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Event
GaNaDa
GaNADa, which is part of Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center's 15th United States of Asian America Festival, is the project by Dohee Lee intertwines the theme of self-discovery with elements of Korean mythology. Through the combined media of dance, live music, animation and installation, Lee takes the audience on the journey of her own self-discovery while exploring the myth of the goddess Mago (as was told in the ancient text the Budoji), connecting the realm of dreams, past and present lives, karma and destiny.
Mago is the creator goddess in ancient Korean mythology, central to the practice of mudang. The legend of Mago outlines this piece, which aims to express the interconnectedness of dreams and reality, past and present lives, karma and destiny, microcosm and macrocosm. Through an exploration of the myth of Mago and my own story, revealing this interconnectedness and its implications in one's life. The work itself will be a cleansing/purging ritual, an intensely personal journey of birth, self-discovery, confrontation, action, and re-birth, and like all of my work, will embrace spirituality, politics and healing.
The ocean and peaches are two symbols that are threaded throughout the piece. The ocean is the dwelling place of Mago, and is omnipresent in the lives of the residents of Jeju Island, my hometown. Jeju's strong shamanic tradition is centered on rituals involving the ocean. The ocean is Mother, mystery and life. In Korean folklore, the peach is a symbol of the creation of humanity. Also, my given name Dohee means "bright peach." Curiosity about the history and meaning of my name was one impetus for this project.
"Ga," "Na" and "Da" are the first three letters of the Korean written language, much like "ABC" in the Roman alphabet. But unlike the latter, each of the symbols have their own meaning; "Ga" means Go, "Na" means Me, or Myself, "Da" means All, or Everything. So together, this could mean, "Let all of myself go."
GaNADa will be performed by Dohee Lee, Tatsu Aoki, Adria Otte and Jamaesori (Yeri Shon, Codie Otte). The Future is NOW and GaNADa are supported by the California Arts Council, San Francisco Arts Commission and the Zellerbach Family Foundation.
About Dohee Lee
Dancer/Musician/Vocalist Dohee Lee is the founder of the groundbreaking PURI Project. Born out of her desire to create a new art form, in 2004 she founded the group, an innovative project in which the goal is to present elements of dance, music, spoken word, visual art, and audience participation within the context of their performances. She studied Korean traditional dance and drumming music at the master level in Korea and she is also graduated from Tamalpa Institute in U.S.A. Since her arrival in the US, she has been a vital contributor to both the traditional and contemporary Asian American Cultural Arts landscape of the Bay area and beyond. Her many accomplishments from the past few years including being the resident artist and instructor of the Koran youth cultural center, a community based organization focused on Korean arts. She has performed in various ethnic dance festivals, including the Asian American Dance Performance and the Asian American Jazz Festival in San-Francisco and Chicago. Since 2001, she has worked on project with leader of the Asian American Creative Arts scene, including dancer/choreographer Sue Li Jue's Facing East Dance and Music, Modern dance company Kunst-Soff as a composer and performer, Butoh dancer/choreographer Shinichi Iova Koga's Inkboat, Saxophoinst/composer Francis Wong, Jeff Chan, Pianist Jon Jang, Chicago bassist Tatsu Aoki, Cellist Joan Jearnrenaud, Okkyung Lee, Theresa Wong and Saxophonist/composer Lawrence Orhs and Scott Amendala. She also has collaborated on new work with Nanos Operetta, the Kronos Quartet and Choreographer/dancer Anna Halprin. She presented world Premier production "FLUX" at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in 2008 and Perspectives of Kronos Quartet series at New York Carnegie Hall, Zankel hall in 2010 .
About Tatsu Aoki
Tatsu Aoki is a prolific artist, composer, musician, educator and a consummate bassist and Shamisen Lute player. Based in Chicago, Aoki works in a wide range of musical genres, ranging from traditional Japanese music, jazz, experimental and creative music.
