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| | Macedonia: The Language Bridge
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love from Isabella
Macedonian is more difficult than any language I have ever encountered, and I m including Czech and Japanese. For starters, it s written with the Cyrillic alphabet, like Russian, and there s just enough letters that look like the Roman alphabet to make it confusing.
This afternoon, I prevailed on the patience of festival coordinator Natasha, and some surrounding volunteers, and pieced out our hat pass line in Macedonian. Then I spent an hour with a very patient eleven-year-old boy, Datz (nickname " It just makes him shake his head sadly when I try to pronounce his real name), learning to speak it. About half way through, another performer overheard me mangling the tongue of Alexander the Great and said,
I can tell it s your first year, trying to learn your hat line in Macedonian. Good luck with that, eh?
I did not say jaded much? and punch him. Instead, I smiled sweetly and went back to Datz patiently correcting me on a word that sounds like the mating of a laundry mangle and a toaster and means choosing. Like, Choosing to come out to the festival. Like, Choosing to be a part of something real and alive with us and with your friends and family.
Second show, I had it as good as it was going to get today, so I climbed the silk, knotted, sat, and pulled out my piece of paper. Read the line " people smiled at my pronunciation. And then they clapped really hard at the end, when I say they are a beautiful audience and Skopje is the best. And when we passed the hat, it was better than before " and the next show, better still.
And there s always tomorrow.
For the curious " phonetically, in the wrong alphabet:
Dami y Gospodin, samo ushteh neshto (there s a not-quite glottal stop on that last o).
Vo ova vremeh, koga tookuh minoguh
Loogyeh pominouvade nogu maklu vremeh sosebeh pret TV illy komputer,
Fala vinacete shto doidovte tookuh shto odwoochifteh (that s where I get really lost) do odvoiteh malku vremeh de spodeliteh neshto viztinsko y jivo,
Sonas, sovashiteh priatehlee y familia.
Vieste prekrasnah publica.
Skopje nydobra! |
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| | Night. Eastern Europe. Yes, the Toilet Paper is Still Communist.
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from Isabella
We landed in Amsterdam this morning and Sofia this afternoon, where we meet Charlie, who is to drive us the four hours through Bulgaria to Macedonia. After claiming our two bundles of eight foot pipes, bundle of four foot pipes, hoop, and gear bags, we head towards Charlie s car " oh, look, a truck with a roof rack!...is located behind Charlie s little white four-door. Fortunately, Charlie has ancient bungees, and we have rigging rope, and between us we get the poles on the roof and the rest of the bags far enough into the trunk that they probably won t fall out. Probably.
There are goatherds in weather-proof jackets with long sticks, pedestrians who walk right on the edge of the roadway while the cars zip by (Charlie takes a swipe at two kids in the middle as they cross, just kidding!), a lengthy border crossing out of Bulgaria and into Macedonia, and a whole heap of really ugly communist architecture. If you re looking for no-frills box housing for half a million people and a boulevard wide enough for tank parades, Sofia s your town. Halfway to Macedonia, we take a pit stop so Charlie can check on the strange noise coming from the right rear wheel, and we hit the potty, which is both an outhouse and a squat toilet. Well, really more of a concrete slab with a hole and some wood panels for modesty.
But tonight, we ve made it to Skopje, eaten delicious grilled vegetable salad and pizza, survived a heavy rain and another hair-raising ride to our host s neighborhood, and climbed five flights. Over the balcony, the entire city is shining damply in the valley.
MA is on her bed, writing in her notebook with her stuffed monkey, Lugnut beside her. Richard is on his bed, writing in his notebook with his stuffed panda, Panda beside him. (When he was five, he held a naming contest for his teddy bear. Guess who won?) And Isabella s snuggled under her fluffy security blanket, typing away. |
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| | Midsummer in Florida!
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Contributed by Chelsea Dygan, Aerial Angels' PR assistant
To kick off 2009, Allison Isabella Williams is in Winter Park, Florida avoiding truly cold weather and directing twenty-four Rollins College theatre students in William Shakespeare s A Midsummer s Nights Dream. And, as can be expected of Aerial Angels, this isn t your average Shakespeare - the enchanted forest of Shakespeare s classic tale comes alive with high-flying aerial stunts, acrobatics and circus arts.
With Todd Espeland of , Allison's spent the past six weeks offering the cast a crash course in the grace and skill of circus and physical theatre. The physical work in the show exists to bring the humor and beauty of Midsummer to life, Allison says, You re not going to see play, play, play, trick, talking, trick, lines, and another trick. The movements support the story. Every bit of the work we re doing is there because it makes for a richer story.
Between climbs, a few members of the fairy world (the cast members training most intensely) told me what this experience has meant to them.
Rob Yoho, Fairy: It s absolutely terrifying and absolute freedom. I feel like a dog with my head out the window.
Lauren Bacon, First Fairy: The strength, agility and flexibility I ve learned on the fabric has made me more confident in my everyday movement.
Michael Mastry, Oberon: Aerial fabric work has taught me to trust and breathe.
Jessica Miano-Kruel, Peaseblossom: It s a side of theatre I ve never gotten to see before. I love it. I hope to continue with it.
Charlie Jicha: It s wonderful, something I ll never forget (as he sees Kyra Wagner dive forward in a straddle, fifteen feet above him) Ouch, that one hurts!
If you ll be in the Orlando area mid-February, come to Rollins College and see their hard work pay off. A Midsummer Night s Dream runs at the Annie Russell Theatre, February 13th-14th at 8pm, the 15th at 4pm, the 18th-20th at 8pm, and the 21st at 2pm and 8pm. Prices range from $17-$19. Call 407-646-2145 for reservations.
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| | HALIFAX CHAMPS!
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We were so pleased to be runners-up for the Audience Choice Award at the Halifax Busker Festival! The largest (and one of the most prestigious) busker festival in North America, Halifax had a terrific line-up this year - we were honored to come second to the Calypso Tumblers, and to share the Top Five with Dream State Circus, Peter Rabbit, and Ill-Abilities.
The Group Fire Show totally rocked - and raised over $2000 for the festival - and our intern Nolan not only debuted as a street performer at the Fire Show (on poi) but also won Best Hair! Thanks, Nolan - we love you :) |
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| | Mimi the Brilliant!
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Aerial Angels congratulates Company Member MA Harrison (Mimi) on graduating with high honors from Kalamazoo College. MA has been working really, really hard on her Senior Individual Project (big deal at K-College) and has a 90 page thesis paper written in French and a handful of very, very prestigious awards to show for it. We're proud of you, Mimi! Way to go! |
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| | Angels Vs Dragons! - Aerial Angels appeared on the Canadian reality TV show, Dragon's Den. We took our "Big Show" idea to the Dragons, but you'll have to wait until the episode airs in November to learn the outcome!
In true Angels fashion, the Big Show will feature am
| | | | Summer Tour! - Summer tour madness is in full swing! The Red Team just played the Street Performer World Championships in Dublin, Ireland. Spike and Isabella will head to Singapore for a World Water Conference event, where they'll perform in front of a giant projec
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