SACRED DANCE GUILD

Potomac Chapter Newsletter

November 2010

Noteworthy in November

POTOMAC CHAPTER BOARD MEETING

Sunday November 7th

3:00 pm

Sammy T’s

801 Carolina Street

Fredericksburg, VA

Agenda

Review of Potomac Chapter By-Laws

2011 Mini-Festival Vision and Mission of Potomac Chapter

The Potomac Chapter’s Magic 8 Ball

Contact: Pamela White 202-431-2386

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ERIKA THIMEY

DANCE & THEATER COMPANY PRESENTS

A Service of Worship in Rhythm and Music:

Honoring Erika Thimey’s Enduring Legacy

10:30 am

Sunday November 7th

First Parish in Waltham

50 Church Street Waltham, MA 02452

Commemorating both Erika Thimey’s centennial birth year (b.1910 – d.2006) and the first time sacred dance was

introduced to New England – this 2010 First Parish service will resurrect the spirit of Ms. Thimey’s choreography and

liturgical dance offering from 76 years ago when a reported 2,000 attendees so overwhelmed the church on September 23,1934 that a second service was held to accommodate all

who enthusiastically embraced this new form of worship.

In her own words,

"Believing the body to be the instrument of the soul, I have sought to

create a new form of worship through the art of the body in motion. It is

my intention that this worship be not merely for the personal gratification

of the performer, but that it serve mankind by bringing a sincere religious

experience to the congregations that behold it."

Born in Germany, Thimey first studied and trained with Mary Wigman, “a pioneer of expressionist dance” who was known for incorporating indigenous, tribal dance components into her choreography. Jo Nicholson, one of today’s member of the Erika Thimey Dance and Theater Company (and of course an SDG member!) notes that Thimey brought “Wigman’s philosophy of improvisation, creativity and exacting, expressive physical training to the new discipline of modern dance.”

Following Wigman to the United States in 1932, Thimey started off in Chicago but eventually was drawn by Martha Graham to the nation’s capital where she devoted herself to bringing modern dance to the DC Metropolitan area. She taught dance at her own studios, as well as at Howard University and DC public schools, and staged performances at District recreation centers and in some of the beautiful National Park Service park areas in the District. According to Thimey’s biographer, Dianne Hunt, “Dance was the heart of things for her. She was so completely given to her art form; she cared so much about it. She really believed that art could transform lives.”

If you are able, travel to Waltham this weekend or simply share the information with your friends in New England! For directions or more information about the service, please contact Rev. Marc Fredette at www.walthamuu.org

WORD DANCE THEATER PRESENTS:

Isadora Duncan and Prelude

to the Play of Creativity

A dance workshop lead by

Dr. Jeanne Bresciani

Director, Isadora Duncan International Institute

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5

7:30 PM to 9:30 PM

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6

12:00 PM to 3:00 PM

Hot Yoga Studios

3408 Wisconsin Ave. NW

Washington, D.C. 20016

FREE PARKING IN GIANT PARKING LOT

ON NEWARK ST.

Entire Workshop- $100

Friday only $50 Saturday only $60

For more information or to register

contact Ingrid@worddance.org, 202.487.8333

In honor of the powerful restaging of Isadora Duncan’s

great works to Chopin’ s 24 Preludes we will explore

play as a pathway and a tool toward artistic and creative

expression. Play’s exploration of the unknown, it’s

discovery, it’s rapture, reverie, relaxation and release are

all modes to a creative way of being and moving

through the dance of life.

Duncan’s dances of joy, delight, power and purpose

encompass the play of humankind at all stages of life.

Together we will recognize these influences

within Duncan’s repertoire of sensations, images and

forms by delving into the archetypes of play that live

within Duncan’s rich dance technique.

REMINDER!

WORD DANCE THEATER WILL

PERFORM PRELUDES

ON NOVEMBER 4TH

SHAKESPEARE LANDSBURGH

THEATER

WASHINGTON DC

FOR MORE INFORMATION,

www.shakespearetheatre.org

NOVEMBER 12TH

A TIME TO DANCE

All are invited to join the Wesley Dancers and friends for A Time to Dance, Friday, November 12th at

7:30pm in Oxnam Chapel. A dress rehearsal, open to the community, takes place on November 11th at

5pm. Embracing the fullness of our life in God, we experience Abundance and God’s timing in

everything. The familiar words of Ecclesiastes remind us that there is a time to love, to weep, to laugh, to

break down and build up, to speak, to Dance. Join us on November 12th as we give thanks for and celebrate dance at Wesley with a diverse program of dances by

Wesley faculty, students and alums. Participants include students in the dance class this semester – and YOU! This is a Free event and takes place at

Wesley: 4500 Massachusetts Ave, NW, WDC 20016

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT KATHRYN SPARKS AT

dancingsparks@yahoo.com

REMINDER!

