Monthly Archives: September 2016

Ballet for Adults: Great New Class!

mail-2  The Lively Foundation is proud to announce a new class, Adult Ballet. The class meets at 7 p.m. at 890 Church St., the Mountain View Masonic Center, Mountain View, CA. The class will be taught by Leslie Friedman. Dr. Friedman, Artistic Director of The Lively Foundation, has experience teaching professional dancers and beginners. She taught the Ballet Rambert, London, England; national ballets of Poland, the Cairo National Ballet, and dancers at the three Chinese ballets/academies in Beijing, Shenyang, and Shanghai, among others. She focuses on good technique to protect your body and the love of movement. Her goal is for everyone of whatever experience and training to enjoy themselves dancing.

Dr. Friedman has performed to great acclaim around the world. The US State Dept. sponsored her tours with host countries in India, Russia, China, Spain, Hungary, Romania, Poland, and many other countries.

The class meets Tuesday evenings, 7:00-8:15. Dancers may buy a 10 class class card for $130 or drop in for $15 per class. There must be 4 class card holders to keep going.

For more information, please email livelyfoundation@sbcglobal.net or call 650/969-4110.

Conference of Birds at the Mexican Heritage Theater, 9/9-911

ZnKGb9syrL6fAkbt8iQY_CoB_ticketAn exciting dance theater event opens this Friday, September 9, at the Mexican Heritage Theater, and runs for four performances through the weekend. It is a grand program drawing on the skills of ten different dance traditions to tell its story. The cast includes fifteen actors and thirty dancers.The performance is presented by Sangam Arts and EnActe. Its artistic director, Antara Bhardwaj, has been at work on the project for nearly two years. The mission of the producers and directors is to promote multicultural understanding through the arts.

thThe story is based on the work of 12th century Persian poet, Farid ud-Din Attar. It is about the quest of humanity for understanding of the world and god and humanity’s place in relationship to it. Playwrights Jean Claude Carriere and Peter Brook first adapted it to the modern stage. The production team for this event includes Production Head Usha Srinivasan, Director Vinita Belani, Dance & Music Director Antara Bhardwaj, Composer Randy Armstrong.

FolkloricoDance styles include Ballet, Bharatanatyam, Aztec, Afro-Brazilian, Chinese, Folklorico, Hula, Persian, Kathak, Odissi, Belly Dance.

Tickets are available now. Visit facebook/sangamartsorg and enacte.org/production/the-conference-of-the-birds               Performances are Friday afternoon, Sept. 9 for schools; Friday evening at 8 p.m.; Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. & evening at 8 p.m.; Sunday matinee at 4 p.m. This promises to be an extraordinary theater event.

EnActe    Photos: Antara Bhardwaj dancing Kathak, Folklorico dancers                                              Sangam

 

 

Lively Friends Meet the Merolinis

janeLeslieFrancoMerolaGrpSharonAnnA Lively group of Friends of The Lively Foundation enjoyed an evening of gorgeous singing at the San Francisco Opera House, Aug. 20.  The eleven Lively individuals came from Marin, San Francisco, Pacifica, Mountain View, and San Jose. The Merola Opera program has given Lively tickets for its friends to attend Merola performances each of the last 7 summers. Merola is a training program for singers on their way to international fame. The program gives them many opportunities and by doing so gives the rest of us the opportunity to hear great music sung by stars. Previous “Merolini”  have included Ruth Ann Swenson, Thomas Hampson, Carol Van Ness, Patrick Summers, Brian Asawa, and many others beginning brilliant careers. This summer rather than a full length opera, eleven Lively friends were treated to the Merola Grand Finale, a gala performance of arias and ensembles accompanied by full orchestra. The voices were splendid. We shall all keep our programs in order to follow the careers of our favorites. Keep in touch with Lively for future great events.