New Videos posted on Vimeo!

"Frozen Memories" (excerpt from Chameleon) at the Amalgamate Artist Series Showcase from Alaine Handa on Vimeo.

Choreography by Alaine Handa
Dancers: Ivilisse Esguerra, Alaine Handa, Sheila Klein, Lara Sofia Romero

Chameleon @ Meridian International Children's Festival from Alaine Handa on Vimeo.

Choreography by Alaine Handa and dancers
Dancers: Alaine Handa, Anna Louise Herzog, Ivilisse Esguerra, Emily Mercer
Prop Design by Natalia Krasnodebska

Music in video: soulofbass, Sheila Chandra, i hate this place
Text by Alex Graham James, Leilani Chan, Edith Södergran, Anna Louise Herzog, Ivilisse Esguerra

Special Thanks to Meridian International for hosting our performance during the International Children's Festival

Videography by Nicholas Fox

Meet the dancer: Sheila Klein

real name ? Sheila
nickname ? Shy
hair color ? Blonde

Do you believe in...
miracles ? Absolutely
love at first sight ? if you let yourself feel it...

LAST GIFT YOU RECEIVED? Christmas cookie cutters from my
Grandma...VERY special

ONE FAVORITE SONG? Rehab - Amy Winehouse

FIRST FRIEND YOU'D CALL IF YOU WON THE LOTTERY? Dustin

WHERE'S YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT WITH FRIENDS? S'nice

CAN YOU COOK? Yep

FAVORITE MOVIE? Juno

CAN YOU SING? Yep...mom's a voice teacher

FAVORITE VACATION SPOT? Colorado

If I wasn't a dancer....I'd get my PhD in clinical psychology
specializing in women's health

Celebrity Doppleganger...Apparently Kelly Pickler (someone once
thought I was her on the subway)

Favorite Food(s)? Sweet potatoes, beets, and apples with peanut butter...heaven

Last book I read? Cunt, by Inga Muscio (every woman should read it!)

Favorite Dancer/Choreographer/Company? Monica Bill Barnes and Co

Meet the dancer: Heather Wigmore

real name ? Heather
nickname ? Wigs, Wig-a-more, Headuh

LAST GIFT YOU RECEIVED? My uncle bought me (and my brother and sister-in-law) a Christmas tree for our apartment.

ONE FAVORITE SONG? "Like a Rolling Stone" by Bob Dylan

FIRST FRIEND YOU'D CALL IF YOU WON THE LOTTERY? One of my mathematically/statistically-inclined (i.e., nerdy) friends -- Ariella, Nicole, or Zenker -- because they would appreciate the absurdity of actually winning the lottery.

WHERE'S YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT WITH FRIENDS? The mold-infested, family-run dumpling joint in the alleyway next to my old apartment in Shanghai.

MOST DISLIKED FOOD? Regular flavor potato chips. What's the point?

CAN YOU SING? Not even close. But Karaoke is for the talented and talentless alike.

THING YOU NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT? My Droid phone. My arms are evolving into robot arms like in the Droid commercials. And a notebook and pen so I can obsessively make To Do lists.

FAVORITE VACATION SPOT? Guatemala.

If I wasn't a dancer.... I would want to be a visual artist who makes awesome sculptures and installations.

Celebrity Crush... David Duchovny (specifically, in Californication)

What countries have you visited? A lot. But where I want to go to next: the salt flats in Bolivia, and Laos.

How many languages do you speak? Four: English, Chinese, Spanish, and double talk (circa 7th grade; think Gibberish, but cooler)

Where have you lived? New York City, Singapore, St. Louis, Shanghai

Favorite Food(s)? Beets, spinach, and pumpkin. And dumplings.

Favorite Dancer/Choreographer/Company? Pina Bausch

Meet the dancer: Tsubasa Ogawa

real name ? TSUBASA

nickname ? Tsubie or Subie

broken any bones ? YES, spiral fractured metatarsal 5 on my left foot when I was dancing. I recovered fast and was back on stage in 3 months. also, fractured my nose during rehearsal (i got punched in the face by a male dancer... accidentally). 7 stitches on my forehead, 8 stitches on the back of my head, 8 stitches on my right foot (stepping on a nail on stage while I was dancing...)

Do you believe in...miracles ? YES!

LAST GIFT YOU RECEIVED? a package of food that my mom sent me from japan.

FIRST FRIEND YOU'D CALL IF YOU WON THE LOTTERY? I would call my mom.

MOST DISLIKED FOOD? EEL....

LONGEST SHIFT YOU HAVE WORKED AT A JOB? 15 hours at a bar.

FAVORITE MOVIE? Trainspotting and many more...

CAN YOU SING? I sing occasionally... I sing at work, too.

FAVORITE VACATION SPOT? Hawaii

If I wasn't a dancer.... I would be working 9-5.

Celebrity Crush... Edward Norton, Scarlett Johansson

What countries have you visited? Hong Kong, China, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, France, UK.

How many languages do you speak? English, Japanese, Spanish (just a little bit), Tagalog (only bad words)

Where have you lived? Japan, Pittsburgh, Boston, New York

Favorite Food(s)? Korean BBQ(especially Pork belly), Fermented soy beans, fish

One thing I can't live without? My friends who would help me and feed me when I'b broke.

Meet the choreographer/dancer: Alaine Handa

I want to do something fun for the blog over the holidays and post some fun tidbits about the dancers involved in Chameleon. I'll start first with my little "survey".

real name? Alaine Handa
nickname? A-ten, Lan, Babycakes
height? 5'1"
broken any bones? Yes, I broke my ankle while figure skating at 14. Dislocated my wrist while playing basketball at 9. Almost broke my nose at 8th grade camp, instead I have 14 stitches above my right brow.

Do you believe in...
yourself ? most of the time
love at first sight ? No. There is lust at first sight but to love someone is to know someone.

is there one or more people you want to be with right now? My family in Singapore.

ONE FAVORITE SONG? Billie Jean by Michael Jackson. Love MJ!

WHERE'S YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT WITH FRIENDS? Basta Pasta is the best Italian-Japanese restaurant.

MOST DISLIKED FOOD? Mushrooms...gross

FAVORITE MOVIE? L'Auberge Espagnole

CAN YOU SING? Yes but I'm very shy about it and will only sing in the shower.

What countries have you visited? Hong Kong, Australia, USA, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia

How many languages do you speak? Bahasa Indonesia (spoken), English, Swedish (studied it for a year in college), Japanese (studied it for 7 years in grade school)

Favorite Food(s)? Xiao long bao, Pappardelle w/ Bolognaise, Noodles, Satay, Mee Rebus, Martabak, Pizza

Favorite Dancer/Choreographer/Company? Doug Varone & Dancers.

