo Alto, Oakland, San Francisco 
California, Paris, Congo
Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts
1428 Alice St - Oakland, CA 94612
info: Fuadiacongo@ymail.com | 510.629-9FUA [9382]
**********************
Opening Reception -FRI, NOV. 1, 2013, 6-8PM
with Live Music & Screening of Classic Footage from
...
the Malonga VAULT
Imagine Affairs Gallery
408 14th St, OAKland, CA 94612
Suggested Donation: $15
***********************

“From 51st & Telegraph to 1428 Alice St.” Saturday’s 

Historic Congolese DANCE CLASS with The Posse! 
SAT, NOV. 2nd, 1:00-2:30p
 The Malonga Center 
Studio A
Class Fee: $12/$10 (The Posse: Ms. Leona, Ms. Leslie, 
Ms. Constance, Ms. Arnita, Ms. Liza)
*******************************************
MalongaFEST Official Party
(SAT) NOVEMBER 2, 2013, 9pm-2am (21 & Up) Bella Ultra Lounge, 

561 11th St, Oakland, CA 
 *Special Malonga Casquelourd B-Day Celebration*
************************

Master WKSP w/ International Guest Artist Willy Loketo Show
(SUN) November 3, 2013, 12-1:30pm
Malonga Center: Studio A | Workshop: $15
**************************
 

MalongaFEST Closing Event
(MON) Nov. 4, 2013, 7:30-9:30pm
Master Workshop with Surprise Instructors
Malonga Center -Studio A, 
Workshop Fee: $20 
                                               #                                    #                           #

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Celebrate Landmark 40th Anniversary with Bay Area Cultural Institution!



A Message from the Artistic Director of Dimensions Dance Theatre -
Ms. Deborah Vaughan, Cultural Visionary:


Dimensions Dance Celebrates 40: Community Dance Revelry!

Oakland, CA [Sept.12th] The Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts, known as the Bay Area portal and home to legacy companies of African and African Diaspora Arts and Culture, culture place where the works of  Bay Area Cultural architects in the field of "multi-ethnic Dance and Drum forms thrive and known for its signature programming, keeping its Oakland Bay Area location as a hotspot for building Dance, Drum and Culture.

One such company, Dimensions Dance Theatre raises its banner commemorating 40 years strong 1973-2013: kicking HIGH, turning FAST, building, creating and elevating along the way! 
The Company presents a Dance Concert Performance Celebration, Sat. Oct. 5th at 8p.

Celebration at 40 affirms Dimensions’ vital legacy as one of the most long-lived and fruitful products 
of the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and 70s,” says Deborah Vaughan, founder of Dimensions 
Dance Theater. “We look forward to our next phase of artistic creativity and activism.”
DDT40: Down the Congo Line Instructors/Choreo: Cheo Rojas (Cuban), Kayos Makaya(Congo), Latanya d. Tigner (New Orleans), Founder/Artistic Director (DDT40) Ms. Deborah Vaughan & Isaura Oliveira (Brazilian).


Class finale lead Kayos Makaya: Movement rhythms of Kingoli, Zebola-bridging traditional w/ social stylings

DDT40: Down the Congo Line: Community Dance revelry


Sharing its Artistic wealth, #DDT40 celebrations will take place in San Francisco. SAT. OCT. 5th, 2013
Dimensions Dance Theater presents
Celebration at 40 in association w/YBCA
Sat, Oct 5, 8 PM | 
YBCA Forum
General: $25 in Advance / $30 @the Door
Get your tickets: bit.ly/16ebb8Y
Don't miss "When the Saints Go Marching In" Buy your ticket, reserve your seat today! 
Bring your fan, tam' or shaker and 
I'll see you at the celebrations. 
~R.Califa, nzo.califa Dance Works
*A Special thank you to DDT's Sonya Tigner for foto assistance, and DDT for logo use courtesy.
For Sponsor and Donor interests, please visit campaign in progress: #DDT40

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Bay Pioneers of Haitian Dance honored at RTL's Rasanble 2013


July/2013 | Oakland, CA --Humanist Hall: An intimate night of honor featuring an Honorary Dance Tribute to Blanche Brown & Lynn Coles, Pioneers in Traditional Haitian Dance Traditions * featuring Rara Tou Limen & former members of Blanche Brown's Petit La Croix. Warmly encrusted with the special ingredients that make a night like this so special. Rasanble2013 did not disappoint as participants entered the space displaying that which makes Haitian Cultural Arts, Community and the people so special. Joined in kinship via Congo SQ West Kinship Society was pleased to serve as Community partner and took on another year serving as Madamemosille of ceremonies while cohort Janeen Johnson midwifed the evening with production expertise, bearing a special love for Rasanble and its leadership.

