6. good manners

The Good Manners of Colonized Subjects, is a 70-minute solo play, dramatizes the insidious effects of colonization – cultural, emotional, historical on a human animal and describes her journey into catharsis and liberation.  The play, which I wrote and directed, and perform is made of poetry, storytelling, interactive monologues and dance choreography inspired by flamenco and Bharatanatyam (Indian classical dance). I had studied Bharatanatyam briefly as a child. But it seemed to re-enter my body while researching this play and I began studying it again. I now study Bharatanatyam side by side with flamenco – my teacher is Aparna Sindhoor of Navarasa Dance Theater.

Santa Fe Women’s Play House, Santa Fe (August 2018); The Arts at Marks Garage, Honolulu HI (October 2018), American Samoa Community College (January 2019), The Barn at Gravity Hill (Titusville, NJ April 2019), NuWorks 2019, New York City's Pan Asian Repertory Theatre (June 2019), Maple Street Dance, Albuquerque NM (December 2019).

I’m now developing a new incarnation of the play and feel ready to start sharing it again, on its own, and/or also with creativity workshops that explore colonization and liberation.