SWSPP 2017 Earthy Things Made Even
Donation protected
Who We Are
The SWSPP was formed in 2013 by Oriana Estrada, Administrative Director and Michael Shantz, Artistic Director and is based out of the Martin Luther King FAME Community Center in the Madison Valley neighborhood. It is a 15-member, all-Women music ensemble centered on the Caribbean steel pan (steel drum) and dedicated to creating music that is joyous, rhythmic, danceable and widely appealing to a variety of musical tastes. The group features the original work of women composers and musicians, particularly those from the Pacific Northwest, and regularly collaborate with local dancers and choreographers.
Current and past members of this group are the epitome of American diversity, multi-ethnic, multi-national and all Seattle residents. They are women of different races, cultural backgrounds and ages. They or their immediate families come from Trinidad, Japan, the Philippines, St. Lucia, Nigeria, Nicaragua, Peru, Vietnam, Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Hawaii and…. Seattle.
Our mission statement is to inspire and offer opportunity to women and girls to engage in creating music and dance as part of the ongoing struggle of women to assert their own reality, and self-defined identity, and, in doing so, to help turn the balance of power and consciousness towards a better world, one that is broadly inclusive of all people. Now, more than ever, inspired women of conviction, and those who support them, must bear down on the work that needs to be done to promote positive health and balance in our society. We are especially mindful of the precious value of our young Women and daughters and the impact their leadership will have on our shared future.
The SWSPP is dedicating their efforts to providing engaging and provocative free public performance art to our Seattle community as we enter a critical period of transformation and change. We believe that art is activism. On January 12, 2017 the group performed for five hours non-stop as 175,000 people walked, and danced, past them as part of the Seattle Women’s March, a global event.
About the Project
The SWSPP has been awarded a City Arts Grant by the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture to create a 30-40 minute suite of original music and dance with over 25 participating women musicians, dancers and other artists. The grant amount is for $5,600 and, while generous, it is not enough to meet our budget of $15,000. Our fundraising goal now is $10,000. We need proper funding to cover production costs for sets, costumes, construction of an 8’ tall carnival puppet, transportation, promotions and fair compensation for all participating artists.
The project is entitled “Earthy Things Made Even”, taken from a line in Shakespeare’s comedy As You Like It: “Then is mirth in Heaven, When Earthy things made even, atone together”.
The work is to be presented as a suite framed in three parts, each modeled after one of three traditional mythic Yoruba (Nigerian) archetypes of female identity. Each of the three sections features an original musical composition performed on steel pans and percussion, and features a recognized guest soloist, and accompanies original dance pieces by three different choreographers and 12 dancers.
The role models defined by the Yoruba myths are:
Yemanja - representing the Oceans and Seas (71% of the earth’s surface and 96.5% of all water), she is the Mother of All Life, human and otherwise. Her colors are blue and white.
Osun - representing fresh water (3.5% of all water) essential to all terrestrial life, she is the personification of Female Beauty, one of the very highest human values found in all societies. Osun nurtures small children, her symbol is a mirror and her colors are gold and yellow.
Oya - the Female warrior, her symbol is the sword, her values are truth and justice. Her natural element is the wind in all its forms. Her color is red.
The themes are:
- Redefining women’s identities following non-European models
- Illuminating surviving Africanisms in contemporary American culture
- Immigration, race and gender equality
- Art as social and political activism
- The vital relationship between natural forces (water) and human life
The finished work will be presented in the spring/summer of 2017 in 3-4 free open-air public performances. There are theatrical elements, including masquerade and puppets, props and sets in the production that are linked to street theater. The venues will be NW Folklife Festival (Memorial Day weekend, Sunday, May 28), West Lake Park (Saturday, June 17) and the Othello Park Festival in mid-summer.
HELPING This Project - GIFTING a Donation
The success of our performance project begins with sufficient funding. We need your financial support, and are asking for gifts of an amount that is manageable for you. At the least, we ask that you pass this letter on to someone that might be interested to participate and join us in our efforts, or simply someone you know who would be interested to hear about signs of life in our City!
