
New
York
|
Gilded
Serpent presents...
P.U.R.E.
Dance
by Dhyanis
A collective
of dancers and drummers plan to take music and dance out into
the streets this summer on July 15 in cities across the nation
and globe. The acronym P.U.R.E. stands for Public Urban Ritual
Experiment and was started by a group of belly dancers in New
York City in 2004 for the purposes of healing and peace.
The
public spaces they blessed with a short choreographed performance
were chosen for their significance to humanity and benefit from
healing ritual.
Movements
from ancient world traditions including Middle Eastern, Chinese,
Romani Gypsy, Israeli Folk, Flamenco, Indian dance and drumming
are all incorporated into the P.U.R.E. experience. The dancers
travel down sidewalks and in and out of subways and buses, like
some urban tribe, all dressed in black and silver, swirling blue
veils to remind bystanders of the unity of our “water planet”
Earth.
The
philosophy is based on creating community through dance and
ritual, drawing people together both emotionally and physically
in a shared sense of both reverence and fun.
 |
This is the
first year for the San Francisco Bay Area Branch to join the P.U.R.E.
experiment. Dhyanis
and Aruna,
of the Marin-based WorldDance Fitness studio, will be
facilitating, coordinating and hosting the rehearsals in June
and July, with the global performance scheduled for July 15th.
The tentative route will begin at the Ghandi Statue at the Embarcadero.
The dancers will move in procession to the Mechanics Monument
at Battery and Bush, then en masse via public transportation to
pay homage at the Yerba Buena Center Gardens near the Martin Luther
King Jr. waterfall (and the African Diaspora Museum). Finally
they will beam themselves over to the National Aids Memorial Grove
at Stanyon Street in Golden Gate Park. Each performance should
last about 10 minutes, though the troupe will dedicate their day
to this activity.
The New York
based group, now 30 strong was started by Kaeshi Chai
of Bellyqueen and Bellydance Superstars and
Darshan of Gyspy Carvan, Portland, Oregon.
Their
idea began from a vision of uniting otherwise isolated dancers
in New York and taking the dance out of the nightclubs and into
the general public (and we love them for it!).
Some of
the sites where they’ve danced include Ground Zero, Battery Park
(where the dented WTC globe sculpture now stands), the N.Y. Stock
Exchange Building and the Irish Hunger Museum. Since its inception
P.U.R.E. has spread to Detroit, Chicago, Indiana, Los Angeles,
New Hampshire and Tokyo. “We want to inspire individuals to take
a moment and reflect on what they can do or give in the spirit
of peace,” say the organizers. Dhyanis and Aruna invite other
Bay Area dancers to join them in the healing power of community
through ancient traditions of dance and ritual.
www.puredance.org
Have
a comment? Send us a
letter!
Check the "Letters to the Editor"
for other possible viewpoints!
Ready
for more?
8-11-04
Scott Wilson's CD
“An American in Istanbul” review by Dhyanis
The
entire CD is laced with instrumental solos featuring each artist,
many of whom are from the Mid-East, most notably George
Strathos on clarinet, plus Rip Wilson,
Scott's darabuka-playing Dad.
12-27-00
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
2000 with Troupe Dhyanis by
Dhyanis
The rough and ready Scots do love a party! No coincidence then
that they host the world’s
largest performing arts festival in their capitol city of Edinburgh
each August.
7-7-03
An Evening
of Experimental Middle Eastern Dance Video Review by Dhyanis
...this
genre encourages performers to intermingle other dance forms with
belly dance, to develop a theme or make a statement.
5-27-06
Bellydance in Iceland by
Sabah
Recently, I was able to witness first hand how truly global the
world of bellydance has become. Dances of the Middle East and
North Africa are no longer a mystery and unknown “exotic”
style of dance.
5-26-06
Sashi - Kabob by Lynette, Warning,
possibly disturbing graphics!
The punctures appear to go under the skin into the subcutaneous
fat layer and not through muscle tissue.
5-23-06
The Photos of Saroya Ahlaam,
March 2006, Rakkasah Festival, Richmond, Ca
...she was a replacement at Rakkasah for a no-show and
did a great job! I was so impressed with the crystals on her costume.
You could see them sparkle from the back of the auditorium. |