NBC Universal announced the top finalists at the grand finale of its fifth-annual “Short Cuts” Film Festival on October 20 at the Directors Guild of America (DGA) Theater in Los Angeles. The event was hosted by Craig Robinson of NBC’s “The Office” and Olivia Munn of NBC’s upcoming series “Perfect Couples.”

Hosts Olivia Munn & Craig Robinson with Julius Onah - Recipient, Best Director, The Bounday

Now in its fifth-consecutive year, NBC Universal’s “Short Cuts” Film Festival has earned its place as the authority on delivering new diverse voices to the film and television industry. The program is championed by Kendra Carter, Director of NBC Universal’s Talent Diversity Initiatives.

“NBC Universal continues to push boundaries as a leading showcase for multi-cultural expression, both in the growth of our submission categories and in the enhanced quality of our awards structure,” said Carter. “Our constant goal is to discover, develop and present cutting-edge work from a diverse perspective to our colleagues within the NBC Universal family and the entertainment industry at large.”

The finalist films were presented in three major categories to include: Best Short Film, Best Actor within a Film, and Best Director. This year’s honorees are director/co-writer Viet Nguyen and co-writer Christopher Dinh for “Crush the Skull”; Randall Park for “Blueberry,” and Julius Onah, writer/director of “The Boundary.”

Ultimately, Onah’s “The Boundary” received the award for Best Director and earned him a finalist position in the NBC Director Fellowship program. For Best Actor, Park’s performance in “Blueberry” allowed him to receive a one-year NBC Universal Talent Holding Deal. Likewise, co-writers Nguyen and Dinh received a blind script deal with NBC Universal. Additional prizes include: meetings with NBCU executives; an NBCU Digital Studio Opportunity; a Panavision camera package donation valued at $60,000; and a creative concept commercial assignment granted by Burrell Communications, a top multi-cultural advertising agency.

“I would like to congratulate this year’s filmmakers for their amazing shorts,” said Wil Sylvince, founder of the “Short Cuts” Film Festival. “I also want to thank NBC Universal and the entire industry for their commitment and support for diverse creative content. The NBC ‘Short Cuts’ Film Festival has made its mark. It has become the ultimate platform for diverse writers, directors and actors to gain feedback from industry leaders while establishing notoriety for their creative work.”

“Short Cuts” Film Festival is a company-wide initiative and is one of many live events produced by NBC’s Talent Diversity Initiative with the goal of cultivating diversity both in front of and behind the camera. This year’s panel of judges include Jeff Ingold (NBC Comedy Programming), Grace Wu (NBC Casting), Franklin Leonard (Universal Pictures), Quan Phung (Stuber Productions), Karen O’Hara (Syfy) and Karen Horne (NBC Entertainment Programs).

Selected from over 1,500 submissions, this year’s finalists included: Joshua Funk, (writer/director of “Undocumented Worker: The Audition”); Debby Wolfe, (writer/director of “Gordita”); Sterlin Harjo (writer/director of “Three Little Boys”) and Francisco Ordonez, (writer/director of “Cookie”). Semi-finalist films were screened earlier before an industry audience in conjunction with the New York Television Festival on September 22.

Corporate support for this year’s initiative came from sponsors such as The Hollywood Reporter, Burrell Communications, Panavision, the Sheraton Universal Hotel, CIROC and Web Solutions MD.

“It’s a great honor for Burrell Communications to partner with NBC Universal ‘Short Cuts’ Film Festival to create opportunities for the next generation of young filmmakers and storytellers,” said Lewis Williams, Chief Creative Officer of Burrell Communications. “Burrell has always made it a priority to provide an outlet for creative individuals to showcase their talent and skills. These opportunities are crucial to the diversity of ideas, content and talent in the film and advertising industry. We applaud this year’s finalists and winners.”

NBC Universal’s “Short Cuts” Film Festival was founded with actor/writer/comedian Sylvince in 2005 to display and celebrate diversity in the entertainment industry. The objective is to allow creative individuals with diverse perspectives the opportunity to present their material in front of key decision makers within the industry. When Sylvince is not working on the “Short Cuts” Film Festival, he performs on the national comedy circuit, including college campuses, and in festivals worldwide.

For additional information, please visit: WWW.NBCSHORTCUTS.COM

No related posts.

Los Angeles-based public radio station KCRW (89.9FM and KCRW.com) are proud to announce their latest release — the Ozomatli vs KCRW Soundclash Remix Project — available August 17th on iTunes.

KCRW Music Director and host of Morning Becomes Eclectic Jason Bentley, Anthony Valadez, Aaron Byrd, Anne Litt and Tom Schnabel all remix songs from Ozomatli’s fifth studio album “Fire Away” as part of this unique creative collaboration between KCRW and Downtown Records / Mercer Street Records.

“The Soundclash series was envisioned as a chance for KCRW DJs to get more involved in the creative process of an artist we feel strongly about and the results of the Ozo Soundclash are truly inspired,” said Bentley, “Take Anne Litt’s re-imagining of the vocals for “Love Comes Down,” with a capella group Sonos, or the subtle beauty of the sitar performance on Anthony Valadez’ version of the same song. Tom Schnabel turns in a dreamy and soulful take on the song “45″ and Aaron Byrd transforms “Are You Ready” into a frenetic percussion workout. Each remix is unique and represents the individuality of the talented crew we have on air here at KCRW.”

KCRW was the first radio station to play Ozomatli’s music, before they were signed to a label. The station also hosted their live performance debut in 1997 on Morning Becomes Eclectic. The band recently made their 7th appearance on “Morning Becomes Eclectic”, and Ozomatli will be also appearing at the Hollywood Bowl as part of KCRW’s World Festival on Sunday, September 19. 

Fire Away is Ozomatli’s band’s fifth studio full length, and first for the NYC based Mercer Street Records / Downtown Records. Produced by acclaimed producer Tony Berg, Fire Away features eleven new Ozo songs. Fire Away is arguably Ozomatli’s most diverse album yet, ranging from the emotionally resplendent ballads “It’s Only Time” and “Love Comes Down,” the 60’s Stax influenced vibe of “45”, to the Spanglish of “Nadas Por Free”.

