Dca Performing Arts Event

DCA, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LA COMMONS AND MAKE MUSIC LOS ANGELES, CELEBRATE MAKE MUSIC DAY WITH A CONCERT AND GLOBAL LIVESTREAM IN LEIMERT PARK AS PART OF THE PARIS 2024 CULTURAL OLYMPIAD

On Friday, June 21, 2024 from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA), in partnership with LA Commons and Make Music LA will celebrate Make Music Day (Fête de la Musique) with Pulsations LA, a free, outdoor concert event featuring artists identified as Cultural Treasures by the Cultural Treasures of South LA, a community-based cultural asset mapping initiative, a collaboration between DCA, LA Commons, South Los Angeles Transit Empowerment Zone (SLATE-Z), Community Coalition (CoCo) and USC’s Neighborhood Data for Social Change initiative. This Make Music Day Celebration will be livestreamed globally as part of the Paris 2024 Cultural Olympiad.

The Make Music Day Concert will be held on People Street in Leimert Park Village in front of the historic Vision Theater, featuring musical performances from Kinnara Taiko, Fernando Pullum Community Arts Center Jazz Ensemble featuring vocalist Dwight Trible, tap dance by the Nicholas Dance Studio, poetry by artivist S. Pearl Sharp, with a family-friendly drum workshop by Project Knucklehead.

This concert event will be part of a global “rhythmic relay” called Pulsations as part of the Paris 2024 Cultural Olympiad. Under the creative direction of French/Lebanese trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf, Pulsations will unite artists in 24 countries with a shared heartbeat rhythm that will travel around the world from New Zealand to Paris. Participating countries include

Participating countries include Brazil, Canada, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Portugal/Afghanistan, South Africa, South Korea, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and the United States on the following schedule:

At 8:30 a.m. on Friday, June 21, 2024 Los Angeles will pick up the rhythm from Mexico and pass it to Canada as it makes its way around the globe to Paris via livestream. For the complete global livestream schedule visit: makemusicday.org/pulsations.

Friday, June 21, 2024 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. (Pacific Standard Time)

6:00 a.m. – New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, China, India, Ukraine

7:00 a.m. – Turkey, Ireland, Greece, Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria

8:00 a.m. – Ghana, Brazil, Mexico, United States, Canada, United Kingdom

9:00 a.m. – Italy, Cyprus, Portugal, Czech Republic, Germany, France

Founded in 1982 as Fête de la Musique, Make Music Day is now celebrated in more than 1,000 cities in 120 different countries. The French government and the French people take pride in how the Fête de la Musique has grown to become an international phenomenon. For that reason, the Paris 2024 Cultural Olympiad has selected Make Music Day as one of their key days of action leading up to the games.

Musicians of all ages, cultures, genres, and skill levels are encouraged to create a free public outdoor concert to play and share music with friends, neighbors, and strangers. For more information on how to participate in Make Music Los Angeles visit https://www.makemusicla.org/

“We are honored and thrilled to have our Make Music Day Celebrations in Leimert Park, and partake in an amazing experience of global artistry and unity. For decades, South Los Angeles has been a vibrant center of expression with a rich cultural history,” said Heather Hutt, Los Angeles City Councilwoman for District 10. “This celebration will be a testament to this legacy, inspiring our City for years to come.”

“We are thrilled to participate in the international and global livestream of Make Music Day (Fête de la Musique) with Pulsations as part of the Paris 2024 Cultural Olympiad. Music is the bridge that connects us across continents, and together we are creating a festival of global unity,” said Daniel Tarica, General Manager to the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs. “With the partnership of LA Commons and Make Music LA, we are showcasing our city’s artists on the global stage.”

“This international performance is poised to be a flagship event of the Paris 2024 Cultural Olympiad, the official cultural program of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Pulsations project mirrors our collective values, promoting camaraderie, peace, and mutual respect worldwide. As President of the Arab World Institute and Director of Culture at Paris 2024, we extend a cordial invitation for you to partake in this grand, inclusive celebration. It would be our privilege to have your presence alongside us for this momentous occasion.” – Dominique Hervieu, Director of Paris 2024 Cultural Olympiad and Jack Lang, President of the Arab World Institute and Founder of Make Music Day.

“Through Cultural Treasures of South LA, we are affirming South Los Angeles as one of the most dynamic cultural and artistic hotspots in the country. It is truly fitting that South LA serves as the US site for the Pulsations Rhythmic Relay as part of the 2024 Cultural Olympiad. We are excited to partner with DCA, Make Music LA, and the team at Fete de la Musique Paris to celebrate music as a vehicle for connecting people around the world and to showcase the stunning talent of students at Fernando Pullum Performing Arts Center in collaboration with Dwight Trible along with Kinnara Taiko and Project Knucklehead as part of the full morning lineup.” – Karen Mack, Founder and Executive Director of LA Commons

“Music has the ability to bring people together. In a diverse city like Los Angeles, where more than 200 languages are spoken by residents, Make Music Day provides an opportunity to share the many vibrant cultures and communities that make L.A. so special. We are proud to partner with DCA, LA Commons and the Paris 2024 Cultural Olympiad on this project, to share the extraordinary musical creativity of South LA with the world. And we hope this will inspire Angelenos from all communities to take part in Make Music Day on June 21st and for years to come.” – Dorsay Dujon, Founder, Make Music Los Angeles

Reserve your spot today!

The EMPOWERMENT project returns for its second year. Honoring women artists and activists who have impacted and redefined the human experience, EMPOWERMENT is a festival-style weekend of performances, social action, creative workshops, and documentary screenings. In 2024, EMPOWERMENT will honor the work of two National Medal of the Arts winners: Maxine Hong Kingston, a American born Chinese writer and educator and Bella Lewitzky, an American choreographer and life long advocate for artistic freedom in dance. 

The EMPOWERMENT: Maxine + Bella celebration will include three days of arts activities at DCA’s Lankershim Arts Center, located in the heart of the NoHo Arts District at: 5108 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood, CA 91601. All festival events are free and open to the public, but due to limited space, reservations are highly recommended via Brown Paper Tickets. For more information, please call: 213.270.8200.

