BALAM Dance Theatre: Captivating Rhythms: Dances of Bali & Spain to Premiere February 10 in New Jersey

Inma Heredia Photo: Julie Lemberger

BALAM returns to New Jersey to premiere the new Out & About series program Captivating Rhythms: Dances of Bali & Spain, an educational dance presentation featuring Balinese and Spanish Escuela Bolera dances. This entertaining, family friendly program will be presented in Fort Lee, New Jersey at the library, located at 320 Main Street, on Sunday, February 10 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. The event is FREE and open to the public. For further information, contact the Fort Lee Public Library at 201-592-3615.

Our latest cross-cultural program features BALAM’s resident Balinese guest artist, Nani Devi; resident guest actor and host of the program, Inma Heredia, the world’s first and only flamenco stand-up comedian; and guest artist Isabel Soler, co-artistic director of Danzas Españolas. Performers will dance in beautiful, vibrantly colored traditional costumes.

Nani Devi Photo: Julie Lemberger

Don’t miss the performances of the Balinese dances Panyembrama, a welcome dance, and Margapati, a piece about the king of the jungle that is performed by a woman. These rarely seen Spanish dances -- Caracoles Antiguos, Jaleo de Jerez and Fandango de Huelva will be crowd pleasers. Heredia, graced with her critically acclaimed “salero”, charismatic charm and humor, will add to the eclectic mix performing popular Spanish songs.

The educational video, Isle of Bali, created and narrated by BALAM’s founding director and cultural anthropologist, Islene Pinder, will present exclusive footage of Balinese daily life, providing a cultural context for the dances seen in the performance. The audience will enjoy lessons in Balinese dance and Spanish palmas (rhythmic handclapping).

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.