On Saturday, July 12, Rhythmix Cultural Works presented the third of four installments of their Rising Seas series. These free public art performances included global music, immersive dance, and site-responsive theater centered on the theme of climate change and our relationship to water. Gathered along the water at Shoreline Park on Bay Farm Island, the crowd enjoyed a variety of performances as well as various craft activity booths and information booths.
The event, co-sponsored by the City of Alameda, featured a visit and speech from Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft. A theatrical performance of Climate Detective from the Future by Ed Holmes used humor to educate. The short play, featuring Holmes and Colin Epstein, was directed by Jeff Raz with costumes by Maria Chenut. Where Do We Draw the Line?, an immersive dance piece choreographed by KT Nelson, featured co-creators and performers Rachel Furst, Kira Fargus, Julie Crothers, Sarah Emmons, Hadassah Perry, and Brooke Terry. Camila Thach and Amaya Guzman-Eyre appeared as seaweed rope performers. Composition and sound design was created by Tina “Bean” Blaine, and kelp props were created by Ginny Parsons and Janet Koike.
The crowd and energy hit a high mark as everyone gathered around the temporary stage along the water for music and dance performances by Hālau Ka Ua Tuahine, featuring Kumu Hula Māhealani Uchiyama. The music spanned Polynesia, including traditional and modern numbers from Hawaii and Tahiti. Dancers included Deni Meali’i Adaniya, Angela Pūnihi Bau, Skyler Kama’ehu Baysa, Amy Malulani Dewey, Usha Kawena Lingappa, Manawa Ogawa, Beth Kanoelani Pao, Yang Uranui Ruan, Amour Washington, and Birdie Mae Washington. The music blended the sounds of vocals, various percussion instruments and drums, guitar, and ukulele. Musicians included Alan Kekoa Aki, Gray Ranitea, Chadwick Kevin Na’eahau Farey, Eva Teheiari’i Mo, and Māhealani Uchiyama. To make the event more accessible, performances included an ASL interpreter, Shonnese Grant.
Between the two performance spaces was an open grassy area with a semi-circle of booths. The art activities proved to be very popular with the kids. Los Angeles-based artist Fei Ewald’s booth contained various sizes of recycled cardboard that could be used to create stamps for printmaking. With brayers, paints, and paper on hand, kids eagerly unleashed their creative spirits. Keneda Gibson and assistant Yemi from Resilience Hub and Grandma’s House of East Oakland provided opportunities to make seed bombs and seed starters in tiny containers and to learn about native plants and “guerilla gardening.” Alameda Free Library also was a popular spot, with information on their services and a generous helping of free books for infants to youth, all with an environmental theme.
On a more serious note, there were several booths that provided information about climate change, rising seas, and how that impacts our community. Citizens’ Climate Lobby was on hand as a resource for effecting change through governmental channels. City of Alameda’s Department of Sustainability and Resilience and CASA, Community Action for a Sustainable Alameda, featured visual displays of how rising seas would affect the island of Alameda and surrounding areas. They also provided a means for residents to report areas of concern where they have experienced or witnessed flooding or other water-related issues. The City also handed out information on proper recycling and composting on the island, as well as their Bulky Item Clean Up Program. East Bay Regional Park shared the wide variety of park experiences, trails, programs they offer, and the flora and fauna found inside.
Rising Seas provided an opportunity for the community to come together and celebrate our connection to the water and to learn how we can move forward in harmony with our environment.
There is one final event left in this series. Rising Seas with Manilatown Ancestral Ensemble will be at Bohol Circle Immigrant Park, 2901 Fifth Street, on August 23, from 1 to 4 p.m. For more information or to RSVP for the free outdoor event, visit Rising Seas with Manilatown Ancestral Ensemble online.
Rising Seas is an anchor arts project of the Rising Tides Climate Arts Initiative.
Kelly Rogers Flynt contributes reviews of theatrical productions and feature articles to the Alameda Post. Reach her via [email protected]. Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Kelly-Rogers-Flynt.
