Dancing Poetry

Artists Embassy International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting intercultural understanding and peace through the universal language of the arts.  Founded by Althya Youngman in 1951, AEI has continuously promoted individual and group artists working in many media, offered venues, publication opportunities, poetry  contest, prizes, festivals, conferences, classes, exhibitions and many other opportunities for the promotion of artists and their work throughout the United States and the world.   Membership dues, $30 per year, include quarterly newsletters, advertisements of events, opportunities and contacts for international events and reports on your personal artistic work.  Subscription only to the quarterly Newsletter, $10 per year.  Send dues, subscription, newsletter articles and information to AEI for inclusion in the next publication.       

 Spellbound and awestruck! That’s how the audience responded to Natica Angilly’s Poetic Dance Theater Company dancing to the poetry of Richard Angilly (back left) and Mary Rudge, Poet Laureate of Alameda, CA.  The first half of the performance was Natica dancing to Richard while he read his poem, We Need To Send Out More Birds. The rest of the dance company flew out onto the stage with gloriously red stardust veils and danced to Stravinsky’s Firebird  as Richard read Legend, by Mary Rudge.

Needless to say, this was a one of a kind performance for the three day dance festival and bazaar.

     Rakkasah is probably the biggest Middle Eastern Dance Festival in the world. Dancers gather from around the world, under the production skills of AEI member, Shukriya Devine.  Over a thousand dancers performed. Hundreds of vendors had goods to sell relating to dance or Middle Eastern Culture. AEI had their sales  booth and did well selling Natica’s Dancing Tambourines and other items.

Additional Major Performances of NAPDTC, 2008

Rakkasah is one of various performances given throughout the year. The Poetic Dance Theater Company is also scheduled to perform in Somerset, NJ, over the weekend of June 6-8, for the Spring Caravan, the Second Annual Belly Dance Fusion Festival, a Rakkasah event produced by Michelle De Vine of New Jersey.

In September, NAPDTC is scheduled to give a magnificent performance as the primary entertainment for the Most Famous Poets Society at the Reno Hilton over Labor Day Weekend.

And don’t forget our spectacular Dancing Poetry Festival to be held September 27, 2008, Noon to 4:00 at the spectacular Florence Gould Theater in the famous California Palace of the Legion of Honor Museum in beautiful Lincoln Park, San Francisco, CA. This afternoon extravaganza features prize winning poems, and their poets, from around the world, and stupendous dance performances inspired by and including poetry.

82^nd Annual Poets’ Dinner

March 15, 2008, Francesco’s Restaurant, Oakland, CA  Photo by Judy Hardin Cheung

With Rakkasah in full swing, Richard and Judy had to leave and help officiate at the Poets’ Dinner. This annual  event is informally run by an ongoing committee. Although loosely tied by joint memberships to the Ina Coolbrith Circle, this annual poetry contest and awards ceremony is an independent entity. Many of our AEI members are also on the committee for the Poets’ Dinner. AEI’s Tanya Joyce, poet and artist, was this year’s
contest chair. Judy Hardin Cheung was the decorations chair and read two of the categories of prize winners.  The theme was Earth. The decorations were Earth balloons on bamboo sticks placed in pots of growing flowers. This went beautifully with the printed program, designed by David Alpaugh, which showed the world from space on the front and a seedling sprouting from dirt on the back. The lunch was acclaimed by many as the best in many years!

Napa River Trip

     Not every minute of AEI board members’ time is filled with non-stop work. Occasionally, we go out to do something fun. This past Christmas, Cindy Levinson’s husband, Bill, gave her a bird watching cruise on the Napa River, one of the 8 deep water ports in California. This river flows through the wine country and offers an electric boat cruise through the town of Napa to see historic buildings, old bridges, government protected marshes and lots of birds. It was a wonderful “mini-vacation” day for everyone.

Gathering subjects for artistic endeavors:

AEI and Chinese New Year
In the spirit of bridging cultures, AEI’s Judy Cheung is active with celebrating Chinese New Year which consists of a multi-event series of performances each year where local businesses and organizations ask for a lion dance. Judy had nearly a dozen performances this year as percussionist--sometimes playing the lion drum, sometimes the cymbals or gong. In addition to many community performances, there is also a Traditional Chinese New Year Celebration and a grand Chinese New Year Celebration and Fundraiser. New Year Celebrations last for two months!

In the spirit of bridging cultures, AEI’s Judy Cheung is active with celebrating Chinese New Year which consists of a multi-event series of performances each year where local businesses and organizations ask for a lion dance. Judy had nearly a dozen performances this year as percussionist--sometimes playing the lion drum, sometimes the cymbals or gong. In addition to many community performances, there is also a Traditional Chinese New Year Celebration and a grand Chinese New Year Celebration and Fundraiser. New Year Celebrations last for two months!

Salon For Your Imagination, WOW!

Up Coming Events

Although we are overbooked with already committed events, Natica accepted another group show for Arrivederci in April. It features Judy, Richard and Natica. The theme is Bytes of Life. This show began on April 25.

     Natica will also have a new show in the entry way, beginning May 10. The theme will be Angels and will have new combinations of her masks and tambourines combined with props for an excitingly interesting display.

      Currently Judy has a show in the bar area. Floating, features prints of jellyfish, a sculpture of the world, and a lotus. These are in frames 40”-50”.  Bigger Is Better will be the topic for her May 5^th art talk at the Monday evening Salon. We hope to see some of the Bay Area poets and artists present for this evening of wonderful art conversations. June 21, a show featuring dancers will go into the entry way.

    For details about the exhibits or to make reservations for the Monday Night Salon For Your Imagination, WOW!,  please call Host, Angar Mora, 415-897-7313.

Selected upcoming events presented or participated in by AEI

for RSVP and  information on any listed event, contact AEI at naticaaei @aol.com or  510-235-0361

January 1-May 15, Dancing Poetry Contest see insert for rules.

March 29-April 18, Judy Cheung’s Poetography  exhibit in Cafe Arrivederci’s bar, combines poetry with photography.

April 28, April 30, May 1, Natica Angilly teaches Poetic Dance classes in conjunction with National Dance Week. Call Natica at 510-235-0361 for class registration material, times and location.

May 5,  Judy Cheung will give an art presentation: Bigger Is Better, describing use of size for impact in art

May 10-June 20, Natica’s masks and tambourines exhibit in the entry way of Cafe Arrivederci.

June 4-8, Rakkasah’s Spring Caravan Belly Dance Fusion Festival. AEI will have a sales booth. Natica will dance. Visit www.rakkasah.com for more info.

June 21-August 1, Judy Cheung’s Poetography exhibit in Cafe Arrivederci’s entryway, 11 G Street, San Rafael, CA

August 9, Multi-Cultural Poetry Reading and Poet Luck Lunch, Redwood Empire Chinese Association Center, Santa Rosa, CA, Noon-4. Co-sponsored by AEI and Poets of the Vineyard. Call Judy Cheung for info 707-528-0912

September 27, Dancing Poetry Festival, Noon to 4:00 p.m. California Palace of the Legion of Honor, San Francisco.

January, 2009,  AEI art exhibit at the Alameda Art Museum, Alameda, CA. Artists Reception date TBA.

July 16-20, 2009:  Plan ahead for the World Congress of Poets in Managua, Nicaragua. Many AEI members plan to attend.