Rara Tou Limen Haitian Performing Company led the evening with its signature "Rebirth"  choreography, dancing Yanvalou leaving the space transformed into temple with an ethereal presence and warm glow. Special highlights included veteran members of Haitian Dance Company Petit La Croix as it had been a decade since this reconvening - stomping the yard with poignancy and fierce grace, surprising their beloved teacher and honoree -
Ms. Blanche Brown. Below is the photo of this legacy moment.


 Honoring Legacy of  Master Artist/Teacher Ms. Blanche Brown w/Petit La Croix Alumni

RTL Directors Portsha & Daniel praise their supporters

P. Jefferson w/ Legacy Haitian/Dunham technique Teacher
Ms. Lynn Coles


  • Haiti Cultural Exchange Report Back [Video Montage + Personal Testimonies]   wwith Daniel Brevil and 2013 participants 
  • Performance with Rara Tou Limen Dance & Drum Performing Company along with RTL Kanaval Group '13.
  • Master Folkloric Dance Classes were conducted by Blanche Brown & special guest
  • Haitian Artists Mona Estime Amira Pierre-Richard Leurbourg
  • Rara Tou Limen Directors led KIDS! Folkloric Dance, Artistic Director, Portsha Jefferson 
  • Drum Circle & Vodou Song Class Master Drummer, Daniel "Brav" Brevil
  • Basic Kreyol taught by Sandrine Malary 
  • Community spotlight on Zanmi Lakay: Supporting street children in Haiti through Education, Outreach, and Community Photography Programs for over 15 years.
         Learn more about Rara Tou Limen at www.raratoulimen.com


Sunday, June 30, 2013

Take 5 - Bay African Diaspora Dance Panel at EDF

lft to rt: Festival Co-Director, C.K. Ladzekpo; Deborah Vaughan Founder, Dimensions Dance Theatre;
Colette Eloi, Artistic Director, El Wah Movement; Ms. Blanche Brown, Haitian Dance Pioneer; Latanya
Tigner, Director Dimensions Extensions/Dancer-Dimensions Dance Theatre |photo cr: Jan McDermott
TAKE5
SF-EDF2013
YBCA - LAM Theater
"...when I think of the African Diaspora, I think of it in terms of movement."

Dance Pioneer Ms. Blanche Brown, reflects upon seeing her Aunt dancing the jitterbug in the 40's as she further comments that African Diaspora people have,

"... an Ancestral memory in our body that makes us move in a certain way." 

june 29, 2013_San Francisco, CA -- Ms. Blanche's formal training of African Diaspora Dance was under the aegis of Dance Educator, Cultural Ambassador Ms. Nontsizi Cayou, whose formidable spirit principled the campaign, which led to the formation of San Francisco State University's Department of Dance in 1986. This groundbreaking feat represents pioneering efforts in creating some of the country's first degree programs, offering concentrations in both Performance/Choreography and Dance Ethnology.  Professor Cayou was also the founder of the Wajumbe Cultural Institute, located in the heart of San Francisco’s Western Addition neighborhood at the African and African-American Center for Art and Culture.1

Serving as the preclude to the evening festivities, the panel was moderated by Ethnic Dance Festival Co-Director C.K. Ladzekpo, 40-year Bay Area Cultural Architect. Topics covered interpretations of the term “Diaspora”, questions about African Dance technique and shared histories of African Diaspora Dance in the Bay Area, through the perspectives of its esteemed panelists. Award winning choreographer and Cultural visionary Deborah Vaughan placed Diaspora dance beginnings in the Bay Area as far back as the 30's, citing the Dance trek of luminary Ms. Ruth Beckford, an Oakland native who was discovered by Dance Pioneer Katherine Dunham and toured professionally, thus ushering her upon the path of African Diaspora Dance. Ms. Beckford also was the founder of the first recreational modern dance department in the United States at the Oakland Parks and Recreation Department and the founder of the first African-Haitian dance schools in Oakland and San Francisco.2 
Ms. Vaughan also cited Ms. Dunham's acclaimed artistic works in Dance performance often translating her field works from abroad into staged works upon Theatre, on Television, scholarly Institutes and protests--the World was truly her stage and garnered generations of captivated audiences, while leaving a legacy of Dance training through “Dunham technique” for which all the panelists were aptly trained.