The SWSPP was formed in 2013 by Oriana Estrada, Administrative Director and Michael Shantz, Artistic Director and is based out of the Martin Luther King FAME Community Center in the Madison Valley neighborhood. It is a 15-member, all-Women music ensemble centered on the Caribbean steel pan (steel drum) and dedicated to creating music that is joyous, rhythmic, danceable and widely appealing to a variety of musical tastes. The group features the original work of women composers and musicians, particularly those from the Pacific Northwest, and regularly collaborate with local dancers and choreographers.
Current and past members of this group are the epitome of American diversity, multi-ethnic, multi-national and all Seattle residents. They are women of different races, cultural backgrounds and ages. They or their immediate families come from Trinidad, Japan, the Philippines, St. Lucia, Nigeria, Nicaragua, Peru, Vietnam, Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Hawaii and…. Seattle.
Our mission statement is to inspire and offer opportunity to women and girls to engage in creating music and dance as part of the ongoing struggle of women to assert their own reality, and self-defined identity, and, in doing so, to help turn the balance of power and consciousness towards a better world, one that is broadly inclusive of all people. Now, more than ever, inspired women of conviction, and those who support them, must bear down on the work that needs to be done to promote positive health and balance in our society. We are especially mindful of the precious value of our young Women and daughters and the impact their leadership will have on our shared future.
The SWSPP is dedicating their efforts to providing engaging and provocative free public performance art to our Seattle community as we enter a critical period of transformation and change. We believe that art is activism. On January 12, 2017 the group performed for five hours non-stop as 175,000 people walked, and danced, past them as part of the Seattle Women’s March, a global event.
About the Project
The SWSPP has been awarded a City Arts Grant by the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture to create a 30-40 minute suite of original music and dance with over 25 participating women musicians, dancers and other artists. The grant amount is for $5,600 and, while generous, it is not enough to meet our budget of $15,000. Our fundraising goal now is $10,000. We need proper funding to cover production costs for sets, costumes, construction of an 8’ tall carnival puppet, transportation, promotions and fair compensation for all participating artists.
The project is entitled “Earthy Things Made Even”, taken from a line in Shakespeare’s comedy As You Like It: “Then is mirth in Heaven, When Earthy things made even, atone together”.
The work is to be presented as a suite framed in three parts, each modeled after one of three traditional mythic Yoruba (Nigerian) archetypes of female identity. Each of the three sections features an original musical composition performed on steel pans and percussion, and features a recognized guest soloist, and accompanies original dance pieces by three different choreographers and 12 dancers.
The role models defined by the Yoruba myths are:
Yemanja - representing the Oceans and Seas (71% of the earth’s surface and 96.5% of all water), she is the Mother of All Life, human and otherwise. Her colors are blue and white.
Osun - representing fresh water (3.5% of all water) essential to all terrestrial life, she is the personification of Female Beauty, one of the very highest human values found in all societies. Osun nurtures small children, her symbol is a mirror and her colors are gold and yellow.
Oya - the Female warrior, her symbol is the sword, her values are truth and justice. Her natural element is the wind in all its forms. Her color is red.
The themes are:
- Redefining women’s identities following non-European models
- Illuminating surviving Africanisms in contemporary American culture
- Immigration, race and gender equality
- Art as social and political activism
- The vital relationship between natural forces (water) and human life
The finished work will be presented in the spring/summer of 2017 in 3-4 free open-air public performances. There are theatrical elements, including masquerade and puppets, props and sets in the production that are linked to street theater. The venues will be NW Folklife Festival (Memorial Day weekend, Sunday, May 28), West Lake Park (Saturday, June 17) and the Othello Park Festival in mid-summer.
HELPING This Project - GIFTING a Donation
The success of our performance project begins with sufficient funding. We need your financial support, and are asking for gifts of an amount that is manageable for you. At the least, we ask that you pass this letter on to someone that might be interested to participate and join us in our efforts, or simply someone you know who would be interested to hear about signs of life in our City!
Organizer
Seattle Women's Steel Pan Project
Organizer
Seattle, WA
