Now is the chance...for me, and for you, too! They peform a concert at the Jewish Community Center's Kaplan Theatre this Saturday, November 8th, at 8:00pm.
It was an exciting moment when our Music Director, Sharon Joy, discovered the Yuval Ron website. Here was a composer and a music ensemble that are dedicated to bringing people together in peace through the music traditions of Islam, Judaism and Christianity! How in line with Dancepatheatre and especially with our Al Andalus Project is that?! Their music focuses on particular regions and eras, and naturally Al Andalus is one of them. On top of that, there are two dancers who sometimes join the ensemble: a Sufi; and Maya Karrasso (see below), who blends various styles of Oriental dance. Even more alignment with us and with my Modern-Andalusian Fusion class!
Even before that moment of discovering his website, Sharon and I knew that Yuval Ron was a kindred spirit. He composed the music for the Academy Award winning independent short film, West Bank Story. A spoof of West Side Story (as you may have guessed), this hilarious and brilliant work pokes fun at everyone equally, and makes you laugh till your sides split. The music is just perfect, and is integral to both the film's effectiveness and its hilarity.
Sharon had already obtained a DVD of West Bank Story and used it in her peace-making work with Houston's Palestinian-Jewish Dialogue group that she founded and facilitates. (Yes, even though she now lives in Louisisana, Sharon travels to Houston each month to contnue her work with the group. That's dedication!) I watched it twice before the film was honored with the Academy Award. So we already loved the work of Yuval Ron before we knew about his greater body of work.
When Sharon told me about the website, I heard some of the music, and all of this came together, it was an exciting moment! And when Yuval granted permission for us to use selections of his music for the Al Andalus Project, it was a joyous moment!
For those of you who saw the August, 2007 version of Al Andalus! The Legend, Yuval Ron's music accompanies some of the highlights of the production including: the men's duet with the Botany Codex; the "good news duet" when Shaprut stops Fatima from fleeing Cordoba; the opening of the Act II with various mystical traditions portrayed in dance.
Besides the upcoming Saturday night concert, another highlight of the Yuval Ron Ensemble is Maya Karrasso's Belly Dance Master Class on Friday, November 7th, 4:30-6:00pm, also at the JCC. You bet your belly I'm going to be there taking it!
I hope to see you at one of these uplifting events. Till then,
Paz
Shalom
Salaam
Peace
