The Dancing Poetry Festival, 2008
Was brought to you by
Artists Embassy International
(a 501c3 non-profit organization for art and culture since 1951)
September 27, 2008, 12 Noon to 4:00 p.m.
At the Florence Gould Theater in the California Palace of the Legion of Honor
Producers: Richard and Natica Angilly for Artists Embassy International
Artistic Director: Natica Angilly
Host dance troupe: Natica Angillys Poetic Dance Theater Company
Featured poet of the NAPDTC: Richard Angilly
MC: Raoul Epling
Assistant MC: Judy Hardin Cheung
Videographer for Grand Prize winners and AEI archives: Arthur Levinson
Photographer: Judy Hardin Cheung (unless otherwise stated)
Photographer: Carl Sermon
Dancers for Natica Angillys Poetic Dance Theater Company for the Dancing Poetry Festival, 2008: Wanda Ingmire, Cindy Levinson, Sarahanne Lum, Nancy Merritt, Alysza Lee Salomon , Rona Alexander, Delilah Jasmin, Shukriya DeVine, Loywanner Haddadou, Vera Reardon, Faith Dunham-Simms, Mary Peterson, Rhonda Hollie, Carolyn Williams, Noor Gulammydin, Donna Wheat.
The Dancing Poetry Festival hopes to bring an afternoon of entertainment and the feeling that we are one in the world, especially through art. Thank you to all who participated and attended. We hope to see you Saturday, September 28, 2009. If you are a dancer, please send in your dance proposal to be featured on our program. Application forms are under the forms tab of this site. If you are a poet, please enter our contest. Contest rules are under contest rules tab of this site.
Photos by Judy Hardin Cheung
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| Our Festival opened with the Redwood Empire Chinese Association Lion Dancers, from Santa Rosa, CA, with International Poet Laureate Woman of Letters, Judy Hardin Cheung's poem "Celebration" being read by David Chung while Judy played the drum for the dancers. Photo by Arthur Chang, edited by Judy Hardin Cheung |
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Two Lion Dancer photos by Carl Sermon
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Our afternoon of festivities was MCed by the most sparkeling Master of Ceremonies in the world, Raoul Epling. He has a change of tuxedo for every act.
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| Arthur Chang, AEI VP, delivers the Proclamation from San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. Photo by Carl Sermon. |
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| The Poet and the Dancer, Richard and Natica Angilly, founders of the Poeltic Dance Theater Company and co-founders of the Dancing Poetry Festival opened the show with "Organic Music," an introduction to poetry and dance as a unified art form. Photo by Carl Sermon |
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| Ma*Shuka Mira Murjan, with fabulous purple wings, danced "The Language of Life by Izzytejedora |
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| Diane G. Woodcock from Doha, Qatar read her prize winning poems "A Cupful of Light" and "Movement" |
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| Laverne Frith, Sacramento, CA read his "A Woman Alone." Laverne is a two time Grand Prize winner and has won more prizes in the Dancing Poetry Festival than anyone else |
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| Katy Brown, Davis, CA read her "Arpeggio" and "In the Storyteller's Basket" |
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| Allison Joseph, Carbondale, IL, read her Grand Prize Winning "Xenophilia" and her two additional prize winning poems, "The Numerology of Kisses" and "The Poet's Boot Camp" |
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| Grand Prize Winner, "Xenophilia," by Allison Joseph, Carbondale, IL, brought us a poem and dance that is a theme of everyone working towards world harmony. |
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| "Xenophilia" portrayed the positive attitudes of different people working out problems in harmony. |
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| Allison Joseph takes her bow for the curtain call after the presentation of "Xenophilia" |
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| Ann Williams Bailey presented her poem "in the valley delta suite" for the performance of Gypsy Krackers from Stockton, CA |
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| Lisa Rie choreographed and danced the essence of California's Great Central Vally from the bottom of the rivers to the vastness of the skys |
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| Ruth Aguila accompanied the poem and dance on the harp |
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One intreguing section of Gypsy Kracker's act was a depiction of valley fog
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| Natica Angilly's Poetic Dance Theater Company performed a trilogy of Light: "Poems of Light" by Richard Angilly, "We Who Are Luminious," by Poet Laureate of Alameda, Mary Rudge, and "Poet's Sunrise" by Richard Angilly |
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| Aleka as the Mother of Light |
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An awards ceremony presented a certificate commemorating the social and publishing accomplishments of publisher Paul Cobb of the Oakland, Berkeley, Richmond and South County Post Newspapers which includes El Mundo, Oakland's Spanish language newspaper. Paul Cobb's motto, printed under his newspaper title, is "Where there is no vision the people will perish..." Proverbs 29:18. Jerri Lange, broadcasting innovator and breaker of barriers, was to present the award, however, due to urgent business at his office, then traffic jams, Paul Cobb was unable to attend the presentation. Jerri Lange accepted the award in his behalf. Assisting in the presentation of this award was Mary Rudge, Poet Laureate of the City of Alameda.
