Dear Friends,

In 10 days we have raised $4,350 for Phase 2 of the “Rescued Memories: New York Stories project!  You can help us reach the $8,000 goal before June 28th!

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW

In gratitude,

Lenora

ImprovisAsians 2013!

Re(al)liance: Music, Collaboration, and Resistance

Sponsored by Asian Improv aRts in association with The Departments of Music and Dance and American Indian Studies at
San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA

This twenty-fifth anniversary edition of Asian Improv’s annual series of workshops and concerts at San Francisco State University, ImprovisAsians! will explore the role of performance as a community-organizing method enabling “re(al)liance” through shared histories of music, collaboration, and resistance.

All events will take place on the San Francisco State University campus.

Admission is free and open to the public for all events.

Monday, April 15th

1:10-2pm, Knuth Hall, Creative Arts Building, Room 132: Shiraz Quartet Reunion with James Norton and Hafez Modirzadeh (winds), joined by John Shifflett (bass) and Jason Lewis (drums)

2:10-3:25pm, Burk Hall 225 “The Art of Agency I”: a performance and discussion featuring Francis Wong (winds), Wesley Ueunten (sanshin – 3 string Okinawan lute), and Lenora Lee (dance).

Tuesday, April 16th

3:35-4:50, Creative Arts Building, Room 152: “The Art of Agency II”: a performance and discussion featuring John-Carlos Perea (bass, flute, voice),Wesley Ueunten, Francis Wong, and Lenora Lee.

5:30-7:30pm, Creative Arts Building, Room 152: Performing Re(al)liances: A roundtable discussion on the use of music in Chinese American, Native American, and Palestinian communities in relation to histories of occupation, relocation, and alliance building. Guests to include Dr Jess Ghanam (UCSF), Susan Greene (Break the Silence Media and Arts Project), Genny Lim (poet laureate), Francis Wong (AIR), and Dr John-Carlos Perea (AIS, SFSU).

Wednesday, April 17th

1:10-2pm, Knuth Hall, Creative Arts Building, Room 132: John-Carlos Perea Trio with Masaru Koga and Karl Evangelista. Over the course of their careers AIR co-founders Jang and Wong have cited the important influence of Creek and Kaw saxophonist Jim Pepper on their artistic visions. This performance will feature Pepper’s compositions alongside indigenized versions of jazz standards arranged by Perea.

Thursday, April 18th

3:30-5:30, Creative Arts Building, Room 146: Creative World Ensemble Master class with Dr Hafez Modirzadeh, focusing on original student works to accompany live poetry by Avotcja from her newly published book, “With Every Step I Take”.

6:10-8:50, Creative Arts Building, Room 152: “Art, Entrepreneurship, and Activism”: A roundtable discussion with Jon Jang, Francis Wong, Lenora Lee, and Melody Takata.

For more information: www.asianimprov.org

Photo by Andy Nozaka

March 29, 2013

Dear Friends,

It is with my deepest appreciation that I thank you for your gracious support.  We are writing to ask you to consider contributing to our 6th Anniversary Spring and Fall Seasons at the de Young Museum as we reach new and broader audiences with our work!

“I can’t think of any choreographer who has taken an approach as simultaneously intimate and large scale as Lenora Lee. In her work, the personal and the political intertwine inextricably.” - Rita Felciano, San Francisco Bay Guardian 2012

This year in San Francisco we will share two large-scale interdisciplinary works created with Kei Lun Martial Arts and Enshin Karate, South San Francisco Dojo, “The Escape”and “Rescued Memories: New York Stories”. Both are companion pieces inspired by stories of women who had become vulnerable upon arrival into the U.S. during the early 20th Century.

These projects seek to shed light on the experiences of these women in the context of the social history of the period for Chinese in America as well as for women in the society as a whole with the struggles and achievements of the 20th Century Women’s Movement, which took on such issues as child labor and human trafficking. They are commissioned works to be performed at the de Young Museum May 17th (“The Escape” & a new work by Francis Wong) and November 8th & 9th (both pieces) as part of their 2013 Artist Fellows program.

I have been conducting both historical and current day research for these works through the Chinese Historical Society of America Museum, Cameron House, Asian Women’s Shelter, API Legal Outreach, the A/P/A Institute at NYU, and New York Asian Women’s Center, among other organizations. Stories of determination and courage in addition to the generosity of staff and advocates have been truly inspiring and humbling.