An embodiment of DCA|PERF’s commitment to investing in hyperlocal creative communities and individual artists, the City has commissioned Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kuramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver to perform dance and spoke word works that illuminate and reference the impact of Kingston and Lewitzky. Funded through DCA’s Lankershim Program Fund (LPF), the artists will ignite the stage with electrifying performances.

The weekend line-up is as follows: 

Friday, April 26, 2024

Performance at 8:00pm — Register here.

A celebration of Maxine Hong Kingston and Bella Lewitzky in spoken word and dance pieces by: Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kauramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver.

Saturday, April 27, 2024

Youth Writing Class with Maxine Hong Kingston — 10:30am -11:30am — Register

Adult Writing Class with Maxine Hong Kingston — 12:00pm – 1:30pm — Register

Screening & Discussion — 2:00pm – 5:00pm — Register

A film screening of “Maxine Hong Kingston: Talking Story,” followed by a conversation with Maxine Hong Kingston about Asian American artists and the legacy of female storytelling in literature. 

Performance at 8:00pm — Register

A celebration of Maxine Hong Kingston and Bella Lewitzky in spoken word and dance pieces by: Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kauramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver.

Sunday, April 28, 2024

Bella-Inspired Parent + Me Dance Class — 10:30am-11:30am — Register

Taught by LMU Professor Kristen Smiarowski for walking toddlers through age 4 year old children with caregivers. Siblings and pre-walkers can join, as long as each child has an adult. Make it a family affair! 

Intermediate/Adv. Lewitzky Dance Class — 12:00pm-1:30pm — Register

Taught by Walter Kennedy, who was a principal dancer with Lewitzky Dance

Company for nearly twenty years and served the company’s rehearsal director from

1990 until the company’s farewell performance in 1997. Accompanied percussionist T.J. Troy, this class is for the intermediate/professional trained dancer.

Screening & Discussion — 2:00pm-5:00pm — Register

A film screening of “Bella” followed by a conversation with the film’s Director, Bridget Murnane and Choreographer Lula Washington, moderated by Emily Wanserski.

Performance at 6:00pm — Register

A celebration of Maxine Hong Kingston and Bella Lewitzky in spoken word and dance pieces by: Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kauramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver.

All artists, moderators and speakers are subject to change without notice.

ABOUT BELLA LEWITZKY

(January 13, 1916 – July 16, 2004) — Born to Russian immigrants, Bella Lewitzky’s journey through the world of dance began amidst the unique backdrop of a utopian socialist colony in the Mojave Desert and a ranch in San Bernardino. After moving to Los Angeles during her teenage years, she immersed herself in professional dance training. In 1934, Lewitzky joined Lester Horton’s modern dance company, became his lead dancer, and contributed significantly to the development of the renowned Horton Technique. It was during this period that she crossed paths with Architect/Set Designer Newell Taylor Reynolds, whom she married in 1940. In 1946, Lewitzky, in collaboration with Horton, founded the Dance Theater of Los Angeles—a groundbreaking institution housing both a dance school and theater on Melrose Blvd. In 1966, Lewitzky formed her own dance company, which existed for over 30 years in Los Angeles, CA and cemented her legacy as a maverick in modern dance. 

Bella Lewitzky chaired the contemporary dance department at Idyllwild Arts Academy, was founding dean of the California Institute of the Arts’s School of Dance, and was a dedicated political activist throughout her life. Her courageous stance in two high-profile encounters with the federal government underscored her commitment to principle, even at the risk of professional ostracism. Recognized with numerous awards and honorary doctorates, Lewitzky’s influence extends far beyond the stage, leaving an indelible mark on the realms of performance, education, and activism. 

ABOUT MAXINE HONG KINGSTON 

Maxine Hong Kingston is a Chinese American novelist, poet, and writer who received the National Medal of Arts in Kingston received the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama in 2014. The eldest of six American-born children of Chinese immigrant parents, Hong attended the University of California, Berkeley, as a scholarship student, graduating in 1962. At Berkeley she met aspiring actor Earll Kingston, whom she married in 1962, then moved to Hawaii, where she held a series of teaching jobs for the next 10 years.

In 1976 Kingston published her first book, The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts. It combines myth, family history, folktales, and memories of the experience of growing up within two conflicting cultures. The book was an immediate critical success, winning the 1976 National Book Critics’ Circle Award for nonfiction. In her second memoir, China Men (1980), Kingston tells the story of Chinese immigration through the experiences of the men in her family. Using the narrative techniques of The Woman Warrior, she relates their stories of virtual slave labor, loneliness, and discrimination. In Tripmaster Monkey: His Fake Book (1989), the main character—Whittman Ah Sing, named after Walt Whitman—narrates a peculiarly 20th-century American odyssey; the book combines Eastern and Western literary traditions while emphasizing the Americanness of its characters. In To Be the Poet (2002), written mainly in verse, Kingston presented a rumination on elements of her own past and the acts of reading and creating poetry. The Fifth Book of Peace (2003) combines elements of fiction and memoir in the manner of a Chinese talk-story, a tradition in which elements of both the real and imagined worlds become interpolated. I Love a Broad Margin to My Life (2011) is a “memoir-in-verse.”

Hong is a Professor Emerita at the University of California, Berkeley, and she has received several awards for her contributions to Chinese American literature, including the National Book Award for Nonfiction in 1981 for China Men.

The EMPOWERMENT project returns for its second year. Honoring women artists and activists who have impacted and redefined the human experience, EMPOWERMENT is a festival-style weekend of performances, social action, creative workshops, and documentary screenings. In 2024, EMPOWERMENT will honor the work of two National Medal of the Arts winners: Maxine Hong Kingston, a American born Chinese writer and educator and Bella Lewitzky, an American choreographer and life long advocate for artistic freedom in dance. 

The EMPOWERMENT: Maxine + Bella celebration will include three days of arts activities at DCA’s Lankershim Arts Center, located in the heart of the NoHo Arts District at: 5108 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood, CA 91601. All festival events are free and open to the public, but due to limited space, reservations are highly recommended via Brown Paper Tickets. For more information, please call: 213.270.8200.