Ozomatli’s music — a collision of hip hop and salsa, dancehall and cumbia, samba and funk, merengue and comparsa, East LA R&B and New Orleans second line, Jamaican ragga and Indian raga — has long followed a key mantra: it will take you around the world by taking you around the city of Los Angeles.

2009 proved to be a busy year for Ozomatli, serving as US cultural ambassadors with a US sponsored State Department trip that included Ozomatli community outreach and performances in Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand. The band was also honored to play for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s 32nd Annual Award Gala, held in Washington DC in September.

2010 looks to continue Ozomatli’s feverish pace. In addition to taking their incendiary live show on the road in support of Fire Away, the band recently collaborated with the Boston Pops Orchestra for the 125th Pops Anniversary Celebration, and once again served as US Cultural Ambassadors with a State Department trip to China and Mongolia in June.

Ozomatli vs KCRW Soundclash Tracklisting
1. Love Comes Down (Anne Litt remix) – Produced by Anne Litt and Mark Kilian. Featuring Sonos (vocals), Julio Moreno (percussion), Kim Carroll (charango). Mixed by Casey Stone.
2. 45 (Tom Schnabel remix) Produced by Jeff Rona
3. Love Comes Down (Anthony Valadez remix) Produced by A. Valadez. Featuring I, Ced (Keys & Bass), Itai Shapira (Sitar), Miguel Atwood-Ferguson (Strings), Mixed by Itai Shapira
4. Are You Ready (it’sAByrd’s Bundao remix) Produced by Aaron Byrd for SCS Productions
5. Malagasy Shock (Jason Bentley remix) Produced by Jason Bentley and Chris “Smitty” Smith. Featuring Tom Holkenborg (bass, guitar)

For more information, visit: http://www.kcrw.com/soundclash

No related posts.

DJ Spinna and Matthias Heilbronn take the Yvette Rovira album in a new direction with a Galactic Soul mix of “I Remember Love” by Spinna and a mix of “Let’s Go Out Tonight” by Matthias Heilbronn. Spinna and Heilbronn add a high-energy house vibe to Rovira’s sound, which is influenced by everybody from Stevie Wonder and Billy Joel to the Beatles and John Mayer to India Arie.

“I tend to listen to a lot of hip-hop, old school R&B and blues,” she says, but I also try to expose myself to what’s happening now. I’ve been listening to Robin Thicke, Corinne Bailey Rae, and Jay-Z lately.” In addition to working on her own music, Rovira regularly sings with hip-hop band The Lifted Crew in Brooklyn.

Yvette Rovira Remixes

“Remember Love” (DJ Spinna Galactic Soul Remix)
Download [MP3]

“Let’s Go Out Tonight” (Matthias Heilbronn Mix)
Premiered on Hard Candy | [MP3]

“Let’s Go Out Tonight” (Album Version)
Download [MP3]

About the Album
Working with producer Rob Mounsey (Rihanna, Mary J. Blige), and the same tight family of musicians with whom she’s collaborated for the past few years, newcomer Yvette Rovira has recorded a dozen tracks for her self-titled album, flavored with Latin-inspired percussion, funk and old-school R&B references, all sung with a distinctive power and passion.

Among her collaborators is the rapper Lex Doe, who adds his distinctive edge to two songs, “City of Lights,” which Rovira describes as her “love song to New York City,” and “Psychedelia,” the singer’s take on the Beatles’ “Lucy in the Sky.” A closer listen to the lyrics of that particular song, with its trippy synth lines and multi-layered vocals, brings to light one of most striking aspects of Rovira’s songwriting – her lyrics resonate with a positive message, whether she’s heading for the dance floor (on the high energy “Let’s Go Out Tonight,”) or baring her soul (on the pop ballad “Passion,” which Rovira says is about her love for music.)

Notes of inspiration and power course through the single, “Everybody Stand Up,” which opens with the words of no less a spiritual leader than Mahatmas Gandhi: “Be the change that you want to see in the world,” Rovira sings as the song opens. “So often I hear people complain about things but offer no solutions,” she explains. “I’m inspired by leaders like Gandhi and Martin Luther King to be of service, which sometimes can be as simple as stating your opinion in a positive way.”

“Give Me Just a Little Bit of Time,” which features M.C. Atlas, fuses pop, gospel and hip-hop into a poignant parable with universal appeal. Seemingly at first to be just another song of love and longing, its true message unveils itself with M.C. Atlas’ rap: “This story is told through the eyes of a man who’s lived 80 something years…holding the hand of his wife who can’t stand…watching the love of his life slip away…. ” Atlas had just come back to New York after the death of the grandmother who’d raised him. He wrote his verse in reaction to that, directly from his experience,” says Rovira. “At some point in our lives, we all experience loss.”

All this talk of Rovira’s ability as a songwriter should in no way detract from her power as a singer. Her voice pulses and soars on soulful anthems like “Fearless,” and rides waves of emotion as her vocals intertwine with guitarist Nicholas Cassarino’s on the R&B ballad, “Hold Me.”

Only two tracks on the CD were not written by Rovira – “Love Can Find a Way,” written by producer Rob Mounsey. and “Don’t Let Me Lose This Dream,” one of the lesser-known songs from Aretha Franklin’s 1967 Atlantic Records debut, I Never Loved A Man the Way I Love You. “When I get into an artist’s music, I get a little obsessed, and I listened to this CD over and over,” laughs Rovira. “Sure, ‘Respect’ and the title track were Top Ten hits, but this song really resonated with me, because it’s how I feel about my own dream of being able to pursue a career as a musician.”

No related posts.

Oceana is a modern and confident young woman who knows exactly what she wants. She actually knew what she wanted from an early age. “I always had an extraordinary lifestyle, was always independent, and boxed my own way through life. I didn’t need pocket money – I learned from early on how to manage on my own.”

