Past Programs | Directions to Casa Libre

Edge 71: a Reading Series of Emerging and Younger Writers
w/Javetta Laster, Farzana Marie, & Anton Smith

Curator: Melissa Buckheit Melissa Buckheit's Bio

A note from the curator: I have often wanted to listen to authors who are in the same place in their career as myself--emerging, published in journals, with a chapbook and/or a first full-length book, still growing but full of passion, new ideas, and an edge. But there is often infrequent opportunity for this; in fact, I have often felt disappointed in the lack, that such an open community might often be circumscribed in its literary programming.  Additionally, featuring emerging writers engages other young as well as established writers, to support, frequent and attend Casa Libre and other writing events. This cycle creates the foundation for a writing community which self-generates, remains true, open, and allows many voices the opportunity for visibility and being heard. I want Tucson to be an artistic community which includes and features many voices and peoples. Literature is the province of communication, but also reflectivity, the reflection and representation of all our narratives and of new narratives and ideas, voices which are challenging and also challenge us.

Wednesday, December 10
7:30 p.m.
Suggested Donation: $5

Come to Edge: A Reading Series of Emerging and Younger Writers. Edge is a series of local and national writers and cross-genre artists, emphasizing diversity of narrative, identity and literary source. Its purpose is to create community, visibility and voice for emerging and younger writers. Broadsheets of the authors' work will accompany each reading. Books and journals will be available for purchase and signing by the authors. Refreshments will be available after the reading.

Readers

Javetta Laster is storyteller by speech pattern and a historian by way of gossiping. Her work is centered on race, gender, and African-American myth-making. Her greatest accomplishment is writing the obituary for her grandmother's funeral.

Felisa Hervey (pen name Farzana Marie) is a poet and doctoral candidate at the University of Arizona, where she studies Persian Literature and Creative Writing. Farzana’s poetry has appeared in print and on-line journals including The Rusty Nail, Adanna, When Women Waken, Fourteen Hills, and Blue Streak: a Journal of Military Poetry. She is author of the nonfiction book Hearts for Sale! A Buyer's Guide to Winning in Afghanistan (Worldwide Writings, 2013) and a forthcoming book of poetry in translation from Persian Dari, Load Poems Like Guns: Women’s Poetry from Herat, Afghanistan (Holy Cow! Press, 2015). Farzana served over six years on active duty in the U.S. Air Force, including two consecutive years deployed in Afghanistan, and is proud to be part of the community of Tillman Military Scholars. She now serves as president of Civil Vision International, a nonprofit charitable organization focused on positively influencing international relationships.

Anton Smith is the founder and artistic director of The Human Project, Arizona's first and longest running professional urban dance company. Originally from Philadelphia, PA, Anton discovered his love of the movement arts as a child through emulating music videos and TV dance shows. His mother noticed his interest and enrolled him in a neighborhood performing arts program where he was introduced to music, drama, contemporary and West African dance. The program provided him the privilege of training
and studying with many notable artists in the Philadelphia/New York area and the opportunity to choreograph, perform and teach throughout the United States. After serving a brief stint in the military that re-located him to Arizona, Anton enrolled into the Bachelor of Fine Arts program in dance at the University of Arizona where he received the Honors College and Medici Scholars awards for choreography. While a student at UA he formed The Human Project and has shared the stage with notable recording artists such as Ashanti, R. Kelly, Yuri, Wisin and Paty Cantu. Internationally, The Human Project has toured to Central and South America to study with renowned companies Bale Folklorico da Bahia in Brazil and Dance 2XS in Mexico. In addition he has been featured on shows like The Voice (Mexico), World Cup promotionals and various Coca-Cola commercials. His choreography has won awards from the National Dance Alliance, Showstoppers USA and Holloywood Connection to name a few and as an educator Anton has also worked with many arts, educational and community service organizations, including the YWCA/YMCA, Tucson/Pima Arts Council, Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation and Pima County Democratic Party. Anton's work comes from a place of inherent cultural awareness, yet his diverse background in dance and an understanding of the arts affords him the ability to reach audiences unfamiliar with the urban dance lexicon while staying true to what he represents as an artist.

Show Description
This show, simply titled "Anton Smith presents The Human Project," references himself, the name of his dance company and the fact that all his previous shows began with the title, The Human Project presents...(i.e. HP presents Time to Take Flight, HP presents Vendetta, HP presents Sounds and Words, etc). Personal and daring, it's an individual exploration of the emotional highs and lows that come with being "human". First examining the wanderlust of being young and carefree, then venturing into maturity and beginning to discover the beauty and pain that life and love brings. Finally, it moves into addressing how hate, anger and adversity are necessary catalysts, that push us to seek out change and a higher level of existing. "While creating this show, the word balance became a reoccuring theme for me. As humans, we seem to be in a constant balancing act with life. Whether it be instinct vs. information, nature vs. technology, love vs. hate, its neverending. My performance reflects how polarizing that inner and external struggle is, and how liberating and empowering the end result can be." -Anton

Next Edge Reading will be held January.

Nov 2014

Oct 2014

Sept 2014

July 2014

June 2014

May 2014

Apr 2014

Mar 2014

Feb 2014

Jan 2014

Dec 2013

Nov 2013

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