FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
DECEMBER 18, 2008
Eth-Noh-Tec To Perform for the Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C.
Who: Eth-Noh-Tec, Asian American Kinetic Story Theater
What: Smithsonian Institution presents “Out of Many” Obama Inaugural Celebration
Where: National Museum of the American Indian, Washington, D.C.
When: Monday Jan. 19, 2009 12:30pm and 2:00pm
Contact: Nancy Wang, Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo, or Diana Thompson, Eth-Noh-Tec; office: (415) 282-8705; fax: (415) 282-8795;
Public Info: contact@ethnohtec.org; www.ethnohtec.org
Photos: http://www.ethnohtec.org/gallery/
Presidential Inaugural Event:
Nancy Wang and Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo of San Francisco’s Eth-Noh-Tec, will be performing at a Presidential Inaugural event!
On January 19 (also significantly Martin Luther King Day), they will be performing their unique style of kinetic storytelling theater in DC – the day before President-Elect Obama is sworn in as our new President.
Eth-Noh-Tec performs ancient folktales, myths and legends from Asia, and contemporary inspiring stories of Asian America, and has toured the world with their art forms since 1984.
“We were so honored to perform for Clinton’s second inauguration. And now for Obama?! We are so excited!” exclaimed Nancy Wang, co-founding director of Eth-Noh-Tec, and the company’s co-writer and choreographer.
“It is an historic moment in America and one we are proud to be a part of,” added Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo, Eth-Noh-Tec’s other co-founding director and co-writer, who is the comedian and musician/composer of the group.
Eth-Noh-Tec will celebrate with stories from their repertoire in their unique style of movement, music and the spoken word at the National Museum of American Indians at 12:30pm and 2:00 pm, Monday Jan. 19th. They will be joined by other multi-cultural artists from the US and Africa. Sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution, the event is open to the public.
“Now we just have to find a way there and a place to stay!!”
Nancy and Robert welcome suggestions and ideas! Look them up at www.ethnohtec.org. They welcome donations and helpful suggestions.
Organizational History:
In 1982, Eth-Noh-Tec was founded by Nancy Wang – dancer, choreographer and playwright, and Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo – musician, composer, writer and physical comedian. Our mission is to build cultural bridges that celebrate diversity and create compassionate communities through Asian and Asian American stories that reveal our universal truths.
Eth-Noh-Tec’s (ENT) beginnings fathered the Bay Area’s first school and performing company of the southern Philippine’s traditional music of Kulintang bronze gong ensemble and dance. By 1987, Nancy and Robert began to add more stories to their performances, until finally this art form became their major genre. Today, many groups carry on their Kulintang work unaware that Eth-Noh-Tec introduced this traditional form to the Bay Area.
ENT’s storytelling reached an even higher success in the performing arts world. Combining our talents, art forms and vision, we created an innovative and unique expression that borrows from Asian aesthetics to tell stories that inspire and entertain. Through stylized movement and gesture, music and the spoken word, Eth-Noh-Tec has successfully produced ongoing programs in Story performance. ENT rewrites, choreographs and composes for performance the ancient folktales, myths and legends of Asia, and script Asian American contemporary stories of light and wisdom.
Our particular form does not fit into any one niche. We have been seen as ‘experimental’ in the storytelling world, but not ‘edge’ enough for the performance art world. We see ourselves as an interdisciplinary performing art using stories as our vehicle and content. Often difficult to describe, still our stories are a powerful medium. Our storytelling touches our audience members by giving back their humanity in these difficult times. Once seeing our performance style and listening to our stories, audiences leave inspired and moved. We further use our mission through producing monthly salons, giving artists a venue in which to perform, and teaching classes that allow ordinary people to find a voice and tell their own stories.
Stories of truth and courage, serving one’s community, respecting all humanity, respecting the environment, forgiveness and other values are the cornerstone of ENT’s stories. One of the most ancient, if not the most ancient art form, storytelling helped our communities thrive in peaceful relationship. Storytelling provides an important service to our many communities.
Performing over 250-300 concerts annually at schools, universities, festivals, theater series, conferences, museums and libraries, they are known as national storytellers throughout the country and around the world. In 2008, ENT toured to Austria, Singapore and India, as well as the Bay Area and beyond. ENT also provides 3 DVDs and 2 CDs of its stories for all ages, all genders and all cultures. T-shirts and mugs round out our ‘market place’. In 1999, we were named ‘Artist of the Year’ by National Young Audiences; in 2007 awarded ‘Green Business Award’ by San Francisco’s Green Business Program; and in 2008 awarded with the National Storytelling Network’s (NSN) ‘Circle of Excellence’. ENT has received numerous grants including San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund, San Francisco Arts Commission, Zellerbach Family Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, California Arts Council, Haas Foundation, Creative Work Fund, Gerbode Foundation, National Storytelling Institute, California Fund, Target Stores, and many more.
Program Highlights:
Eth-Noh-Tec provides several programs to fulfill our mission:
Performance Programs:
1. Asia Fantasia: stories and music of Southeast Asia;
2. Asian Treasure Bag: stories of pan-Asia;
3. Japanese Jamboree: stories of Japan with taiko drumming;
4. Kids Love Kulintang: stories of the Philippines and the music and dances from the southern island of Mindanao;
5. Sharing the Light: stories of wisdom including ‘Takashi’s Dream’ – the journey of an atom bomb survivor from rage to forgiveness, and ‘In Need of Goddesses’– the story of Japanese Sun Goddess Amaterasu woven with the story of contemporary women dealing with issues of power;
6. Tales of Now and Yesteryear: personal family tales and those of being Chinese American growing up in New Orleans, and that of a Japanese/Filipino American growing up in Concord, California;
7. Green Grows Your Story: ancient myths that speak to human’s relationship to the natural world coupled with dialogue, curriculum guide, action lists for tackling global climate change and telling the stories of their projects – giving youth a voice and the power to make a difference;
8. Orcas Storyfest: producing and curating a storytelling festival on Orcas Island, bringing in national tellers to this rural island.
Classes and Workshops:
1. Tell it with Movement and More;
2. Beyond the Box: Understanding Prejudice;
3. Asian Pacific Playshop: Asian Music, Song and Dance.
Cultural Tours:
1. ENT has successfully led 3 tours to a 600-year old traditional storytelling village in China. Each tour brings storytellers, musicians and artists to share their stories, art forms and hearts, building bridges between China and America. Another China tour is planned for 2009;
2. In 2008, ENT led a similar tour to the Chennai area in Tamil-Nadu, India.
For information, call (415) 282-8705, email contact@ethnohtec.org, or visit www.ethnohtec.org.
