THE DANCE GROUP: TEWA DANCERS FROM THE NORTH
The company is available for performances, including the Deer
Dance, Butterfly Dance, Women’s Pueblo Dance, Buffalo and Winter
Buffalo Dances, Eagle Dance and Friendship Dance, as well as
for discussion of topics related to Tewa Pueblo culture. Arrangements
can also be made to screen the film “Dancing from the Heart” in
connection with live appearances: See [ The
Event Package ].
“My main goal in life is to save our traditions.”
—Curt Garcia (member of Tewa Dancers from the North),
in The Santa Fe New Mexican (newspaper), 11/21/04
“We can share our culture with (people of) different
cultures, and we learn
more and more about them, and we give blessings
to them.”
—Kayla Martinez (member of Tewa Dancers
from the North), in The Santa Fe New Mexican (newspaper), 11/21/04.
Interview with the dancers [ www.freenewmexican.com/news/7022.html ]
Linked by permission of the copyright holder, The Santa Fe New Mexican, Inc.
More
Info on Dancers [ Biographies ]
Photos: Tewa Dancers from the North at Pueblo Bonito, Chaco
Canyon, Summer Solstice, 2004 |
Curt Garcia in the Eagle Dance with singers Andrew A. Garcia and Andrew Garcia
behind him
Tewa Dancers from the North in the Buffalo
Dance, left to right, Darron Garcia, Valerie Martinez, Alisha Krantz and Kayla Martinez
Chetro Ketl Kiva ,
Chaco Canyon
Chetro Ketl, typical Chaco construction
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Early History:
“The most widely traveled Tewa troupe in recent years
is a group of teenagers who call themselves the San Juan Indian
Youth Dancers [later Tewa Dancers from the North]. Beginning
as an Ala-teen organization, part of a national program designed
to help children of alcoholics cope with their social, emotional,
and substance abuse problems, the group decided in 1975 to form
a dance troupe and perform at schools, hospitals, and centers
for recovering alcoholics. They have also presented segments
of Tewa dances and songs at ceremonials, arts and crafts fairs,
and festivals as far away as Toronto, Mexico City, and Washington,
D.C. Their performing not only promotes cultural pride and helps
ensure the preservation of Tewa dance, but it also helps prevent
substance abuse among the members. The San Juan Indian Youth
Dancers are successfully using tradition to cope with a contemporary
social problem.”
—Jill Sweet (anthropologist), “Dances
of the Tewa Pueblo Indians,” Santa Fe: School of American
Research Press, rev. ed. 2004, p.73-74.
Recent History:
The Tewa Dancers have frequently toured the US, Canada (more
than 20 visits), Mexico and Spain. Their appearances include
Symphony Space, New York City; Washington DC Festival of American
Folklife, 1976; Telluride Dance Festival, 1981; “Good
Morning America,” 1986; and Sundance Institute, 1987.
They are featured in the industrial film “Visions of Change.” They
performed at President Bill Clinton’s inauguration, 1992,
and before heads of state such as Prince Charles of Great Britain
(Santa Fe, 1982 and 1985) and Princess Grace and Prince Rainier
of Monaco.
Andrew Garcia and ten of his dancers and singers made a ten-day
trip to Kerala, India in September 2003, where they were featured
at the international festival “Embracing the World for
Peace and Harmony,” celebrating the fiftieth birthday
of the “Divine Mother,” Ammachi.
In June 2004, Garcia presided at the Summer Solstice celebration
at the ancient ceremonial site of Chaco Canyon, New Mexico,
giving the sunrise prayers, as well as presenting his dance
group in the plaza of the renowned thousand-year-old “great
house,” Pueblo Bonito. (See photos this page.) Garcia said at the time, "I
felt something here, a chill . . . I'm one of the children of
this place. And to see all the footsteps of people that came
here to visit this place, and then to also have mine here, is
really an honor." [ from
Exploratorium Website ]
Andrew Garcia and his group gave four performances to capacity
audiences at the new National Museum of the American Indian,
Washington DC, in October 2004. See NMAI photos, [ Event
Package ].
He led his dancers to Toronto in July 2006 for the Living
Ritual: World Indigenous Dance Festival. See [
News ] A report by Daystar/ Rosalie Jones, the choreographer and teacher who gave the keynote address, said, "Andrew Garcia teaches the Tewa Dances of the North (San Juan Pueblo tradition in New Mexico). As he expressed it, his people's "aesthetics" start with a prayer. Mr. Garcia teaches traditional pueblo dances to young people as a healing and evolutionary means to help them develop into a whole person in tune with natural sources. He has also taught pueblo dances to non-native peoples at the University of New Mexico. This friendly and negotiable exchange works in both directions with mutual respect. Mr. Garcia, with his three children – one son, two daughters - demonstrated the Eagle and Buffalo dances, helping to ground the Living Ritual dance festival, so that exploratory dance forms could emerge." [ http://www.scene4.com/archivesqv6/aug-2006/html/bobkoff-rev-aug06.html ]
Contact for Tewa Dancers from the North:
Andrew Garcia, Director
E-mail: Tewadancersfromthenorth@yahoo.com
Phone +1 (505) 692-0365
P.O. Box 1055, Ohkay Owingeh, NM 87566, USA
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