White Bird was the first dance that June Watts ever choreographed.
With this dance, we trace the figure of the White Bird of Peace, pointing to the head, tail, swaying on each wing. Then the bird takes off (cross steps) with our prayer of peace and alights where we send the prayer.
It’s done to music called Vasija de Barro created in 1950 by a group from Ecuador.
Marta always includes with Day of the Dead. Here are the words:
Yo quiero que a mi me entierren
Como a mis antepasados
En el vientro oscuro y fresco
De una vasija de barro
Quando la vida se perda
Tras una cortina de años
Viviran a todo el tiempo
Amores y desengaños
Arcilla cocida y dura,
alma de verdes collados,
luz y sangre de mis hombres,
sol de mis antepasados.
De ti nací y a ti vuelvo,
arcilla, vaso de barro,
con mis muertos yazgo en ti,
en tu polvo enamorado.
I want them to bury me
Like my ancestors
In the dark and cool belly
Of an earthenware pot.
When life loses itself
Behind a curtain of years
Loves and disenchantments
Will live forever.
Clay fired and hard,
soul of green meadows,
light and blood of my men,
sun of my ancestry.
From you I came and to you I return,
clay, earthen vessel,
with my dead I lay in you,
on your lovely dust.
Source; Grapevine magazine, early 1990’s (two verses only) and http://www.twinelmpublishing.com/trans22.html
Several of us locals decided it would be a dance for September and we’d all try to include it in our dance gatherings. But it sounds like if you miss it, it can work for October/November too!