Oceana never felt homesick, but always felt the need to travel and sees herself as a true “citizen of the world.” A bonafide cosmopolitan, she has lived in Paris, Hamburg, London, New York, Los Angeles, and has spent a fair amount of time in Martinique, exploring her Caribbean roots. She earned her living through gigs and was constantly improving her knowledge of song and dance. Aside from music, she is particularly interested in fashion and photography. 

Growing up as the child of a working musician, Oceana got the chance to meet some legendary entertainers at a young age, including James Brown’s famous saxophonist Maceo Parker. Last year, Maceo finally made her start thinking about her own career as a vocalist. “He gave me the deciding push! Over the years I had kept writing my own material, but after a concert, Maceo said to me, ‘You’re ready now; do your own thing!’” 

Luckily this sentence took seed, and she did not forget it. She started working in London on several songs and traveled to New York to record her debut album Love Supply. Suddenly things started to move quickly, the team worked well, and they produced a fantastic album in a short period of time, which mixes the finest soul-pop, funk, R&B, and reggae to make the well-rounded, international-sounding, top-quality album. 

Check out the Yahoo Premiere for the music video of the single “Cry, Cry.“

No related posts.

Leela James has always been a lover of music. She heard it around the house as a child and amongst her family members. It has only been a natural progression that she end up in the music industry. She did consider other career options. As a youth, she ran track – beginning at the tender age of seven. Due to a career-ending injury, the 100m/200m and 4x100m sprinter had to choose something else. James thought about becoming a lawyer, but being cooped up in an office sounded extremely boring. Lucky for us she chose to sing.

We asked her if she felt intimidated by the business side of the entertainment industry when she first started. “No, not at all,” James exclaimed.

When she first started, she admitted that she was like a deer caught in headlights. But through trial and error, she learned the ways of the business. She acknowledges that there are grimy people out there, but she doesn’t take herself or people too seriously. Most important to her are God and family.

As far as her new album My Soul goes, she is extremely proud. There was no crazed love lost or love gained, Leela just really wanted to make an album, and it all came from her heart and soul. She felt a huge sigh of relief on this project because she didn’t have to fight with the label; executive producers didn’t take more credit than they should have. It was more of her. My Soul showed off more of her vocal range and her vulnerable side.

From the very first track on her 2005 debut album, Leela James captured the gritty, emotion-drenched essence of artists like Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Mavis Staples, Marvin Gaye, and has made it her mission to bring it all back – pushing the music forward with a fresh, contemporary perspective that remains faithful to the music’s deep and powerful roots. My Soul marks Leela James’ debut on Stax Records, a division of Concord Music Group. The move to Stax – the legendary home of some of the greatest soul and R&B artists of the past half-century – is a fitting destination for a vocalist who has committed herself to preserving the soul tradition.

The first single off My Soul is “Tell Me You Love Me,” a track that James co-wrote with Andrea Martin and Gordon Williams. The track was produced by rap and hip-hop producer Gerrard Baker (Toni Braxton, Billy Crawford, Masta Ace), who deftly inserts a sample of James riffing on a line from “Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye,” the classic ballad made popular among soul audiences by The Manhattans in 1978. “This is one of my favorite tracks on the record,” says James. “It’s a song about someone who’s really trying to make love work, which is the same message you hear in ‘Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye.’ Great songs are great songs, no matter when they’re recorded, or by whom. And sometimes two great songs blend together well, like they do here.”

The new album comes on the heels of high praise from SoulTracks.com, the online source for all things soul and R&B, who recently bestowed a 2009 Readers’ Choice Award to James in the category of Female Vocalist of the Year. Indeed, James has come to own the music that has inspired her since her teenage years. Her commanding live performances have become can’t-miss thrillers, placing her among today’s most electrifying international concert draws.

“The title of the album pretty much says it all,” she explains. “I just wanted to go into the studio and do what moved me at the time, and not think about it too much or not allow it to be something that was too planned. That’s what great soul music has always been about from the very beginning – something very raw, very authentic, and very true.”

My Soul opens with the churning “Ain’t New To This” (also produced by Baker), a proud and defiant declaration of survival in the minefield known as the music business; and the bouncy “Party All Night,” penned by James and produced by Carl “Chucky” Thompson, who previously worked with Leela on 2005′s “Change Is Gonna Come.” Other notable producers on that debut record were Kanye West and Commissioner Gordon among others.

Thompson also handled the production of “Mr. Incredible, Ms. Unforgettable,” a sultry duet between James and vocalist Raheem DeVaughn. “Raheem and I are good friends, and we’d been talking for some time about doing something together,” says James. “We finally happened to be in the same place at the same time, and we just made it happen. It really wasn’t something that we planned. It was just something spontaneous that took its own course.”

Aside from Baker and Thompson, James enlists the services of a number of other producers on My Soul, including Kadis and Sean (“So Cold”), Carvin and Ivan (“It’s Over,” “If It’s Wrong”), Steven “Supe” White (“The Fact Is”), Ray Murray (“I Want It All”), and Butter (“Supa Luva”).

While James may have been surrounded by talent in the making of My Soul, the record is ultimately her personal statement – not just about the music’s rich past but about its present and its future as well. Her arrival at Stax may position her among legends, but she’s well aware that she still has much to do and say.

“To be on the premier soul label is a validation of what I’ve accomplished with my music and what I stand for,” she says. “I’ve always been a champion for this music. This album is my version of soul. It’s my experience of soul. It’s what soul means to me, and I want to share it with you.”

Aside from her singing career, James is delving into TV and film. Currently she is on BET’s “My Black is Beautiful.” To prepare for her new acting career, she not only surrounds herself with people who act as a profession, she is also doing her homework and studying the craft.

James also has a non-profit organization in the works. Right now, she works heavily with her church. They feed the homeless and help them find housing. Her organization will be similar, helping homeless people with the oftentimes difficult transition to permanent housing. All of this goodwill and creative energy clearly shows that Leela’s soul truly runs deep.

For more information visit:

www.leelajames.com

www.myspace.com/leelajames

No related posts.

