Alma.Sama.
Fragments and Accents of the Life
of Alma M. Karlin (1889 - 1950)
Congratulations Alma.Sama. collaborators on receipt of a 2017 indy Award awarded to Misa Kelly for the collaborative production on behalf of all collaborators for the reprise of Alma.Sama. Thank you Santa Barbara Independent!
Collaborating Artists
UNITED STATES
California
Misa and Stephen Kelly
Misa and Stephen met while Misa was a student of dance and Stephen focusing primarily on his creative endeavors as a concert pianist. 23 + years later the two have become partners in all things creative enjoying co-creating dance and physical theater with fellow ArtBarkers while continuing to enjoy their creative exploits as individuals. Rather than choose the path of parenthood the two decided to devote their lives to their art and being of service to other creatives with limited resources through their work with the Future Traditions Foundation. Together they have realized over 150 projects; toured to Turkey, Slovenia, Austria, France, Connecticut, and New York & been a source of inspiration to many. Their home base is Santa Barbara, California where they have easy access to their home away from home - Santa Cruz Island and they can provide excellent personal assistant suppport to their beloved feline - Magnolia.
Cecily Stewart is a Santa Barbara native. She trained with Santa Barbara Ballet Center before moving North to finish her training at Marin Dance Theatre. She has danced with Richmond Ballet, New York Theater Ballet, and State Street Ballet. She has also spent time collaborating, improvising, and creating with Misa and Stephen. Cecily is the founder and director of Library Dances, an educational outreach program that brings literature to life through life by creating collaborative performances that bring professional dancers and school students together on stage and in rehearsal. Cecily is thrilled to be a part of the Alma Karlin Project.
New York
Trina Mannino is a principal artist/organizer for ArtBark International working from Brooklyn. In New York, she has performed with Anabella Lenzu’s Dance/Drama, Dance Elixir, Laura Peterson Choreography and is presently dancing for Barbara Mahler. Trina made her first dance film "We’re Here Now" which premiered at Triskelion Arts’ CollabFest in 2013. Her writing has appeared in The Brooklyn Rail, Dance Europe Magazine and The Dance Enthusiast. Her choreography been showcased in CA, NY & CT and her first international engagement in 2015 was with the Alma.Sama creative residency in Slovenia with performances of ArtBark's first evening length work at the Cankarjev Dom.
SLOVENIA
“Majcen’s the kind of dancer you can’t stop watching: Her exquisite technique is matched by a spellbinding presence. Whether she’s slapping the floor or firing off an above-the-head jeté, she’s in complete command. It’s only when other dancers join her onstage that you realize she’s hardly more than five feet tall."
- Elizabeth Schwyzer, Santa Barbara Independent
"Without doubt Mojca Majcen is one of the most distinctive dancers from Slovenia, her virtuosity and passion for dancing will help her to dance in the future on many world stages"
- MATEJA PODJED-NT&RC Celje
Marijan Pušavec
Marijan Pušavec is an author, researcher, translator and dramaturgist. As a dramaturgist his work has spanned from working for community theater to international recognized dance theater. He has created dramaturgy for: Theatre Ante Portas, award winning IGEN Dance Theater, the City of Celje, Slovenia’s theater, and the National Theatre Maribor on the Book of Job. Marijan has also worked extensively as a lector, proofreader, and editor for Slovene Folk Theatre in Celje, Slovenia. As an author Marijan’s work ranges from being a published author of short stories to that of script writing for comics.
For the past decade one of his primary focuses has been upon the famous personality and author from Celje, Slovenia Maksimilijana Karlin (1889-1950). Marijan has conducted extensive research about her life which has resulted in new translations of her unpublished and lesser known work. In relation to Alma Karlin he has organized public lectures and discussions about her life and work, is presently constructing a website for her, as aforementioned is working on the script for a comic series based on her life, and Marijan also participated in the artistic documentary film based on her life made by the Portuguese artist Andre Guedes. One of his life dreams is to create a dramaturgical script for dance and theater that draws from this extensive body of knowledge he has accumulated.
Presently Marijan is very active in the local artistic community participating as a writer, advisor, and supervisor for both domestic and foreign artists who have extended stays in Celje, Slovenia. He supports his creative endeavors working as an independent researcher & librarian in Celje's library in the department for local studies and heritage.