Join us for a Global Holiday Celebration!

(c) Photography by Brooke McGowan

A.H. Dance Company cordially invites you to join us for a Global Holiday Celebration!

Location:

Stone Creek Bar, 140 E. 27^th St, New York, NY (between Lex. & 3^rd Ave.)

December 4, 2010

7-11 pm

$10 Minimum Donation (includes 5 raffle tickets) *

Special Performances by La Magdalena and Friends, Howie Solo and Human Drum Machine, Chrismahanukkwanzaacappella (Holiday a cappella music) and A.H. Dance Company!

All proceeds go toward supporting our tour to China.

*If you would like to purchase raffle tickets but unable to make it to the fundraiser, you can make a donation via Paypal. We will reserve tickets for you and should you win a prize (you choose what prizes you would like to win) we will contact you if you won and either ship or schedule a meeting to give you the prize.

Alaine Handa turns 27 on Nov. 27 this year and A.H. Dance Company turns 3 on Dec. 4th! (There will be birthday cake!)


Raffle Gifts sponsored by:
Sarah Jayne Solutions http://www.sarahjaynesolutions.com/

Dance of my hands http://www.danceofmyhands.com/

Aqualia Spa http://www.aqualiaspa.com/

The Great Collide http://thegreatcollide.com/blog/

By Natalia jewelry http://www.bynatalia.com/

The Luxury Spot http://www.theluxuryspot.com/

Skin MD Natural http://www.skinmdnatural.com/

Holistic Health Fusion http://www.holistichealthfusion.com/

Beautiful Faces http://alainemakeupartist.blogspot.com/

Argo Tea http://www.argotea.com/

Everyday Crochet by Doris Chan http://doriseverydaycrochet.blogspot.com/

We like to win prizes especially for a good cause!

This is a photo from last year's fundraiser.
It was a really fun time with great folks and so many people won prizes!

We have amazing prizes this year from our wonderful sponsors.

If you want to purchase raffle tickets online you can via Paypal (or if you are far away and can't join us for the party). I can reserve tickets under your name and then if you win, I'll send it to you via regular post - you pay for shipping of course. :-)

$10 Min. Donation (includes 5 raffle tickets; you choose which gifts you would like to win)

Raffle Gifts sponsored by:
Sarah Jayne Solutions http://www.sarahjaynesolutions.com/

Dance of my hands http://www.danceofmyhands.com/

Aqualia Spa http://www.aqualiaspa.com/

The Great Collide http://thegreatcollide.com/blog/

By Natalia jewelry http://www.bynatalia.com/

The Luxury Spot http://www.theluxuryspot.com/

Skin MD Natural http://www.skinmdnatural.com/

Holistic Health Fusion http://www.holistichealthfusion.com/

Beautiful Faces http://alainemakeupartist.blogspot.com/

Argo Tea http://www.argotea.com/

Everyday Crochet by Doris Chan http://doriseverydaycrochet.blogspot.com/


Just wanted to let you know all the cool stuff we're getting. :-) I'm getting excited.
And if this is not a good enough reason... COME CELEBRATE MY 27TH BIRTHDAY (I TURN 27 ON NOV. 27TH - "GOLDEN" BIRTHDAY)
A.H. Dance Company is going into our 4th season and celebrating 3rd Birthday on Dec. 4th. :-)

We are trying to raise money to bring us to Guangzhou, China to teach workshops, perform, and lead discussions w/ students aged 12-15 at Utahloy International School about global citizenship, third culture kids, cross cultural communication, and cultural diplomacy through the arts. We are hoping to do this the first week of March in congruence with their Big Arts Day. They lost their drama/dance teacher and the kids are starving for an outlet to express themselves through the arts.

Location: Stone Creek Bar, 140 E. 27th St, between lexington ave and 3rd ave
7-11 pm.

Les Passagers - a movie trailer by Aga Magdolen

My TCK friend based in Canada is making a documentary film about TCKs in Canada and she made such a beautiful trailer. I had originally "shared" it on facebook and "tweeted" it; the TCK/Expat community took notice and is spreading it like a wildfire. (Yay Aga!) I'm so glad that she is making this movie.
Another friend of mine, more locally based in NYC is making a documentary film about TCKs as well and tonight we had a gathering and shoot with a bunch of TCKs. Its so refreshing to be able to socialize with others of similar global backgrounds. I cherish these moments.
I predict that I will be doing more interviews and shooting extra footage for the sequel to my film or an addition (not sure which...) in the next couple years because I'm so inspired by other TCKs. Our stories need to be heard. We're not a "special breed", "privileged", "exotic", "weird", "un-patriotic", instead we can bridge cross-cultural gaps, communicate across cultures, and be a true asset to society.


SAVE THE DATE!!!!
Dec. 4, 2010.
7-11 pm.
Stone Creek Bar. 140 E. 27th St, New York, NY 10016.
A.H. Dance Company Annual Holiday Fundraiser.
Celebrate my 27th birthday. (I turn 27 this month on the 27th! - in lieu of gifts, I'm asking for donations to help fund the tour to China)
A.H. Dance Company turns 3 years old as we go into our 4th season.

We are trying to raise money to bring us to Guangzhou, China to teach workshops, perform, and lead discussions w/ students aged 12-15 at Utahloy International School about global citizenship, third culture kids, cross cultural communication, and cultural diplomacy through the arts. hey lost their drama/dance teacher an...d the kids are starving for an outlet to express themselves through the arts.

How to tour your work abroad - Miguel Gutierrez

How to tour your work abroad by Miguel Gutierrez

I was just reading this article as I'm gaining insight on touring tips and information. My company and I are in the middle of reconstructing Chameleon, applying for grants to tour to China, keeping in contact with a school in China, and hopefully fostering an exchange with a local Chinese dance company as well while we're there. The article written by Miguel was like words and thoughts right out of my mouth and head. I needed a confirmation that an "emerging" choreographer went through what I'm going through right now. I'm at a crossroads, I want to spend more time in the studio working on my craft rather than worrying about money/funding/income, administrative tasks, marketing the work, and applying for festivals, showcases, residencies, grants, etc. Luckily I have a little help on the grants front. I wish I can stay on top of things better but there's only so much one person can do and keep track of. I like to think of myself as pretty savvy in terms of social media, networking, making new friends and allies. I just don't like "selling" myself - the integrity of the work and myself feels cheapened by the act of it. But if I don't tell people what I do, then who is going to find out what I do? Dilemma....