FOX Searchlight Pictures presents “Just Wright,” a romantic comedy just right for everyone. It has the love story for the ladies and sports intensity for the fellas. It’s safe enough for the kids and the entire family. A story about triumph and inner beauty, this movie has a bit of inspiration for everyone and is an all around feel-good movie.

NBA player Scott McKnight, played by rapper Common, is torn both from his career due to an injury and torn at the heart between Morgan Alexander, played by Paula Patton, and Leslie Wright, played by Queen Latifah. Some might say this story is not unlike other storylines we’ve seen before in other romantic comedies.

Others might critique that it is not the most believable story. However, what’s special about this movie is despite the improbability of some of the specific events, we also witness special relationships, like that between Leslie and her father and Scott and his mother. We also witness some very genuine moments, in which one can feel the pain that Leslie, Scott, and Morgan each have to deal with. The feel-good sentiment prevails, and one can overlook the minor details of an overall charming story.

With a cast like Queen Latifah, who has been in the spotlight since her days of U.N.I.T.Y.; Common who has been on the conscious tip since his debut album “Can I Borrow a Dollar”; James Pickens, Jr., who is best known for his character on “Grey’s Anatomy”; Phylicia Rashad, who is highly respected for her years of graceful performance on “The Cosby Show”; Paula Patton, who was recently seen in “Precious”; plus cameos from NBA favorites including Dwight Howard and Dwayne Wade; all under the direction of Sanaa Hamri, the same woman who brought us movies like “Something New” and “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” combined with a script written by Michael Elliot, the man partly responsible for “Brown Sugar,” it is no surprise “Just Wright” is reminiscent of past crowd-pleasing films.

In a press interview, Queen Latifah, Common, James Pickens, Jr., and director Sanaa Hamri all shared the sentiment that there was a common mission to create a feel-good movie. From Hamri’s mission to introduce a younger audience to something new with her inclusion of classic jazz references and Latifah’s enthusiasm about sharing this story of inner beauty to Common’s commitment to portraying an NBA player and Pickens’ allegiance to playing a compassionate father, they each added layers that contributed to the complexity of this story.

As Leslie, Queen Latifah is able to show off her love of basketball (and her loyalty to the NJ Nets) that we’ve seen before. Adding to her roster of empowering songs, she brings us another one called “Championship” just for this movie.

Although this is the first time we’ve seen Common as a lead in a film, there is no doubt that he made a conscientious effort to portray a convincing Scott McKnight. Although he joked about his possible career as an NBA player, Common shared a genuine hunger and desire to nurture his new love for acting and hone his skills. Although it is still unknown who would win on the court, Common and Queen Latifah played one-on-one on the screen and even collaborated for the song “Next Time” on the soundtrack. Hopefully more collaborations will arise in the future.

Whether it’s your love of basketball, your admiration for the star-studded cast, your longing for a feel-good movie, or if you’re just a sucker for romantic comedies, “Just Wright” will certainly put a smile on your face.

“Just Wright” is currently playing in theaters.

No related posts.

Multi-Grammy winning musical producer Quincy Jones’ musical genius has crossed generations and decades. He casts a wide net of musical notes, complex arrangements, and crescendos that our parents and even our generation can identify with. So it is only natural that the next step in his musical journey would be an album that pays homage to the compositions he holds dear to his artistic and creative heart, including “The Secret Garden,” “You Put a Move On My Heart,” and “Strawberry Letter 23.”

Q: Soul Bossa Nostra on Interscope Records is set to be released in May/June 2010 and enlists a vast array of talented artists, including Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Hudson, Usher, Ludacris, Trey Songz, Tyrese Akon, Jamie Foxx, Robin Thicke, Q-Tip, Talib Kweli, Bebe Winans, LL Cool J, Three 6 Mafia, Jermaine Dupri, John Legend, Snoop Dogg, T-Pain, just to name a few.

Jones reflects on the album, stating, “Each artist picked a song that really resonated with them for different reasons – some of them having a connection because they remembered their parents playing the track when they were growing up. I am honored that everyone wanted to be a part of this celebration of these songs. They all made them their own, and knocked them out of the park.”

This album is sure to be a classic collector’s item of all the unforgettable songs that have helped create a soundtrack to our lives with a modern twist.

No related posts.

The recent Friends of the Forces of Nature Dance Theatre event (Friday, April 9 to Saturday, April 10) was a special one, including collaborations with City College’s Aaron Davis Hall, Harlem’s Children’s Zone, and guest artists such as Jason Herbert, Willie Brown, Nathan Trice, and Jeffrey Freeze.

The two-night event, called “Stories of Darkness and Lightness of Being” was divided into a Haiti relief fundraiser on Friday night and the gala premier on April 10. The Haiti fundraiser, aiming to raise $10,000 for small charities and organizations on the ground in Haiti, featured a silent auction, Haitian food offerings, magnificent photography books of a pre-earthquake Haiti, and various dance theatre gifts to buy. One special dance performance, “AXIS: Temples of Ice (2008)” was dedicated to the people of Haiti and all world victims and survivors of earth’s natural disasters. The dance piece also served as commentary on the far-reaching consequences of carbon fuel-based societies living in the times of global warming.

Another dance act told the story of “The Life and Legend of Marie LaVeau,” a celebrated Voudoun priestess during the 19th century that spread the traditional practice in New Orleans, weaving the Old and New World cultures together. Indeed, the set pieces for all the stunning performances evoked a real sense of defied gravity, lightness, and the very depths of human suffering and despair. The overall messages of the dance pieces focused on struggling through one’s personal or collective anguish to find the place of peace.

Mr. Abdel Salaam’s voice commands with vitality and ease, belying the director’s 60 years, about half of which were spent building and developing the Forces of Nature Dance Company. In an interview, he related the process of becoming the head of such an influential pioneer in African American performance art, crediting grassroots efforts and influences like Alvin Ailey.

