Traveled through 14 countries and now 10 months into China, I’ve gained a deepened appreciation and immediacy for identity. I’m an Iranian, California-raised storyteller and my root curiosity is consistency. Using comfort as a prime currency, I’m in the business of remembrance and value creation.
So right around new year I considered the following question: “If you had an endless supply of money, what would you be doing?” I realized not much would change. I would keep teaching, writing, and doing events.
The following month a group of us did a show titled Looking at Itself, centered around improv, music, and poetry. Part of the aim was to grey the divide between performer and audience. This would be my first performance in China and far from what I had planned, the show developed into musical madness on piano and guitar, a few on spoken word, and one painter at the center of the crowd. We allowed a wide play range and I made one promise to myself:
Just show up.
With gracious support from June, the venue coordinator, it was a success: full crowd. surprise performers, moments of luminous synchronicity. A sagely Chinese elder did his first public performance that night. The pianist got signed as a regular performer. And we got invited to a literature festival in March.
Were there moments of panic leading up to the show? Yes.
Was it uncomfortable? Yes.
Did I trust the process? Yes.
Did I feel supported? Yes.
Did I ruthlessly say “no” to packs of ideas toward the final essential piece? Yes.
Was it euphoric in the end? Yes
More cross-modal, cross-cultural events to come.