Until then...

SAVE THE DATE!!!!
Dec. 4, 2010. 7-11 pm. Stone Creek Bar. 140 E. 27th St, New York, NY 10016.
A.H. Dance Company Annual Holiday Fundraiser.
Celebrate my 27th birthday. (I turn 27 this month on the 27th! - in lieu of gifts, I'm asking for donations to help fund the tour to China)
A.H. Dance Company turns 3 years old as we go into our 4th season.

New classes!

I started teaching dance classes in movement improvisation and contemporary dance today. Its a mixed level class on Mondays and Thursdays from 6-8 pm (6-7 pm and 7-7:50 pm). The class is also a jumping point for me to explore my own movement patterns, choreographic process, in addition to teaching others my dance and cultural background. The first class went really well and we had a great time dancing, sweating, and sharing. Each week will explore a new theme so I hope you will join me (if you're in NYC).

Here's a link to the website in case you can't read the very pixelated version above..

Multiple Layers Solo

Multiple Layers Solo from Alaine Handa on Vimeo.

Fridays At Noon performance on Friday!

A.H. Dance Company will be performing an excerpt from Chameleon this Friday, Oct. 1 at 92nd Street Y so come out and support us!

For more info please visit:
http://www.92y.org/content/Fridays_At_Noon.asp

Oct 1 Fridays at Noon Season Kick-off

Fridays at Noon starts off its 23rd season with an expanded program featuring 15 companies in a 3-hour mini-marathon of new and favorite works and excerpts. Our eclectic afternoon features works by Susan Cherniak, Julie Fotheringham, Jessica Gaynor, Alaine Handa, Molly Lieber, Johari Mayfield, Meghan McCoy, Darcy Naganuma, Brenda Neville, Leanne Schmidt, Natasa Trifan and Allison Trott.

12-3 pm

Audition for Dancers

A.H. Dance Company is looking for 2-3 dancers for the 2010-2011 season. Possible touring. Performance Stipend. Rehearsals are Tuesday and Wednesday evenings between 7-10 pm. Modern Dance experience required, cultural folk dance experience a plus but not necessary.

Chameleon is a multi-disciplinary arts project about global citizens. Please visit the project blog for more info about Chameleon: http://tckcckahdanceproject.blogspot.com

If you are bicultural, multicultural, have lived in more than two countries, a third culture kid, or have to constantly explain where you grew up - please apply! Send your resume, headshot, and short bio about your cross cultural experiences or where you grew up. ahdancecompany@gmail.com
For more info about A.H. Dance Company please visit: http://www.ahdancecompany.com

Changing the world through dance | Parenting While Abroad

Changing the world through dance | Parenting While Abroad

"Alaine Handa is a TCK who has become, in a sense, an ambassador for global nomads everywhere. She is a dancer and choreographer whose most recent show highlighted what life as a global nomad is like. It is a project she had been working on since her second year of college when she realized that Singapore, the place she had considered “home”, had become foreign to her..."
- Lisa Finnegan, Editor of WhileAbroad.com

Another video posted. "Frozen Memories" section from Chameleon

Chameleon excerpt "Frozen Memories" from Alaine Handa on Vimeo.

Chameleon @ Capital Fringe; Photography by Joe Flood

Video Interview after Chameleon performance in NYC

I don't think I've shared this video with you before. I was interviewed on video after the premiere performance of Chameleon in May at University Settlement. Hope you enjoy this!

Toi interviews Alaine Handa Dance Company from Kor Spirit Barlow on Vimeo.

From Expat Arts Journal

Check out this article!

Living abroad proven to improve creativity

I found this blog via Internations and its all about Expatriates engaging in creative work. I'll definitely put it on my list to submit something about Chameleon to the Expat Arts Journal. I also have to submit my story to the TCK Book Project. le sigh.

Interesting article: No Place like Home?

I came across this interesting article written by a student at University of Sydney about TCKs:
No Place like Home?

Its a pretty extensive read but there are some poignant viewpoints that is discussed in the article but his ending punchline “No need to explain, we get it.” about going through security and immigration checkpoints at an airport is wonderful!

Little Broadway in the Netherlands

I was browsing through the Expat Women website and stumbled upon an interview of Tiffany Jansen. An American expat who moved to the Netherlands after she married a Dutchman. She recently launched her successful venture Little Broadway as a way to combine her talents of musical theatre - acting, singing, dancing - with her love of writing and teaching children. Upon reading her profile, I am finding so many similarities between myself and Ms Jansen. I wanted to highlight how amazing that she has found her niche in the Netherlands when she found very little opportunities when she first moved there. By creating her own company of bringing original musicals (she writes the scripts herself!) to the international schools for an after school activity program; she is able to teach, direct, and produce musicals in such a short period of time! As an after school dance educator myself, it is no easy feat to even get kids to stay focused on learning a dance routine for their end of year performance! (Tiffany if you're reading this - Congratulations and hope to hear from you soon!)

Ports 1961

I was going through my emails (there's quite a back log - esp. when it comes to subscribed emails) and found out about Ports 1961 clothing brand via a Bloomingdales email. Intrigued by the idea that the designer behind this brand fuses multicultural elements to create clothing that represents the sophisticated global soul. I wrote them a quick message via their website to contact me.


They went to Kyoto to shoot their lookbook last fall for their Spring 2010 collection. Their clothes are drape-y and very textural. I don't think the models used for their Bloomingdales.com showcases the clothing very well. Usually drape-y clothing needs to be tried on and will look good on regular women. The models on their website really wear their line incredibly well. I hope this line does well. I look forward to seeing what else they come out with. Check out their website: https://www.ports1961.com

Review in the Washington Post for Chameleon

Fringe's 'Chameleon' gets past the sociology jargon and into viewers' heads

By Rebecca J. Ritzel for The Washington Post
Monday, July 12, 2010

If an artist set out to create a Fringe show based on a pop-sociology book, you might assume the end result would be a cheeky joke. Consider such tantalizing possibilities as "Malcolm Gladwell in Middle School" or "The Birth Order Book (The Musical!)"

Choreographer Alaine Handa never got that memo. "Chameleon," her ruminative dance/film piece, is inspired by the book "Third Culture Kids," a sociology term for children who, for a variety of reasons -- military, missionary, the global economy -- have been raised overseas. When those kids return "home" and try to readjust, they end up, in Fringe parlance, a little screwed up.

Like the vast majority of multimedia dance performances, "Chameleon" would benefit from some editing. The show opens with a series of amateur documentary interviews, screened on a cratered wall behind the stage of the Apothecary, at 1013 Seventh St. NW. With the buzz of New York cafes in the background, young adults rattle off lists of countries where they spent their formative years.