And We Have Danced Vol. III: A History of the Sacred Dance Guild

If any of you are interested in a copy,

send a check for $15 made out to Sally Moravitz.

I am a witness!

Our SDG history inspire you!

Quips and Quotes

Selections from the Journal, ranging from 1958 to 2006

A must read for anyone who wants to be a part of SDG history!

Sally Moravitz

2268 Providence St.,

Falls Church, VA 22043

703-560-0497 smoravitz@aol.com

FREE!

ISADORA DUNCAN

TECHNIQUE CLASSES

With Performance Opportunity!!

(Smithsonian Dance Installation

at the Freer/Sackler Galleries

slated for 2012)

CLASSES and Rehearsals

Saturdays

This very special offering by Valerie Durham combines the fun and

beauty of the Isadora Duncan technique -- known for its emphasis on

breath, nature, imagery, artistry and musicality – with an opportunity to

experience firsthand how Duncan’s technique can be imaginatively

incorporated into an Asian art aesthetic. Valerie is so very talented and

expresses Duncan’s true spirit so gracefully that it is impossible not to

love this class and stay for the rehearsals!

Please note: all dancers who wish to participate in the future

performance must attend the Duncan technique classes as part of the

choreographic/rehearsal process. Here's the current schedule:

Nov. 6 4-5:30pm Preinkert Studio Rehearsal 5:30 – 7 pm

(Preinkert Field House, University of Maryland, College Park)

Nov. 13 4-5:30pm Studio 1 Rehearsal 5:30 – 7 pm

Nov. 20 4-5:30pm Studio 1 Rehearsal 5:30 – 7 pm

Dec. 4 4-5:30pm Studio 1 Rehearsal 5:30 – 7 pm

Dec. 11 4-5:30pm Studio 1 Rehearsal 5:30 – 7 pm

Metered parking is available near the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, on the University of Maryland College Park campus, where the Dept. of Dance is located.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT VALERIE DURHAM

Artistic Director, The Duncan Dancers

(410)570-0535

valerie@duncandancers.com

Thanks to Jo Nicholson for sharing these

Upcoming Workshops!

For more information on any of the following workshops, please contact: Carolyn Bluemle <carolyn@cmagicisafoot.com>

Nov 26 - 28 AWAKENING IN ADVENT weekend silent

retreat

Holy Cross Monastery on the Hudson NY

Sat March 26, 2011 Lenten Day of

Prayer/ ANNUNCIATION

St Stephen and the Incarnation Church NW DC

http://www.cmagicisafoot.com/pb/wp_8a10f4d0/wp_8a10f4d0.ht

ml

WEEKLY CLASSES see www.cbyoga.com

*************************************************

FROM

LYNN@CHEVYCHASEPC.ORG

Dear Friends

I hope you can come and spread the word of my upcoming

events

FIRST FRIDAYS are a chance to pray around the altar with Taizé Chant, yoga and yoga sequences to prayer songs,

and in silent meditation in our beautiful sanctuary at St Stephen and the Incarnation Church 1525 Newton St NW (16th and Newton) Washington, DC

No Previous yoga experience necessary / ALL ARE WELCOME. Props: mats, chairs, cushions provided. Suggested donation to the church $20.

Just for fun!

Have any of you heard of Matt Harding?

From Wikipedia on Matt Harding:

On July 22, 2008 and again on July 25, 2010, NASA

featured Harding's 3rd video on their APOD (Astronomy

Picture of the Day) website, titled "Happy People Dancing

on Planet Earth", making claim of humans worldwide

sharing a common love of dance. The website states that

"few people are able to watch the above video without

smiling". Harding himself has joked that he is impressed

with this, especially since the video has nothing to do with

astronomy.

I am a witness! Matt wrote a book about his dancing

around the world, which he very graciously signed for me

when I emailed him about giving the book as a birthday

gift! He was so helpful, and as you will see, really fun!

The YouTube video below is based on the following poem:

Stream of Life

by Rabindranath Tagore

The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day

runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures.

It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth

in numberless blades of grass

and breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers.

It is the same life that is rocked in the ocean-cradle of birth

and of death, in ebb and in flow.

I feel my limbs are made glorious by the touch of this world of life.

And my pride is from the life-throb of ages dancing in my blood this moment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlfKdbWwruY

All Year Round!

Remember to Renew Your Subscription to the

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