In retrospect: dNaga’s 2019 visit to Japan
In June 2019, dNaga had the amazing experience of presenting their work on tour in Japan! This big adventure to Japan could not have happened without many individual supporters.
The company is still processing how much they saw and learned while while performing at the fifth annual World Parkinson Congress in Kyoto. Kyoto really is a very special city.
In Tokyo, we were hosted by Eri Majima. Eri is the director of a ballet school in Tokyo, as well as a dance company she founded called Eri Majima Dance Emerge. She presented dNaga in partnership with the Toyosu Cultural Center, where dNaga performed two shows and also offered a Dance for PD® class to the public.
dNaga could not have performed in Japan without our GoFundMe donors; family and friends of the dancers who donated money, time and miles; and individual donors who believe in the work we do. Thank you to all for helping to make this tour in Japan possible!
Sharon Brunetti was in a ballet performance when she was five years old, but then turned to piano recitals and synchronized swimming shows. Her husband, Warren, also dances with dNaga. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s around 2009 and started dancing shortly thereafter with dNaga and the Dance for PD group. Sharon joined in the fun and started dancing about two years ago, but this is her first time performing with dNaga. She and Warren have raised three sons, three grandchildren, and will celebrate their 50th anniversary in May 2019. Together, they’re refusing to surrender to Parkinson’s disease!
Sharon Brunetti シャロン・ブルネッティは、夫のウオーレンとともに、３人の息子、３人の孫を育て、2019年５月に結婚５０周年を迎えます。夫婦でダンスの楽しさを知りました。パーキンソンに降参することは絶対しません！
Warren Brunetti retired from the Internal Revenue Service in 2003. This ended a varied career that included marketing research, independent retailer, development and high school math teacher. Since retirement Warren has volunteered at the Mastick Senior Center in Alameda, taken Osher Lifelong Learning Institute courses in Berkeley and traveled extensively with his wife, Sharon. Warren dances in Dance for PD® program with dNaga and performed at the World Parkinson Congress in Portland, Oregon. During his younger years Warren took tap and ballet dance from Pearl Kay in Berkeley, California. Warren was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2008.
Warren Brunetti ウオーレン・ブルネッティは国税局を2003年に退局。2008年にパーキンソンと診断されました。dNagaダンスカンパニーのDance for PD(パーキンソン患者のためのダンス）プログラムのダンサーで、2016年オレゴン州ポートランドで開催された世界パーキンソン大会でダンスを披露しました。
Patsy Fitzpatrick grew up with a minimum of formal dance training and a great deal of social dancing. The opportunity to work with the dNaga dance group has reawakened her early love of dance. She was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in June of 2015. Whereas this diagnosis typically has hugely negative effects, they can be compensated for by enriching one’s life in ways that would otherwise remain undiscovered. She is grateful to the dNaga Dance group for being a significant factor in such enrichment.
Patsy Fitzpatrick パッツイ・フィッツパトリックは2015年にパーキンソンと診断されました。病気の診断は否定的にとらえがちですが、人生を豊かにしてくれるという効果もあります。新しい経験への扉を開いてくれるからです。
Martha Friedberg is now retired from her 40-year immigration law practice in Oakland. As a child, she took ballet classes and over the years has enjoyed dabbling in other forms of dance including modern, Indian and salsa although, ironically, she never performed until having Parkinson’s. Martha was diagnosed with PD in 2010, and strives to face its challenges with courage, grace and grit. She is honored to be a part of our wonderful, whimsical dNaga dance company and Dance for PD classes.
Martha Friedberg マーサ・フリードバーグは2010年に診断が下りましたが、勇気と感謝と根性で、病気に明るく立ち向かっています。dNagaで踊ることは、今や生活の中心になりました。オークランドの患者を代表して、京都で踊れることを光栄に感じています。
Cathy Wake Quides was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2014 and retired 1-1/2 years later after a career as a pediatric nurse practitioner for patients with developmental disabilities. The courage and dignity with which her patients and their families and caregivers faced the challenges they encountered inspire her as she makes her journey as a person with Parkinson’s. Her most recent adventure was having DBS surgery in 2018 and she is extremely grateful for the way it has improved her quality of life. Cathy is inspired by those in her Dance for PD® class and by the members of dNaga, guided by the wonderfully talented and enthusiastic teacher, director and choreographer Claudine Naganuma. Growing up, Cathy always wanted to study dance and since joining Dance for PD® and dNaga she feels she is finally fulfilling her childhood dancing dream. She is lifted up both physically and spiritually when dancing with the younger dNaga dancers.