Between clips, Handa, Jun Lee and Ivilisse Esguerra perform dances with vaguely Asian references. The actual choreography isn't terribly original, but the consistent body carriage is. All three have precise feet but relaxed, elastic upper bodies. In one memorable sequence, Lee kneels prostrate alone on the stage. Her legs hold a yoga pose while her arms churn, shoulders rotating and hands grasping. How do you get comfortable while your body is one place and your brain in another? That's great movement metaphor, and the mark of a work that encourages viewers to think more than the average multidisciplinary Fringe show does.

Performances resume July 23-25.

6:00 pm Friday, July 23
3:45 pm Saturday, July 24
2:15 pm Sunday, July 25

Click here for more info & ticketing info

On the Fringe: The Capital Fringe Festival | Stage | Express Night Out

Opening night performance yesterday was great! DC audiences are lovely. We still have tickets left for July 10, 23, 24, 25 performances so get them now!
- Alaine


A mention of our performance of Chameleon in the DC Express!
On the Fringe: The Capital Fringe Festival | Stage | Express Night Out

TICKETS ARE ON SALE!

Photography by Di Zhang

Chameleon is a multi-disciplinary presentation about global citizens who have been exposed to several cultures in their developmental years. Exploring the notions of home, cultural identity and relationships through film, spoken word, theater, photography and dance. Approx. 75 minutes

Venue: The Apothecary

• Jul 8th 6 pm
• Jul 10th 11 am
• Jul 23rd 6 pm
• Jul 24th 3:45 pm
• Jul 25th 2:15 pm

Emily's Solo and Shayna's monologue w/ Emily @ Chameleon; University Settlement from Alaine Handa on Vimeo.

From my friend Tina Quick, she has a new book out and it is now available on amazon

“The Global Nomad’s Guide to University Transition” by Tina Quick with Foreword by Ruth Van Reken

Now available on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Global-Nomads-Guide-University-Transition/dp/1904881211/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1276178714&sr=1-1

and Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Global-Nomads-Guide-University/dp/1904881211/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1276177685&sr=1-1-fkmr0

Third culture kids/global nomads have typically interacted with two or more cultures during their developmental years - those years that shape who they are as human beings. As they go about living their normal highly mobile, cross-cultural lives, they have no clue as to how they are being impacted. But one day they have an experience that wakes them up to the fact that they are different from others. This commonly takes place upon repatriation for college or university when they are surrounded mostly by those who have never ventured away from their home country or culture. What results is the feeling of cultural imbalance, not fitting in, inability to connect with their home-country peers. They feel like a “fish out of water” in their own country. This can lead to isolation and depression.

Now there is a guide book to help these students understand what takes place in re-entry and/or transition and gives them the tools and strategies they need to not only survive but to thrive in the adjustment.

This is the first book written to and for students who have been living outside their “passport” countries but are either returning “home” or transitioning on to another host country for college/university. It addresses the common issues students face when they are making the double transition of not only adjusting to a new life stage but to a cultural change as well. Parents will appreciate the chapter dedicated to how they can come alongside their students, prepare them for the journey and support them throughout this major transition. Families repatriating with secondary school aged children will also benefit as many of the psycho-social adjustment issues apply to them as well.

A video of Anna's and Ivi's Solo

A video of Anna's solo and Ivi's solo from Chameleon @ University Settlement



Choreography by the dancers in collaboration with Alaine Handa

Each dancer was interviewed to share their cultural story. We worked with imagery, memories of smells, sounds, sights, touch, people, and events to create solos that were unique to each dancer.

Footage taken from Chameleon performance on 5/14/2010 at University Settlement in NYC

Chameleon is supported by the Singapore International Internationale grant from Singapore International Foundation (http://sif.org.sg)

TCK music

My bf found this on an a cappella forum site (yes, he's an a cappella dork).
This is a TCK group of men living and working in Hong Kong and they are singing both in English and Cantonese.

Famous TCKs - from Wikipedia

Notable third culture kids

• Current US President Barack Obama was born in Hawaii to an American mother and a Kenyan father and spent part of his childhood in Indonesia.
• Current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spent most of his teenage years in the suburbs of Philadelphia, graduating from high school there.
• Jared Taylor was born in Japan to U.S. parents, and lived in Japan until age 16.
• Former U.S. presidential candidate John Kerry lived in Switzerland as a teenager.
• North Korean leader Kim Jung Il was born in the Soviet Union and spent parts of his childhood in China.
• Former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin was born in Morocco and raised in Venezuela.
• One of the giants of English literature Rudyard Kipling was born in Bombay, India, and reported being more competent in the vernacular than his "native" English during his childhood.^[31]
• Gerald Durrell grew up in India and Greece.
• Uma Thurman grew up in India.
• British singer Engelbert Humperdinck was born in Chennai (then Madras), India to a British Army officer and his wife, and remained in India until the family returned to England when he was 10 years old.
• Keanu Reeves was born in Lebanon and grew up in Australia
• Viggo Mortensen was born in New York City and grew up in Venezuela, Denmark, and Argentina before returning to the U.S. as a teenager.
• Current NBA superstar Kobe Bryant, the Philadelphia-born son of professional basketball player Joe Bryant, lived in Italy from ages 6 to 13 while his father played in that country.
• David Duke spent part of his childhood in the Netherlands.
• Former NBA star and current team executive Steve Kerr, son of American academic Malcolm Kerr, was born in Beirut and spent most of his childhood in various countries in the Arab world, only moving to the U.S. permanently in high school.
• Another current NBA player, Wally Szczerbiak, is the son of professional basketball player Walter Szczerbiak; Wally was born in Madrid while his father was playing for Real Madrid, and spent his first several years in Spain.
• NBA player Steve Nash was born in South Africa and grew up in Canada.
• Zack Kim, Notable guitarist was born in Seoul, South Korea and grew up in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
• Actor Lee Pace spent a few years of his childhood in Saudi Arabia.
• Lead singer of Queen Freddie Mercury was born in Zanzibar to Parsi Indian parents and later lived in the United Kingdom.
• Slovenian politician Andrej Bajuk, born in Slovenia, spent his childhood in Argentina, studied in the United States, worked in Paris, before returning to Slovenia in the 1990s.
• U.S. Presidential candidate Bob Barr lived in several countries when his father traveled for his job.

