Acrobats, I found you in a year when certain creativity was in the flux of
bloom or chrysalis. Your eyes greeted mine with stark white cornstarch and
charcoal on your foreheads… and your noses creased with a smile. It would rain on each
day you were scheduled to perform. Waiting and starring at the drops—falling, your
ears would pick up the thunder and the lightning would cue you forward. Would the
future be your white contrast, red contrast, black contrast against the monsoon world
growing darker or lifting? Acrobats, I found you all steady on your stilts. Reaching each
hand as it came towards you and lifting one after another into the sky as the sound of
indigenous Colombian flutes filled the air and the souls of all that stood in witness.
Joining us, joining all who followed you through the Square with a single audible gasp.
Kinetic human sculptures. Casting permanent shadows on the roadways where
life has taken you, imprints of music and passion on the memories of your audience.
Mucho Gusto.
Nemcatacoa Teatro and The Carpetbag Brigade hands tethered in performance with Great
Others. A range of faces I won’t forget & names my tongue intends to continue shaping.
Products of each other, products of self and nature, of society and the love of art. The
questions that are left on our lips may never form for you. Yet the matter will be long
retained. Acrobats, I have wishes that once again the bricks will be red and white and our
Square will give way to after-parties that reveal the tenderness and humanity that make
thunder and lightning have new meaning. Erasing a tornado that haunts a poet’s
unconsciousness. Acrobats, a homage and prayer, for each of you I have grown to know
very little, yet goose bumps rise and this jaw aches as I take on a challenge to
write to you and convey as much depth and width and weight as the variable
xi might call. All that is what you—Acrobats—drum up in the heat, this energy and
yearning. A comprehension of the vacío y palabras that awaken our chaos and our
zen. Mix well in a jar with love for my kin, rising dreams and the scent of rain.
Written for Daily Prompt: A to Z
http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/07/27/daily-prompt-orderly/
Please click here for photography of the Bi Cultural Road Show events in Arizona.
August 6, 2013 at 1:45 pm
Great googly moogly! That was absolutely fantastic – such passion, finesse, this right here is a real thing of beauty, it honestly gave me goosebumps. One of the best I have read so far and I’ve read an awful lot of them! You’re very talented indeed 🙂
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August 8, 2013 at 1:36 pm
Googly Moogly 🙂 thank you for leaving such kind words. If you live anywhere on the tour route, may I recommend taking in a free show? I wish you the multitude of inspirations that these talented performers left in me.
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August 14, 2013 at 2:21 pm
What a lovely gesture, I really would love to take you up on the offer to see the show but as I understand it, the shows are based in Atlanta (if I am not mistaken) and unfortunately for me, I live in the UK, so I am a bit too far away! Your piece was exquisite though and I can totally see the passion that you have for your art, which is simply wonderful.
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August 15, 2013 at 6:37 am
With luck and perseverance they may have a European tour next year! However, I think you may find a local company of stilt dancers in Great Britain with a little googling. Thank you so very much for reading and commenting.
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August 15, 2013 at 7:00 am
The two companies that inspired me are Nemcatacoa Teatro from Bogota, Colombia and Carpetbag Brigade from San Francisco. They have joined together in a bi-cultural road show. Currently they are in the middle of their South Western US tour.
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January 17, 2014 at 9:36 am
Thank you for your ping back. This is a great form, I appreciate being included on your blog. ~ brandy
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