Janice Valdez

I was just scrolling my facebook home page where it highlights all the status postings of my facebook friends. While I appreciated the updates on people’s thoughts and happenings, I recognized a sad truth: I am content to read about friends on facebook without participating much beyond being witness. And likely, many more months and years will pass in which I will miss having any direct human connection with some of these friends. Does that kind of engagement still qualify as “friend” in the way that I want “friend” to be? I’ll speak now to another experience today that seems unrelated but will later explain how I connect them.

This afternoon I was engaged in a very impassioned conversation with a friend and fellow artist about the state of the arts in Vancouver. This friend of mine, I’ll refer to her here as Tina, meets all sorts of people as a temp administrator in corporate offices and many of them claim not to know where to look to find arts and culture events in Vancouver. I speculated that those were excuses from people who simply had not made the effort to find out. Tina replied, “No, there was a person I worked with that had not ever heard about the Georgia Straight!” I find that difficult to believe but then all I have to do to be convinced is put myself into the lifestyle of someone whose priorities are focussed on many other things, other than the arts. And in this diversely rich city of Vancouver, there are many: hockey, outdoor sports, casinos, pubs, over-time at the office, outdoor sports, casinos, hockey! Being one whose career has revolved around the Arts, it’s a great challenge to imagine a lifestyle that does not involve being a patron of arts and culture. It’s a challenge to imagine it and sad that there are many for whom, this is their reality. Why do we not get excited about the theatre and other live performing arts in B.C. the way we get behind beer and hockey?! Again, here I’ll travel a little outside the lines….

I just attended the live tv recording of the Canadian Country Music Awards at GM Place and while yes, many more were able to view it at home on their personal televisions, there is nothing that will ever replace the experience of witnessing a live performance. Social online medias, tv, films, video recordings on mobile phones, even video conferencing; while all are extremely valuable and create opportunities to communicate at much higher rates of efficiency than a knock on the door or stage productions, they will never satisfy a basic human desire to be present with each other live! Eye to eye, voice to ear, hand to hand, energetic human vibrations!

As I’ve written this, I am in awe of the space that I have in this world via the internet and this website, to give voice to my thoughts. That is something incredibly powerful and amazing that humans have created this ability to access to ideas, thoughts, images and sounds globally, instantaneously. And the results of my words getting out into cyberspace, I cannot control nor fully know. And yet, it feels lonely still. Sure, one can reach a potentially wider audience using a television broadcast, making a film or adding faces on facebook, but when I look back on the experiences of my day, it was all the person to person experiences that were the most satisfying. When I sat in a venue filled with thousands of enthusiastic people cheering for the accomplishments of artists, when I sat across the table from a friend smiling and sharing stories over dinner, when I could hug my friend who made it possible for me to attend the music awards, and yell and poke (not a facebook poke!) him with excitement when my favourite artist came on to perform-these are moments unsurpassed and irreplaceable by technologies.

And so what was all this to express? Well, I guess I’m just reflecting upon the development of a habit to be passive when so much of technology affords us the convenience to be so. It is so easy not to make the effort to look someone in the eye because there is a text message to answer, or to gather with community, friends and family because facebook just updates us anyway, to go to live theatre because cable comes right into the home. I am reminding myself to spend time in-person and be present with people and places and other living creatures that I care for as often as I can, Today! The technology is meant to facilitate it, not give an excuse or distraction not to! Today was a nice balance.

Janice Down the Rabbit Hole, Performing Arts

I saw the most incredibly bold and inspiring solo production of Hamlet last night at the Uno festival in Victoria.

I can’t think of anything more artistically frightening and challenging than performing a solo show, except performing a solo show of the greatest play by the most brilliant playwright.  Raoul Bhaneja performed it like a poetic warrior.  Amazing!

It was just the thing I needed to see, while I’m in process of writing my own solo peice.  I’m realizing that even though I no longer work with a mining company, I still maintain the business of digging for gold; the literary variation.  I’m taking myself places I thought I’ve been to before, places I didn’t know existed, and places I dare not return to, all the while making new discoveries and coming upon deeper understandings of my humanity.  I’m transitioning now from a phase of thinking,  ‘Who is going to care about witnessing this story?” to “Hey, this is my story.  I wonder what would happen if I told it.”

