Groundwork Presentation Now on YouTube!

In October 2021 I was humbled to be ask to co-present at the Groundwork Conference about our recent Ping Chong + Company production working with older adults.

I’m so happy to report that now you can watch it on YouTube!

And I highly recommend that you do! So many incredible artists doing powerful work were also featured!

Description: Creative aging programs—when rooted in authentic collaboration—can be paths for older adults to feel fully seen and heard as vital contributors to our communities. In this Real Talk Session, representatives of creative aging programs at Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana and Ping Chong + Company talk openly about how they are using dance and storytelling to deepen connections among local elders. Join us to discuss how these kinds of transparent and human-centered approaches to creative aging can build alliances among your older adult students, your staff and teaching artists, and your community partners and spark broader advocacy. This session took part the first week of the program and was held on October 26, 2021, with American Sign Language interpretation provided by Pro Bono ASL.

“Pathways to Creative Aging: Building Community Alliances through Artmaking”, brought together the following community practitioners in conversation with one another:

Moderator:

• Heather Ikemire (Deputy Director of Learning and Engagement, National Guild)

Speakers:

• Leslie Roybal (Program Director, Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana)

• Elisabet Torras Aguilera (Teaching Artist, Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana)

• Carly McCollow (Teaching Artist, Ping Chong + Company)

• C. Meranda Surmanek (Cultural Organizer, Educator, Joker, and Multidisciplinary Artist, Ping Chong + Company)

• Cory Michael Herman (Director, Alliance Stage Company)

• Sarie Teichman (Older Adult Student, Ping Chong + Company)