On August 16 we held our last class on the Five Vidyas and shared how they impacted our lives and practice and what we had learned from this series of classes. I reported in my earlier blog about a story told in that class by Mayra Hua Qiao (Enriquez), a disciple from Mexico, who had experienced insight and blessings from dancing for others. I was so touched by her story, I asked if she would write up her experience and let me share it with others. What follows is her story in Spanish and English and links to youtube videos of her performances as well as links to her partner Natta Hua Ling Quintero’s blogs and videos. The duo raised money to be able to perform for “the forgotten people and those with zero resources” by doing public events at places like the De Young Museum in San Francisco and Alcatraz Island shown below.
MI VIDYA LA DANZA
Mayra Hua Qiao (Enriquez)
Entre percusiones africanas, telas coloridas, calor, risas y mucho movimiento, fue en ese mundo fascinante llamado danza que conocí a mi querida Natta. Estábamos las dos tomando un taller de danza tradicional del país de Senegal en la ciudad de Xalapa Veracruz. La misma Natta había organizado dicho taller en el 2004. Inmediatamente hicimos amistad y posteriormente nos vimos escasas dos veces más. Pero con eso basto para seguir en contacto. Natta al poco tiempo se mudo a la ciudad de San Francisco CA donde en sus pocos correos me contaba que era discípula de un templo Budista, era todo lo que sabía de ella. En el 2008 decido mudarme igualmente a San Francisco y Natta inmediatamente me invitó a bailar en el templo de Hua Zang Si para una asamblea del Dharma . Literalmente me presente ante la Sanga con danza al igual que Natta lo había hecho años atrás. La experiencia tan sublime que tuve y la afinidad que experimente con el Dharma me llevaron a tomar refugio a los pocos meses.
En múltiples ocasiones Natta y yo nos presentamos en el templo y otros escenarios como en Los Ángeles para ofrendar nuestra danza a los Budas y Bodhisattvas. Nunca olvidaré el gusto, la devoción y el profesionalismo con lo que lo hacíamos.
A partir de estas experiencias, en el 2010 consolidamos formalmente la compañía de danza a la cual le llamamos The Tea Dancers/ Ballet de la Compasión y todo comenzó con un gran deseo de salir a bailar. Comenzamos en un lugar a una cuadra de donde vivíamos que era un centro para personas con Alzheimer, la experiencia fue un poco rara y caótica por ser la primera vez pero la respuesta del público fue tan bonita y sincera que nos motivaron a seguir haciéndolo. Y así comenzó la misión y no paramos por los siguientes 3 años. Fue verdaderamente compatible las ganas que ambas teníamos de llevar un momento de magia y entretenimiento a través de la danza a las personas olvidadas o con cero recursos como lo son personas en los asilos de ancianos, estancias juveniles, hospitales, refugios, entre otros.
Al principio los shows eran muy sencillos y con el tiempo las presentaciones fueron evolucionando. Ya no era solo danza, se convirtió en un show formal con iluminación, sistema de sonido, vestuarios elaborados, danza con fuego y coreografías aptas para estos lugares. Nada de esto fue tan sencillo, de verdad que fue mucho trabajo el que le dedicamos. Natta me enseño a coser para hacer los vestuarios, a hacer escenografías y crear coreografías; teníamos a diario ensayos, trabajo de oficina, mandar muchos emails, hacer la página web, darnos de alta para dar recibos de honorarios, planear y hacer eventos para recaudar fondos para conseguir dinero, contactar los lugares donde queríamos bailar, llegar al lugar y montar el equipo, ponernos el vestuario, bailar, desmontar el equipo de luz y sonido, platicar con la gente, etc. Si, fue muy intenso, pero al final del día nos sentíamos dichosas con la experiencia. Todo esto que logramos y cultivamos con trabajo e intervención divina con el tiempo dio frutos ya que fuimos invitadas a bailar a lugares increíbles y recibimos donativos anónimos.
Al final de estos 3 años en Diciembre del 2012 tuvimos la retribución karmática al tener la oportunidad de bailar en presencia de Buda Master en el Museo Internacional de Arte de América, no tengo palabras para describir esa experiencia, solo agradecimiento.