Dimensions 40-year legacy boasts the works of Latanya Tigner, whose first Dance experience was with Ms. Deborah Vaughan at Contra Costa College. She furthered these works into a shared role as an Arts Administrator and Dancer with Dimensions Dance Theatre. Today she is the Director of its 20 year Dimensions Extensions Performance Ensemble, birthed through their Rites of Passage program, providing educational outreach serving primarily African American youth through the Performing Arts.

     "... the sway...the birds and their pattern of flight in the sky, large, bright, beautiful-colored nation of astral bright lights." is the way College Dance Teacher and Dance Choreographer Colette Eloi envisions her native Haiti. She is a Dance faculty member of the legendary Laney College of Oakland, CA and a veteran to Bay Area stages. Impassioned with a deep focus upon differentiating technique and style in her teaching methodology, Colette shared that although she is inspired by contemporary pieces, it's more so those that preserve the traditional meaning. In her Artistic works of Haiti she aims to deconstruct ongoing stigmas that diminish the prosperous notion of what the country, culture and history offers. And through her artistic works she highlights elements that does, like this song in her presentation: 

"Rele Tout Bon Moun Yo" [Call All the Good People]

Colette further informs that utilizing a machete may overtly be seen as an act of violence, yet it is an idea of justice and sometimes it's time to draw-the-line! 

     Although a powerful creative force whose works and Dance speaks, often met in person of quiet demeanor, Ms. Vaughan excitingly espoused jewels of information giving us a glimpse into her creative process about fluidity, exploring how Diaspora agents have survived through music and movement. Ms. Blanche observed how Haitian movement and Dance is getting faster and styles becoming more dynamic, exclaiming,  "...but that's how Dance moves." While Latanya points out that African American contributions to the Diaspora aesthetic are often "missed" her study remains consistent focusing upon Second line and Jazz funeral traditions of New Orleans, and comments that although it is a free-style of movement associated, her Festival choreographic presentation is an extension of these traditions and raises awareness. Upon the closing question posed, 
“How has your Dance changed in the 20 years.” Ms. Blanche espouses how important it is in keeping the Soul and music together and teaches that you must Dance from the inside out – inspirations drawn from her teacher, Nontsizi Cayou.

     Determined to address the urgent comment delivered at the top of discussion by Ms. Vaughan “…the Bay Area has a rich history that needs to be archived.”--As I saluted the Eldership and Colleagues onstage and in the audience, I shared that as this is my inheritance, I too shared a concern in archiving these traditions and Artistic works and raised the question as to what current efforts were underway. I referenced Amara Tabor Smith’s “revival of Ed Mock” which invoked some audience yelps, and went on to inform the assembly about the closing of the Performing Arts Library Museum [P.A.L.M.] and how these files [Ed Mock] are not accessible and currently in storage with other vital files from this community [I actually did perform several searches] and the access remains denied upon a pending re-opening date. Also, I shared my love for libraries, and how I’ve combed through Dance collections across the country inspiring the current #Dancestory2013 project. 
But ALAS! - time shut down any exchange for response. However, two people approached me with a background in library science and a Community Arts advocate willing to collaborate- the crème de la crème?! - A donation towards #Dancestory2013.

{Thank you Ms. Vaughan, you are the GIVE of THE GIVE.}

     Overall, the experience certainly was a catalyst of excitement for the evening show to follow – A menagerie of vividly colored culture and music, with special artistic elements contributed by Antoine Hunter and his “American Sign Dance”. The dessert of the evening for me, was the youth group “Mona Khan Company Emerging Performers”, they were a bloom of excitement, against a boom of performance prowess by emerging youth Dancers of El Wah Company - Ebonie Nefertari Barnett and Ngalifourou Matingou.

Congratulations Artists, Directors, Technicians, Volunteers and SF Ethnic Dance Festival. #RiteOn 

~R. Califa Calloway | nzo.califa Dance Works
 about #Dancestory2013 - [click link]

1 http://izzies.org/award-history/sustained-achievement/
2 http://www.thehistorymakers.com/biography/ruth-beckford-40

Friday, May 31, 2013

Papa ZAK receives LIFETIME Achievement Award


#RiteOn Dr. Zakarya Diouf aka "Papa Zak" is the recipient of the 2013 Malonga Casquelourd Lifetime Achievement Award at World Arts West's San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival; to be honored during the 8pm performance on June 22 at Yerba Buena Center's LAM Theater.
CONGRATULATIONS PAPA ZAK & DIAMANO COURA!
Cultural Ambassador; Master Drummer, Founder of Diamano Coura West African  Dance Company
photo: RJ Muno
For tickets and a full performance schedule, visit www.sfethnicdancefestival.org