Video glimpse of Chameleon Photography Gallery

Chameleon Photography Gallery at Houston Street Center, 273 Bowery

Photography by Wazha Dube, Albert Gumilang, Mei-Chen Lioe, Michael Mastroianni, Lauryn Ishak

Poems by Edith Södergran, Alex Graham James, Leilani Chan
Spoken Word by Alaine Handa

Thoughts on the premiere of Chameleon in NYC

The graphic above is courtesy of my publicist Tiffany Carr & her team from Bella's House of PR. We ended up using it for our program cover and is now on our 5x7 flyer that we're currently cooking up for the Capital Fringe Festival in July. More on that later...

I always get a pretty bad case of post-show depression especially after big productions such as the premiere of Chameleon a couple weeks ago. I'm only beginning to fathom how much I worked on the premiere. This includes the many sleepless nights where I worked through the wee hours of the morning to send out press releases, researching grants, writing grants, finding rehearsal space for the following month, watching rehearsal footage, uploading excerpts on vimeo and youtube, updating this blog, adding a twitter account and presence, keeping up with social media networks, expanding the audience reach, talking to people on opposite ends, writing proposals, etc. and the list goes on... That work hasn't stopped b/c Chameleon still lives.

I spent the past week walking around the city, shopping, sleeping in, eating good food, teaching, and more wandering. I got bored towards the end of the week and started working on stuff for Capital Fringe Festival. I finished the press release and have been on the search for a lighting designer. (If you are in the NYC area or DC area and available in July - please contact me ASAP ahdancecompany@gmail.com) I rested that week and didn't show up to dance class until Saturday morning. It always feels good to take dance class, especially if its Stephanie's class and I get to sweat out all the toxins. I've been dancing pretty awesome lately and very happy about it. It feels really good.

I didn't feel so great the first Monday though, the exhaustion really got to me. I had migraines and was feeling jittery all over. A byproduct of traveling, performing, lack of sleep for the weeks before.

Backtracking...

Opening night was wonderful, we had a good showing and the Q+A was so insightful. A majority of the audience stayed until the very end. There were so many TCKs and folks that found out that they were either a CCK or a TCK. (I am so glad to have been able to help you discover that - it truly is rewarding when you combine your background and your resources, talent, and passion; trust me) If there's nothing I can stress enough, is that I truly believe that Chameleon can help educate, entertain, and foster cross-cultural communication among different communities. The arts is such a powerful tool in diplomacy. There was recently an article that was written in the past week in the NY Times about the Diplomacy of Dance.

The technical aspects of putting a theatrical production is precarious and can be difficult to synch up but on Friday evening, both the performance and the tech stuff synched up. Can't wait to see the video from that evening. We picked up our zipcar in Soho and ordered Lombardi's pizza for dinner. Tasted awesome on the drive through New Jersey. I drove halfway through to Delaware so Nick can take a nap before driving the remainder leg. The hotel bed and breakfast in DC was a welcome treat. We were in DC to perform a preview of Chameleon at the Meridian International Children's Festival and lead a five minute workshop with the children in attendance. The audience was receptive, and the children were super adorable. We had a ton of fun performing. The festival staff and the festival itself were crowded with families wanting to find out about each country. A sampling of embassies hosted the festival and I picked up some souvenirs from some of the booths. The festival reminds me of UN day, International Food festivals, and performing at UN Day at my international schools growing up. In a way, it felt very familiar, very cosy, and I felt "home". How ironic.



Fast forwarding...


I'm finally creating some kind of normalcy back in my schedule. I'm plugging forward and want to let you know more about the Capital Fringe Festival.

We have been invited to perform during the Capital Fringe Festival in Washington DC this July.

July 8-25 - Capital Fringe Festival, Washington D.C.

Here are the dates and times we are performing:
Thursday July 8 @ 6pm
Saturday July 10 @ 11am
Friday July 23 @ 6pm
Saturday July 24 @ 3:45pm
Sunday July 25 @ 2:15pm

Venue: The Apothecary
Venue Address: 1013 7th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001

Tickets are $15 and will be available online mid-June via the Capital Fringe website at:
http://www.capitalfringe.com/

If you find yourself in Washington DC this summer, I hope you will join us and come see Chameleon. This is a family-friendly production so come one, come all!

Chameleon - the experience of global citizens

The Performance Project @ University Settlement presents A.H. Dance Company in Chameleon

Thursday, May 13, Friday, May 14 & Saturday, May 15 @ 7:30pm

Q+A following May 13th performance
Reception and after party following May 15 performance

Ticket prices:

$15 adults/$10 for students and seniors

Tickets are $5 for youth 18 and under

Advance tickets for indicated shows are available at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/98414

Your ticket purchases help subsidize tickets for families in-need and help make the arts accessible for all.

Location: The Performance Project @ University Settlement is located at the corner of Eldridge Street and Rivington Street. F/V to Second Avenue, B/D to Grand Street, J/M/Z to Essex Street.

For more information and to make a reservation for any event, please call 212-453-4532 or e-mail project.audience@gmail.com.



Chameleon combines dance, film, spoken word and visual art to investigate multi-cultural identity and cross-cultural relationships. Rooted in the notion of home, this show draws on the insight and experience of Third Culture Kids: those who have spent a significant period of time in a culture other than their own, creating a new third culture. Suitable for all ages and citizens from around the globe.
http://tckcckahdanceproject.blogspot.com

Choreography by Alaine Handa & dancers
A.H. Dance Company performers: Yoonjung Choi, Ivilisse Esguerra, Alaine Handa, Anna-Louise Herzog, Emily Mercer
Jewelry/Prop design by Natalia Krasnodebska
"The Maid" written and performed by Shayna Padovano
"I am a TCK" film Directed & Produced by Alaine Handa
Photography by Lauryn Ishak, Robert Oandasan, Wazha Dube, Albert Gumilang and more!
With additional performances by Guest choreographer/performer Kirsten Ho, "Inside out and reversible"
"Migrations" by Guest Choreographer, Deepa Dharmadhikari and Guest performers: Deepa Dharmadhikari, Jin-Ming Lai, Katherine Lung, Kurt Blomberg

Pre-show 7:15-7:30 pm: "Over Land and Water" film by Choreographer, Katherine Lung and Filmmaker, Alexander Brown



The Performance Project @ University Settlement seeks to provide innovative artists and diverse audiences with a range of opportunities to connect and enrich their lives. The Project presents innovative music, dance, film/video, theater, and performance art for all generations. The Performance Project is a continuation of University Settlement's longtime commitment to creatively address the needs of the Lower East Side community.


This project is supported in part by Singapore International Foundation's Singapore Internationale grant scheme. http://www.sif.org.sg/

Photography by William Hebert

A busy weekend for us!

What an exciting weekend!

