Oakland Ballet Company's Angel Island Project spotlights immigration island detainees
Oakland Ballet bringing dark history of Angel Island to light
The dance troupe is putting on a one-time show on Sunday, called Angel Island Project, telling the emotionally complex stories of those who went through the immigration center.
OAKLAND, Calif. - The Bay Area is marked by the stories of the people detained at Angel Island between 1910 and 1940 who were on a journey to America in search of a better life. That history is ingrained into the fabric of our community through the Asian-inspired culture we see today, and it’s coming alive in a unique performance by the Oakland Ballet Company, Angel Island Project.
The Oakland Ballet Company is putting on a one-time show on Sunday, called Angel Island Project.
Protest poetry
The backstory:
"Most of it is inspired by the poetry, protest poetry, carved into the wooden walls of the Angel Island Immigration Center," said Graham Lustig, the Artistic Director for the company.
The project, in the works for the better part of a year, is part of the dance troupe’s fourth-annual Dancing Moons Festival.
"It’s a celebration of AAPI creatives, choreographers, composers, and designers," said Lustig.
Lustig counted a dozen dancers, seven choreographers, a 16-member choir, a composer, and a handful of designers, including choreographer and dancer Lawrence Chen, a second-generation Chinese American.
Connection to the past and today's struggles
"There are a lot of people from my grandpa’s hometown that went through Angel Island at the time, so I feel a sort of connection and I think that the work that we’re doing here is trying to pay homage to the people who had to suffer and eventually did make it through or didn’t make it through," said Chen.
Although the story will be told through dance, there will be a screen projecting the Chinese poetry along with an English translation so that the audience can follow along.
"I think it echoes a lot of the struggles that people are facing today and I really hope that it inspires hope for a shared future," said Ashley Thopiah, a dancer and choreographer for the piece. "As an Asian American and working with an all-Asian American cast, it was powerful to put truth to history and to honor our ancestors and our past and to breathe life into the tale struggle."
The artists said the show will pay tribute to the immigrant story and celebrate the heritage of Asian Americans.
"There can be moments of darkness, but also moments of beauty, just like our great American story," said choreographer Phil Chan.
The one-time performance will be at the Oakland Paramount Theater this Sunday, May 4th, at 3 p.m.
You can find the link to the tickets on the website: https://oaklandballet.org/
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