Cathy Wake Quides キャシー・ワケ・キーデスは2014年にパーキンソンと診断され、投薬によって症状をコントロールする努力をした後、2018年にDBS手術を受け、生活の質が改善されました。dNagaのダンサー達と踊っていると、身体的にも精神的にも元気が出ます。
Manny Torrijos was not going to let a diagnosis define him. In seeking an antidote to a movement disorder, he found dance – the epitome of movement. Dance, by making him more aware of, and express himself through, his “broken”” body, has transformed him. At age 65 he applied for a reduced fare metrocard and enrolled in a graduate degree program in Disability Studies aka MADS from City University of New York (CUNY). Normal people scare him.
Manny Torrijos マニー・トリオスは病名によって自分が定義されるのを拒否。運動不全の対抗策として、究極の運動であるダンスを発見しました。ダンスによって表現力や意識が高まりました。「壊れた身体」がダンスによって変わったのです。６５歳にして障害学の大学院学位を取得中です。
Yael Berrol has danced since she was 7, beginning with jazz and moving onto ballet, modern, composition, and hip-hop. Yael has been a member of dNaga Dance Company since 2013, working on the PEACE, FREEDOM, and GIRL Projects and attending the 2016 World Parkinson’s Congress in Portland. She has also danced with Skyline High School’s Dance Production since 2015, choreographing and performing student work. Her work with dNaga has inspired her to study neuroscience at the University of California Davis this fall.
Seosaimhín Black grew up doing Irish dance and quickly turned to other styles such as ballet, modern, and hip hop. She has been dancing at Danspace for nine years and with dNaga for seven years. She attended Berkeley High, and during her junior and senior years she participated in Dance Production where she picked up most of her hip hop experience. Currently, she is majoring in Psychology at Berkeley City College and aspires to transfer to CAL in the coming years. After many years of dancing with dNaga, she remains inspired by the passion and love that comes from this intergenerational work.
Jhia Louise Jackson is an artist, sociologist, and writer. A Bay Area native, she has performed throughout the country in commercial and concert dance endeavors. Since her first codified dance experience as a cheerleader at age 5, she has expanded her training to include ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, contemporary forms, improv, counter technique, capoeira, traditional folk dances, and salsa. In this time, she has performed in works by Holly Johnston, Joya Powell, RAWdance, and more. As a choreographer, she has shown work in New York City, Houston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Her degrees include: BA in Dance, Sociology, and Ethics from Loyola Marymount University, MS in Bioethics from Columbia University, and she is currently earning a PhD in Sociology from UCSF. For ore information about her research, projects, and performances, visit jhiajackson.com.
Lucie Jerome has danced with dNaga since she was seven years old. Born and raised in Oakland, she has studied myriad dance styles including modern, ballet, samba, salsa, afro-brazilian, butoh, swing, and blues. She has performed with dNaga in the Bay Area, New York City, and most recently in Japan for the 2019 World Parkinson Congress. She received her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Dance at Chapman University in Orange, California, and is currently pursuing a Masters of Occupational Therapy at NYU in New York.
Ellie Kerwin has been dancing at Danspace since she was 3 years old, mainly taking ballet and modern classes. She began dancing with dNaga in 2015 and is inspired by talking about social justice issues and creating dances in response to these topics. In addition, Ellie loves being able to dance with people of all ages.
Erin Landers is a Brooklyn based dancer, choreographer, and teacher. In addition to dancing with dNaga, she co-directs and performs with A-Y/dancers, a Hudson-Valley based repertory company, and is a founding member of ECHOensemble, an improvising group of musicians and dancers. The daughter of two musicians, Erin grew up surrounded by melodies and rhythms from around the world. Her approach to movement is drawn from a rich background in modern, contemporary, ballet, jazz, and various folk and social dance forms including Zimbabwean, Balkan, and Irish. She holds a BFA in dance and a concentration in composition from the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College, SUNY.
Leila Massoudi has been dancing since age four, dancing Persian style from her father’s native country of Iran. Throughout her elementary school years at Walden Center and School, Leila danced hip hop, jazz, and ballet with her dance teacher, Russell Wright. Leila joined Danspace in fifth grade, taking a Modern dance class. She has subsequently joined choreography which she loves and is dancing her fourth year of ballet. This year Leila is loving taking a full class load of ballet, dNaga company class, choreography, and modern dance. “I have had an amazing experience at Danspace!” says Leila. Leila is thankful to her family, “for getting me to all my classes and supporting me!”