An embodiment of DCA|PERF’s commitment to investing in hyperlocal creative communities and individual artists, the City has commissioned Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kuramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver to perform dance and spoke word works that illuminate and reference the impact of Kingston and Lewitzky. Funded through DCA’s Lankershim Program Fund (LPF), the artists will ignite the stage with electrifying performances.

The weekend line-up is as follows: 

Friday, April 26, 2024

Performance at 8:00pm — Register here.

A celebration of Maxine Hong Kingston and Bella Lewitzky in spoken word and dance pieces by: Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kauramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver.

Saturday, April 27, 2024

Youth Writing Class with Maxine Hong Kingston — 10:30am -11:30am — Register

Adult Writing Class with Maxine Hong Kingston — 12:00pm – 1:30pm — Register

Screening & Discussion — 2:00pm – 5:00pm — Register

A film screening of “Maxine Hong Kingston: Talking Story,” followed by a conversation with Maxine Hong Kingston about Asian American artists and the legacy of female storytelling in literature. 

Performance at 8:00pm — Register

A celebration of Maxine Hong Kingston and Bella Lewitzky in spoken word and dance pieces by: Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kauramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver.

Sunday, April 28, 2024

Bella-Inspired Parent + Me Dance Class — 10:30am-11:30am — Register

Taught by LMU Professor Kristen Smiarowski for walking toddlers through age 4 year old children with caregivers. Siblings and pre-walkers can join, as long as each child has an adult. Make it a family affair! 

Intermediate/Adv. Lewitzky Dance Class — 12:00pm-1:30pm — Register

Taught by Walter Kennedy, who was a principal dancer with Lewitzky Dance

Company for nearly twenty years and served the company’s rehearsal director from

1990 until the company’s farewell performance in 1997. Accompanied percussionist T.J. Troy, this class is for the intermediate/professional trained dancer.

Screening & Discussion — 2:00pm-5:00pm — Register

A film screening of “Bella” followed by a conversation with the film’s Director, Bridget Murnane and Choreographer Lula Washington, moderated by Emily Wanserski.

Performance at 6:00pm — Register

A celebration of Maxine Hong Kingston and Bella Lewitzky in spoken word and dance pieces by: Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kauramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver.

All artists, moderators and speakers are subject to change without notice.

ABOUT BELLA LEWITZKY

(January 13, 1916 – July 16, 2004) — Born to Russian immigrants, Bella Lewitzky’s journey through the world of dance began amidst the unique backdrop of a utopian socialist colony in the Mojave Desert and a ranch in San Bernardino. After moving to Los Angeles during her teenage years, she immersed herself in professional dance training. In 1934, Lewitzky joined Lester Horton’s modern dance company, became his lead dancer, and contributed significantly to the development of the renowned Horton Technique. It was during this period that she crossed paths with Architect/Set Designer Newell Taylor Reynolds, whom she married in 1940. In 1946, Lewitzky, in collaboration with Horton, founded the Dance Theater of Los Angeles—a groundbreaking institution housing both a dance school and theater on Melrose Blvd. In 1966, Lewitzky formed her own dance company, which existed for over 30 years in Los Angeles, CA and cemented her legacy as a maverick in modern dance. 

Bella Lewitzky chaired the contemporary dance department at Idyllwild Arts Academy, was founding dean of the California Institute of the Arts’s School of Dance, and was a dedicated political activist throughout her life. Her courageous stance in two high-profile encounters with the federal government underscored her commitment to principle, even at the risk of professional ostracism. Recognized with numerous awards and honorary doctorates, Lewitzky’s influence extends far beyond the stage, leaving an indelible mark on the realms of performance, education, and activism. 

ABOUT MAXINE HONG KINGSTON 

Maxine Hong Kingston is a Chinese American novelist, poet, and writer who received the National Medal of Arts in Kingston received the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama in 2014. The eldest of six American-born children of Chinese immigrant parents, Hong attended the University of California, Berkeley, as a scholarship student, graduating in 1962. At Berkeley she met aspiring actor Earll Kingston, whom she married in 1962, then moved to Hawaii, where she held a series of teaching jobs for the next 10 years.

In 1976 Kingston published her first book, The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts. It combines myth, family history, folktales, and memories of the experience of growing up within two conflicting cultures. The book was an immediate critical success, winning the 1976 National Book Critics’ Circle Award for nonfiction. In her second memoir, China Men (1980), Kingston tells the story of Chinese immigration through the experiences of the men in her family. Using the narrative techniques of The Woman Warrior, she relates their stories of virtual slave labor, loneliness, and discrimination. In Tripmaster Monkey: His Fake Book (1989), the main character—Whittman Ah Sing, named after Walt Whitman—narrates a peculiarly 20th-century American odyssey; the book combines Eastern and Western literary traditions while emphasizing the Americanness of its characters. In To Be the Poet (2002), written mainly in verse, Kingston presented a rumination on elements of her own past and the acts of reading and creating poetry. The Fifth Book of Peace (2003) combines elements of fiction and memoir in the manner of a Chinese talk-story, a tradition in which elements of both the real and imagined worlds become interpolated. I Love a Broad Margin to My Life (2011) is a “memoir-in-verse.”

Hong is a Professor Emerita at the University of California, Berkeley, and she has received several awards for her contributions to Chinese American literature, including the National Book Award for Nonfiction in 1981 for China Men.

The EMPOWERMENT project returns for its second year. Honoring women artists and activists who have impacted and redefined the human experience, EMPOWERMENT is a festival-style weekend of performances, social action, creative workshops, and documentary screenings. In 2024, EMPOWERMENT will honor the work of two National Medal of the Arts winners: Maxine Hong Kingston, a American born Chinese writer and educator and Bella Lewitzky, an American choreographer and life long advocate for artistic freedom in dance. 