On Friday, we had our gallery opening at Houston Street Center featuring the photography of Wazha Dube, Albert Gumilang, Lauryn Ishak, Michael Mastroianni, Rob Oandasan and Mei-Chen Lioe.
A shout out to the fabulous performances by AH Dance Company, Shayna Padovano, and Molly Does Not Approve! A BIG Thank YOU to Alison S. from Houston Street Center for organizing everything. And last but not least THANK YOU to all the folks that attended for coming out and supporting us - it was great to meet the NYC Third Culture Kid group and coordinators (Thanks Eddie & Aradhana - you are both awesome!).
The gallery will be up for the rest of the month so if you didn't get a chance to see the wonderful photography please go check it out at Houston Street Center, 273 Bowery (just ask the Univ. Settlement front desk where to go). Hours of operation run Monday through Thursday — 8AM to 10PM, Friday — 8AM to 8PM, and Saturday and Sunday — 9AM to 6PM.

A few blocks up 2nd avenue, Kirsten Ho was representing AH Dance Company by performing her solo at the Tradition in Transition Festival at the LABA Theater on 14th st. Her solo explores what it means to be biracial to her. I got to see it on Saturday and the rest of the festival was fabulous! A shout out to Laura Smith and Lydia Kramer from Intercultural Arts Dialogue for making the performance such a huge success! I really enjoyed the programming. It was also fun to meet more creative TCKs (and dancer/choreographers!)

If you haven't already PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE come to Chameleon on May 13-15, 2010. Here's the info below:

The Performance Project @ University Settlement presents A.H. Dance Company in Chameleon

Thursday, May 13, Friday, May 14 & Saturday, May 15 @ 7:30pm

Q+A following May 13th performance
Reception and after party following May 15 performance

Ticket prices:

$15 adults/$10 for students and seniors

Tickets are $5 for youth 18 and under

Advance tickets for indicated shows are available at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/98414

Your ticket purchases help subsidize tickets for families in-need and help make the arts accessible for all.

Location: The Performance Project @ University Settlement is located at the corner of Eldridge Street and Rivington Street. F/V to Second Avenue, B/D to Grand Street, J/M/Z to Essex Street.

For more information and to make a reservation for any event, please call 212-453-4532 or e-mail project.audience@gmail.com.

Chameleon Photography opening!

Unseen Asia: 25 of Asia's most overlooked destinations | CNNGo.com

Unseen Asia: 25 of Asia's most overlooked destinations | CNNGo.com

From the words of famous TCK, US President Barack Obama

I come to Berlin as so many of my countrymen have come before. Tonight, I speak to you not as a candidate for President, but as a citizen–a proud citizen of the United States, and a fellow citizen of the world. […] People of the world–look at Berlin! [L]ook at Berlin, where a wall came down, a continent came together, and history proved that there is no challenge too great for a world that stands as one. […] [H]istory reminds us that walls can be torn down. But the task is never easy. True partnership and true progress requires constant work and sustained sacrifice. They require sharing the burdens of development and diplomacy; of progress and peace.
— Barack Obama, Speech in Berlin, Germany, July 24, 2008.

A Citizen of the World indeed!

The Correspondents Program - Glimpse - Your Stories From Abroad

The Correspondents Program - Glimpse - Your Stories From Abroad

Posted using ShareThis

Upcoming dates!

April 30th - Photography Gallery Opening at Houston Street Center, 273 Bowery (Whole Foods bldg). Featuring photography by Rob Oandasan, Lauryn Ishak, Wazha Dube, Albert Gumilang, and more! 6-8 pm, Free. Music performance by Molly Does not Approve. Preview performances by A.H. Dance Company, Shayna Padovano, and preview screening of "I am a TCK".



Purchase your tickets for CHAMELEON today!


The Performance Project @ University Settlement presents A.H. Dance Company in Chameleon

Thursday, May 13, Friday, May 14 & Saturday, May 15 @ 7:30pm

Ticket prices:

$15 adults/$10 for students and seniors

Tickets are $5 for youth 18 and under

Advance tickets for indicated shows are available at Brown Paper Tickets

Your ticket purchases help subsidize tickets for families in-need and help make the arts accessible for all.

Location: The Performance Project @ University Settlement is located at the corner of Eldridge Street and Rivington Street. F/V to Second Avenue, B/D to Grand Street, J/M/Z to Essex Street.

For more information and to make a reservation for any event, please call 212-453-4532 or e-mail project.audience@gmail.com.



Chameleon combines dance, film, spoken word and visual art to investigate multi-cultural identity and cross-cultural relationships. Rooted in the notion of home, this show draws on the insight and experience of Third Culture Kids: those who have spent a significant period of time in a culture other than their own, creating a new third culture. Suitable for all ages and citizens from around the globe.


Choreography by Alaine Handa & dancers
A.H. Dance Company performers: Yoonjung Choi, Ivilisse Esguerra, Alaine Handa, Anna-Louise Herzog, Emily Mercer
Jewelry/Prop design by Natalia Krasnodebska
"The Maid" written and performed by Shayna Padovano
"I am a TCK" film Directed & Produced by Alaine Handa
Photography by Lauryn Ishak, Robert Oandasan, Wazha Dube, Albert Gumilang and more!
With additional performances by Guest choreographer/performer Kirsten Ho, "Inside out and reversible"
"Over Land and Water" film by Choreographer, Katherine Lung and Filmmaker, Alexander Brown



The Performance Project @ University Settlement seeks to provide innovative artists and diverse audiences with a range of opportunities to connect and enrich their lives. The Project presents innovative music, dance, film/video, theater, and performance art for all generations. The Performance Project is a continuation of University Settlement's longtime commitment to creatively address the needs of the Lower East Side community.


This project is supported in part by Singapore International Foundation's Singapore Internationale grant scheme.

Sponsors:
Everyday Crochet
i hate this place
Projet F
Aqualia Spa
YOR Health
The Solo Foundation
Go Smile
Holistic Health Fusion
The Skinny
By Natalia
Dance of My Hands Photography
The Luxury Spot
Denizen Magazine
TCKid
Families in Global Transitions
The Field

Expat Exchange - Multiple Realities: Expatriates Using Art to Explore

Expat Exchange - Multiple Realities: Expatriates Using Art to Explore & Recreate Personal & Professional Identities - expat life, living abroad, expat parents

Posted using ShareThis

soulofbass, a talented TCK musician

Stop the Clock music video.
Some very TCK-themes covered in the song. Check it out!

