Author Archives: Paula Josa-Jones

May4

travels with hazel

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Hazel and Ryder with props of alpaca fur and guinea hen feathers under construction.

Yesterday Ryder Cooley and I went into New York City to meet with booking agent Jodi Kaplan.  Ryder takes the Hudson train and I take the Metro North so when we met at Sarahbeth’s  and Hazel (on the left) was also seated at the table, I knew it would be a different kind of day in the city.

Hazel is the taxidermied head of a black-bellied sheep* from Barbados.  At least that is what her mounting plaque said when Ryder found her.  Today she wears two  backpack-like straps at the base of her neck and is worn by Ryder in one of her performance art pieces.  Hazel had come to the city with Ryder in search of a bag so that Hazel could travel as a carry-on when they go to California to perform.

I suggested FEDEX, but Ryder felt that it would be strange to ship her collaborator.  I think it would be easier, but it is not my piece.

The real story is really what it is like to walk down the street in New York carrying the head of a sheep. I would have to say that I saw a greater range of human expression in those 25 minutes that I do in most months.  Puzzlement. Horror.  Fear.  Amusement.  Curiosity.  Confusion.  Anger.  Incredulity.  The list goes on.

And here is the really interesting part.  They all acted as if Hazel was actually alive.  Ryder carried her like a baby on her hip with a sling, so there was this disconcerting animating effect from her movement.  But people did not seem to see her as partial.  As just a head.  They spoke about her as if she were walking with us, or about to sprout legs and move on her own.

Except for dogs, people in New York are not really exposed to animals on the streets.  Hazel seemed to touch something – a kind of primal curiosity or yearning or fear that comes from seeing something entirely out of your context suddenly in it.  I like that.  It didn’t feel like walking with Hazel was exhibitionist or in-your-face.  Ryder is completely cool and easy with her taxidermied collaborators, and I think that is almost as disconcerting to people as the creature itself.

Apparently taxidermied animals are not on the forbidden list for the TSA.  I will keep you posted on Hazel’s progress to California.

*note:  I have since discovered that Hazel is actually a ram, perhaps Henry.  It may be that because both Ryder and I are doing performance work that challenges gender stereotypes, that s/he will remain Hazel. 

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May2

what happened on the way

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              Jacopo Bellini

Today as we were driving to Sarah Lawrence College to see a dance performance that our daughter had helped to choreograph, we flew by a flailing dear in the middle of a hideously busy highway.  We pulled over immediately.

As I walked back up the highway, cars flew by.  I was sure that I would see the deer shattered in the road.  But instead, it had made its way to the side of the road, helped by two young women who had seen it and stopped before we had.  The accident had happened in the northbound lane, and somehow the deer ended up on the southbound side.

Its back legs were broken, and it was obviously in terrible pain.  The two young women had called the police, who said they were coming but that the police could not shoot the deer.  It was an animal control issue.

Here is the shocking part.  A young man stopped by the side of the road not to help, but to video the struggling women and the dying deer.  During the 30 minutes we waited for the police to come, hundreds of cars tore by us and only one person, a woman, stopped to inquire if we were ok.

When the police did finally arrive, the young officer said that he would shoot the deer.  By then, it had dragged itself even further into the thicket.  He did shoot it, which was the kindest thing.  We prayed the Buddhist prayer for the dying as it died:  om tara tutare ture soha.  Over and over.

This is a terrible story.  The violent death of this deer is terrible enough.  The worst part, however, is the indifference of others who witnessed it, and the idiotic voyeur with the camera. That is the unforgivable part.

There we were, four women, standing guard, waiting, not willing to leave an animal suffering.  That does not make us heroic.  It makes us human.  Suffering should touch us.  It should draw us in. It should open our hearts, stop us in our tracks, elicit our best selves.

I am uncomfortable on a soapbox.  But this made me very, very angry, deeply pained.  I was reminded of a conversation that I overheard at a cafe.  A woman, laughing derisively, said to her dining partner, “Oh, she’s the type that stops to take a squirrel off the road.”  Yes, I am.

 

 

 

 

Apr30

can you help? thank you!

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I don’t usually do an outright ask on the blog.  And I will not do it often.  This is an ask for help with our new horse dancing project, All the Pretty Horses.

Since I started working with rescued horses, it has been my dream to create a performance with these “throw away” horses and local dancers.  We have now found the perfect partnering organization, Little Brook Farm in Old Chatham, New York.

Little Brook has been saving horses for many, many years.  The unique part of their program is that these horses then become active, participating partners in a range of activities:  riding, performing, vaulting, jumping and teaching generations of children and adults about horses and all of the ways that we can connect with them.

A visit there is moving.  It is a humble place, staffed by passionate and dedicated volunteers.  The effort goes into the programs, into the care of the horses, and into sharing the joy of horses with humans from age three to the sky is the limit.

In order to bring the project to fruition, we need to raise $3500 to offset fees and travel for the professional dancers from my company who travel from Boston.  Those funds are also for publicity, costumes and modest administrative costs to assure that the event is a rousing success.

The performance will take place October 6 at Little Brook Farm in Old Chatham, NY.  Mark your calendars!!!

Please help us to whatever extent you can.   Dancemakers Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. To contribute, click on the link below or make your check payable to Dancemakers Inc. and send to the address below.

Dancemakers, Inc.

P.O. Box 773
Sharon, CT 06069