The EMPOWERMENT: Maxine + Bella celebration will include three days of arts activities at DCA’s Lankershim Arts Center, located in the heart of the NoHo Arts District at: 5108 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood, CA 91601. All festival events are free and open to the public, but due to limited space, reservations are highly recommended via Brown Paper Tickets. For more information, please call: 213.270.8200.

An embodiment of DCA|PERF’s commitment to investing in hyperlocal creative communities and individual artists, the City has commissioned Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kuramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver to perform dance and spoke word works that illuminate and reference the impact of Kingston and Lewitzky. Funded through DCA’s Lankershim Program Fund (LPF), the artists will ignite the stage with electrifying performances.

The weekend line-up is as follows: 

Friday, April 26, 2024

Performance at 8:00pm — Register here.

A celebration of Maxine Hong Kingston and Bella Lewitzky in spoken word and dance pieces by: Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kauramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver.

Saturday, April 27, 2024

Youth Writing Class with Maxine Hong Kingston — 10:30am -11:30am — Register

Adult Writing Class with Maxine Hong Kingston — 12:00pm – 1:30pm — Register

Screening & Discussion — 2:00pm – 5:00pm — Register

A film screening of “Maxine Hong Kingston: Talking Story,” followed by a conversation with Maxine Hong Kingston about Asian American artists and the legacy of female storytelling in literature. 

Performance at 8:00pm — Register

A celebration of Maxine Hong Kingston and Bella Lewitzky in spoken word and dance pieces by: Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kauramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver.

Sunday, April 28, 2024

Bella-Inspired Parent + Me Dance Class — 10:30am-11:30am — Register

Taught by LMU Professor Kristen Smiarowski for walking toddlers through age 4 year old children with caregivers. Siblings and pre-walkers can join, as long as each child has an adult. Make it a family affair! 

Intermediate/Adv. Lewitzky Dance Class — 12:00pm-1:30pm — Register

Taught by Walter Kennedy, who was a principal dancer with Lewitzky Dance

Company for nearly twenty years and served the company’s rehearsal director from

1990 until the company’s farewell performance in 1997. Accompanied percussionist T.J. Troy, this class is for the intermediate/professional trained dancer.

Screening & Discussion — 2:00pm-5:00pm — Register

A film screening of “Bella” followed by a conversation with the film’s Director, Bridget Murnane and Choreographer Lula Washington, moderated by Emily Wanserski.

Performance at 6:00pm — Register

A celebration of Maxine Hong Kingston and Bella Lewitzky in spoken word and dance pieces by: Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kauramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver.

All artists, moderators and speakers are subject to change without notice.

ABOUT BELLA LEWITZKY

(January 13, 1916 – July 16, 2004) — Born to Russian immigrants, Bella Lewitzky’s journey through the world of dance began amidst the unique backdrop of a utopian socialist colony in the Mojave Desert and a ranch in San Bernardino. After moving to Los Angeles during her teenage years, she immersed herself in professional dance training. In 1934, Lewitzky joined Lester Horton’s modern dance company, became his lead dancer, and contributed significantly to the development of the renowned Horton Technique. It was during this period that she crossed paths with Architect/Set Designer Newell Taylor Reynolds, whom she married in 1940. In 1946, Lewitzky, in collaboration with Horton, founded the Dance Theater of Los Angeles—a groundbreaking institution housing both a dance school and theater on Melrose Blvd. In 1966, Lewitzky formed her own dance company, which existed for over 30 years in Los Angeles, CA and cemented her legacy as a maverick in modern dance. 

Bella Lewitzky chaired the contemporary dance department at Idyllwild Arts Academy, was founding dean of the California Institute of the Arts’s School of Dance, and was a dedicated political activist throughout her life. Her courageous stance in two high-profile encounters with the federal government underscored her commitment to principle, even at the risk of professional ostracism. Recognized with numerous awards and honorary doctorates, Lewitzky’s influence extends far beyond the stage, leaving an indelible mark on the realms of performance, education, and activism. 

ABOUT MAXINE HONG KINGSTON 

Maxine Hong Kingston is a Chinese American novelist, poet, and writer who received the National Medal of Arts in Kingston received the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama in 2014. The eldest of six American-born children of Chinese immigrant parents, Hong attended the University of California, Berkeley, as a scholarship student, graduating in 1962. At Berkeley she met aspiring actor Earll Kingston, whom she married in 1962, then moved to Hawaii, where she held a series of teaching jobs for the next 10 years.

In 1976 Kingston published her first book, The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts. It combines myth, family history, folktales, and memories of the experience of growing up within two conflicting cultures. The book was an immediate critical success, winning the 1976 National Book Critics’ Circle Award for nonfiction. In her second memoir, China Men (1980), Kingston tells the story of Chinese immigration through the experiences of the men in her family. Using the narrative techniques of The Woman Warrior, she relates their stories of virtual slave labor, loneliness, and discrimination. In Tripmaster Monkey: His Fake Book (1989), the main character—Whittman Ah Sing, named after Walt Whitman—narrates a peculiarly 20th-century American odyssey; the book combines Eastern and Western literary traditions while emphasizing the Americanness of its characters. In To Be the Poet (2002), written mainly in verse, Kingston presented a rumination on elements of her own past and the acts of reading and creating poetry. The Fifth Book of Peace (2003) combines elements of fiction and memoir in the manner of a Chinese talk-story, a tradition in which elements of both the real and imagined worlds become interpolated. I Love a Broad Margin to My Life (2011) is a “memoir-in-verse.”

Hong is a Professor Emerita at the University of California, Berkeley, and she has received several awards for her contributions to Chinese American literature, including the National Book Award for Nonfiction in 1981 for China Men.

The EMPOWERMENT project returns for its second year. Honoring women artists and activists who have impacted and redefined the human experience, EMPOWERMENT is a festival-style weekend of performances, social action, creative workshops, and documentary screenings. In 2024, EMPOWERMENT will honor the work of two National Medal of the Arts winners: Maxine Hong Kingston, a American born Chinese writer and educator and Bella Lewitzky, an American choreographer and life long advocate for artistic freedom in dance. 

