Momentico

There is much to talk about regarding my classes in Santa Elena and Mara Cano yesterday. But I've determined this blog is not necessarily the place for processing my classes. So what I'll say is, I'm both excited and challenged by the work ahead. But it looks like I won't be working at Santa Elena anymore. I won't go into details, but a decision was made by the Colombo that I will no longer be teaching there. I have my own thoughts on the situation, but the Colombo has different things to take into consideration with this sort of project.

Another night dancing at Eslabon last night (the actual name of it, not 'La Bon' as I had previously thought. Eslabon translates to a single link in a chain.) It was Jess's last night here, so after another artist's workshop with Wallace, there was a large gathering of her friends from Castilla and elsewhere. Damn can some of them dance. There was a lot of good press for Jess's exhibition that went up while I was in Manizales, in El Mundo for example, but the article I saw before in El Colombiano isn't available online. Most of the Castilla group work for an organization called 'Renovacion,' which similar to Circo Momo, has volunteers that teach music, dance, theatre, to kids in their area. I had an interesting conversation/interrogation with Lina, who works for the organization, who seemed upset about my objectives here. Essentially she was asking what right or legitimacy do I have to come here, only stay for two months, and expect students to honestly express themselves and address problems in their community, without intimately knowing the community myself. She said I don't know the power I have, being a foreigner and working with these students, and it is a sort of deception to come only for a short time, start a process, and not leave any way for it to develop. I think there are two important things being expressed here:

The first, is about relationships in general. Can a fleeting relationship be of value? Can a moment mean something, or do only lasting bonds satisfy our needs? I forget who said, 'all love affairs end in disappointment.' Lina seemed to feel that to form an intimate bond quickly, and leave, is deceptive; implying that real connection means lasting connection. Without really knowing someone, without me really knowing this community, can I effectively provide an outlet for expression; a real connection? I believe I can. I have confidence in the medium. But, I find it undeniable, that a lasting connection is likely stronger and more meaningful. Would my work be stronger if I knew the community more intimately? Undoubtedly. But that for me does not negate the moment of connection that transcends boundaries, particular knowledge, and speaks to a commonality of experience.

The second, is why foreigners are being funded to work in communities here rather than that funding going to the organizations of that community. I don't have a response here, other than that I'm thrilled by the opportunity I've been given, and I genuinely believe I have something distinct to offer to those I'm working with here. But also, in with the various groups in Manizales, and with Circo Momo here, I'm also teaching teachers, ideally creating the opportunity for follow through. I am certainly young, and I certainly do not have the amount of experience some of these organizations have. I just have different experience and training. But as Lina said, my being an outsider does shift the dynamic. And what I hope, is the fact that I'm an outsider, that I'm doing things people here have not encountered before, that I am looked at in a certain way for being 'an actor in New York City,' irregardless of the reality of the situation of most actors in NYC, as someone with a certain sort of status, and that I have a quite different perspective on things overall, I can use this to prompt a different type of a awareness and a different degree of connection than would otherwise develop, even if just for a moment. Here's to hoping. Here's to the moment.