February 3 (Tue) 7pm $10
Curated by Bob Holman
With Abdoulaye Diabate from Mali (vocal); Dionne Kamara from Jamaica
(dance); Bala Kouyate from Mali (bala); Kewulay Kamara from Sierra Leone
(host and narration); Mackane Kouyate from Mali (drum); Salieu Suso from
Gambia (kora); Yacouba Sissocko from Mali (kora)
A sweeping tale of sibling rivalry and power, Sunjata is the most celebrated
epic of Africa, combining the Iliad and Odyssey in one, with performances
often lasting for days. Brought to the stage by poet Kewulay "Fina" Kamara,
this lively version both recreates and illuminates the 13th century
fantastical legend with musicians and dancers from Mali, Gambia, Jamaica and
Sierra Leone. The original story is condensed into a shortened performance
(under two hours!), fusing African music and dance with epic poetry and
story telling, performed in both English and Mandenka.
The story of Sunjata exemplifies the genealogy, philosophy and cosmology of
the Mandeng people of West Africa who occupy the region comprised of
present-day Mali, Guinea, Senegal, Gambia, Burkina Faso, and parts of Sierra
Leone, Ivory Coast and Ghana. The title comes from its main character,
Sundiata, a crippled prince who overcomes disability and persecution to
found the 13th century West African empire of Mali, with its ancient center
of trade and learning, Timbuktu.
February 7 (Sat) Noon $10
20% discount for families of four or more
Moderated by composer Jody Gray
What does it take to become an animator? Where do you find inspiration for
the characters? How do you make it to The Cartoon Network? Meet
Oscar-nominated independent animator John R. Dilworth, and find out all you
ever wanted to know about the creative process and business of becoming an
animator. Dilworth is the creator of the television series Courage the
Cowardly Dog and the Academy Award-nominated short film, The Chicken From
Outer Space, and his work has been shown on HBO, FOX, Showtime, Nickelodeon,
MTV and the Cartoon Network. TV Lunch No. 3 is a unique opportunity for
cartoon fans, future animators and the aficionados to share a light lunch
with the prolific animator, as well as to enjoy screenings of his work.
The program includes screening of several shorts, including Dirdy Birdy,
about a dysfunctional relationship between a bird and a cat; The Mousochist,
about a mouse who cannot control his impulses; an episode of Noodles & Nedd
which appeared on Sesame Street; and a clip from an episode of Courage the
Cowardly Dog, as well as a clip from Dilworth's newest work in progress.
Composer Jody Gray, who scored several Looney Tunes shorts for the WB Online
Animation Division and composed music for Courage the Cowardly Dog, will
moderate the informal discussion.
Laying the Foundation for the Acrobats of the Future
February 23, March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29,
April 5, 12, 19, 26, May 3, 10 (Mon)
4:45-5:45pm (ages 5-14) $180
6-7:30pm (adults) $215
12 sessions
Instructors: LAVA veterans Sarah East Johnson and Natalie Agee
Soar beyond your physical limits with an exciting combination of acrobatic
and circus techniques. This creative and rigorous workshop challenges both
kids and adults to build physical strength, coordination and flexibility.
Instruction includes trapeze, tumbling, and human pyramids. Fly by and jump
right in!
Some scholarships available. For more information: 212.255.5793 x10
(U.S. Premiere)
February 19-21
(Thu-Sat), 24-28 (Tue-Sat) 8pm $20
Presented at Documenta IX in 2002, Lines in the Sand: Helen in Egypt is Joan Jonas´ first New York performance in over a decade. With this multimedia production, the video/ performance pioneer revisits the myth of Helen of Troy using her emblematic vocabulary of ritualized gestures and symbolic objects (masks, mirrors, costumes), mixed with live drawing and video, Vegas kitsch and pre-recorded sound. In conjunction with the Queens Museum of Art exhibition Joan Jonas: Five Works (December 14, 2003 - March 28, 2004).
Lines in the Sand is based on the epic poem Helen in Egypt written by H. D. (Hilda Doolittle) in 1961, which tells of the seduction and abduction of Helen, suggesting that she remained in Egypt and never set foot in Troy. The myth of Helen as the cause of the Trojan War is a phantasm, and for centuries, the accepted myth-a war fought over a woman-was preferred to a lesser-known version of a woman being absent. In Doolittle’s alternate version, it is Helen who constantly questions the reality of her own myth, exploring female character through a complex matrix of meaning. Egypt, like Helen, is represented by a “real” and a “fake”-the fake being Las Vegas and its new casino Luxor, and the real existing in photographs of Egypt taken back in 1910.
Lines In the Sand is made possible with generous support from The Orentreich Family Foundation
February 26 (Thu) 6-8pm Reservations required (includes dinner)
$30/$25 Students, Seniors, Kitchen Members
$50 with 8pm performance
Moderator: David Ross
Since the mid 60s, Joan Jonas has continuously fused new technology with ancient symbolism to portray various female archetypes. Moderated by David Ross, curator of Jonas' first 1980 retrospective, TV Dinner No. 18 celebrates the artist's four decade-long career with multi-channel screenings and discussion, over a vegetarian dinner.