The EMPOWERMENT: Maxine + Bella celebration will include three days of arts activities at DCA’s Lankershim Arts Center, located in the heart of the NoHo Arts District at: 5108 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood, CA 91601. All festival events are free and open to the public, but due to limited space, reservations are highly recommended via Brown Paper Tickets. For more information, please call: 213.270.8200.

An embodiment of DCA|PERF’s commitment to investing in hyperlocal creative communities and individual artists, the City has commissioned Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kuramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver to perform dance and spoke word works that illuminate and reference the impact of Kingston and Lewitzky. Funded through DCA’s Lankershim Program Fund (LPF), the artists will ignite the stage with electrifying performances.

The weekend line-up is as follows: 

Friday, April 26, 2024

Performance at 8:00pm — Register here.

A celebration of Maxine Hong Kingston and Bella Lewitzky in spoken word and dance pieces by: Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kauramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver.

Saturday, April 27, 2024

Youth Writing Class with Maxine Hong Kingston — 10:30am -11:30am — Register

Adult Writing Class with Maxine Hong Kingston — 12:00pm – 1:30pm — Register

Screening & Discussion — 2:00pm – 5:00pm — Register

A film screening of “Maxine Hong Kingston: Talking Story,” followed by a conversation with Maxine Hong Kingston about Asian American artists and the legacy of female storytelling in literature. 

Performance at 8:00pm — Register

A celebration of Maxine Hong Kingston and Bella Lewitzky in spoken word and dance pieces by: Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kauramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver.

Sunday, April 28, 2024

Bella-Inspired Parent + Me Dance Class — 10:30am-11:30am — Register

Taught by LMU Professor Kristen Smiarowski for walking toddlers through age 4 year old children with caregivers. Siblings and pre-walkers can join, as long as each child has an adult. Make it a family affair! 

Intermediate/Adv. Lewitzky Dance Class — 12:00pm-1:30pm — Register

Taught by Walter Kennedy, who was a principal dancer with Lewitzky Dance

Company for nearly twenty years and served the company’s rehearsal director from

1990 until the company’s farewell performance in 1997. Accompanied percussionist T.J. Troy, this class is for the intermediate/professional trained dancer.

Screening & Discussion — 2:00pm-5:00pm — Register

A film screening of “Bella” followed by a conversation with the film’s Director, Bridget Murnane and Choreographer Lula Washington, moderated by Emily Wanserski.

Performance at 6:00pm — Register

A celebration of Maxine Hong Kingston and Bella Lewitzky in spoken word and dance pieces by: Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kauramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver.

All artists, moderators and speakers are subject to change without notice.

ABOUT BELLA LEWITZKY

(January 13, 1916 – July 16, 2004) — Born to Russian immigrants, Bella Lewitzky’s journey through the world of dance began amidst the unique backdrop of a utopian socialist colony in the Mojave Desert and a ranch in San Bernardino. After moving to Los Angeles during her teenage years, she immersed herself in professional dance training. In 1934, Lewitzky joined Lester Horton’s modern dance company, became his lead dancer, and contributed significantly to the development of the renowned Horton Technique. It was during this period that she crossed paths with Architect/Set Designer Newell Taylor Reynolds, whom she married in 1940. In 1946, Lewitzky, in collaboration with Horton, founded the Dance Theater of Los Angeles—a groundbreaking institution housing both a dance school and theater on Melrose Blvd. In 1966, Lewitzky formed her own dance company, which existed for over 30 years in Los Angeles, CA and cemented her legacy as a maverick in modern dance. 

Bella Lewitzky chaired the contemporary dance department at Idyllwild Arts Academy, was founding dean of the California Institute of the Arts’s School of Dance, and was a dedicated political activist throughout her life. Her courageous stance in two high-profile encounters with the federal government underscored her commitment to principle, even at the risk of professional ostracism. Recognized with numerous awards and honorary doctorates, Lewitzky’s influence extends far beyond the stage, leaving an indelible mark on the realms of performance, education, and activism. 

ABOUT MAXINE HONG KINGSTON 

Maxine Hong Kingston is a Chinese American novelist, poet, and writer who received the National Medal of Arts in Kingston received the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama in 2014. The eldest of six American-born children of Chinese immigrant parents, Hong attended the University of California, Berkeley, as a scholarship student, graduating in 1962. At Berkeley she met aspiring actor Earll Kingston, whom she married in 1962, then moved to Hawaii, where she held a series of teaching jobs for the next 10 years.

In 1976 Kingston published her first book, The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts. It combines myth, family history, folktales, and memories of the experience of growing up within two conflicting cultures. The book was an immediate critical success, winning the 1976 National Book Critics’ Circle Award for nonfiction. In her second memoir, China Men (1980), Kingston tells the story of Chinese immigration through the experiences of the men in her family. Using the narrative techniques of The Woman Warrior, she relates their stories of virtual slave labor, loneliness, and discrimination. In Tripmaster Monkey: His Fake Book (1989), the main character—Whittman Ah Sing, named after Walt Whitman—narrates a peculiarly 20th-century American odyssey; the book combines Eastern and Western literary traditions while emphasizing the Americanness of its characters. In To Be the Poet (2002), written mainly in verse, Kingston presented a rumination on elements of her own past and the acts of reading and creating poetry. The Fifth Book of Peace (2003) combines elements of fiction and memoir in the manner of a Chinese talk-story, a tradition in which elements of both the real and imagined worlds become interpolated. I Love a Broad Margin to My Life (2011) is a “memoir-in-verse.”

Hong is a Professor Emerita at the University of California, Berkeley, and she has received several awards for her contributions to Chinese American literature, including the National Book Award for Nonfiction in 1981 for China Men.

The EMPOWERMENT project returns for its second year. Honoring women artists and activists who have impacted and redefined the human experience, EMPOWERMENT is a festival-style weekend of performances, social action, creative workshops, and documentary screenings. In 2024, EMPOWERMENT will honor the work of two National Medal of the Arts winners: Maxine Hong Kingston, a American born Chinese writer and educator and Bella Lewitzky, an American choreographer and life long advocate for artistic freedom in dance. 

