BALAM Dance Theatre: Bloggin' with Robin and Friends

Every spring, BALAM has the pleasure of performing in the Bronx and this year, BALAM returns with its FREE performance of BALAM Dance Theatre: From Bali to the Bronx on Thursday, April 28 from 12:30-1:45 at Lehman College's Lovinger Theatre.

Finding the Fusion
By Robin Gilbert, principal dancer with BALAM Dance Theatre

At a recent rehearsal for our upcoming performance at Lehman College’s Lovinger Theatre, BALAM’s Artistic Director Carlos Fittante, Dianna Warren (one of the company’s new dancers) and I found ourselves talking about the challenge of incorporating the Balinese dance style into our Western, ballet trained bodies.

This process is ongoing and requires curiosity, effort and a personal insight. Carlos and I are well trained in the Balinese style, yet we still are figuring out some of the subtleties of Nani Devi’s movements in the company’s Balinese dance class. Luckily, we have acquired both a physical and cultural understanding of Balinese dance, which allows us to integrate and play with it freely in the fusion work.

Dianna, who has no prior Balinese dance training, is learning this style, while simultaneously discovering and defining her role as the Golden Deer in BALAM’s “Ramayana” story ballet. She is also trying not to aggravate past injuries. Not an easy task!

Dancers love movement and we take pride in mastering whatever a choreographer may ask of us. With the sophisticated, subtle movements of Balinese dance, I learned a long time ago, rather than try to grasp everything all at once, be patient and honor the process. Each time, I try to focus on doing even just one movement with more awareness and understanding. This feels less overwhelming and allows the dancer to experience the movement on a deeper, more satisfying level. The challenge in BALAM’s fusion aesthetic is always there, but so is the opportunity to discover one’s personal moment of movement magic!

Balinese Dance Lessons in Full Swing by Robin Gilbert, principal dancer and ballerina with BALAM Dance Theatre

The rehearsals for this season have begun, and we have three wonderful new dancers, Dianna Warren, Atsushi Yahagi, and Olsi Gjeci joining us. Because of the uniqueness of BALAM’s fusion, combining Balinese dance, music and theatre with Western movement, a lot must be learned and absorbed, both physically and mentally.

Photo: Nani Devi by Julie Lemberger

This can be thrilling and a little overwhelming at times. It’s crucial for all of us to learn the Balinese movement, which is quite different from what most of the Western dancers have done. The use of the eyes, head, arms, bending of the knees and the quivering of the fingers are all part of what makes Balinese dance so captivating.

The company is very fortunate right now to have our Resident Guest Artist, Nani Devi, teaching us Balinese dance lessons. We literally have the beauty of Bali right in front of us sharing her expertise!

Although I have danced with BALAM for years, I am very enamored with this dance style. It is really fun to see the new dancers discovering it. So stay tuned, as I will keep you updated and posted with photos and videos from our lessons and rehearsals, all leading up to our April 28 performance!

About BALAM

BALAM has performed throughout the United States and internationally at renowned venues such as: Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, American Museum of Natural History, and the Bali International Arts Festival. Its work has received acclaim from audiences, critics, scholars, and dignitaries alike, including critical praise mentioned in the New York Times, Village Voice, and endorsements from the Indonesian Consulate of New York, and the Governor of Bali.

The company's long standing interest in dance research, along with its extensive collection of Balinese masks, and cutural costumes and props, make it a resource for educators, artists, and scholars.

The Deeper Meaning of the "Ramayana"

By Shelley Lynne Cummins, www.jaisriyogis.com/

Shelley Lynne Cummins is a yoga and Oneness Blessing trainer, as well as a dancer.

The first two limbs in the eight fold path of yoga are the Yamas, Awareness of the obstacles in life, and Niyamas, cultivating practices to remove the obstacles. As these limbs are activated in harmony, a balance or zero point arrives allowing causality to permeate. The classic tale of the Ramayana is a perfect depiction of this inner balance Of polarities producing unity.

As a dancer and yogini, I have had the great opportunity to study and dance the Ramayana for many years. Every time I enter into this great epic, new realizations are found. It is likened to the dance of day, going to sleep and awaking again in the morning for a new play. Amidst the routines of life subtle realizations appear as the mystery of unity Dances around in the unseen worlds.

A yogini's reflection of this great great tale.

The Ramayana is the story of the divine marriage within. It is everyone's story with all the players aspects of their self. The story begins with a happy and harmonious marriage of Sita and Rama. Sita symbolizes the balanced female and Rama the balanced male within each individual.

One day Sita is enticed by a golden deer into the cave of the evil demon, Rawana.

The capture of Sita is a metaphor of the ego consciousness trying to gain control over the potential of all. The golden deer represents the possible deception and false allure of the illusion of this physical plane.

Upon hearing the news of Sita's capture, Rama gives his golden ring to Hanuman the Monkey King. He orders Hanuman to deliver the ring to Sita so she will know help is on the way.

Here Rama embodies his higher masculine qualities of protection of the unseen and the absolute creation which lives in his word.

The ring symbolizes the circle of light around the body, known as the merkabah or golden carriage of light.

Hanuman the Monkey King represents our monkey mind constantly chattering. As our mind unites with the purpose of reinstalling causality, it becomes a servant of the heart. In service Hanuman flies across the ocean to deliver the ring to Sita. He is able to tap into the One Heart Mind And use his merkabah to transport himself where needed.

Hanuman delivers the ring to Sita and upon his return tells Rama of her whereabouts. Rama goes to fight the evil demon, Rawana, for the release of Sita.

Rama is fighting the ultimate battle of light and dark in order to regain the feminine intuitive, All knowing, nurturing life force. The light always wins as it illuminates the dark corners and shadows. Rama reunites with Sita and together they live happily ever after in the diversity and play of unity.

And to think we know the whole story, the entire ring in the circle of life.We boldly go on experiencing each section of the ring.

As Joseph Campbell says: We are each a heroine or hero on a great journey.We begin enlightened creating a life of experiences in order to realize and reunite with our all encompassing light.