“Lee’s kaleidoscopic dance views on the Asian American experience can be visually arresting – her 2010 “Passages: For Lee Ping To” was nominated for an Izzie Award for its design – but it’s provocative storytelling around universal themes that forms the heart of many of her works, including her latest.” - Mary Ellen Hunt, San Francisco Chronicle 2012

Your support is invaluable and plays a critical role in realizing the development and sharing of this work in presentations and performances! You allow for people to witness history coming to life, in honoring the past and understanding how it impacts the present, so that we may have an empowered perspective in shaping our future.

Please consider contributing to the growth and expansion of this work and of our year round programming.  We are ever so grateful for your support and generosity.

With much appreciation,

Lenora

GETTING INVOLVED

Lenora Lee Dance is fiscally sponsored by Asian Improv aRts, a non-profit tax-exempt organization. All donations are fully deductible to the extent allowed by law.

(“Donate”, Designate Purpose – “For Lenora Lee Dance”)

A VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS FOR THEIR SUPPORT!

Jeanette & Low Chan, Mark Chung, Mildred Hall, Laura Hays, Michael Holscher, Jeanette Huie, Pamela Jang & Keith Jew, Victor Clark Joe, Derek Lang, Alson & JoAnn Lee, Karina Lee & Perry Howe, Larry Lee, Linda Lee & Harry Chuck, Lianne & Terry Leong, Mary & Dayton Leong, Christina & Leonard Lew, Joan & George Louie, Jean Liu & Terry Chea, May & Larry Lui, Jean & Richard Lym, Victoria Marks, Jill Shiraki & Wilbur Obata, Phyllis Huey Tom, Joanne & Jerrick Woo, Joyce Ashizawa-Yee & Bradley Yee, Sandra Yuen

Photos by Robbie Sweeny and courtesy of Cameron House

Miyoshi Sketches is a new work by composer Francis Wong created with the support of Individual Artist Commissions of Cultural Equity Grants. This work features Tatsu Aoki and Chizuru Kineya, shamisen (Japanese 3 string lute), Yangqin Zhao on yangqin (Chinese hammered dulcimer), Jim Norton and Francis Wong on woodwinds, Wayne Wallace on trombone, Melody Takata on taiko, and Deszon Claiborne on multiple percussion. It memorializes the friendship that developed between Wong’s parents, immigrants from China, and John Miyoshi, a Japanese American World War II veteran in the post-World War II era in San Francisco. In addition to Miyoshi Sketches the ensemble will also perform two older compositions by Wong entitled La Chine Africaine (for my mother), and Dream. www.franciswong.net

The Escape by Lenora Lee Dance

with Kei Lun Martial Arts & Enshin Karate, South San Francisco Dojo.

featuring media design by Olivia Ting, music by Francis Wong, text by Genny Lim, lighting by Patty-Ann Farrell, and videography directed by Tatsu Aoki, filmed by Ben Estabrook & Eric Koziol

The Escape is an interdisciplinary performance piece inspired by stories of women who had become vulnerable upon arrival into the U.S. during the early 20^th Century. The pieces seek to shed light on the experiences of these women in the context of the social history of the period for Chinese in America as well as for women in the society as a whole with the struggles and achievements of the 20^th Century Women’s Movement, which took on such issues as child labor and human trafficking.  www.LenoraLeeDance.com

Friday, May 17, 7pm, FREE

Koret Auditorium, de Young Museum

Golden Gate Park

50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive • San Francisco, CA 94118

For more info http://deyoung.famsf.org/deyoung/calendar/miyoshi-sketches-and-escape-lenora-lee-dance

Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, Asian Improv aRts, and API Cultural Center present

Celebrating 25 Years of Asian Improv aRts!

The Francis Wong Unit featuring saxophonist Francis Wong, bassist John-Carlos Perea, multiple percussionist Karen Stackpole, and guitarist Karl Evangelista with guests taiko (Japanese drums) artist Melody Takata, dancer/choreographer Lenora Lee, poet/performer Genny Lim, and other special guests TBA.