First Vlog post ever

Here it is... MY ARTIST STATEMENT

Artist Statement

I am attracted to dances that engage people from a sociological context. What do I mean by sociological context? The type of work I actively pursue are pieces that create a sense of community among people from the subject matter which is usually about a very specific group of people. I like to create movement from themes, images, poetry, prose, free writing, and drawing in my rehearsal based on individuals’ experiences. Through these individual stories, I collaborate with the performer to create a movement phrase that is unique to that person. I like to bring in a human element to my choreography. Dancers are human beings and have the tactile sense of touch, smell, hear, taste, and sight. By heightening the senses, the performer is invested in the work and can fully commit to their performance. As an artist, I strive to make my dances accessible to a full range of communities that might otherwise lack the exposure to dance. My hope is that my work can bridge cross-cultural ties between different countries, races, religion, and social standing. I am interested in blending recognizable everyday mundane gestures to more abstract imagery, athletic movement, and dance vocabulary. I like blurring the lines between the improvisational and the choreographed. Breaking cultural stereotyping by bringing light to subjects and themes that engages audiences to think about a social group in a different way, an example from my current work: The Korean dancer performing traditional Korean dance to French accordion music, a Swedish poem, and wearing Indonesian batik inspired sarong.

I am very excited about cross-pollination within the arts and collaborative projects with photographers, jewelry designers, musicians, actors/actresses, playwrights, filmmakers, and visual artists. Art inspires art and I find a lot of creativity and inspiration from other artists because we all speak the language that can transcend cultural misunderstandings, languages, and politics (even if the work has a political undertone). I am currently working with a jewelry designer, several photographers, a musician, an actress, two other choreographers, and I am also dabbling in documentary film to create this Chameleon project. This project is bigger than me, it is about my community, our community, and the International community we live in.

- Alaine Handa

From Media Mind Candy's Canaan

Visit Media Mind Candy here: http://mediamindcandy.blogspot.com

Why businesses benefit from employing third culture kids (page 3) < Kids | Expatica France

Why businesses benefit from employing third culture kids (page 3) < Kids | Expatica France

Posted using ShareThis

Tuesdays with US; Free Performance by A.H. Dance Company hosted by University Settlement

University Settlement at Houston Street Center, 273 Bowery (Whole Foods Building)
www.universitysettlement.org

Spend the afternoon enjoying dance, music, storytelling or theatre. Presented in collaboration with the Houston Street Center at University Settlement, these unique performances will take place every fifth Tuesday of the month, which fall on September 29, 2009, December 29, 2009, March 30, 2010 and June 29, 2010.

Join us for Tuesdays with US Performance Project event--a FREE A.H. Dance Company performance on Tuesday, March 30 at 2:15 p.m. at the Houston Street Center. To reserve your spot call 212-475-5008.

A.H. Dance Company will be showcasing Chameleon; a multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural project about global citizens to foster cultural understanding between cultures and races via the personal stories of global citizens. On March 30th, A.H. Dance Company is performing a preview performance of their dance followed by a Q+A and lecture demonstration on our choreographic process for creating this cultural fusion dance piece. To find out more about Chameleon please the project blog at http://tckcckahdanceproject.blogspot.com

To reserve your spot call 212-475-5008.

My TCK madlibs answers

Where are you from???

A true global nomad will get this kind of hunted look, and sort of glance away, and go something like, "Well, I was born in Singapore but I've lived in Indonesia, Singapore, and California, my mom's from Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, AND Australia, my dad's from Indonesia, Singapore, London, and Boston, and I'm a citizen of Indonesia but have a Singapore PR and I am ethnically Hakka Chinese with a mix of Japanese. I went to school/studied in Pitzer College, then transferred to UCLA, and majored in World Arts & Cultures with a dance concentration. My boyfriend is from Pennsylvania. I speak English fluently and enough Bahasa, Japanese, and Swedish to order a beer and go shopping. I've moved around so much because my (mom is/dad is/parents are) both TCKs themselves."

hah! That was fun to fill out!

A Global Nomad madlibs

I found this on the Global Nomad facebook group. I'm sure it would be really interesting for you to fill this out if you're a global nomad.

WHERE ARE YOU FROM????

A true global nomad will get this kind of hunted look, and sort of glance away, and go something like, "Well, I was born in ______ but I've lived in ______, ______, and ______, my mom's from ______, my dad's from ______, and I'm a citizen of ______. I went to school/studied in ______, _______, and _______. My best friend lives in _______, My boy/girlfriend is from______. I speak _______ and ______ fluently and enough ______, _______, _______ and _______ to order a beer and go shopping. I've moved around so much because my (mom is/dad is/parents are) ______." Fill in the above blanks with country names (feel free to add as many more as necessary! or remove one or two), pick mom/dad/both, and name their occupation.

Social Networking from Families in Global Transitions Conference

I'm at the Families in Global Transitions Conference this weekend and have been live tweeting from the conference in addition to getting some video footage for the folks at FIGT.

You can follow the action @ahdancecompany or Twitter.com/ahdancecompany

Be sure to do a saved search for #FIGTconf to find out what others say!

I will also try live streaming my session on Saturday morning 10:30 (TX time - 11:30 EST) http://www.ustream.tv/channel/figt-conference

A Review of Chameleon from our APAP Showcase last month!

http://ballet-dance.com/201002/articles/ahdance_chameleon_20090108_dombroski.html

A.H. Dance Company

'Chameleon'

by Victoria Dombroski

January 8, 2010 -- Dance New Amsterdam, New York, NY

The A.H. Dance Company performed a piece of work entitled “Chameleon” at the APAP Conference Showcase at Dance New Amsterdam. This piece choreographed by Alaine Handa incorporated both dance and film to carry out a variety of notions dealing with children growing up in various countries all over the world, more than likely due to the careers of their parents demanding travel. The title of the piece “Chameleon” was perfectly proper, as it was about fitting in wherever one goes. These diverse young adults, who spent their upbringing in many different countries, spoke of issues including homesickness, multi-cultural influences, and race. Overall this amalgamation of film and dance to portray the sense of homesickness and lack of belonging to one culture was remarkable. This piece was able to bring awareness of this topic and lifestyle to an audience with true beauty and creativity.

The presentation started with a film that displayed different young adults talking about their upbringing in different parts of the world. It was fascinating to hear them speak about, for example, growing up in Japan for six years, Fiji for another two years, China for a year and a half, and finally to America, as one discussed. One young woman described herself as having the initial presence of an America, but really the Japanese culture was more in her blood than American culture. When she thinks back to what home truly is for her, she naturally thinks of where she spent most of her time growing up, which in her case was Japan. Another young man, due to his constant travel as a child, was unable to create deep connections with others. For all the speakers, their only constant in life was that they were sure they would have a new home and set of friends wherever they traveled next. Their ability to adapt to constantly changing environments became second nature.