The EMPOWERMENT: Maxine + Bella celebration will include three days of arts activities at DCA’s Lankershim Arts Center, located in the heart of the NoHo Arts District at: 5108 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood, CA 91601. All festival events are free and open to the public, but due to limited space, reservations are highly recommended via Brown Paper Tickets. For more information, please call: 213.270.8200.

An embodiment of DCA|PERF’s commitment to investing in hyperlocal creative communities and individual artists, the City has commissioned Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kuramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver to perform dance and spoke word works that illuminate and reference the impact of Kingston and Lewitzky. Funded through DCA’s Lankershim Program Fund (LPF), the artists will ignite the stage with electrifying performances.

The weekend line-up is as follows: 

Friday, April 26, 2024

Performance at 8:00pm — Register here.

A celebration of Maxine Hong Kingston and Bella Lewitzky in spoken word and dance pieces by: Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kauramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver.

Saturday, April 27, 2024

Youth Writing Class with Maxine Hong Kingston — 10:30am -11:30am — Register

Adult Writing Class with Maxine Hong Kingston — 12:00pm – 1:30pm — Register

Screening & Discussion — 2:00pm – 5:00pm — Register

A film screening of “Maxine Hong Kingston: Talking Story,” followed by a conversation with Maxine Hong Kingston about Asian American artists and the legacy of female storytelling in literature. 

Performance at 8:00pm — Register

A celebration of Maxine Hong Kingston and Bella Lewitzky in spoken word and dance pieces by: Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kauramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver.

Sunday, April 28, 2024

Bella-Inspired Parent + Me Dance Class — 10:30am-11:30am — Register

Taught by LMU Professor Kristen Smiarowski for walking toddlers through age 4 year old children with caregivers. Siblings and pre-walkers can join, as long as each child has an adult. Make it a family affair! 

Intermediate/Adv. Lewitzky Dance Class — 12:00pm-1:30pm — Register

Taught by Walter Kennedy, who was a principal dancer with Lewitzky Dance

Company for nearly twenty years and served the company’s rehearsal director from

1990 until the company’s farewell performance in 1997. Accompanied percussionist T.J. Troy, this class is for the intermediate/professional trained dancer.

Screening & Discussion — 2:00pm-5:00pm — Register

A film screening of “Bella” followed by a conversation with the film’s Director, Bridget Murnane and Choreographer Lula Washington, moderated by Emily Wanserski.

Performance at 6:00pm — Register

A celebration of Maxine Hong Kingston and Bella Lewitzky in spoken word and dance pieces by: Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kauramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver.

All artists, moderators and speakers are subject to change without notice.

ABOUT BELLA LEWITZKY

(January 13, 1916 – July 16, 2004) — Born to Russian immigrants, Bella Lewitzky’s journey through the world of dance began amidst the unique backdrop of a utopian socialist colony in the Mojave Desert and a ranch in San Bernardino. After moving to Los Angeles during her teenage years, she immersed herself in professional dance training. In 1934, Lewitzky joined Lester Horton’s modern dance company, became his lead dancer, and contributed significantly to the development of the renowned Horton Technique. It was during this period that she crossed paths with Architect/Set Designer Newell Taylor Reynolds, whom she married in 1940. In 1946, Lewitzky, in collaboration with Horton, founded the Dance Theater of Los Angeles—a groundbreaking institution housing both a dance school and theater on Melrose Blvd. In 1966, Lewitzky formed her own dance company, which existed for over 30 years in Los Angeles, CA and cemented her legacy as a maverick in modern dance. 

Bella Lewitzky chaired the contemporary dance department at Idyllwild Arts Academy, was founding dean of the California Institute of the Arts’s School of Dance, and was a dedicated political activist throughout her life. Her courageous stance in two high-profile encounters with the federal government underscored her commitment to principle, even at the risk of professional ostracism. Recognized with numerous awards and honorary doctorates, Lewitzky’s influence extends far beyond the stage, leaving an indelible mark on the realms of performance, education, and activism. 

ABOUT MAXINE HONG KINGSTON 

Maxine Hong Kingston is a Chinese American novelist, poet, and writer who received the National Medal of Arts in Kingston received the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama in 2014. The eldest of six American-born children of Chinese immigrant parents, Hong attended the University of California, Berkeley, as a scholarship student, graduating in 1962. At Berkeley she met aspiring actor Earll Kingston, whom she married in 1962, then moved to Hawaii, where she held a series of teaching jobs for the next 10 years.

In 1976 Kingston published her first book, The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts. It combines myth, family history, folktales, and memories of the experience of growing up within two conflicting cultures. The book was an immediate critical success, winning the 1976 National Book Critics’ Circle Award for nonfiction. In her second memoir, China Men (1980), Kingston tells the story of Chinese immigration through the experiences of the men in her family. Using the narrative techniques of The Woman Warrior, she relates their stories of virtual slave labor, loneliness, and discrimination. In Tripmaster Monkey: His Fake Book (1989), the main character—Whittman Ah Sing, named after Walt Whitman—narrates a peculiarly 20th-century American odyssey; the book combines Eastern and Western literary traditions while emphasizing the Americanness of its characters. In To Be the Poet (2002), written mainly in verse, Kingston presented a rumination on elements of her own past and the acts of reading and creating poetry. The Fifth Book of Peace (2003) combines elements of fiction and memoir in the manner of a Chinese talk-story, a tradition in which elements of both the real and imagined worlds become interpolated. I Love a Broad Margin to My Life (2011) is a “memoir-in-verse.”

Hong is a Professor Emerita at the University of California, Berkeley, and she has received several awards for her contributions to Chinese American literature, including the National Book Award for Nonfiction in 1981 for China Men.

The EMPOWERMENT project returns for its second year. Honoring women artists and activists who have impacted and redefined the human experience, EMPOWERMENT is a festival-style weekend of performances, social action, creative workshops, and documentary screenings. In 2024, EMPOWERMENT will honor the work of two National Medal of the Arts winners: Maxine Hong Kingston, a American born Chinese writer and educator and Bella Lewitzky, an American choreographer and life long advocate for artistic freedom in dance. 

