rock.paper.sistahz

10th Anniversary Festival

May 10-20, 2011
Call for Proposals due December 10, 2010
click to view/download

Since 2002 we have been proudly producing the annual rock.paper.sistahz festival. This annual mainstay event which concentrates mainly on presenting performance work by black women artists and artists of colour has generated a fast growing and valued venue for experimental work from black theatre creators.Taking its name and form from the well-known hand game, the festival is always dynamic, fast-paced, and surprising as we strive to develop and present fresh material, performance styles, and ideas seldom seen in professional contemporary spaces; while also focusing on themes, forms, and styles which have grown out of the black diasporic culture.

Our continuing goal for the rps festival is:

• to create a gathering in the season of new growth for just that… new growth
• to promote the voices of emerging and established artists alike
• to expand opportunities for black women artists to have their work nurtured from beginnings, through incubation, and into completion
• to create a public space for galvanizing and stimulating interaction among black women artists
• to deepen the company’s vision of creating spaces where the life-affirming effects of the collision of art and culture and everyday life can have positive impacts on the general community.

To find out more on RPS, click here:

http://bit.ly/gEJjgA

-The Project

Enjoy=)

-The Project

Lost Lyrics is a program that teaches youth about the roots of hip-hop and how hip hop became what it is today. The first year I was apart of this program I thought it was very interesting because nobody had ever taught me about hip-hop.

All I knew was I liked Beyonce and Lil Wayne, but I never really knew what made them who they are. If it were not for the Africans hundreds of years ago just playing a drum made of things they found on the ground, hip-hop wouldn’t be around today. I found Lost Lyrics to be an amazing environment so I decided to keep loyal to the program and many other students felt the same way.

Natasha Daniel and Amanda Parris the creators of Lost Lyrics, watched us grow and eventually they thought it was time for Lost Lyrics to move forward in their teachings. So students started learning how to write rhymes, we talked about more mature things than we were used to like hood politics.

Once we reached our third year, the Lost Lyrics students were no longer just friends with each other, we were a family. Daniel and Parris watched us grow and eventually they saw that we were very comfortable with one another so they decided to take on more topics we could relate to.

We talked about things like relationships, why it is more common for a child coming from a split family to be more likely to be living with his/her mother and one specific topic that really resonated with me, ‘shadism.’

‘Shadism’ is similar to a chart or rule people went by a long time ago that meant the lighter your skin was the more advantages you had. For a couple classes Daniel thought we should take this history and compare it to our reality today. For example, there are still Facebook groups claiming people with light skin are more beautiful than people with dark skin, and the quote “light skin is the right skin” is still used in our community.

I really related to this because before Lost Lyrics brought ‘shadism’ to my attention I did question my skin color, I felt like less of a person and I always felt like I had to be that ideal girl we would see in the media. The type of girl that was very skinny, fair skinned and had light eyes. As we all started digging deeper into this topic we recognized that we are beautiful the way we are. We don’t have to get implants or bleach our skin to be that “it” girl, and at the end of the day, we should love ourselves because we are all smart and gorgeous people that can do anything if we put our heart and soul into it.

Lost Lyrics has put on many performances around Toronto. We have performed at places like the Malvern Public Library, No One is Illegal Protest and 106 and York. Our most important event is The Live Report Card. The Live Report Card is a show where all the staff and students of Lost Lyrics put together the work they have created throughout the year through a showcase. Performances include songs, poetry, monologues, plays, and simple paragraphs trying to portray our point of view.

The Live Report Card was very successful this year because we had sponsors like Grassroots Youth Collaborative and Schools Without Borders supporting us. With the help of these organizations we were able to gain more publicity, which meant we had a larger audience. At the end of the night, we raised over $1000.00 in donations and were on Global News.

Each year students are eager to come back because it is a space where people can be themselves and feel comfortable with who they are. Being able to perform at such a young age has really helped me boost my confidence and has made me feel brave, and it made me believe in myself. Lost Lyrics has kept me motivated throughout the years and it has made me strive to be a more aware, and educated citizen.

______

Ashley is a great, well spoken young woman in the Lost Lyrics program. Allow her to open you up to why we  all love Lost Lyrics so much. Enjoy=)

This article was originally published here:

http://bit.ly/entP6X

-The Project

Location:

Please note that the Limitless Launch Event has reached capacity! Please do email limitlessdance@gmail.com to sign up for waiting list. Guests are at a first come first serve basis. Thank you for your continued support!
Limitless Productions presents Forbidden Fruit – The Official Launch Event.
- A showcase of dance theatre pieces followed by a reception

Limitless Productions proudly presents Forbidden Fruit – an assortment of cultural and cross cultural subjects that are considered too controversial, taboo or forbidden for discussion in India and Canada. Utilizing the form and techniques of Contemporary Ballet in fusion with the beauty and lyrical aspects of Indian Classical dances like Bharatanatyam and Kathak, Forbidden Fruit is an attempt to explore and deal with such taboo issues as Abuse, Prostitution, Interracial Love, Sexuality and Desire for Human Connection through Indo-Contemporary dance form.

Forbidden Fruit is an unabashed and sensitive attempt to initiate and inspire dialogue, thought, and an attempt at social change and change of attitudes. Step into the unknown and get a taste of what’s forbidden.

Company Performing Artists (in alphabetical order):

Alannah Bergin
Justine Cargo
Nilofar Dadikhuda
Natasha Daniel
Shafik Kamani
Imran Mohammed
Sarah Paul
Sid Sawant
Nayani Thiyagarajah

Special Guest Actor: Mandeep Kaur Mucina

Special Guest Speakers:

Shahina Sayani, Program Director – ArtReach Toronto
Umbereen Inayet, Director / Writer – Meri Kahani

MC / Host: Nita Monteagudo

Sound Engineer: Bobby Singh
Stage Manager: Laura Metcalfe

Creative Director: Ashima Suri

Cost: Free
*We are however asking for any donations. All proceeds will go to building an art school in India.