Saturday, May 11^th, 1pm, FREE

Yerba Buena Gardens Festival

760 Howard Street (between 3^rd & 4^th Streets)

San Francisco, CA  94103

For more info: http://www.ybgf.org/, www.asianimprov.org

Photo by John O’Donnell

Lenora Lee

The Escape and Rescued Memories: New York Stories

Presented with Asian Improv aRts, Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center, Chinese Historical Society of America Museum, and Donaldina Cameron House

The Escape and Rescued Memories: New York Stories are interdisciplinary companion performance pieces inspired by stories of women who had become vulnerable upon arrival into the U.S. during the early 20th Century. The pieces seek to shed light on the experiences of these women in the context of the social history of the period for the Chinese in America as well as for women in the society as a whole with the struggles and achievements of the 20th Century Women’s Movement, which took on such issues as child labor and human trafficking. Throughout the year, Lenora Lee and an ensemble of artists will develop these two new pieces, which will be presented as works in progress and final productions throughout her yearlong fellowship.

By Lenora Lee Dance

With Kei Lunch Martial Arts and Enshin Karate, South San Francisco Dojo

Featuring media design by Olivia Ting, music by Francis Wong, text by poet Genny Lim, lighting by Patty-Ann Farrell, and videography directed by Tatsu Aoki, filmed by Ben Estabrook, Eric Koziol, and Heath Orchard

RELATED EVENTS

May 1 – June 2, 2013 | Wednesdays–Sundays, 1-5 pm plus Friday Nights until 8:45 pm | Kimball Education Gallery/Artist Studio

Open process rehearsals by Lenora Lee Dance

Friday, May 10 | 6 pm | Kimball Education Gallery

Open rehearsal and panel discussion of The Escape with representatives from Cameron House, Asian Women’s Shelter, and Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach

Saturday, May 11 | Kimball Education Gallery

Poem and etching activity based on the Angel Island Immigration Station experience, hosted by the Chinese Historical Society of America Museum

Friday, May 17 | 7 pm | Koret Auditorium

Live performance by composer Francis Wong, Miyoshi Sketches, and Lenora Lee Dance, excerpt from The Escape

Friday, May 31 | 6-8 pm | Kimball Education Gallery

Artist Reception and Lion dance by Kei Lun Martial Arts

November 8 and 9 | 7 pm | The Escape and Rescued Memories: New York Stories. Ticket info tba.

Kimball Gallery, de Young Museum

Golden Gate Park

50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive • San Francisco, CA 94118

For more info http://deyoung.famsf.org/

All events are free and open to the public, unless otherwise stated. Space is limited and first come, first served.

For more information, visit deyoungmuseum.org/artistfellows, call 415-750-3531, or e-mail amartin@famsf.org. Join us on Facebook and Twitter: de Young museum.

The Artist Fellows program is generously funded by The James Irvine Foundation’s Innovation Fund and the Institute of Museum and Library Services/Museums for America. Additional support is from Asian/Pacific/American Institute at New York University, Asian Women Giving Circle, California Arts Council, CA$H, a grants program administered by Theatre Bay Area in partnership with Dancers’ Group, Djerassi Resident Artists Program, Grants for the Arts/San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund, San Francisco Arts Commission, WKK Donor-Advised Fund of the San Francisco Foundation, and Zellerbach Family Foundation.

Thank you also to our community partners: Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation, Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach, Asian Women’s Shelter, Enshin Karate, South San Francisco Dojo, Kei Lun Martial Arts, New York Asian Women’s Center, and San Francisco Department on the Status of Women.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/115170375/reliable-beauty

CAAM is partnering with The Global Film Initiative (GFI) to present Global Lens @ Great Star Theater, an event of GFI’s Arthouse Revival program this Saturday, December 1st at the historic Great Star Theater. During this event, three award-winning Chinese films from the Global Lens Collection will be screened at the historic Great Star Theater, San Francisco Chinatown’s last remaining film theater. The featured films include Dir. Peng Tao’s third feature THE CREMATOR (AKA FEN SHI REN), GETTING HOME (LUO YE GUI GEN) by Dir. Yang Zhang, and STOLEN LIFE (SHEN SI JIE) by Dir. Li Shaohong. Tickets are $5 for members of CAAM, GFI and the Chinese Culture Center and $7 for general admission.

Arthouse Revival is a project designed to support the revival of independent arthouse cinema nationwide through dynamic presentations of the critically-acclaimed Global Lens film series at iconic theaters such as the Great Star – a 500-seat landmark theater and opera-house credited with introducing Hong Kong cinema to the U.S. in the mid-1960s. For more information about this event, visit CAAM’s website,www.caamedia.org/blog/film-events/2012/11/08/caam-co-presents-global-lens-great-star-theater-on-december-1st.