Forces of Nature began in 1981 with co-founders Salaam and Dele Husbands. Mr. Salaam holds the title of Choreographer and Artistic Director while Ms. Husbands is the Executive Managing Director. Currently, the company resides at St. Martin’s Episcopalian Church in Harlem, but from the 1980s through the 1990s, they were at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Morningside Heights near Columbia University. Dancing in the house of God appears to have blessed them mightily, as they have extensive national and international tours dating back from the mid-1980s.

Mr. Salaam acknowledges that the state of African American performance art today has cleared hurdles that earlier artists faced in America. Pioneers like Edna Guy and Katherine Dunham in the 1930s had to survive among a sea of lily-white ballet snobs, either taking meager entertainment roles or pushing for a one-of-a-kind fellowship to study traditional dance in the Caribbean and Africa, in Dunham’s case.

Some of the obstacles African Americans faced in pursuing dance in America were not limited to the elitist classical European ballet ideal. For a long period, all vernacular and indigenous aspects of culture – religion, dance, spirituality, visual art, and creative thinking – was considered vulgar and inferior to the dominating Western European paradigm. This imposed ostracism from the universal dialogue of expression eventually spread to other peoples of color, further dividing the artistic and social change communities. It is the concentrated efforts of the 20th and present centuries in turning back negativity and stagnation that helps to revive an appreciation for the contribution of diverse peoples and perspectives.

Mr. Salaam also acknowledges that part of the blame lies among the elders themselves, inadequately disseminating the stories of the past so that future performers know everyone’s name and legacy. The market culture tends to oversimplify how easy it is (and what amount of discipline is necessary) to start and maintain a dance theatre company. Of this, Mr. Salaam says that today’s young dancers of color must understand that they have things a lot easier, and not take for granted the doors held open for them. They must continue to cultivate strong roots in the form of young dance school initiatives, like the Harlem Children’s Zone Dance Youth Academy and other arts education programs.

Ms. Dyane Harvey, a featured dancer and Mr. Salaam’s wife, also doubles as Assistant to the Director, a role that makes her a revered elder of the company. In Friday night’s show, Ms. Harvey played the priestess Marie LaVeau, tangling with the Mambo priestesses and Papa Guedo (Death himself, portrayed by a diabolically agile Johari Mayfield) for the soul of an innocent and respect in her own right in the New Orleans Voudoun community.

One of the more celebratory pieces, “B Flow’in, B Smoove (2009)” featured the sublime a cappella voices of Bobby McFerrin, a celebrated vocalist and award-winning conductor. The vocals invoked Arab, African, and Eastern landscapes, with undulating spines and wining hips, a treat for the eyes. The set included rich color schemes, entrancing set lighting, and harmonious dance and voice rhythms. The precise hand and arm movements of the dancers tell a believable story of enchantment, melting African with ardent modern ballet and even hip-hop influences.

A more provocative (and probably controversial) performance, “A Question of Modesty,” told the story of how the Islamic and Christian influences beheld African peoples. The commentary is as much stinging as it is insightful showing the far-reaching effects of missionaries and warring heads of religion bent on covering up the “savage” nakedness and “indecency” of African women and men, while imposing their own ideals, dividing many people to this day on the continent.

The award-winning Forces of Nature dance direction is unique in that it incorporates traditional African and American dances such as Haiti’s sacred Yanvalou, a storytelling exercise that is as much about imparting wisdom as it is about celebrating the movement styles of African Diaspora bodies. At the same time, one can easily see the elements of classical ballet with the precise sweeping of arms and legs, pirouettes, and rondes jambe.

Ongoing themes for the dance company include respecting one’s ancestral roots, balancing spirituality and equality for men and women, as well as harnessing a true reverence for the environment and the precarious place we as humans have in it as victims and instigators of tragedy and destruction. While he focuses on racism, sexism, and all other –isms, the truth is none of us can exist without clean air, water, and soil.

“Tock Sick… The Healing Winds” focuses on the environmental aspect of a spiritual ailment, in the form of a man flailing in an oil drum, yet returning as if addicted before finally walking on his own two feet towards the “healing winds,” possibly a reference to alternative energy.

Annual cultural events with the company include performances at the Apollo Theatre, Kwanzaa celebrations, and Winter Solstice celebrations at St. John the Divine. As Mr. Salaam emphatically said, “The earth is not an inanimate rock… it is our sacred home worthy of respect and honor…the art shouldn’t have a greater focus than living in harmony in the planet, but, rather, a duality must exist.”

Photograph by Erin Baiano.

No related posts.

Kisha Mays, owner of Just Fearless LLC, is just that fearless. Her organization thrives on the betterment of women’s emotional, physical, and financial health. She has organized a summit that will equip all those that want and need the tools to make their lives truly fulfilled and complete. GGG spoke with Kisha to find out what it takes to be fearless and remain fearless.

GGG: How did you come up with the name of your company?

KM: Everything that I do in life is about being fearless. I was given this example by my grandmother and mother. No matter what the obstacles are, I am going to get through it and push through because nothing will stop me.

GGG: How can a woman become fearless or sustain her fearlessness?

KM: It takes a belief in yourself. If you think you can, you can. If you think you can’t, you can’t. Having faith. Walk by faith and not by sight. You have to take action and work even though you may not see it. Just make baby steps and keep saying, “I believe in myself.”

GGG: What is the mission of the Women Empowering Women Summit?

KM: It will be two parts. The first part will have speakers and seminars that will help women improve their lives, whether it is financial, health and fitness, or emotional well being. They will give tips and tools that help you live your best life. The second part will be a VIP event called The Diva Lounge that I partnered with Shana D. who is the founder. It will give participants the ability to relax and network with other women.

GGG: How did you go about putting together the formula for the conference?

KM: I started the event about three years ago in New York. I love to give back and always want to pay things forward. I wanted to help raise money and for charities that I love working with while making an impact on women’s lives. I have always been involved in volunteering for domestic violence and sexual assault centers, so I have always wanted to help women empower themselves, especially those starting over and improving from where they are now so they aren’t dependent on anyone but themselves.

