The strength of Asians in “A Beautiful Struggle”
In 1993, a group of dancers decided to create an organization in Los Angeles in which these dancers shared their passion for the then recently born urban dance movement. The group called Culture Shock Los Angeles has now grown into an international non-profit organizations with various chapters based in the United States, Canada and Europe.
Fast forward to the year 2005, Culture Shock Los Angeles’ Assistant Artistic Director, Miguel Gregorio, heartbreakingly had to deal with the tragic loss of his younger brother who was murdered during a store robbery. For Gregorio, he wanted to seek a way to honor his brother while raising funds for his family. Being from the dance community, his colleagues, Culture Shock LA organized a group of individuals from the dance and art community to create a benefit show that would both honor his brother and help raise the funds the Gregorio family needed. With the success and support of the show, at least one thousand individuals attended the benefit.
Realizing that this benefit show could become a bigger event, Culture Shock LA created the Collaborative Arts Performance as a yearly event that helps educate the public with various social themes. Annually, the group now creates full–length performance pieces that are based upon true stories of various individuals. This year’s showcase is called, “A Beautiful Struggle: Every Revolution Must Have Its Own Martyrs.” This showcase borrows from Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451,” in which the United States outlaws the expression of the arts in the year 2020. Four individual stories are presented in “A Beautiful Struggle.”
For producers Allison Tanaka, Michelle Castelo and artistic director Miguel Gergorio, it was definitely a beautiful struggle to bring this showcase to the public. With the multitude of creating six scenes at least fifteen minutes long, they enlisted the help of their Culture Shock San Diego Chapter, the RhetOracle Dance Company and the Creative Planet School of Arts. Each group was given the theme of the show and had to come up with their own portion of the show.
According to producer Allison Tanaka, “We were really lucky because we have wonderful collaborators. Nate Hodges and his RhetOracle Dance Company were really great. He helped us out last year on our show. He has been wonderful to work with. Culture Shock San Diego, Kaba Modern and everyone else have been so phenomenal. I think they understand who we are and what our vision is. It’s nice to see that the dance community has an outlet to be supportive of.”
The community has definitely stepped up its effort to support Culture Shock LA’s Collaborative Art Performances. Even celebrities from the entertainment community have shown its support. With the help of Kaba Modern founder Arnel Calvario, he was able to draw in actress Tamlyn Tomita to watch the show. Tomita explains her enthusiasm, “I met Arnel Calvario who was founder of Kaba Modern at the Asian Excellence Awards in May and we got to talking in the green room at the awards show and he invited me to that show (“A Beautiful Struggle” which had its first run at the Long Beach Center of Performing Arts in Long Beach, CA). I really did respect, admire and really fell in love with their spirit and what Future Shock does for disadvantaged youth.”
Tomita says she was lucky to see this installment of the showcase this past July 25th’s presentation because she’s supposed to be at Comic-Con in San Diego. “I’m in Stargate right now but I’m on break right now because all the Stargate regulars went down to San Diego so they flew us down there. I have to go back down there tomorrow.”
For anyone who wants a program like Culture Shock to be involved in their school or community center, all they have to do is contact them. Whether it’s in Los Angeles, San Diego or out of California, they’ll help find a way to get a program like theirs in that particular community. For Culture Shock, it’s about getting the art form and passion to these kids while payment is secondary. Tanaka adds, “We are really fortunate that we have support from organizations like DARE and DARE America. We also get grant funding from the city of Los Angeles and the county of Los Angeles plus a grant from the Flourish Foundation and the Arts Council of Long Beach. We are more able to offer free classes so we are so willing to go into schools and community centers where there is a need. Regardless of their ability to pay for our services, we’re just happy to make our program available.”
On an ending note, Tomita states to children that are feeling left out, “Just be brave enough, I’ve got to go out there and get out of this fucked up world and say, “There’s got to be something else out there for me,” or these kids who are talented and blessed, they have these ideas and they don’t know how to act them out. Just try it out. Always remember you have to give it out and also earn it too. Learn that lesson and go along with it because that’s how this world works. You’re not going to get a whole lot of respect unless you respect yourself first.”
For more information on Culture Shock and how Culture Shock can help your community, visit www.shockla.com
Main photo: Tamlyn Tomita and Mom Asako Tomita
Photos by Sthanlee B. Mirador/Pacific Rim Photo Press