Palmer Events Center
Essentially Relevant Performance
RECEIVED Tue., July 9, 2019
Dear Editor,
June 30, I had the good fortune of witnessing the performance of Sacred Earth Stories ["Saving Gaia," Arts, June 28]. I was dumbstruck! This performance was essentially relevant.
The dancing was spellbinding, the music awesome, but it was so much more! This telling of this story, through music, spoken word, images, but mostly incredibly emotional and compassionate dance blazes through the heart and speaks directly to the soul. The story is known to us, but we’ve denied it as awkward and inconvenient.
The story is that of the Earth goddess, bearing all from Her womb, nurturing, loving, providing fertility, life, and growth. We experience her love, heartbreak, shock, indignity, anger, and helplessness as jealous gods trick and abuse her and a dominating culture arises from her children claiming reign over all life, “divine” ownership of her resources, disempowering and vilifying her, destroying her forests, oceans, and air. Our hearts clench with anguish and our lungs grope frantically as her very life is being snuffed. Yet our breasts fill with joy at the hope for revival at the hands of our youth.
The supremist myth that we are more important than any other life must end! We must bring back the Goddess, embrace this Sacred Earth Story, let it embody us and spread through our society. We must intend the outcome, not accept our demise. This story can save our planet.
It is essentially relevant.
I regret that I was unable to send anyone else to see this. Sacred Earth Stories had only two performances. Anuradha Naimpally stated humbly that more performances would take a bit of financial backing for artists, crew, and theater rental. But Austin Dance India is ready.
So, this is my callout to the Austin public. Let’s bring this performance back for many more to behold.
It’s essential!
June 30, I had the good fortune of witnessing the performance of Sacred Earth Stories ["Saving Gaia," Arts, June 28]. I was dumbstruck! This performance was essentially relevant.
The dancing was spellbinding, the music awesome, but it was so much more! This telling of this story, through music, spoken word, images, but mostly incredibly emotional and compassionate dance blazes through the heart and speaks directly to the soul. The story is known to us, but we’ve denied it as awkward and inconvenient.
The story is that of the Earth goddess, bearing all from Her womb, nurturing, loving, providing fertility, life, and growth. We experience her love, heartbreak, shock, indignity, anger, and helplessness as jealous gods trick and abuse her and a dominating culture arises from her children claiming reign over all life, “divine” ownership of her resources, disempowering and vilifying her, destroying her forests, oceans, and air. Our hearts clench with anguish and our lungs grope frantically as her very life is being snuffed. Yet our breasts fill with joy at the hope for revival at the hands of our youth.
The supremist myth that we are more important than any other life must end! We must bring back the Goddess, embrace this Sacred Earth Story, let it embody us and spread through our society. We must intend the outcome, not accept our demise. This story can save our planet.
It is essentially relevant.
I regret that I was unable to send anyone else to see this. Sacred Earth Stories had only two performances. Anuradha Naimpally stated humbly that more performances would take a bit of financial backing for artists, crew, and theater rental. But Austin Dance India is ready.
So, this is my callout to the Austin public. Let’s bring this performance back for many more to behold.
It’s essential!
Tom Mitchell