By Joti Singh

Here I am, finally writing a blog. It’s not the writing that has kept me from doing this sooner but rather the commitment. So here I will state to my blog: I will do my best not to neglect you, not to put everything and everybody else above you and to always be truthful and sincere.

Duniya has a new Marketing and Communications Intern. Welcome Nitya! Having an intern is some dope stuff. When I asked her what I should write about in my first blog entry, she wanted to know why dance is important to me. Why dance? Why the heck would anyone give up luxury,  money, fancy job titles, and above all laziness and give everything to dance? Why dance? My answer, in short: Danceformation.

Photo by Vijay Rakhra

Dance is transformation. I am in the lucky position to see this on a daily basis. Dance makes a sad kid happy, dance makes an insecure woman feel like the bomb, dance turns violent youth into peaceful dance-makers, it turns ignorance into cross-cultural understanding and appreciation, it makes a dull life suddenly interesting. Dance turns a party you were invited to into a party you stayed at until 3 a.m.

When we created “Half and Halves,” our performance about the Punjabi-Mexican communities of California, as dancers we transformed ourselves into: devastated Punjabi women whose husbands were leaving us to come to America; Mexican and Punjabi farmers laboring in the scorching sun; subdued yet joyous guests at a wedding party; and feisty schoolgirls battling in the playground. The theater  transformed from the Brava in San Francisco’s Mission District in 2010 to the Imperial Valley fields in 1906. Some audience members were so moved by the performance that they cried. Many approached me afterwards and told me they were so proud to learn of this history, or that they wanted their Punjabi parents and Mexican friends to see this important show. They were transformed.

On a personal level, I metamorphosized completely, from being insecure about my ability to pull off the show and unclear about my voice as a director and choreographer, to confident with not only my own capability but also my responsibility to do important work. I delved more deeply into compromise (which doesn’t always come easy for me) and collaboration. This experience made me more empathetic, more experimental, and more clear about direction in my career and in my life.

Dance can communicate the beauties and the cracks of the world I live in, and help create the ideal world that I hope to experience. Dance transforms everyone who touches it. So, Nitya, that’s why I dance.

Duniya Dance and Drum Company, The African Advocacy Network and Arts and Ideas at the JCCSF present:

The Madness of the Elephant
A West African Dance performance exploring the reign of Guinea’s first president, Sekou Touré

Buy tickets here

Directed by Bongo Sidibe
Featuring: Alseny Soumah, Fadima Soumah, Marietou Camara, M’mah Toure, Mariama Bangoura, Joti Singh, Karamba Diabate, Mohammed Kouyate, Moise Bangoura, Jamil Diop, Ousseynou Kouyate, Kahlil Cummings, Kara Mack Cummings

Friday, April 5 and Saturday April 6, 2013, 8pm
Kanbar Hall at the Jewish Community Center, San Francisco
3200 California St., San Francisco, CA 94118
415.292.1200
Buy tickets here

Made possible by the generous funding of the Creative Work Fund, the San Francisco Arts Commision, and donors like you!

Join Duniya Dance and Drum Company at Yerba Buena Night, an evening of free outdoor music, art, dance and performance!

Saturday, October 13th, 2012 4pm – 10pm

Duniya’s performance time TBA!

Yerba Buena Night is a free evening arts festival in the heart of San Francisco’s most exciting district. Come out and see, hear, and experience the Yerba Buena district come alive with music, video, art, and dance. There will be three main performance stages, a video performance area, art installations, live street performances, and a gallery walk.

WHEN

Saturday, October 13, 2012 4:00pm – 7:00pm Yerba Buena Gallery Walk presented by the Yerba Buena Alliance: The Yerba Buena district is home to some of the most eclectic contemporary art in the nation and they’ll all be on display for you.

7:00pm – 10:00pm Yerba Buena Night program: Music, art installations, video, dance, and performance.

WHERE

Yerba Buena Lane, Jessie Square, Yerba Buena Gardens Terrace, and the Eastern Garden Walkway.

More info at www.ybnight.org

Marketing/Communications Intern 

About Duniya Dance and Drum Company:

Formed in April 2007 in San Francisco, Duniya promotes immigrant rights and the important role of traditional dance and music in society, through telling the stories of immigrant and diasporic communities with music and dance and collaborating with local nonprofits to offer low-cost or free performances and classes.

Summary:

Duniya is looking for an enthusiastic, motivated intern to help promote its mission and performances through creative use of social media tools, email, and performing arts networks. You will have the chance to shape Duniya’s online presence, develop networks within performance communities, and expand your content development skills.

