May: preparing for the Ethnic Dance Festival

A way-station in our time travel from Queen Elizabeth I to modern Shanghai will be the Benefit Gala of the Ethnic Dance Festival on June 11.  We were asked to perform Chen Yi's Spring Dreams with choreography.  The dancers (China Dance school and Theatre - featuring Crystal Lee, Miss Chinatown USA) have been rehearsing to tape - yesterday they came and heard us live, showed us what they were thinking and what our choregraphy would be.  It was REALLY exciting, and we look forward to doing it.  Funny - the last time we became dancers ( sort of) was in connection to a Chen Yi project with

the Women's Philharmonic here -the Chinese Myths Cantata. We recorded that piece with the Women's Phil at the time on a CD called "The Music of Chen Yi." 
There's rarely a dull moment -even, we're quite sure, on the 12 hour plane ride

on June 15 to Shanghai with all the performers (Samoan and Irish dancers, singers from Glide Memorial and others) for San Francisco Week. You'll want to stay tuned for that! We will sing Spring Dreams again at our concert in Shenzen, China on June 20. Wish we could take the dancers with us! Chen Yi and movement of all kinds seem to go together in our lives! If you want to see us 'dance' to Chen Yi on June 11, you can get a ticket by calling 415 474 3914 or visiting www.worldartswest.org.