I’m so thankful to Intrepid Theatre for putting on the Uno Festival and giving our island community another opportunity to share in the beautiful art of storytelling.  Check out the shows at the Uno Festival!

Janice Performing Arts

I hear a cello and a piano being played either next door or in the apartment below. I like it. I’m in the midst of writing a solo show based on my immigrant experience and it’s a lonely process and quiet. Hearing the people practice their instruments feels like I’m not alone as an artist.

The courage to create art, in any medium, is the courage to be alone. An artist must be alone to be intimate with one’s Self to be authentic in giving voice to one’s stories authentically. Authenticity and presence of Spirit in art is rare, but when it’s there, it’s magical and speaks universal truths about humanity.

What I am beginning to learn in a deep way, is that my own personal truth of my experiences is connected to others by our humanity. Fear, anger, joy, sadness, these are all universal human experiences of emotion and no matter what the context, we can relate to each other when we see them demonstrated. But there is so often confusion, for how I demonstrate and communicate an emotion does not control how others will interpret what I say or show, and so we do not always understand nor do we feel understood, even when we think we are.

Bridging this gap of understanding is where I find my purpose and work. When we engage in creative expression through the arts, we abstract our emotions, thoughts and experiences into symbols, metaphors, stories, sounds, gestures - a multitude of layers and options for pathways into understanding the creator’s point of view. On some level, when we create something of our own design, we know this and it can trigger fears around being public about the parts of ourselves we have not yet come to appreciate or acknowledge. What I think is so great to acknowledge is that hiding something, or the avoidance of sharing who we are authentically, does not change the fact that we are who we are.

If I write a story, and it has a bunch of spelling errors in it, I can choose to share the story for it’s worth, or I can fear the judgement of the spelling errors and withhold the story completely. One option takes the risk of exposure to criticism but creates the opportunity for growth, and one does not risk exposure but guarantees failure. Neither of these choices changes the quality of the creation, but choosing to be public and get feedback creates opportunity to improve.

It’s hardwork looking at one’s ‘less than ideal’ choices, but only if we attach a meaning about it to our self worth. That’ s where the courage to create really is the courage to live life to the fullest. That’s why I believe in creative practice and commit much of my time to make space for them in the world.  It’s about evolving our humanity, starting with one’s Self.

Janice Performing Arts

Aaaahhhh. MMMmmmm…Ma Ma Ma Ma….Hhhhhhh. These are the sounds that filled my evenings this past week. Each night after a full day of sitting at a desk, it was so satisfying to relax into breathing and sighing with other actors, artists, and teachers. Since I took the voice intensive almost 2 years ago in 2006, I return annually to David Smukler’s tune-ups. We work with shakespeare text and his technique, originating from Kristin Linklater, is incredibly powerful and precise. It really an experience that opens the voice in a way that is transforming.

I’m so grateful for having learned of the National Voice Intensive and of David Smukler. My voice is more resonant and present than it was 5 days ago and I’ve gained a deeper wisdom about my body and how it contains emotions and thoughts. An extraordinary journey for any actor, teacher…human.

Janice Performing Arts, Teaching & Facilitating

Wow, I’m amazed at how fast the time has gone. On the fast track update: I moved to the westside in Vancouver December 1st. to a one bedroom. My first one bedroom! That was tremendously exciting. There was no slowing down though outside of home life, so many of my books and some clothes are still in boxes.

I spent Christmas eve with family in North Vancouver and did an overnight flight to North Bay, Ontario where I was warmly welcomed by Joe and his family. North Bay is a small community about 3 hours north of Toronto by car. There was lots of snow and a street named after me - Janice street!
We spent New Years in a Brazilian Steakhouse where I ate more meat in one sitting than I have eaten all year! And the pineapple roasted on the skewer! Divine! Joe and I had a great evening of dancing, eating, drinking and laughing with Aura and her fiance Adam. We did a fair bit of shopping in Eaton Centre and checked out Kensington Market.

