Spirit of Place August 29 2009

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Submitted by bruce on Sat, 08/29/2009 - 10:12.

I'm working on a show that grows out of a performance of a dance at Stern Grove choreographed by Marin's Anna Halprin called "Spirit of Place" on May 3, 2009.  Lawrence Halprin designed the renovated theater. This performance explores the space that he created and honors his design.  We hope to air the shows starting in October 2009 on Marin Public Access cable Channel 26.

Five volunteers from the Community Media Center of Marin collaborated with two other videograpers to videotape the two performances.  The performance area was almost 100 yards wide and 50 yards deep, making the taping very challenging.  We used 4 camera's and were constantly challenged since this dance had many  activities going on simultaneously across the extraordinarily wide performance area.  Editing is also quite challenging. Anna Halprin is actively involved in the production process.

It's wonderful to be working on a production at the new media center with such creative and skilled people.

We also interviewed Anna Halprin about the development of the piece, and the "back story".  Lawrence ( a well known master Landscape Architect) also spoke with us about ideas incorporated in the design of the amphitheater.  He and Anna have been working and performing at Stern Grove since the early 1950's. It's a whole new place for performances since he redesigned it in 2003 and it was rebuilt in a 15 million dollar renovation of the park. This dance shows off the imported Chinese stone work and reminds of of the possibilities, of dimensions beyond the usual. 

Light rain kept the crowd to a minimum,  though it also made for a unique performance of the piece during the morning. We also taped an afternoon performance.  There were over 30 performers, many of whom have worked with Anna for years, some from her dance workshops, some local residents from the Stern Grove area.

 


For additional information on the Community Media Center of Marin you can check out their website: Marin.TV

California may have made a public statement about settling the budget, but the impacts of the decisions made are just starting to ripple through the state and it's obvious that the Governor and legislature took an ax to the "safety net".

We do foster care for some of the most innocent, vulnerable people in the state, the children displaced by family tragedy. The new state budget won't provide child care for these infants and kids, so working families who are willing to provide foster care are now asked to subsidize the state welfare system from their own pockets.

Many who provide foster care will not be able to continue to support this system, leaving many kids without good temporary homes when they are without their own families.

How can the Republicans justify this heartless attack on the most vulnerable? What political principals hold that our society should not care for our little kids who are homeless through no fault of their own. Some of these kids are traumatized, all are vulnerable. Some semblance of a system remains, but the guts are being cut out in the name of "no new taxes" or "tax cuts for the rich!".

There was rhetoric about how some people made money doing foster care, but in my experience knowing many foster care families, no one is getting rich off the system, most foster care families do so out of love for children, and most foster care providers were putting in more than they got out of the system. No doubt, as in any system, there may be some folks who game the system, but instead of addressing those few problems, the whole system was cut back. Our county also lost social workers, case loads increased, and expenses were shifted to private citizens and groups. It's the kids and the families who bear the immediate cost, but it is society that will ultimately feel the cost of kids who's needs were not met, kids who didn't get therapy, kids who grow up bitter and sad, kids who won't know compassion.

While this is the tiny area that I can see, it is clear that there are hundreds more examples of cuts that target the ill and infirm, the powerless.

Maybe it's a Republican value to change our society into the sort of third world place where the powerless are not even seen, where hopelessness and cruelty are taken for granted, where "justice for all" and basic human needs are available only for the rich and strong. For most of my life, it wasn't a party thing, we all believed that our society should provide basic human needs for the least amongst us.

Sad, but this is the reality here in California in August 2009.