The EMPOWERMENT: Maxine + Bella celebration will include three days of arts activities at DCA’s Lankershim Arts Center, located in the heart of the NoHo Arts District at: 5108 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood, CA 91601. All festival events are free and open to the public, but due to limited space, reservations are highly recommended via Brown Paper Tickets. For more information, please call: 213.270.8200.

An embodiment of DCA|PERF’s commitment to investing in hyperlocal creative communities and individual artists, the City has commissioned Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kuramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver to perform dance and spoke word works that illuminate and reference the impact of Kingston and Lewitzky. Funded through DCA’s Lankershim Program Fund (LPF), the artists will ignite the stage with electrifying performances.

The weekend line-up is as follows: 

Friday, April 26, 2024

Performance at 8:00pm — Register here.

A celebration of Maxine Hong Kingston and Bella Lewitzky in spoken word and dance pieces by: Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kauramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver.

Saturday, April 27, 2024

Youth Writing Class with Maxine Hong Kingston — 10:30am -11:30am — Register

Adult Writing Class with Maxine Hong Kingston — 12:00pm – 1:30pm — Register

Screening & Discussion — 2:00pm – 5:00pm — Register

A film screening of “Maxine Hong Kingston: Talking Story,” followed by a conversation with Maxine Hong Kingston about Asian American artists and the legacy of female storytelling in literature. 

Performance at 8:00pm — Register

A celebration of Maxine Hong Kingston and Bella Lewitzky in spoken word and dance pieces by: Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kauramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver.

Sunday, April 28, 2024

Bella-Inspired Parent + Me Dance Class — 10:30am-11:30am — Register

Taught by LMU Professor Kristen Smiarowski for walking toddlers through age 4 year old children with caregivers. Siblings and pre-walkers can join, as long as each child has an adult. Make it a family affair! 

Intermediate/Adv. Lewitzky Dance Class — 12:00pm-1:30pm — Register

Taught by Walter Kennedy, who was a principal dancer with Lewitzky Dance

Company for nearly twenty years and served the company’s rehearsal director from

1990 until the company’s farewell performance in 1997. Accompanied percussionist T.J. Troy, this class is for the intermediate/professional trained dancer.

Screening & Discussion — 2:00pm-5:00pm — Register

A film screening of “Bella” followed by a conversation with the film’s Director, Bridget Murnane and Choreographer Lula Washington, moderated by Emily Wanserski.

Performance at 6:00pm — Register

A celebration of Maxine Hong Kingston and Bella Lewitzky in spoken word and dance pieces by: Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kauramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver.

All artists, moderators and speakers are subject to change without notice.

ABOUT BELLA LEWITZKY

(January 13, 1916 – July 16, 2004) — Born to Russian immigrants, Bella Lewitzky’s journey through the world of dance began amidst the unique backdrop of a utopian socialist colony in the Mojave Desert and a ranch in San Bernardino. After moving to Los Angeles during her teenage years, she immersed herself in professional dance training. In 1934, Lewitzky joined Lester Horton’s modern dance company, became his lead dancer, and contributed significantly to the development of the renowned Horton Technique. It was during this period that she crossed paths with Architect/Set Designer Newell Taylor Reynolds, whom she married in 1940. In 1946, Lewitzky, in collaboration with Horton, founded the Dance Theater of Los Angeles—a groundbreaking institution housing both a dance school and theater on Melrose Blvd. In 1966, Lewitzky formed her own dance company, which existed for over 30 years in Los Angeles, CA and cemented her legacy as a maverick in modern dance. 

Bella Lewitzky chaired the contemporary dance department at Idyllwild Arts Academy, was founding dean of the California Institute of the Arts’s School of Dance, and was a dedicated political activist throughout her life. Her courageous stance in two high-profile encounters with the federal government underscored her commitment to principle, even at the risk of professional ostracism. Recognized with numerous awards and honorary doctorates, Lewitzky’s influence extends far beyond the stage, leaving an indelible mark on the realms of performance, education, and activism. 

ABOUT MAXINE HONG KINGSTON 

Maxine Hong Kingston is a Chinese American novelist, poet, and writer who received the National Medal of Arts in Kingston received the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama in 2014. The eldest of six American-born children of Chinese immigrant parents, Hong attended the University of California, Berkeley, as a scholarship student, graduating in 1962. At Berkeley she met aspiring actor Earll Kingston, whom she married in 1962, then moved to Hawaii, where she held a series of teaching jobs for the next 10 years.

In 1976 Kingston published her first book, The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts. It combines myth, family history, folktales, and memories of the experience of growing up within two conflicting cultures. The book was an immediate critical success, winning the 1976 National Book Critics’ Circle Award for nonfiction. In her second memoir, China Men (1980), Kingston tells the story of Chinese immigration through the experiences of the men in her family. Using the narrative techniques of The Woman Warrior, she relates their stories of virtual slave labor, loneliness, and discrimination. In Tripmaster Monkey: His Fake Book (1989), the main character—Whittman Ah Sing, named after Walt Whitman—narrates a peculiarly 20th-century American odyssey; the book combines Eastern and Western literary traditions while emphasizing the Americanness of its characters. In To Be the Poet (2002), written mainly in verse, Kingston presented a rumination on elements of her own past and the acts of reading and creating poetry. The Fifth Book of Peace (2003) combines elements of fiction and memoir in the manner of a Chinese talk-story, a tradition in which elements of both the real and imagined worlds become interpolated. I Love a Broad Margin to My Life (2011) is a “memoir-in-verse.”

Hong is a Professor Emerita at the University of California, Berkeley, and she has received several awards for her contributions to Chinese American literature, including the National Book Award for Nonfiction in 1981 for China Men.

The EMPOWERMENT project returns for its second year. Honoring women artists and activists who have impacted and redefined the human experience, EMPOWERMENT is a festival-style weekend of performances, social action, creative workshops, and documentary screenings. In 2024, EMPOWERMENT will honor the work of two National Medal of the Arts winners: Maxine Hong Kingston, a American born Chinese writer and educator and Bella Lewitzky, an American choreographer and life long advocate for artistic freedom in dance. 

