Music and Movement Collaboration. A Peaceful Piece.

Randy Granger, Composer; Debra Knapp, Choreographer

Music, rhythm, movement, peace and grace all in less than ten minutes. There is something so ephemeral about music and performance, yet eternal. Last weekend was the premiere of a dance piece “Peace Dance” set to music by me called “Ancestor’s Dance.” The music was commissioned by the NMSU Dance Program and choreographer Debra Knapp. We had worked together on a multi-media project last year so I was honored and very happy and excited though wondered exactly ‘when’ I would be able to get to it. I stopped by their dance studio on my way out of town to perform and watched what they had so far, took notes and filed in my creative storage room of my mind to let it stew. Debra said she had been to Hawaii recently and was struck by the peacefulness of their native culture and how it didn’t seem to have the violent history (I called it cultural baggage too) that our mainland tribes have. She wanted to dance to give a a sense of coming from the ancestors through the generations. I understood what she was saying and in my studies of Polynesian cultures I had sensed that strong self-identity and peaceful grace based around water that is reflected in their dances, music and art.

Randy Granger & Candance Williams, Dancer

I ran into Debra at the Renaissance Faire where we were both performing and she said she loved the song….but that it was just a tad too fast for the dancers. I laughed imagining them passing out during the performance. She said if I could slow it down a touch without offending my artistic vision it would be helpful. I’m not a purist by any means so agreed. When you watch the video below you see how athletic and physical the movement is. The premiere of our collaboration was December 6, 2008 as the finale of their Tis the Season program at the Rio Grande Theatre in Las Cruces, NM. I was really looking forward to the dance but was surprised when Debra introduced me in the audience to the packed house of over 400 and said that the dance would not have been possible without my music and was grateful to have such a talented composer living here. Needless to say I was pretty embarrassed but grateful. Before the number came on I hid in the back of the theatre to tape it and avoid the tomatoes if people hated it….

I needn’t have worried. The dancers were really amazing, sensitive and emotive. They were really beautiful and I was so so proud of them and truly happy as if my spirit was actually smiling and beaming. Debra’s choreography was brilliant and told a story of a people’s movement through time. It was wistful and emotional. I thought how beautiful is dance that you must be attentive to it as it happens because unlike a CD, movie or book once it is done only the ghosts of movement are left on that stage. Knowing that my music, my creation and assemblance of notes and instruments inspired dance movements was pretty fulfilling. I used the Ocean drum to simulate the sound of waves and water, the Native American flute to represent the voice and both the Ding and Gu sides of the Hang drum. I added harmonized vocals that fall off at the end of phrases like I’ve heard the Maori singers do. I look forward to working with all sorts of artists. So far I’ve worked with Poets, jewelry makers, sculptors and dancers. Hmmm what’s next?

I’d recommend listening to the dance video with headphones to fully hear the low Gu part. Sorry it is so dark but it was pitch black in the theater. I’d love to know what you think of it. - Randy

Ghost Dancers video.

This is "Ghost Dancers" is from my new album 'A Place Called Peace.' The song was inspired by the Ghost Dance religion that tragically led to the Wounded Knee Massacre. Indian people at that time in the 1890's were having it hard. Hunger, disease, despair and extreme poverty was the story of the day. A new religion that came to the Pauite Shaman Wokova said by praying, meditating, chanting and dancing the Ghost Dance an Apocalypse would come and after that the ancestors would return and the Buffalo and the old ways of Indians before whites. Ideas like borders, ownership and especially alcohol would have to done away with.

Tragedy upon tragedy followed ending in the Wounded Knee Massacre where 290 men, women and children Indians were killed by a heavily armed 7th Calvary. The same Calvary Gen. Custer once commanded. There were reports that many of the soldiers yelled "remember Little Big Horn?" as they chased Indians into the hills, the majority of them unarmed. 29 soldiers also died though it is said that it might have been from "friendly fire" as the Indians had been disarmed that morning just before the slaughter began. 23 7th Calvary soldiers later received Congressional Medals of Honor. There is a well-known photo of Chief Big Foot dead in the snow. He was known as a peace negotiator, was elderly and ill with pneumonia when he as branded a "fomenter of disturbances."

What saddens me about the entire Ghost Dance tragedy is that it was essentially a messianic religion and they believed that Jesus was going to raise their ancestors and restore the natural balance and order. This as a peaceful movement akin to Gandhi's nonviolent movement and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s philosophy. That they were banned, persecuted and eventually murdered for practicing their religion is a tragedy that more Americans should know about. Peace begins with forgiveness. Understanding and recognizing such violence will help to know when it happens again and call attention to it before more tragedy ensues. There is so much more on the Ghost Dance story and I implore you to research for yourself. Hate begets hate. Compassion leads to empathy. In this video and blog I don't want to blame anyone and make anyone feel bad or sad. I'm trying to tell the story that inspired the song Ghost Dancers from my perspective. I welcome a respectful debate. Thank you for reading.
RG

GHOST DANCERS