Since then, Joe started a 4 month contract with a graphics company who placed him to run operations in Manhattan, of all places! And I dragged my feet back to Vancouver to continue building my work from where I am. I have tremendous support from Peak Gold for my artistic pursuits. It’s quite refreshing to be affiliated with such a caring and progressive company.

The World Premiere of “Aswang: Journey Into Myth” went very well in Victoria on Thursday, February 7th. Our film played at the same time as ‘The Walker’, and independent film starring Woody Harrelson and it was a rainy night so I thought it was a great turn out with the house 80-85% full. The Q & A went well afterwards and people showed a genuine interest in the subject and were pretty spooked. We’re hoping that it makes it into the Vancouver Fim Festival and the Toronto Film Festival next year.

I’ve started writing a play with the guidance and direction of Lina de Guevara of Puente Theatre. The goal is to have it written by early April and have a run in May, but I’m not making any promises.

In April I’ll be presenting at a conference in Philadelphia and in July I’ll be presenting the same research project to an International Social Sciences conference in Tuscany, Italy! This is the Arts in Medical Education pilot that I designed with a team of researchers at UVic in 2006.

I’ll be working on getting this blog and my website coordinated within the next few weeks. I’ve got a bunch of dates I’ll post for performances and events to come.

Janice Down the Rabbit Hole, Performing Arts

Today and tomorrow I will get to role-play as a Scotiabank investment client with financial advisors who want to practice their conversation skills.  I do this with Focus Management Group, a company started by Peter Gardner-Harding in Toronto and now works all over North America.  I’m really grateful for this work because it creates an awareness for both professions of the teaching potential that conversations can have if we are open to learning from them.  It is also wonderfully affirming of my belief in the power of applied theatre for illuminating our world.

From theses sessions, the actors have often walked away with a bit more knowledge about financial management and bankers appreciate the gift of the actor’s contribution to their learning in a new way than conventionally done on tv, film or stage.

Janice Performing Arts, Teaching & Facilitating

Based on true events of a highschool teacher and her students, this movie moved me.  It brought me back to my time with the “at risk” teens in New York City when I worked at The Door.  My position was of Senior Counselor for the S.O.S program, the Second Opportunity School for students who were to serve 1 year Board of Education suspensions in the new program.  I was among four counselors who developed and implemented counselling sessions that would support the development of the youth along side their special classrooms.  None of them wanted to be there at first and I didn’t blame them. 

Watching Freedom Writers got me wondering about the students I had developed relationships with almost 5 years ago.  I wonder if any of them graduated and what they went on to doing afterwards.  It’s an amazing honour to be a guide in a child’s life and an equally enourmous responsibility. 

Yesterday, I was scheduled to attend an general audition for a theatre company.  I had about 2.5 weeks to prepare for it and as the days went by, I acknowledged that I should be choosing monologues and memorizing but when it came to the actions I chose, I chose to put my energy towards other things.  I chose to spend time designing clothes, I chose to read and write, I chose to put time into “Learning out of Bounds”, and I thought more about how I can develop my work as a facilitator of learning and growth.  And I look at the number of entries on my blog under performing arts (3) and compare that to the number of entries under ‘teaching & facilitating’ (12) and I can’t help but feel that I seem to be more drawn towards education than I am to acting. 

I have for many years felt anxious about having to choose between being a teacher or being an artist.  I don’t feel so much angst anymore because I know that each one is part of the other in a very integral way.  Right now, I’m feeling pretty motivated to get into a classroom.  And this time it isn’t about what is practical or safe or convenient.  Many people think that those who can’t do, teach.  Actually, I think the conventional school system is a very scary place to be both for teachers and students, and I don’t think public education is practical.  To take up a teacher’s job structure is not as convenient as the flexibility of a freelance consultant.  Perhaps for the first time, I’m acknowledging that I do have a passion for education and for the arts.  When I choose to perform it is because I believe in giving voice to the story that will be told, and when I choose to teach it is an answer to a calling that I think I’ve had for a long time.  I think I’m getting prepared to listen now.