The EMPOWERMENT: Maxine + Bella celebration will include three days of arts activities at DCA’s Lankershim Arts Center, located in the heart of the NoHo Arts District at: 5108 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood, CA 91601. All festival events are free and open to the public, but due to limited space, reservations are highly recommended via Brown Paper Tickets. For more information, please call: 213.270.8200.

An embodiment of DCA|PERF’s commitment to investing in hyperlocal creative communities and individual artists, the City has commissioned Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kuramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver to perform dance and spoke word works that illuminate and reference the impact of Kingston and Lewitzky. Funded through DCA’s Lankershim Program Fund (LPF), the artists will ignite the stage with electrifying performances.

The weekend line-up is as follows: 

Friday, April 26, 2024

Performance at 8:00pm — Register here.

A celebration of Maxine Hong Kingston and Bella Lewitzky in spoken word and dance pieces by: Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kauramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver.

Saturday, April 27, 2024

Youth Writing Class with Maxine Hong Kingston — 10:30am -11:30am — Register

Adult Writing Class with Maxine Hong Kingston — 12:00pm – 1:30pm — Register

Screening & Discussion — 2:00pm – 5:00pm — Register

A film screening of “Maxine Hong Kingston: Talking Story,” followed by a conversation with Maxine Hong Kingston about Asian American artists and the legacy of female storytelling in literature. 

Performance at 8:00pm — Register

A celebration of Maxine Hong Kingston and Bella Lewitzky in spoken word and dance pieces by: Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kauramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver.

Sunday, April 28, 2024

Bella-Inspired Parent + Me Dance Class — 10:30am-11:30am — Register

Taught by LMU Professor Kristen Smiarowski for walking toddlers through age 4 year old children with caregivers. Siblings and pre-walkers can join, as long as each child has an adult. Make it a family affair! 

Intermediate/Adv. Lewitzky Dance Class — 12:00pm-1:30pm — Register

Taught by Walter Kennedy, who was a principal dancer with Lewitzky Dance

Company for nearly twenty years and served the company’s rehearsal director from

1990 until the company’s farewell performance in 1997. Accompanied percussionist T.J. Troy, this class is for the intermediate/professional trained dancer.

Screening & Discussion — 2:00pm-5:00pm — Register

A film screening of “Bella” followed by a conversation with the film’s Director, Bridget Murnane and Choreographer Lula Washington, moderated by Emily Wanserski.

Performance at 6:00pm — Register

A celebration of Maxine Hong Kingston and Bella Lewitzky in spoken word and dance pieces by: Bernard Brown, Mona Jean Cedar, Chris Emile, Caitlin Javech, Ibuki Kauramochi, Genna Moroni, Siwaraya Rochanahusdin, and Tracy Silver.

All artists, moderators and speakers are subject to change without notice.

ABOUT BELLA LEWITZKY

(January 13, 1916 – July 16, 2004) — Born to Russian immigrants, Bella Lewitzky’s journey through the world of dance began amidst the unique backdrop of a utopian socialist colony in the Mojave Desert and a ranch in San Bernardino. After moving to Los Angeles during her teenage years, she immersed herself in professional dance training. In 1934, Lewitzky joined Lester Horton’s modern dance company, became his lead dancer, and contributed significantly to the development of the renowned Horton Technique. It was during this period that she crossed paths with Architect/Set Designer Newell Taylor Reynolds, whom she married in 1940. In 1946, Lewitzky, in collaboration with Horton, founded the Dance Theater of Los Angeles—a groundbreaking institution housing both a dance school and theater on Melrose Blvd. In 1966, Lewitzky formed her own dance company, which existed for over 30 years in Los Angeles, CA and cemented her legacy as a maverick in modern dance. 

Bella Lewitzky chaired the contemporary dance department at Idyllwild Arts Academy, was founding dean of the California Institute of the Arts’s School of Dance, and was a dedicated political activist throughout her life. Her courageous stance in two high-profile encounters with the federal government underscored her commitment to principle, even at the risk of professional ostracism. Recognized with numerous awards and honorary doctorates, Lewitzky’s influence extends far beyond the stage, leaving an indelible mark on the realms of performance, education, and activism. 

ABOUT MAXINE HONG KINGSTON 

Maxine Hong Kingston is a Chinese American novelist, poet, and writer who received the National Medal of Arts in Kingston received the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama in 2014. The eldest of six American-born children of Chinese immigrant parents, Hong attended the University of California, Berkeley, as a scholarship student, graduating in 1962. At Berkeley she met aspiring actor Earll Kingston, whom she married in 1962, then moved to Hawaii, where she held a series of teaching jobs for the next 10 years.

In 1976 Kingston published her first book, The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts. It combines myth, family history, folktales, and memories of the experience of growing up within two conflicting cultures. The book was an immediate critical success, winning the 1976 National Book Critics’ Circle Award for nonfiction. In her second memoir, China Men (1980), Kingston tells the story of Chinese immigration through the experiences of the men in her family. Using the narrative techniques of The Woman Warrior, she relates their stories of virtual slave labor, loneliness, and discrimination. In Tripmaster Monkey: His Fake Book (1989), the main character—Whittman Ah Sing, named after Walt Whitman—narrates a peculiarly 20th-century American odyssey; the book combines Eastern and Western literary traditions while emphasizing the Americanness of its characters. In To Be the Poet (2002), written mainly in verse, Kingston presented a rumination on elements of her own past and the acts of reading and creating poetry. The Fifth Book of Peace (2003) combines elements of fiction and memoir in the manner of a Chinese talk-story, a tradition in which elements of both the real and imagined worlds become interpolated. I Love a Broad Margin to My Life (2011) is a “memoir-in-verse.”

Hong is a Professor Emerita at the University of California, Berkeley, and she has received several awards for her contributions to Chinese American literature, including the National Book Award for Nonfiction in 1981 for China Men.