We started off working with Dress for Success and then we honored Vanessa Williams. The second year we honored Ana Ortiz, and we honored Wendy Williams and Elizabeth Hasselback. Before it was very celebrity-driven, but now I wanted to get back to the purpose of why I started this. I met Shana last year and decided to incorporate her idea with the tour. The Diva Lounge will help break up the conference of listening to speakers and then being able to network and relax. All work and no play makes Jill a boring woman.

GGG: What is the theme of the summit?

KM: Be empowered to live fearlessly. I hope every woman that attends will have tips, tools, and a new energy to give them that “ah-ha” moment that I can do this. I can live my dream. Women have been there to take care of others, and this will help them see that they can still have their dreams and they can have it all. I hope they get something from this that they can use throughout their lifetime.

GGG: Is the most challenging obstacle that women are facing now personal or professional?

KM: We are really into taking care of other people. It’s in our DNA. Sometimes, we put our own desires on the back burner to take care of others. We have to make sure we take care of ourselves and still take care of our loved ones.

GGG: Part of your mission is to be involved in various charities. Describe your charity involvement.

KM: We are partnering with local charities to the cities that we are having the summit in versus national charities. We do have national charity partners.

GGG: What are some things that we can do to help better prepare the young girls of the next generation?

KM: Actions speak louder than words. When growing up, the things that I saw impacted me. You have to expose them to things that they do not see and that change can be had for anyone. Empowering is teaching and showing.

GGG: What are the future steps for the summit?

KM: We definitely want to take this on a national tour and have a powerful impact domestically and go oversees. We are purposely going to secondary markets, smaller areas because a lot of times they are overlooked. We also want to film the summit and make it a documentary and include the charities we work with so we can show what an impact it has had on women.

GGG: What are three things that a woman needs to be empowered?

KM: Education, faith, and confidence.

No related posts.

At the chic and elegant Ristorante Barolo in New York City, four women sit around a table, chatting about love, sex, and romance. Passersby may be reminded of the coffee shop scenes from the HBO series “Sex and the City”, and they would not be so far off the mark to think so. These four women are sexy, single, and wildly successful in their respective fields. After all, they are the cast members of VH1’s popular reality TV show “Let’s Talk About Pep”, and a far cry from the drunken, wild, and untamed women of VH1’s past hit shows like “Flavor of Love” and “New York Goes to Hollywood.”

One woman, in particular, exudes a confidence and style that female (and male) viewers around the country can’t help but fall in love with. Her name is Jacque Reid, and even before she became a full-fledged reality TV star, she was a successful reporter and radio personality, having worked as the sole news anchor for BET from 2001 to 2005 and as a special news correspondent for Larry King Live in 2004. She currently acts as co-host on the D.L. Hughley Morning Show and makes regular appearances on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, a program that boasts no less than 8 million listeners.

On “Let’s Talk About Pep”, Jacque is frequently the voice of reason. She embodies a no-nonsense attitude with the kind of tenderness women around the world look for in a best friend or sister. In many ways, she is quite similar to Miranda Hobbes, the redheaded lawyer on “Sex and the City” who is devoted heart and soul to pushing the limits of her career. In other ways, Jacque is more like Charlotte York, the sweet, family-oriented, and optimistic beauty who wants so badly to have a child of her own and raise a family.

Jacque is, in the end, a combination of both these characters and much more. She speaks her mind and is never willing to compromise her beliefs for any reason. Her faith in God endows her with even more strength, and as far as role models go, the sheer amount of confidence she has in herself is arguably the most attractive quality about her celebrity-status presence.

Guts. Glam. Grace. Magazine was lucky enough to chat with Jacque about her experience filming “Let’s Talk About Pep” and her thoughts on what the future holds as well as what women across the nation can do to improve their position in the workplace.

Where does “Let’s Talk About Pep” fit in with your career thus far?

I wanted to move away from straight news for some time, and I’ve done that in doing radio as a personality instead of just a straight newsperson. I’ve done it for several years now by doing things that are outside of the box instead of sitting in a desk or standing outside. I’ve always wanted to do something different. It just gives me a chance to do that and be myself.

How did you become a cast member on the show?

Well, we all know each other. Joumana and I go to the same church. Pep goes to my church as well. Pep and Joumana and I all go to Bible Study together. Pep and the other girls have their own relationship. I knew Kitty from BET days, from when I worked at BET.

Do you have to approach the show with a professional attitude or can you just be yourself?

It’s very casual. You just kind of forget the cameras are there for the most part. I mean, except of course for those who swear. You do have to keep in mind that the cameras are there, but you want to have a very casual and natural conversation, which is easy to do since we all know each other, since we’re all friends. It’s easy to just kind of sit back. A lot of the times nobody would even tell us the cameras were rolling, and we would just be sitting around talking, and they used a lot of that on the actual show.

In what ways is “Sex and the City” different or similar from “Let’s Talk About Pep”?

I think it’s similar in that there are four main people. We live in New York City, and we’re all single. It focuses on our personal lives. I think that’s where the similarities end. I think the differences are that we are women of color, that we each have different personalities. I mean, I know people try to tie this person to this character, or each of us to characters on “Sex and the City.” It’s like people want to connect me to Miranda, and I get it because I work the hardest and I have short hair, but I, like Charlotte, really want to have a baby. I’m the only one who wants to have a baby. And I’m, like Charlotte, very traditional. I want to get married. I think each of us are very different from the women of “Sex and the City”, but it’s a very flattering comparison since that show is such a success and so tastefully done.

What do you want women to take away from watching the show?

More than anything that you don’t have to settle when it comes to finding the man that you want to be with, or men that you want to spend time with. I think you have to set your own ground rules for yourself because it’s not just about the man, it’s about you being happy. Overwhelmingly, people loved the show. But there were some people who said that we seem to be desperate on the show. And that really confused me that we seemed desperate because we refused to settle for whatever’s out there because we have standards and choices.