Responsibilities:

• Research and implement creative marketing strategies to promote Duniya’s mission and performances
• Promote upcoming performances using social media tools, email, and performing arts networks
• Help write press releases and other promotional copy
• Edit performance videos for online promotion
• Maintain relationship with artist support groups and provide them with written content, videos, performance information, etc., as needed
• Update Duniya’s website as needed

Opportunities:

• Actively shape Duniya’s online presence and marketing strategy
• Develop networks within performing arts communities and learn about groups creating innovative tradition-based performances
• Develop writing and graphic design skills
• Produce artist and audience interview videos for online promotion

Skills and qualifications:

• Strong interpersonal, organizational, and written communication skills
• Previous experience using social media for promotion
• Experience performing a variety of tasks as needed in a support role
• Background in marketing, communications, arts administration, or related field preferred
• Enthusiasm for performing arts groups creating traditional dance and music preferred
• Familiarity with online research, graphic design, and content management systems a plus
• Flexible attitude and sense of humor a plus

Application: Please email your resume and a letter outlining why you’d be perfect for this internship to info@duniyadance.com.

Hours: You would need to commit to a weekly schedule of 10-15 hours per month, available immediately, through June 30, 2013. Exact time of day and location of work are negotiable.

Compensation: This internship is unpaid, but there is a possibility of compensation for the exceptional intern after the first three months.

For more information, contact us at info@duniyadance.com!

Duniya will be performing at City Hall in San Francisco as part of the Rotunda Series presented by Dancers’ Group and World Arts West. The performance will take place at noon.

Bringing the Bay Area’s most acclaimed dance artists to San Francisco City Hall, the Rotunda Dance Series is thrilled to announce our 2012 season.

Join us for these FREE lunchtime performances amidst the grandeur of City Hall, presented by Dancers’ Group and World Arts West in partnership with San Francisco Grants for the Arts and San Francisco City Hall.

To cultivate respect for traditional forms, foster cultural exchange, effect social justice and engage in community building, Duniya Dance and Drum Company performs and teaches traditional and innovative performance pieces from Guinea, West Africa and Punjab, India. The word duniya means “world” in a wide array of languages, including Punjabi, Arabic, Susu and Wolof. Duniya’s work embodies this word, as it explores the forces that have brought together the members of the company and their dance and drum styles, including, but not limited to, colonization, globalization, immigration, art, dance, music and love.

Duniya performs at the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival!

Saturday June 22nd and Sunday June 23rd, Duniya rocks the Village Stage with Bhangra and Bollywood sets on Saturday and West African dance and music on Sunday. Each set also includes a dance lesson for the audience. We are lucky to be accompanied by great musicians Karamo Cissokho, Moise Bangoura, Moussa Traore, Djamil Diop and Adama Diop.

Duniya Dance and Drum Company will perform as specials guests at the SF World Percussion Arts Festival, with Wontanara Revolution at the Saturday after-party!

A Rhythmic Celebration Of World Percussion and Dance!
Taiko, Tabla, African Drumming and More!!!!
SF’s Only World Percussion Festival!

TICKETS HERE: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/229541

Please join us Saturday night, immediately following the show for an after-party with Wontanara Revolution, also at Dance Mission. Tickets are $10 for the after-party and can also be purchased at the above link.

Duniya Dance and Drum Company and Bissap Baobab present:
Bhangra-Bollywood Cabaret

Featuring an exclusive Senegalese dinner, live dance performances by Duniya Dance and Drum Company, tabla music by Neil Prasad. Followed by an open floor for your dancing pleasure with DJ Neil.

Friday March 2nd, 6pm-midnight
Bissap Baobab
3372 19th St., San Francisco
$35 admission, includes dinner, performances and dancing
Purchase Your Tickets Here Now

No-host bar open all evening, beginning with 6pm Happy Hour.
Sit-down dinner at 7pm and Cabaret Show at 7:30pm.

There are many ways to support Duniya’s creative work and teaching. Your donations directly fund new costumes, and hiring professional editors to put together our videos from “Half and Halves,” and “Lanyee,” so that we can continue to promote and perform these shows. They also help us to secure rehearsal space, create our promotional materials, and cover general operating expenses. All tax-deductable donations are made through our fiscal sponsor, Dancers’ Group (dancersgroup.org).

Checks: Checks should be made payable to our fiscal sponsor – Dancers’ Group (please note “Duniya Dance and Drum Company” in the memo field)– and mail to the following address: 1832 Castro St., San Francisco, CA 94131. (If you make the check out to Duniya, it will not be tax-deductible, so please keep this in mind when writing a check).

PayPal: To make a donation online through PayPal, please visit the Dancers’ Group donation page.

In Kind: In-kind donations (office supplies, costume materials, etc.) and volunteer support are greatly appreciated. Please contact info@duniyadance.com for information on how to donate and/or volunteer.

We appreciate your support!

October 2, 2011

January 2012

Rootboy – Wontanara Revolution from Amit Dubey on Vimeo.

November 2011