Event Agenda:

6:30pm – Doors open
7:00pm – Show begins
8:15pm – Reception begins in Studio D

RSVP: limitlessdance@gmail.com

Space is limited

For more information on Limitless Productions, please go to:www.limitlessproductions.ca

This project is funded by ArtReach Toronto

___

Natasha, and a few Lost other Lost Lyrics community members are having their dancing debut here, and you want to be there.

-The Project

December 10, 2010
6pm-9pm
West Side Arts Hub ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE Presents:

SNAPPED! (The Musical)

FREE ADMISSION

Based on the E-Book & Poem ‘Uncool-TRUE STORY’ by The M.A.D. Poet a.k.a. Melissa A. Dean//script by Masani Montague of Upfront Theatre and Rastafest//Music by SUN a.k.a. The Real Sun//Dance Choreography by Roache of Rated Inc.

For more information contact:
westsideartshub@gmail.com

- The Project

The Youth Artist Workshops are FREE start Monday November 15 and run every Monday and Tuesday from 5:30-7:30pm until Tuesday December 7.

Presented by the Artists In Residence
Roache of Rated Inc., Dance Skills, Mon November 15 & Mon November 22
The M.A.D. Poet aka Melissa Dean, Poetry Skills, Tues November 16 & Tues Nov 23
SUN aka The Real Sun, Professional Artist Development, Tues November 30 & Tues December 7
Masani Montague of Upfront Theatre, Theatre Skills (Children 8-12), Mon November 29 & Mon December 6

Coordinated by: Andrea Zammit of Rated Inc. & Grassroots Youth Collaborative, for more information contact her at:
westsideartshub@gmail.com

Do not forget to check out SNAPpED! (The musical) incorporating work of all of the artists in residence and some of their participants, it’s going down December 10, 2010 at 6:30pm at Yorkwoods Theatre (1785 Finch Ave. West).

Sponsored by: City of Toronto, Toronto Live With Culture, The Toronto Public Library and Black Creek Community Health Centre.

- The Project

This conference will feature over 150 black university students and 100 black high school students on Ryerson campus over the span of three days engaging in networking, conscious discussion, workshops,panels, and a gala; all while focusing on building capacity for ourselves, our families, and most importantlyour collective.

Check out Conference promo video (2mins):

Last years Conference 3 day Video (3mins):

You can also get more information and also register on the National Conference website at:http://unitedblackstudents.ca/conference/

Register before Oct. 31 and you save 20% off, There are limited space so lock in your spot… by registering

Amanda Parris, Co-Founder of Lost Lyrics will be in  a panel on youth engagement and will be spreading the word on this incredible program. Be there to support her and Lost Lyrics!!!

-The Project

If you would like to know more about Sun and read more of her incredible work, check out  her website:

http://bit.ly/byMnXY

Enjoy=)

-The Project

_____

EXPONENTIAL POTENTIAL

The potentiality of we equals dreams times three to the exponent infinite means

But in reality it seems we are afraid to dream so big; and so on broken hopes we lean in defeat

And why not when it’s so easy to eat the lies that coat our insides and deplete our minds

Our spines addicted to apathy

The drug of choice is hidden in the shiny package just beyond our reach.

He, she, we - all become [feigns] for this Cinderella Dream.

[Everyone's hustling, hustling, hustling] for that ultimate fix that’ll fix us forever into the pages of history

The story thus far reads victory for greed; holistic well being in defeat and retreat…

Criminalized, brutalized, tossed onto scapegoat boat; set sail for the new land of bling and shiny things.

[Believing] we found the magic slipper to give us wings.

Our exponential potential is being indentured

Made disposable for convenience

But working, sweat dripping, fully convinced if we keep tilling this field full of manufactured dreams

We will one day strike gold and own our own mountains and streams…

Which in reality, we will never see.

What is this exponential potential worth [shrouded] in illusions that [delusion] our purpose

Is it really worth it?

Tip-toe around morals bought on borrowed souls

for we too are

[dependent]

Debt-pending

Deep-lending

Death landing

Pandering Our pocket full of dreams
Now full of broken seams that have leaked our potential exponentially [siphoned] and stuck to the bottom of our soles…

Drilled holes into the bottom of our souls

Shit yo, what are we fighting for?

Empty pits filled with glitter

Ward off the sinners!

Open the gates for the winners…

They paid for the gold plated

Fences

To prove they have made it.

Shit, How I hate it

I thought we were equally created

Rose coloured glasses perception is jaded

Now what, we just wait it?

I just packaged and weighed it

The water’s been waded

But we’re still feeling the way it

[Presses] down our shoulders with the weight and,

I’m tired of waiting.

Our exponential potential is being indentured

No mention of a fuckin pension

The [potentiality] of we equals dreams times three to the exponent infinite means

And what the fuck does all that mean, when its being used for greed?

Our exponential potential is being indentured

And we’re still waiting to be freed.

© 2010 sun a.k.a. The Real Sun

-The Project

P.S. Please continue to send material for the Lost Lyrics Blog; THAT INCLUDES STUDENTS, STAFF, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS!!!!!

lostlyricsblog@gmail.com

This is an incredible video on the controversy of shadeism. Do you know what shadeism is? Have you been affected by it? Well, no matter what you need to peep this. This was created by Nayani, a close knit and well respected member of the Lost Lyrics family. This video shares a lot of personal experiences of Shadeism, and it also explores the disheartening effects on the youth of today. Many staff and students of Lost Lyrics also appear in the video. Enjoy=)

-The Project