One of the first performers to bring Ethnic Dance into the eyes of the American public was La Meri. She specialized in classical Indian and Spanish dance forms, and the book she wrote about Indian hand mudras is one of my favorites. In 1940, she co-founded The School Of Natya with Ruth St. Denis, another famous ethnic dancer. Sadly, the school no longer exists. But if I could do anything for Field Work Term, I would go back in time and study there. Few videos of La Meri exist,but the one I've found remains one of the most remarkable performances I've seen. It shows her dancing Swan Lake at Jacob's Pillow. Instead of ballet, she dances it in classical Indian style. One can clearly see the swan in each of her movements. To learn from her, while impossible, would be the most amazing Field Work Term I could imagine. For a consolation prize, an internship at Jacob's Pillow would work quite nicely. Perhaps I could do some historical research on presenting the summer shows to the public, or work with a choreographer to revive a few of La Meri's pieces.
--Fiona E.'s idea for Field Work Term. Video of La Meri's performance via Jacob's Pillow