Aoki was born in 1957 in Tokyo, Japan into an artisan family called TOYOAKI MOTO, traditionally categorized as OKIYA, meaning a booking and training agent for Geisha ladies in downtown Tokyo's designated area. While the economy and social environment forced many of those traditional artisan family business to close down in the 60's , Aoki was luckily able to receive some of the important essence of traditional Tokyo Geisha cultural training and studies at age 4, and became a part of the performing crew in early childhood. After his grand mother passed away, he had kept the Tokyo music training until early teen, and shifted his musical focus to American pop music and experimental music. Since his biological father was a movie producer at Shin Toho Studio, he had also began working in small gage films and started to produce experimental films.
Aoki was active performer during the early 70's in the mist of Tokyo Underground Arts movement. Became a member of Japanese Experimental Music ensemble, GINTENKAI presenting mixture of traditional music and new western music. After coming to U.S. in 1977, Aoki studied experimental filmmaking at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He is currently an adjunct Full Professor at the Film, Video and New Media Department, and teaches film production and history courses. During the late 80's, Aoki has become a leading advocate for Chicago's Asian American community and one of Chicago's most in-demand musicians on both contrabass, taiko (Japanese drums) and shamisen (Japanese lute). Working in film and music.
Under those environments of his childhood, Aoki has inherited historical and traditional essence of Tokyo Entertainment district's musical concepts, basics and value of flexible creations and applications. With the fall of these special districts in the late 60's and early 70's, the Tokyo's regional Entertainment musical concepts also disappears and as many other art form did, Tokyo Geisha music had institutionalized.
For Aoki, one of the most important goal is to preserve the original essence of fluidity and flexibility and perform rawness of REAL sound. He has adopted this idea to newer works as well.
To this date, Aoki has produced and appears in more than 90 recording projects and over 30 experimental films and working internationally. He is one of the most recorded artists in Chicago music scene. Among many of recordings, he has worked with musical masters and legends and produced remarkable duets works with bassist, Malachi Favors, multi instrumentalists such as Roscoe Mitchell, Don Moye and world renowned Pipa virtuoso, Wu Man and another Chicago legend, late Fred Anderson.
Using Taiko drumming as a signature, Aoki's solo bass performances project BASSE LIVE and recordings are known for one of the most innovative approaches to the instrument internationally.
Aoki's one of the most important ensemble works, ROOTED: Origins of Now, a 50 minute 4 movement suite, was performed at the Chicago Jazz Festival in September 2001. Because of this work, the Chicago Tribute recognized Tatsu Aoki as "Chicagoans of the Year.", one of the group of Chicagoans who has contributed to the vitality and culture of Chicago by the Chicago Tribune or the City. The Chicago Tribune stated that Rooted had "come into its own as an eloquent, often dramatic merger of ancient Japanese music and experimental American jazz." JAZZIZ, magazine, recognized Aoki one of one of many artists who has changed jazz since 1980." For his contribution to Chicago area arts, Asian American Institute has given Mile Stone Award in 2007, and Japan America Society of Chicago has given Cultural Achievement Award for his cultural activities in arts in Chicago land in 2010. He is also a recipient of 2010 3Arts Artist Award.
As an Executive Director of AIRMW, Aoki has initiated and managed several programs to advance the understanding of Asian American culture and community through the arts, including the Annual Chicago Asian American Jazz Festival and the Tsukasa Taiko Legacy arts residency project. His work as an artist and educator in the cultural arts and as a leader in the Asian American community address as well as define the issues facing the community, including the need for quality artistic programs that reflect the Asian American experience.
About Adria Otte
Adria Otte is a multi-instrumentalist whose primary focus has been on violin and guitar. She studied music at Bard College and has performed in ensembles ranging from string quartets to rock bands to free improvisation groups. She frequently collaborates with dancer/musician/performance artist Dohee Lee and performs regularly with Jamaesori, a traditional Korean drumming group.
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LocationSOMArts Cultural Center (View)
934 Brannan Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
United States
Categories
| Kid Friendly: No |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: Yes! |
| Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
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