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July 13, 2006
“Al Borde” Magazine
English Translation of Article
How many times have you woken up on a Monday morning hating your job and your life in general? How many times have 5 cups of extra strong coffee failed to get the job done? How about when you feel you’re trapped inside The Matrix and the hands on the clock seem to stay still and a minute becomes an eternity? If this sounds like something that’s happened to you, you’re not alone! Welcome to North America, you are officially living the “American Dream”.
The Price of a Dream
This feeling is very common, especially around these parts, and because of several reasons and certain circumstances, very few times do we dedicate ourselves to doing what we really like. We tend to resign ourselves to job “x” that simply pays the rent, the bills and a little whim here or there.
Even though we all have options, at the end of the day, everybody works their résumé in terms of what seems best for the pocketbook. That’s why very few people muster up the courage and face the world (and themselves) to make their dreams a reality. We can find dancers in that small group of people.
Not All That Shines Is Gold
Currently, dance has enjoyed certain marketing in the Latino market thanks to television programs like “Dancing for a Dream” [“Bailando por un Sueño”] and “Dancing for a Million” [“Bailando por un Millón”].
Although these shows help people get familiarized with this type of art, they don’t always do it the right way, since they usually miss the mark by presenting amateur dancers with very little rhythm and hardly any stage presence, setting aside the fact that a dancer – professional or not – needs to go through arduous training before having the good fortune of stepping on a stage.
But if dance is your thing, fortunately, workshops and private studios exist which offer an endless amount of classes. As far as dance workshops are concerned, Praxis is the “real deal”. It involves a 5-week-long intensive course in which several choreographers (local and international) offer modern dance, ballet and jazz classes.
This year, Praxis and Lula Washington Dance Theatre joined forces to reach more people and to bring dancers of all levels and ages together, not only from the Los Angeles area but also from all of Southern California.
Marking the Difference
Praxis was founded in 1999 by Kacy Keys, who in her time, danced professionally for companies like the San Francisco Ballet, Houston Ballet, Boston Ballet, among others. Kacy is the living example of that saying we hear so often, “where there’s a will, there’s a way”.
Besides dedicating time and effort to dance, she’s a mother of 3 little ones and has a full-time job as an attorney. Her love of dance and her desire to let this type of art be known is what motivates her daily and gives her energy to reach her goal: to create the only modern/contemporary dance workshop in Los Angeles and the whole west coast.
Another aspect which makes Praxis different from other courses is the desire to bring together the community of dancers; in addition to that, it aspires to celebrate this art form that is so often underappreciated. And what better way to celebrate than with a show, which will be put on at the end of 5 weeks of arduous work.
The workshop as well as the show are an important part of Praxis Project’s labor, since together they help the growth of each one of the participants.
The cool thing about all this is that year after year Praxis has been growing by leaps and bounds, and the choreographers and dancers have grown together with the project.
The courses are so intense and effective that they drive young dancers to take up a career within this medium. Such is the case of Seda Aybay, who was a participant last year, and on this occasion is acting as a choreographer.
Surpassing Expectations
This year the show is titled “Affirmations… of Mind and Place”. It consists of new dances created by the choreographers: Ronald E. Brown, Christine Crest, Frit & Frat Fuller, Rogelio López, Seda Aybay, Philein Wang, Winifred Harris and Tamica Washington-Miller.
In this show you’ll be able to find a little bit of everything, even if it’s a modern dance concert, some choreographers incorporate other types of dance in their work, fusing music and movements, from the red-hot tango to electrifying African rhythms.
So turn off the T.V. and enjoy a good dance concert live and in full color. “This show is ‘a must’”, Don’t miss it!
El Portal Theatre, 5269 Lankershim Boulevard,
North Hollywood, CA 91601/ July 28 & 29/ 8pm/$25/
Info: http://www.praxisdance.org
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