Month: October 2010

"Passage Through LIght and Shadow"

Children of Ararat

Produced and directed by

Anahid Sofian

I got back late last night from a trip to New York City exclusively to see Anahid Sofian’s latest production, “Passage Through Light and Shadow: Children of Ararat”.

This extraordinary tour de force, the culmination of over fifteen years of research, is a masterpiece effort and should be seen by all serious students of Oriental dance who wish to broaden their horizons of dance as a production art.

Without losing any of the intimacy inherent in the dance form (The Theatre at St. Clement’s, in NYC, is a perfect venue for such a work), Mdm. Sofian’s latest work is inspiring and informative to all of us who explore new directions for our dance.

In my Unveiling blog, I review the work as an artistic accomplishment: both a show and as a cultural landmark for the Armenian people. In this blogpost, I’ll discuss how this current work is the capstone (to date) of Mdm. Sofian’s continual evolution as a dance artist, a choreographer, and as a producer of every more complex, richly layered, evocative, and inspirational works.

This evolution is, in face, precisely what Mdm. Sofian has been doing in the last several years. Those of us who have been privileged to watch her unfolding into the full glory of her creative genius can take her path as an inspiration, and as a call to similar growth within our own endeavors.

Unveiling: The "Shared" Journey Has Begun!

Dear Ones —

I began writing more to you, here in this blogpost, back last spring – during April and May. And many of you (wonderful, dear family and friends) responded by signing up as “Followers.” Thank you so much! Each one of your warmed my heart with your interest in Unveiling, in what we were doing here in the Alay’nya Studio, and most of all – in the unfolding pathway as it exists for each of us.

Up until now, Unveiling has been largely a private journey. I began writing the book itself as far back as 1996 (and have chapter drafts in Archives that have that copyright date). But as I admit in the Unveiling Introduction, it took many efforts, over many years, to get to the point where I was really and truly ready to complete the book.

Now, after an arduous and extremely focused summer, Unveiling is complete, and has been uploaded to the Design Team. Just a few minutes ago, I started a new blog: The Unveiling Journey. This is the Unveiling-specific blog. It will contain everything from sharing the “meta-story” of how Unveiling came to be written (my own process for writing), to the strategy and tactics of book writing, publishing, and marketing, to the unfolding Unveiling story – the juicy, special details – who is who and what is what. I’ll reveal my master teachers and their teachers (and perhaps include a few special stories), and share my special, “behind-the-scenes” stories of the real, live unveiling of Unveiling!

To stay on top of Unveiling, go to The Unveiling Journey and sign up as a Follower. (Just the same as you did to become a Follower at this site – and if you haven’t done so already, start Following me here today!)

I’ll be sending out occasional (don’t worry, you won’t be “spammed”) emails to all my Unveiling Followers (at least, those of you who give me an email address) letting you know all the juicy details of what’s coming up: The Video Book Trailer (and maybe even show some behind-the-scenes shots of it being produced). The parties, the book signings, and the interviews. The articles that are being written about Unveiling.

And if you’re thinking now about Christmas presents (it’s never to early to start), why not plan on getting autographed Unveiling copies – dated on the first week of Unveiling’s release – for your smother, grandmother, favorite aunties, sisters, teachers, students, and girlfriends? My Design Team and my Production Team are working around the clock; we plan to have Unveiling ready direct through Amazon.com, and also through me (which will be the way that you can get an autographed copy – or as many autographed copies as you want) for Christmas.

More soon!

yours in dance –
Alay’nya
The “Fountain of Youth” Guru