The piece had a consistent flow between the themes in the film and the dancing on stage. At the conclusion of the first section of the film, the dancing started as a solo, using slow hand gestures of circular delicate movements in front of and above the dance’s head that almost created a dream-like atmosphere. Dressed in a Japanese-style dress, the dance moved gracefully with control and intensity about the stage. When she was on the floor she used her fingers to make it appear as a person walking, and created a circle around herself. It seemed to be symbolism for travel around the world and perhaps a wandering soul. As the piece continued with more dancers, voices spoke strongly in the background talking about lost souls not entirely having a home. The term home was considered an ambiguous term due to the constant traveling and adaptation to yet again another place to live. They spoke about this movement as creating happiness and sadness simultaneously. You create friends wherever you go next with ease because you acquire a skill in it from the constant practice, but you know that you have been quickly replaced wherever you just came from.

The dancing seemed to have a bewildered quality to it as the dancers moved their arms about their heads as if in anger and confusion. There was one phrase that was repeated a few times, “Confusion of cultures, uniquely me.” The dancers would look around themselves, searching for something that never quite seemed to be at their grasp. It was a motion of looking for that next new home and place to settle once again. The swaying arms towards the head reminded me of a bubble of confusion and there was a lot of running from corner to corner creating a panicking, uneasy emotion. The dancers would grab at the air in front of them and move through space with no sense of stability and contentment. It was that yearning for more that kept me wanting to watch and see if there would ever be a sense of resolution. The dancers were like feathers on the wind and I liked the dreamlike quality that I felt from it. At one point the dancers were using a hand shaking gesture as they moved quickly in a circle with an edgy and tense quality, reinforcing the overwhelming sensation of always being on the move with a constant change over of people.

Overall this piece was a beautiful representation of a lifestyle that is not commonly discussed or even acknowledged by most. It allowed an audience to learn about and interpret this way of life for themselves through the art of film and dance, thus leaving the audience with a unique perception of the individuals’ lives in relation to their own.

New video posted

Excerpts from Open Performance on Jan. 6, 2010 from Alaine Handa on Vimeo.

Excerpts from Open Performance hosted by Movement Research on Jan. 6, 2010

RESERVE & PURCHASE YOUR TIX NOW!

We are in the middle of a snowstorm right now...
What better way than to spend your time making plans for the future...

Come see this project in New York City in May!
(If you're coming from out-of-town, I can even help you find cheap lodging!)

University Settlement has set up the ticketing through Brown Paper Tickets and you can purchase/reserve your tickets here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/98414
Alternatively you can also do a search for "Alaine Handa" or "Chameleon" on BrownPaperTickets.com

The performances are May 13, 14, 15 @ 7:30 pm each night at University Settlement's Speyer Hall theater.
184 Eldridge St (Corner of Rivington), New York, NY

Watch a preview of Yoonjung's solo below from our tech rehearsal at WAX Works performance this past fall.

WAX Works tech rehearsal, Oct. 25, 2009 from Alaine Handa on Vimeo.

Families in Global Transitions (FIGT) conference in Houston, TX

Join me at the 12th Annual Families In Global Transition Conference in Houston, TX on March 4-6, 2010

I am thrilled to have been selected to receive one of their prestigious David Pollock Scholarships this year! In addition I was also selected to present & perform at the conference.

Speakers and attendees registered to date will be traveling from: Brazil, Switzerland, France, Japan, Germany, Thailand, Norway, Chile, Iceland, South Africa, Canada, the UK and the United States

And will include: The World Bank, U.S. Department of State, various U.S. American Universities, European Embassy Offices, University of Switzerland, missionary workers, University of Iceland, writers, coaches, U.S. Military Branches, publishers, corporations, MIT, international schools and many more who empower individuals living abroad.

Register today and join me to become a part of this 2010 dynamic worldwide community ready to share cross-cultural education, top research and best practices to support families in global transition across all sectors. And hurry, the $110/night hotel rate only goes until Feb 16th!


Here is the description of my concurrent session at the conference:

The Expat Experience through the Arts (5B)
Alaine Handa

The arts (visual and performing) are used to experience culture as well as a form of communication and therapy. Sometimes when our world is constantly changing and we struggle to keep up, the arts can play a wonderful tool to describe your experiences and feelings in a non-verbal way. This is a lecture/demo with Third Culture Kids in the arts showing their experiences through photography, video, music, drama, and dance.

I will also be screening a short preview of "I am a TCK" film:

A Short Screening of "I am a TCK" (1B)
Alaine Handa

"I am a TCK," directed/produced by Alaine Handa, is a documentary film that includes interviews with third culture kids describing their experiences growing up among worlds, frustrations with non-TCKs upon their return to their passport country, their future plans that are affected by their TCK upbringing, and how they view the world around them. This session is a short screening of the film with a short discussion to address the issues that might happen when moving to a new country or returning "home" and the ways to cope.

Rehearsal Report

The showcase at the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP) conference on Jan. 8, 2010 went really well. We had a great audience and some folks from InterNations came to the showcase. I decided that week to interlace the dance sequences with the documentary film I've been working on. The interviews I've conducted with Third Culture Kids have spurred a lot of inspiration for the dance. It is amazing to meet and talk to interesting group of Third Culture Kids from all different walks of life. Their stories and experiences are touching and I hope that this project will help them cope with any TCK difficulties they may face. After the showcase, I met some great people who could relate to being a global citizen/multi-cultural/cross-cultural individual and dealing with the same or similar problems that most TCKs face.


Here are the pictures by awesome dance photographer, William Hebert:

















The past couple weeks in rehearsal, I've spent working with each individual dancer on their respective solos. Their solo material is created collaboratively between choreographer (me) and the dancer. I had each dancer come up with a prose or poem about a favorite memory they have and then I had them extract specific words out of the original. The original movement phrases were created from those words. I gave specific movement ideas to each individual dancer based on their phrases to formulate a truly individual story that is unique to the dancer. The finishing touch will be interviewing each dancer and juxtaposing their words to their solo.

I hand-picked each dancer not just based on technical ability, I picked each dancer because of her background story. Her cultural upbringing, her personality, her openness to learning about other cultures. It was important to me to have dancers that can relate to the project and invest their time in rehearsal. (Dancers if you're reading this, THANK YOU! You inspire me!) They come from a variety of cultural backgrounds (more on this later...) and it is stunning to see this cultural exchange in rehearsal every week. :-)