Current Happenings...
Costuming alert! I worked with my favorite director, Reena Dutt as costumer for Sacred Fools wonderful production of Madhuri Shakar's important play. Check it out!
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At long last I have posted the final article in my three part series for LA Dance Chronicle. Please read it and let me know what conversations it sparks for you.
Hey, I am honored to have spent a morning chatting with Allie Christensen. Click here to give it a listen!
The second article in my series for LA Dance Chronicle posted today and I very much hope that you will read it. Bullying and Gender Parity in Dance
Hello. Environmental activist Nancy here again with some climate saving holiday gift ideas. Sustainability and no waste policy guides my life. I generally make donations instead of giving physical items for the holidays, but if you want to open presents, here are some handy and helpful gifts to encourage a planet healthy lifestyle! 1. Safety razors: How many plastic razors do you throw away a year? A lot. I just bought this bamboo handled safety razor and I will never go back. Blades are recyclable, the razor feels really luxurious and no plastic. Plus, it will last for life! This is a great gift but I also recommend buying one for yourself. 2. Refillable dental floss: Flossing is great for your teeth and gums and terrible for landfill. Once again there is an elegant and sustainable solution. Refillable metal or glass holders with vegan floss. Then you just refill with floss. No more plastic! 3. Plant-based cook books: A plant based diet is far and away the most concrete action we can take to help stall global warming. There are so many wonderful plant based diets and cuisines to choose from. I prefer a whole foods approach rather than the trendy meat substitutes, but you do you! Here are a few lists: Best Reviews Amazon Food Revolution 4. Living gifts are always awesome as well. My colleague Chandra Breslow makes gorgeous creations using found items and succulents! I bought one for my mom for her birthday and it was a hit. 5. Experiences are always amazing gifts. Visit an animal rescue or shelter, go for a hike, perform for a retirement community. We don't always need stuff. Sometimes we just need community and connection.
We all can get a little insane over the holidays. See how you can do both: give what your heart desires and be kind to the planet. I am so thrilled! I am directing my first dance concert at AMDA and it is quite a show! Live music, all based on John Williams' amazing work on the Star Wars Franchise. 27 Dancers, 10 choreographers (including me) and a 3 piece band! The performances are not public, but I still want to shout this one from the rooftops! December 5-7 in Los Angeles!
I was excited to be included within this article on creating safe spaces for young dancers to attack serious and emotional work. Proud that the work that we did on Too Many Bodies continues to resonate. Check out the article here.
I am thrilled to announce that I have joined the writing staff at LA Dance Chronicle and have just posted my first article. Please check it out. The next in the series will be posted in two to three weeks.
https://www.ladancechronicle.com/beyond-the-celebrity-headlines-bullying-and-gender-dynamics-in-the-dance-world-a-three-part-series/ I am going to step away from the performing arts for just one second and talk about climate reality and sustainability and one action item that every single person can take; bring both a reusable water bottle and coffee/tea mug everywhere. Seriously. Don't use to-go cups or plastic bottles. I live right near a Starbucks. There are also Peets, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, and Bluestone cafes within two blocks. The amount of plastic waste that each of these stores generate each day is astronomical. Each and every day. We can change that. All we each need to do is carry a coffee mug, I have one that is good for both hot and cold liquids. It's like magic. The same solution is available for water. Water in the United States (with notable exceptions such as the crisis in Flint, MI) is potable. We do not need to buy bottled water. We can simply fill up a container over and over. Put a filter on your sink. Many people do this, but so many more simply buy water without thinking about where that empty bottle will go. Coffee cups, especially for cold drinks are also just waste. There is no reason to avoid carrying a mug with you. A friend suggested that rather than a 10 cent discount for your own cup, there should actually be a surcharge if you do not bring one. A dollar or more per drink. The cost should reflect the actual damage of that disposable cup. Here is an article listing the Best Travel Mugs, According to Coffee Snobs. It includes links to buy. Here is a list of the best water bottles, according to Trip Savvy. It also includes links to buy. Everything associated with climate change seems overwhelming and incredibly expensive. Going vegan seems impossible to many people. We are addicted to cars, planes and consumption. This is one step, but one that if universally adopted could actually make a difference. Do it. Stop buying water bottles and using disposable cups. Just stop. Starbucks and friends, take things one step further and add a surcharge if people don't bring their own cups. (rather than redesigning lids to avoid straws that actually use more plastic than the original.....)
I was honored to take part in Barbara R. Arwine's weekly radio show Igniting Change on Tuesday morning, August 13. We talked about Too Many Bodies, gun reform, arts activism and making a difference. Craig Shetterly of Vets for Gun Reform was also part of the conversation. You can listen here.
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Nancy Dobbs Owen
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January 2024
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