Global Motion Dance: "Olakino" at Broad Stage

Santa Monica College’s Global Motion World Dance Company is proud to present “Olakino,” a program of choreography from throughout the world. “Olakino,” Hawaiian for “Health,” reflects the 2011-12 SMC Global Citizenship Theme of “Health, Wellness & the Pursuit of Happiness.”

Performances are 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 18 and 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 19 at The Broad Stage at the SMC Performing Arts Center on Santa Monica Boulevard and 11th Street.

The concert will feature traditional and contemporary dance styles, including Afro Cuban, Contemporary Ballet, Belly Dance, Flamenco, Hawaiian, Indonesian, Mexican Folklórico, Jazz, Lyrical Hip Hop, Samba/Cha Cha Cha, Swing, Texas Two-Step, and West African.

Global Motion, founded by Judith Douglas, is under the direction of Raquel Ramirez and Sri Susilowati.

Faculty choreographers are Laura Canellias, Keali’i Ceballos, Jennifer Jesswein, Angela Jordan, Raquel Ramirez, Charlotte Richards and Sri Susilowati.

Guest choreographers are Kati Hernandez and Jessica Nedjat-Haiem.

Student choreographers are Henry Marquis, Libby Marquis, Yessenia Muñoz, Victoria Tapscott and Lindsay White.

Global Motion has toured extensively throughout Mexico and California for more than 30 years – at schools, festivals, and special events.

Raquel Ramirez is choreographing “1862 – The Original Cinco de Mayo,” a Mexican Folklórico dance, as well as collaborative work by Global Motion, Ballet Folklórico Flor de Mayo and Dr. David Hayes-Bautista at the UCLA Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture.

Sri Susilowati, originally from Indonesia, has created “Kandita”, a traditional Indonesian dance from the Sunda area about a mythical princess, Kandita, who is healed by the sea.

Aside from teaching at SMC, Angela Jordan has also taught at UCLA and at schools throughout Southern California. She is presenting a West African mask dance, “Sorsonet”, which tells a story of the mask as a guardian and source of healing.

Kati Hernandez, a native of Cuba, is the artistic director of her own Afro Cuban dance experimental project. “Obalu Aye, King of Village Crowned in another Land” is an Afro Cuban dance that portrays the sacred stories of a king who rules over disease and health.

Yessenia Muñoz began studying dance at SMC with award-winning choreographer Laura Canellias. “Pump up the Beat” is a Samba/Cha Cha Cha dance about how rhythms can help strengthen the human heart.

Tickets, which sell out quickly, are $18 general admission and at the door and $15 for SMC students with ID and senior citizens. Parking is free.

For tickets, call (310) 434-3005 or go to smc.edu/eventsinfo. Information is available at smc.edu/dance or (310) 434-3467.