Desperation is when you’re so desperate for a man that you’ll take anything, and that’s not what we choose to do, especially me. So it’s just funny that people would label us as desperate. I think I want women to see that you can’t put any woman in a box. Just because we’re not twenty doesn’t mean we should be sitting at home knitting. Just because we’re not twenty and single doesn’t mean we don’t have lives, and it doesn’t mean we don’t have interests.

I hope that young women who are in their twenties can see that and appreciate that and admire that quite frankly because I think it says something when you say, “You know what, I’m not going to just lay down and just fall into what society wants me to fall into.” And I don’t even think society expects it anymore. You see women like Jennifer Lopez, Halle Berry, the list goes on and on, who are out there thriving, and these are some of the best-looking women in Hollywood right now.

Why do we have to sit down? It’s ridiculous. Like we lived, let’s just sit down. I want women to realize, women more than anything, to realize that they define their lives. You determine what you want to do with your life and who you want to do it with.

I want women to be free from feeling desperate. Just because you don’t marry by the time you’re a certain age doesn’t mean your life is over, that your life is meaningless.

In one episode of “Let’s Talk About Pep”, Joumana shares a list of the qualities she wants to see in an ideal partner. What does your list look like?

I want someone that’s honest, someone who’s a Christian, someone who wants a family, someone who wants to be married, someone who’s not a misogynist, someone who loves and appreciates and respects women, someone who’s not intimidated by a woman who has an opinion and a life of her own, a career. A man who can be a man, who can be strong and make decisions and be the head of a household. And someone who’s kind and loving and romantic and sexy.

In another episode of “Let’s Talk About Pep”, you confront your date Joel about calling a former girlfriend a “freak” on his Facebook page. What do you want viewers, especially women, to take away from that scene?

Well, a lot of people felt like I was giving him a hard time, but my thing is why do we dismiss it when men disrespect women? I don’t think it’s just something that should be dismissed. Maybe he didn’t mean any harm by it. I didn’t take it that way, but I definitely gave him an opportunity to explain it. I think men, so many men can be immature. I’m not saying that Joel is immature. But in their behavior sometimes men can be immature. And I think as women we need to challenge them to do better, question them, and encourage them to do better.

I mean, if you watch that episode, I don’t get up and leave. I don’t storm out. I asked a question. And people want to say, “Boys will be boys. Don’t snoop or you’ll find something.” I want to find it, I want to know what’s out there so I know what I’m dealing with. Why do people want to date in the dark? I’ve done that, and it’s the stupidest thing a person can do to not get to know someone that you’re spending your personal time with and possibly sleeping with. I don’t get it. I think it’s absolutely stupid.

Do you approach love with the skill sets you have acquired from being a journalist?

I think it’s only natural, if you’ve worked in a career a long time. To me, journalism is something I always will do, even if I’m not reporting every day. It’s still a part of who I am. I think it’s natural for a lot of people, not just journalists, when they’re getting to know someone, or somebody’s like, “I’m going to set you up with somebody,” if you have a Facebook page, I’m going to go look and see what he looks like, what’s going on in the page, because I’m naturally curious. I’m going to Google him if it’s someone who is listed on Google and has information. I do it all the time. I don’t see anything wrong with it.

Again, I think it’s kind of stupid in this day and age to just date in the dark and not know who you’re going out with. Someone was telling me a story just yesterday about a guy that she was dating and didn’t know him that well but happened to go on his Facebook page and found out that he was heavily involved in this hate anti-gay movement. And I wouldn’t say just rest on what you see, but I would want to ask questions about that. I would want to know if a guy that someone’s trying to set me up with has a lot of suggestive pictures on his Facebook page with women who are half-dressed, pictures that basically objectify women, pictures that would end up on the cover of a magazine or something like that. That’s not somebody I would want to date, if their Facebook page is filled with that kind of stuff. I would ask him about it, but that’s not my cup of tea. People want to just date and just find out as you go along. That’s cool, but I just don’t think it’s smart.

I don’t know what people do on their Facebook pages, but I’m pretty honest on mine. It has pictures of me and my friends, me and my family. I express things that are going on in my day or just what I’m thinking. It’s an extension of who I am. It’s not all of who I am, but it’s an extension. So I look to other people’s Facebook pages as the same. It’s kind of a way of getting to know a little bit about a person. It’s an extension of their personality. Why people wouldn’t want to explore that, I don’t know. Joel and I are still cool. We’re still in touch. So it wasn’t like he ran out the door or I ran out the door because I questioned him about that.

On episode 6 of “Let’s Talk About Pep”, you told Pep and the rest of the girls that you have never experienced an orgasm. What was sharing that kind of detail like on TV? What compelled you to reveal this intimate part of yourself?

Well, it’s a reality show. That’s my story. I didn’t mind sharing it because it’s not something I’m embarrassed by. I guess for me being the kind of person that I am, I would hope that it would (and it did) give women out there who are experiencing the same thing a platform to say, “You know what, I’m not a weirdo. The same thing’s happened to me.” And that’s what happened. A lot of women emailed me, hit me up on Facebook, and said, “I’m this age. I’m that age. And I’ve never had an orgasm either.”

It’s so common, but women are embarrassed by it. People don’t like to talk about it. It’s never embarrassed me. I just never really thought a need to write an article about it. I never thought it was a big deal. And when the producers were interviewing me and they found that out, they were like, “Wow! Are you willing to talk about that?” I was like, “Sure.” It didn’t faze me honestly. People made such a big deal out of it. It’s never been a big deal to me. I don’t feel any different from any other women.

As a journalist, that’s what we do. We interview. We put information out there. Me sharing my story was a way of doing that.

You mentioned before that you would like to have a baby. Do you feel an obligation to be married before you have a child?

The perfect case for me would be to have a husband. But that doesn’t have to be the case for me.

We have talked about the lessons you want your audience to take away from watching “Let’s Talk About Pep.” What lessons have you learned from filming the show?

Personally, I feel like I’ve learned that especially with the orgasm class, I probably need to be just a little more open with my sexuality and with my education of things like that. I learned a lot in that class. It was a much longer class than what they showed. I only went to one, but it was very educational too. They had a woman in there who wrote a book about not having an orgasm. She went on this journey to a lot of different classes, things like that, until she finally had one. And it was interesting to hear her story and talk to her.