Ahora la pregunta es, ¿qué tiene que ver esta historia con las Vidyas en el Budismo?, pues bajo mi perspectiva entiendo ahora que todo ese hermoso trabajo hecho con corazón y compasión fue una expresión de no uno si no de múltiples Vidyas que pudimos echar andar para lograr lo que hicimos, desde aprender a coser vestuarios hasta bailar. Las enseñanzas y regalos fueron múltiples, pero lo que más me quedó claro de esas experiencias es que cuando haces algo de corazón sin intención de recibir nada a cambio más que la felicidad que provoca dar lo mejor de mí, ahí es cuando me di cuenta que la danza y todo lo que conllevaba estaba finalmente viviendo su verdadero propósito.
THE VIDYAS AND DANCE
by Mayra Hua Qiao (Enriquez)
It was in that fascinating world called dance between African percussion, colorful fabrics, heat, laughter and a lot of movement that I met my dear Natta. We were both taking a traditional dance workshop from the country of Senegal in the city of Xalapa Veracruz in Mexico. Natta organized this workshop in 2004. We immediately started a friendship and after that event we saw each other a few times but that was enough to keep in touch. Natta moved to the city of San Francisco, CA where in her few emails she told me that she was a disciple of a Buddhist master. That was all I knew about her. In 2008 I also decided to move to San Francisco, and Natta immediately invited me to dance at the temple of Hua Zang Si for a Dharma Assembly. I literally introduced myself before the Sangha performing dance just like Natta had done years earlier. The sublime experience I had and the affinity I experienced with the Dharma led me to take refuge within a few months.
On multiple occasions Natta and I performed in the temple and other places such as in Los Angeles to offer our Vidya dance to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. I will never forget the gusto, the devotion and the professionalism in all of what we did.
Based on these experiences, in 2010, we formally consolidated the dance company which we called The Tea Dancers/Ballet de la Compassion. It all started with a great desire to go out and dance. We started in a place one block from where we lived that was a center for people with Alzheimer’s. The experience was a bit strange and chaotic because it was the first time we had done anything like this. The response from the public was so nice and sincere that the experience motivated us to continue doing it. And so the mission began and we did not stop for the next 3 years. The desire that both of us had to bring a moment of magic and entertainment through dance to forgotten people or people with zero resources, such as people in nursing homes, youth shelters, senior centers, refugees, hospitals, hospices centers, among others, was truly honest.
At the beginning the shows were very simple. With time the presentations evolved and it was no longer just dance. It became a formal show with lighting, a sound system, elaborate costumes, a fire dance (see video), and choreographies suitable for these places. None of this was so simple and we really put a lot of work into it. Natta taught me how to sew and to make costumes, to make set designs and create choreographies, we had daily rehearsals, office work, sending emails, making web pages, making receipts for fees, organize, plan and hold events to raise funds. We had to contact places where we wanted to dance, arrive at the venue and set up the equipment, put on the costumes, dance, and then break down the light and sound equipment, talk to people, etc. Yes, it was very intense, but at the end of the day we were happy with the experience. All this that we achieved and cultivated with work and divine intervention over time bore fruits as we were invited to dance at incredible places and received anonymous donations. At the end of doing this for three years, in December 2012 we had the karmic retribution of having the opportunity to dance in the presence of the Buddha Master at the opening of the International Art Museum of America in San Francisco. I have no words to describe that experience, only gratitude.
Now the question is, what does this story have to do with the Vidyas in Buddhism? From my perspective I now understand that all that beautiful work done with heart and compassion was an expression of not one but of multiple Vidyas that we were able to manifest in order to achieve what we did. The teachings and gifts were multiple, but what was the most clear to me from those experiences is that when you do something from the heart without the intention of receiving anything in return other than the happiness that causes giving my best, that’s when I realized that the dance and all that it entailed was finally living its true purpose.
CLICK for video of Myra and Natta performing their fire dance at a block party in Berkeley where their very good friend Roya lives. Roya organized a special ceremony for her Mom who had passed away that year. The fire dance is done with live coals. The coals are placed in metal strainers that are attached to a chain that allows the dancers to spin them.
MORE from Natta Hua Ling (Quintero)
Here four links links from Natta’s old blog where she used to write about her experiences dancing with Mayra and the The Tea Dancers / Ballet de la Compasión. Natta is also part of the Lemonade Sangha and one of the two translators for our Spanish Sangha.
Fantasía Mexicana, Episode No.1
Fantasia Mexicana, Episode No.2 “Blue Burritos and Cucumber Dream Manifesto”
Yo sigo parada aquí / I still standing here
El arte de ayudar / The art of helping
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