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STILL DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY.....
Dear Friends and Family, Old and New, Near and Far:
My fascination with dance and festivals continues. In mid-March, 8 of us from Puerto Vallarta took the overnight bus to San Miguel de Allende, for the first International Tango Festival. We danced from 9 PM to 1 AM from Thursday to Monday night and took workshops starting at 10:30 i n the morning.
Some of us even went out salsa dancing after tango on Saturday night, arriving home about 4 AM. That made it very difficult to awaken and photograph the pre-Easter procession of a saint (which one?? I can't keep these saints straight) into San Miguel, since the pilgrims arrived about 6 AM. I should have just stayed up all night eating tacos outside the church. But no, I returned to the hotel for a few hours of sleep and missed the procession. Then, scurrying around about 8 AM, I went to 3 churches to find it and arrived to discover everyone disbanding. I later discovered that the procession brought "the miraculous image, Lord of the Column" from Atotonilco to the Church of San Juan de Dios. There were lots of vendors with tasty snacks lining the streets and people still carrying flowers, so I indulged in warm chocolate atole, a rather thick rice drink, and some sweet crispy taquitos piloncillos made with pumpkin seeds.
My saint for the day was this elderly woman who carefully patted the dough into small circles, plopped in a dollop of ground pumpkin seeds, pinched it together and fried the taquito in hot oil. I paid 5 pesos for 5 of them, and they were so good I ate about 10 more before leaving.
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BETWEEN TWO WORLDS
Looking back,I don't remember my childhood in Indiana as being dull, but I do recall a fascination with foreign cultures, probably because of the numerous books I read or the trips we took with our parents. Still there was nothing as colorful as an encounter with the danzantes Aztecas in Mexico. Here I am with Alejandro and Abigail, or as they are known in Nahuatl, Tzinacan and Masatzin. I've been photographing them and the other danzantes for 2 years, and have now been invited to witness several ceremonies with the group, yet this is the first picture I have had taken with them. I'm happy to say they are part of my "family of friends" in Puerto Vallarta. 
After watching them dance at an archaeological site called Plazuelas in March, I returned in time to witness once again the intense Catholicism of Mexico during the re-enactment of the Passion of Christ before Easter.
Whether one is devout or not, it is a moving spectacle and a reminder of how much religion has shaped history.
When I began this newsletter, I was still in Puerto Vallarta, savoring my last days near the ocean and the company of friends and fellow travelers. Since then, I've flown to Houston to visit my son, and onward to Indiana to reconnect with family and friends here. I awake, having dreamt of Mexico and slowly realize I'm no longer there.
My life as a Contemporary Nomad, or Vagabonda, as some of my Mexican friends call me, continues to be very rich: rich in relationships on both sides of the border, rich in color and texture, and rich in cultural experiences. I couldn't predict when I started out in October 2009, the month I sold my house, that I would leave pieces of my heart in every city where I have people I care about. It's less difficult than you think to part with belongings, and more difficult to keep saying goodbye. The blessing is that the bonds which connect me to dear friends and family members are reactivated when we reconnect, so it sees like no time has passed since we last met.
I wish for all of you the joys of unbounded love and friendship, wherever you are, and that you, too, can dance your way through life.
Please remember to take care of your special selves, follow your dreams, and express your love fully to those around you.
Abrazos y besos,
Elena
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KEEPING TABS SCULPTURE
I'm delighted to report that the Keeping Tabs sculpture which will commemorate the Jewish victims of the Holocaust is now under construction. As Artist-in-Residence at the Community Day School in Pittsburgh some years ago, I guided the students in designing, making models and choosing materials for a large-scale Jewish star composed of 6 million aluminum pop tabs inserted into glass blocks. It took many years to collect the pop tabs and many more years to raise the funds to construct the final sculpture. When complete, the sculpture will be a shimmering tribute to lives lost as well as to the dedication of the students, faculty, staff, volunteers, and the community. More photos of the project are on my website and you can keep up with the progress here.
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USUAL DISCLAIMER
I may have met you dancing tango, or wandering the streets of Oaxaca, chatted with you on an overnight bus to San Miguel, or at the writer's conference in Puerto Vallarta. You may have forgotten me, but I have not forgotten you. if this newsletter doesn't enliven your day, hit unsubscribe below. Or, feel free to forward it to your friends.
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POP TAB ART
| Speaking of art from "pop tabs," I was delighted to meet the young artist/ entrepreneur Gavino Sandoval, shortly after i first arrived in Puerto Vallarta in 2011.
He and his beautiful wife design and create elegant handbags from poptabs collected all over the region.
Because it was symbolic of the sculpture described above, I commissioned a belt from him and have since bought several purses.
Though he mostly sells to clients who encounter him on the bridge, he occasionally makes shipments to boutiques elsewhere in the world.
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JOYS OF INDIANA SPRING
It's been a joy to see a Midwestern spring once again, and due to an abundance of rain and cooler weather, the pink dogwood and the lilacs were still blooming when I arrived.  |
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