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| Fatima Al Wahid danced "Song of the Soul" by Khalil Gibran |
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| Cathy Edgett read "Virgen de los Desamparados" by Carol Munn, Houston, Texas |
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| Lucille Lang Day, Oakland, CA, read her Grand Prize Winning poem, "In Praise of the Jellyfish," and her additional prize winning poem, "Woman (After a painting by Nathan Oliveira) |
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| "In Praise of the Jellyfish" with strange sounding names and shapes, unusual habits and living in a strange environment above and below us as we float in a sea of color |
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| NAPDTC uses veil fans to depict a sea of jellyfish |
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| Lucille Lang Day takes her curtain bow and photo op with the dancers |
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Dancers in Natica Angilly's Poetic Dance Theater Company for the 2008 Dancing Poetry Festival are Wanda Ingmire, Cindy Levinson, Sarahanne Lum, Nancy Merritt, Alyza Lee Salomon, Rona Alexander, Delilah Jasmin, Shukriya DeVine, Loywanner Haddadou, Elnora Turner, Vera Reardon, Faith Dunham-Simms, Mary Peterson, Rhoda Hollie, Carolyn Williams, Noor Gulammydin, and Donna Wheat
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| Maria Rosales read her "Last Breath" as the Moving Arts Dance Company featuring, Mariko Takahashi, portrayed it in dance |
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Rafael Jesus Gonzales was an invited poet who read his "If We Do Not Speak." He has read this poem in China and in Alabama at World Congresses of Poets and at various conventions and gatherings in the United States, Uraguay, Argentina and Cuba.
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Mr. Benjamin R. Yuzon, president of United Poets Laureate International, told of the upcoming 21st World Congress of Poets to be held in Managua, Nicaragua in July, 2009
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| First Step Outreach Ministries, introduced by Alameda Poet Laureate Mary Rudge, presented us with St. John 17:20-23 |
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| Dancers of the Pharaohs gave us "In Celebration of the Rhythms of Poetry: Dialogue in French and Hebrew, Middle Eastern Rhythms and Fascinating Rhythms" finishing off with a final bow to "S'Wonderful" |
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| Dialogue in French and Hebrew |
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| Vera Reardon in a whirl during "Middle Eastern Rhythms |
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| "Fascinating Rhythms" like you've never seen, included Shukriya DeVine, artistic director of Rakkasah Middle Eastern Dance Festivals and Bazaars in California and New Jersey |
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| Adam David Miller, poet and author, recognized for his book "Ticket to Exile: A Memoir." Certificate presented by Richard Angilly |
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| "Jack London" George Rowan was acknowledged for his service through the arts to disabled veterains |
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| Arthur Levinson was acknowledged for his life long involvement in Artists Embassy International and Natica Angilly's Poetic Dance Theater Company, currently as videographer |
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| Maxine N. Williams, Sebastopol, CA, read her prize winning "Dali" |
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| Tanya Joyce read her prize winning "Clarkia" |
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Tuju Taksu (aiming for divine inspiration through art) presented a poem by Hafiz. Their masks are made in Bali by Ida Bagus Oka, designed in collaboration with dancers Maru Matthaei, Bill Witter and Dhyanis
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| Poet Noni Howard read her "To a Younger Poet from an Older Poet," danced by Natica Angilly |
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| Michael Magee, Tacoma WA, read his "Chagall Dreams" |
