Assemblies: what kids say

As most of you might know AXIS' education program Dance Access/KIDS! is an important part of the work we do. Assemblies at schools are one of my favorites. Today I received a package with drawings and letters from students at Mira Vista School, an elementary school in Richmond, CA. Some of the letters and drawings are just too great to not share with you.

"Dear Rodney, I wish I was like you. I like your skills. Are you married to the girl in the red hair? Will you come back to our school
next year? Your friend Chris"

What I especially like about this one is that you can tell what a big impression Rodney made on a young boy: dancing is cool, no matter what!

This quote from one of the teachers shows how important it is to talk with children afterwards:

"The Kindergarten students in Room 1 were fascinated over your presentation. I really didn't realize how captivated and involved they were until our discussion and their drawings."

And their drawings are great. It's amazing to see how much they remember and which details. Like the colors of our shirts in this drawing by Annie Russell, this could have been a photo. Can you tell who's who?

:) I just love my job!

Annika, Education Director

Shinichi, Joan & Dancers discussing Day 1 of rehearsal

Welcome to our blog!

Hello AXIS fans, dancers, staff, board and all around groupies. This is our blog. We will be posting information about our newest projects here.

Today was our first rehearsal with the fabulous choreographer Shinichi Iova-Koga of Inkboat and cellist Joan Jeanrenaud on our latest collaboration called ODD based on the paintings of Iceland-based contemporary painter Odd Nedrum. In the paintings of Odd Nerdrum, survival on bare land pervades.

We'll be working towards the creation of a new piece that is being co-presented by ODC in San Francisco and will premiere there the weekend of November 5-7th followed by a performance at the Malonga Casquelourd Center in Oakland November 12-14th . We hope you follow the creation process of this exciting new piece by following this blog and the posts of all the amazing collaborators.

(photo by Andrea Basile 2009)