I hope I there will be opportunity for me to practice drama therapy in a way that is fun and fulfilling.  I hope I can do for myself what it is I try to do for others.  I hope I can keep up.

Janice Performing Arts, Teaching & Facilitating

A play written and directed by Will Weigler based on true life events of a couple who came from Indonesia, survived a war, immigrated to Canada and live today in Victoria and attended our production of their stories.  I had the honour of playing the ‘young woman’ role and it was something very special to meet and speak with the lady who I portrayed today.  She was very gracious and enjoyed the play very much.  Her response to our work was the best reward for all the work we put into the show. 

It was a pressured process to have the lines and blocking down in less than 7 rehearsals for a 40 minute peice of theatre.  We used bunraku style and shadow puppetry, and I had the interesting challenge of singing acapella solo.  Freaky!  But we got through it.  And it was a lovely group of people to work with so it was that much more enjoyable.  We did it as part of the Reminiscence Theatre festival held at the Phoenix Theatre, UVic.  Big names in the world of applied theatre were there:  Tony Goode, and Pam Schweitzer from the UK and a group of 6 girls from Kassel, Germany and of course our local heroes Warwick Dobson, Juliana Saxton, Lina de Guevara, Trudy Pauluth-Penner, and Will Weigler were also presenters.

From there I went straight into recording the revisions to the voice-over for the Aswang film and then after a short stop at home for food, went to the Fernwood hall to watch Theatre Inconnu’s production of “The Caretaker” by Harold Pinter.  I think it’s the first Theatre of the Absurd production I’ve seen.  It was 2.5 hrs long but worth it.  All three actors gave strong performances and the design elements all very well done.  I especially liked the choice of M.J’s “Beat It” to open and close the show.  Clayton Jevne’s dedication to his art has been a gift to Victoria and I hope he never stops shining.

Janice Performing Arts

Tonight I had the most fun discovering the videos of Happy Slip productions on YouTube…otherwise known as You Choob.  It’s hilarious.  A filipina-american in New York City makes these great videos; writing, directing, editing and acting all the characters herself.  If you haven’t checked it out, do!  My favourites so far are “peephole” , “mixed nuts”, “Morning Meest” and “Home”.  She does a great job of capturing the charm and humour of Filipino families and she’s so easy and a pleasure to watch.

Janice Performing Arts

I recently went back to Victoria and watched the movie I filmed with High Banks Productions (Jordan Clark) last summer.  I felt nervous before watching it, and mixed emotions while watching it (scared, anxious, surprised, annoyed, pleased, confused) and then afterwards, I felt relieved and excited, and still a bit insecure.  Not attributed to the film, but to my own coming to terms that the process is coming to an end and it is now becoming a product that others will see and judge.

I don’t particularly enjoy watching myself on video. Never have.  But it’s a good exercise for actors because the camera doesn’t lie.  I’m very quick to see what I could have done better.  The way we worked actually gave me an out from the pressure of having things done in a specific way, in that there were no rehearsals with scripts and very little character prep could actually be done for scenes that were improvised and shot out of sequence.  Every shot was done the best way we knew how at the time.  If I’m to work this way again, without a script, I’d say I would need to spend more time dreaming in unison with the filmmaker about the vision and direction of the story.  Ideally there would be funding to build in this time so that we didn’t also need to attend to full-time jobs at the same time.  I learned that the script, the written word, is where the team meets for guidelines in the creative process.  I appreciate it’s function in a way I had not before.  In fact, I have thought sometimes that speaking another writer’s words got in the way, creating obstacles to my connection to the role (depending on the quality and style of the writing). Although challenging and limiting, I also see the advantages and fun in working without scripts.

We’ll be screening it in Victoria sometime in March.  I’ll go but I’ll probably be watching the audience more than I will the film. 

For the trailer and music clips and the director notes on the making of the film, click on aswang movie under the blogroll.

I think my family who were in the movie will be pleased.  They were invaluable to the making of the film, both in Canada and the Philippines.

Janice Performing Arts