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| Sherry Weaver Smith, San Ramon, CA, with her Grove at Mission Santa Ines |
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| Judy Hardin Cheung read the Grand Prize winner "Silence of the Song" by Janice P. Egry from Verbank, New York. Photo by Pilar Yuzon |
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| Natica Angilly's Poetic Dance Theater Company presents "Silence of the Song" by Janice P. Egry, Verbank, New York |
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| Prostrate with grief, the poet pines for a one who is gone |
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| Through reaching and striving, grief can be overcome |
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| Aneena, "Queen of the Veils," with a poem written and read by Mary Rudge, Poet Laureate of Alameda |
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| Paradise Freejahlove with pop locking dancer, Mike Smith with "You Should Be Concerned (Why It Takes a Team of Scientists to Make Your French Fries?) |
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| Lily Dayton, Moss Landing, CA, with "Spring Tide" |
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| Peter Nelson, Vancouver, WA, with his prize winning poem, "Native Language" |
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| Lynn Roepke read "Dance of the Wax Puppets" for Young-jim-fong Larriva, Alamosa, CO |
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| Ziti Beth Goren, from Hadley, MA, sent Sonya (my apologies that her last name has been misplaced) to read her poem "Who Am I?" |
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| Richard and Natica, the Poet and the Dancer, began "Firebird With Natica's Stardust Veils" with Richard's "We Need To Send Out More Birds" |
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| Swirling effemerally through diaphonous veils, Wanda Ingmire is illusive in "Legend" by Mary Rudge during the flying finale of "Firebird With Natica's Stardust Veils |
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| Photo op bow for "Firebird with Natica's Stardust Veils" |
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| Natica is presented a bouquet by Cindy Levinson of the Poetic Dance Theater Company |
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| Final bow and photo op with poets and dancers |
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| Before the program, at intermission and after the finale, there are brief times to chat with other poets and dancers. Here, Judy Cheung and Benjamin R. Yuzon chat with old friend, Yuk Wor Lee. Although the three have been in touch for the past four years, this is the first time Judy and Ben have met Mr. Lee face to face. Photo by Pilar Yuzon |
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Photos in this section, unless otherwise stated, were taken, edited, and in some cases made into composites by Judy Hardin Cheung, official photographer for Artists Embassy International. Additional photos are by Carl Sermon, official photographer for Rakkasah Middle Eastern Dance Festivals and Bazaars, and by Pilar Yuzon, wife of United Poets Laureate International President, Mr. Benjamin R. Yuzon. Videos of the Grand Prize dances, for the Grand Prize winners only, and for the Dancing Poetry Festival Archives housed by Artists Embassy International, are taken and edited by Arthur Levinson, official videographer of the Dancing Poetry Festival and Artists Embassy International. Sorry, no videos are for sale.
We hope to see you all at the Dancing Poetry Festival, Saturday, September 28, 2009, Noon to 4:00 p.m., at the Florence Gould Theater in the California Palace of the Legion of Honor.
We also hope that all poets will enter our contest and have a chance to be one of our prize winning poets to read at our podium. Contest rules are in our "Poetry Contest Rules" section. Also, we hope dance troupes that dance to poetry will apply for a slot on next year's program. Application proceedures are in our "Dance Forms" section.
Thank you for your interest. We hope to see you soon.
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