BALAM Dance Theatre: Toshinori Hamada Discusses Sunda Upasunda

Don't miss The Faces of Love on Saturday, February 1. 8 p.m.

Puffin Cultural Forum

20 Puffin Way, Teaneck, NJ 07666

For more information, visit http://www.puffinculturalforum.org/.

(201) 836-3499

Tickets: $10 Seating is limited. Reservations are recommended!

By Public Transportation
Midtown Manhattan
NJ Transit bus #167T or 167Q "DUMONT - HARRINGTON PARK - NEW YORK" from the 42nd St. Port Authority terminal. These buses usually leave from gate 210 on the second floor and usually takes about 25 minutes depending on Lincoln Tunnel traffic. The stop for the 167T is "Teaneck Rd. at Puffin Way", which is the first stop after turning on to Teaneck Rd. As you get off the bus, facing the same direction as the bus is traveling, Puffin Way (formerly East Oakdene Ave.) should be right in front of you on the right, immediately in front of the Enrite gas station. For the 167Q get off at the first stop after crossing over Teaneck Rd. on DeGraw Ave., then walk back to Teaneck Rd., take a left and walk 2 blocks until you see Puffin Way and the Enrite gas station on the other side of Teaneck Rd. Puffin Way is a short street that dead ends with our parking lot on the right. Theater entrance is on the first floor at the far end of the sole building.

Uptown Manhattan
Take the NJ Transit bus #182 "HACKENSACK - NEW YORK (GWB)" bus from the GW Bridge terminal (175th St. on the A subway) to the stop on DeGraw Ave. immediately after crossing Teaneck Rd. The bus usually leaves from Platform #23 and it takes 20-25 minutes.
Walk back to the intersection with Teaneck Rd., take a left onto Teaneck Rd., and then your first right, immediately before the Enrite gas station onto Puffin Way, which deadends to the left of the entrance to our parking lot.

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.