I was going to go because as a journalist, I report for the Tom Joyner Morning Show and I do a lot of really interesting topics that focus on women and women’s issues. That’s how I found the class. I was going to interview the guy who created this whole workshop, and in doing that, I was like, “You know what? I should go.” The producers found out that I was going to go, and they were like, “Can we go with you to the classroom?” And I said sure.

What other projects are you involved with at this time?

I have my website, and everything I do flows through that. I co-host the D.L. Hughley Morning Show, which is a morning radio show here in New York City that is soon to be syndicated. And I’m a correspondent for the Tom Joyner Morning Show, which is a nationally syndicated radio show. It has about 8 million listeners.

Having branched out into so many fields already in your career, what is one thing you would still like to achieve in the future?

I’d love to move more in entertainment as far as producing. I’d love to produce television projects. I’d love to produce some documentaries. I’d love to do more things like that.

In addition to being a reporter and radio host, you are pretty active on the public speaking circuit. What are those experiences like?

I don’t get to do that, unfortunately, as much as I used to with all the work that I do and all the jobs and stuff. Just this weekend, I had to cancel something because I’m exhausted and losing my voice. So not as much, and that’s why I’m a member of Delta Sigma Theta so I can do things that are free-planned and free-organized with my sorority sisters.

I do public speaking. Gosh, I haven’t really done anything in about a year. I try to do it when I can. I don’t get to do it as much as I used to, but I do enjoy that.

For all the young aspiring journalists out there, what advice would you give them on how to achieve the success you have already attained?

Take your education seriously. Don’t play around. Don’t waste time. Learn to respect yourself early. Get to know, love, and respect yourself as soon as possible. Understand what that means because no matter what you do, that’s going to make the difference on you finding success and what you do when success comes your way. You can stumble into success because of talent, but if your character is not strong, then you won’t stay there.

On your website, you write “More than just news…It’s about real life!” How do you incorporate that quote into your everyday lifestyle?

Just like in the reality show, I just try to be really honest. I didn’t become a part of the television show to be a reality star, and I met with some producers yesterday and they were asking if maybe we could take things in this direction, in that direction, and that’s not something that I’m interested in. This is not something that I have to do, and it’s because I know myself and I love myself and I respect myself and I know that God will provide no matter what I do. And it’s a lesson that I really learned late in life, but now I have such peace with the choices that I make.

I think it’s not just about news, it’s about real life. I think you have to apply that to everything that you do. How am I going to carry myself in this situation? How are other people affected by what I do? How can I leave the best impression on people? How can I help somebody through what I’m doing? How can I make a difference through the example that I set, through the stories that I do, through the comments that I make, through the image that I set forth? It’s about thinking about your impact in the world. To me, that’s what that means.

One of the most attractive qualities about you is your sense of confidence. Have you always had this assurance in yourself? Or was it something you attained over the years?

I was always confident. I always loved myself, and I always thought highly of myself. I always trusted my instincts, not that I’ve never made mistakes. God knows I’ve made my share of them. But I recover well from mistakes. I learn from mistakes, and I don’t beat myself up about things. I think even as a little girl, I’ve always maintained a high level of confidence.

On your way up to becoming the leading lady in media, what obstacles did you run into?

Sexism. Sexual harassment. People can be very subtle with it, but it’s just like if you don’t say anything about it, then people get away with creating an environment that can make you uncomfortable. Being passed over for men. Things like that. Being a woman, being an African American woman, being stereotyped. Dealing with racism. Same old stuff that black women go through in every profession.

Women today are still forced to deal with these issues in the workplace, at school, even at home. What advice do you have for women who are harassed or abused because of their sex?

Educate yourself. Don’t assume that it’s not going to happen to you. Know how to identify the problem, and know how to deal with the problem. And even if it becomes something that requires legal involvement, know what your options are. Cover your bases before it happens to you. I would say educate yourself early on.

You’ll find yourself in a situation, and you won’t know what to do. You won’t even know how to say, “Wait a minute. This is making me uncomfortable. This is sexual harassment, you need to stop.” Who to report it to, how to deal with it, how to nip it in the bud. We, as women, should not have to work in uncomfortable environments, but we do every day.

Many career guides out there say that women do not try to negotiate better deals for themselves. The art of negotiation seems to come easily to men, but women are hesitant to ask for what they want, especially in the workplace. Do you think this is true?

I think it is true. I think it’s very true. It’s unfortunate, but just because of the way society is, we feel like, “Oh well, they’re not going to understand if I’m pregnant and I ask for maternity leave.” We feel like we’re just lucky to work. We’re just lucky to have the opportunity, and it’s not that. We deserve our rights to be protected. We deserve to have a quality of life and have a job as well.

Do you believe that in a male-dominated workplace, femininity has to be compromised?

I don’t think you have to compromise it, as long as it’s just femininity. You know what I mean? You don’t want to be viewed as oversexed or promiscuous. You don’t want to dress provocatively. You don’t want to be flirtatious at work. You want to be respected. You don’t have to not be feminine, but you need to make sure that in order to be respected as a woman, you need to respect yourself.

What global issues would you like to incorporate into your journalism?

I guess I would love to see more of an effort put into helping underdeveloped countries. When I see things that are going on in Haiti right now, I mean it’s just heartbreaking. And for me, it’s just very difficult to even watch. It’s hard to jump in globally when there’s so much need right here in our own backyard, but I think that even though there are problems here, they just don’t compare to the poverty and suffering that goes on around the world. And I do think it’s up to us not to wait for our government to do it, but to try to figure out a way to do something about it ourselves. I don’t know what those answers are.

Again, it comes down to educating yourself, being worldly, knowing what’s going on in the world. Picking up a newspaper, and reading not just the local section but the international section too and learning about what other people are facing. It definitely gives you a better perspective on not only appreciating what you have but how to deal with the challenges in your life.

No related posts.