On Becoming A Poem In CHINA
By Natica Angilly

Within the four seas we are all brothers" is a Chinese Saying and also the motto for the first congress of poetry and culture to be convened in China in 5000 years. Natica Angilly's Poetic Dance Theater Company (our dancing poetry performance team) has been invited to this cultural exchange program. The 2005 International Taishan Congress of Cultures, and 19th World Congress of Poets, has been approved by the Ministry of Cultures, People's Republic of China, and Chinese International Cultural Transmitting center under the State Council, PRC. This is the first ever such event in China's recent history.

The Congress begins on October 29 with a week of performances and events focusing on increasing understanding and appreciation of the 5000 year legacy of China's unique and inspirational literary arts. To appreciate this brilliant language, renowned poets invited to attend will observe Natica Angilly's Poetic Dance Theater, which has combined poetry and dance in an extension of the arts to further peace and friendship.

The conference is the culmination of a life-long dream of Dr. Kenneth KuanLing Fan (President, World Congress of Cultures; President, National Academy of Management; Vice-President, National Cultural Association; Founder, Hsinku Poem form) created to help further the mission of world peace. He also serves on our Artists Embassy International Board. This all-volunteer arts organization was created in 1951 to further understanding and goodwill through the universal language of the arts and sponsors the Dancing Poetry Festival.

We decided to premier our new dances that we are creating for the Congress in China at the Bay Area's own Dancing Poetry Festival to see how they might truly contribute to the international assembly in China. In honor of the motto of this Congress, we chose the ubiquitous melody of "row, row, row your boat," played magnificently on harps, and choreographed to the poem written for the occasion by poet Richard Angilly, our performing laureate man of letters.

Our next idea, making the poetic visual image that may meet our own grand expectations, evolved from Richard's poem "Wind Music" with lines such as: "I've come to this place in time," and "I am sung by all that surrounds."

The poetic dance is coupled with eight sets of nine feet of extended iridescent fabrics (very wing-like), held in each hand by eight dancers and swirled in the most amazing ways that we could think of ! We are also offering our "Eternal Muses" as a Western classical cultural offering to another classical culture.

This dance introduces the gifts offered by the nine personified inspirations of the arts and sciences. Finally, "Poets' Sunrise," a poem danced with spiraling tie-dyed silk flags, evokes a vivid communication of the heart.

Our Dancing Poetry Festival was created to showcase involvement of the arts in cultural thought and as an international outreach for poets and dancers. "Illustrated Poetry" makes visual the roots, hearts and history encapsulated in the soul of world poetry.