Soy Andina: The Blog

U. of Pennsylvania / Wharton Alumni helped make Soy Andina Happen

Soy Andina is a film about Peruvians reconnecting with roots and community, but in the process, so has the gringo filmmaker (yours truly). One example: I reached out to graduates of my alma mata, the University of Pennsylvania and Wharton Business School. Many contributed funds and time to make this film happen. Thank you.

From Summer '07 Wharton Alumni Magazine
click to enlarge

Mitch Teplitsky interviewed in OurWorld, the online portal for World Learning

Nice interview with me by Tristan Roberts just posted on OurWorld, the online portal for alumni and friends of The Experiment in International Living, The School for International Training (SIT) and World Learning.

Good recap of why I'm doing this project. I don't have to write a "Director Statement" from scratch, they already exist in stories like this. Plus I love how good editors help make me sound articulate. I also like the photo. Makes me hungry.

Thanks to Alumni Director Holly Peterson for making this happen. (There's a notice in the same issue that Holly's stepping down. Hopefully no correlation. Was I THAT pushy pitching the article?)

One could say that The Experiment is responsible for this film. I started volunteering with them in the late 80s, recruiting New York hosts for foreign visitor homestays. That led me to apply to be a Group Leader for the Experiment's Summer Abroad program in Mexico. After getting rejected two years — my Spanish was lousy and I'd never lived abroad — they chose me for the Summer 1991 program to Tlaxaca, Mexico.

Well I had to improve my Spanish, pronto. At the time I was a volunteer English teacher at The International Center. I asked around if someone could practice Spanish with me. The program coordinator introduced me to Nelida Silva. You know the rest....

Latina Magazine is casting for Peruvian faces - guess who we're recommending?

Neli just forwarded this email sent to her Ballet Folklorico Peru website. Ever so community-minded, she asked if I could forward to others, but I was like "hey, first I'm pitching you and Cynthia!" And why not? Neli and Cynthia have already proven their allure! Actually I've been in touch with Latina Magazine and had long envisioned pitching a Soy Andina article when the movie was done.

Hello there:

I found your dance school on the web. I am doing a casting for Latina Magazine and I wanted to know if you would like to participate. Latina is doing a photo project on the diversity in the Latin community. We will be photographing Latinas of African, European and Asian descent. We really want to include women of indigenous descent, Incan, Mayan, Aztec, etc. I looked on your website and think your dancers would be perfect for this. I am on deadline (Monday) so if someone could get back to me as soon as possible, that would be great. At this stage, what I need is digital photos of their faces. The professional portraits will be taken later. Thank you very much.

----------------

Hola:

Brona Hatchette esta buscando "caras" de peruanas para la revista Latina Magazine (ver abajo) si estan interesadas o conocen a alguna peruana con su hermozo rostro indigena y/o afro-peruana, por favor envienle una foto solo de "cara" Fotos enviar a bronah(at) gmail.com. Un abrazo a todos/as

Brona Hatchette
bronah(at) gmail.com

Cynthia in the News (again)

Read about Cynthia in a recent issue of the Peruvian news weekly Caretas about Fulbright scholars in Peru.

Note 1: It's in Spanish.
Note 2: I linked to a PDF file with photos, so it's pretty big. Be patient, it will take a few seconds to open.

World's Most Popular Blog for Peruvian Dance?

You webheads already know about technorati - the web's premiere search engine for tracking blogs and news (20.8 million sites and 1.7 billion links, to be more precise).

Go the website. Put "Peru" and "dance" in the search box.

That's right. Us. Cool piece of evidence for marketing and sponsorship pitches.

Neli on the Teli: 15 Seconds of Fame

This is gonna make you smile. A 15-second video clip of Neli dancing that aired on NY1 last June but just discovered. Host Shelley Goldberg looks practically Andean with Nelida's scarf draped over her shoulder. (Note: the link is going to take you to NY1's website. Then click on either the Dial-up or broadband button to stream the video).

Listen to the NPR/Latino USA story

Here's the Broadcast of Cynthia's recent story on NPR's Latino USA (thanks to Latino USA for permission to post this file)

American-Canadian Assoc. of Peru presentation

I set this up a few months ago, and now it's happening - a presentation to the biggest expat network in Peru, the American Canadian Association of Peru (ACAP). Hoping to create or build upon some relationships that might lead to funding, though I won't be passing the tin cup here! Just an intro. And if that doesn't happen, it's still a way to get more involved with the expat community here. And have a nice meal besides! Plus nice article in their print and online publication. Here's their blurb:

Thursday, July 14, 8 pm
Restaurant Night with Mitch Teplitsky

This month's ACAP Restaurant Night will bring members together at the posh Club Empresarial in San Isidro, where we will be delighted by the treats from the kitchen, and also entertained by New York film producer Mitch Teplitsky, who will speak about his documentary “Soy Andina” (see interview below). Mitch will discuss the origin of the film and its importance for Peru and will tell us about some of the challenges and rewards he faced while working on location in the Andes, in Lima and Peru's northern coast. Dinner guests will be priviledged to preview scenes from the soon-to-be released feature and, following his presentation, will have the opportunity to engage personally with Mitch, who recently became an ACAP member. So mark your calendars for July 14th this is another ACAP dinner you won't want to miss! The cost for the three course meal is S/.60 for members and S/.70 for non-members. The Club Empresarial is located at Via Principal 165, Torre Real 3, in San Isidro, right beside the Swiss Hotel (Swissôtel).

To reserve your place for this special event, call Linda and Andrea at 222-6359.

Interview below:

NPR Story to air!

I began to make a connection between hip hop and folklore in Peru, both expressions of a marginalized culture...

Back in April Cynthia was interviewed for NPR's Latino USA program. Just heard that he story finally airs this coming week, July 1-7.

I'm excited about this, I think it's going to be a real delight, and the association of NPR should help us enlist more support.

I tried guinea pig for the first time at a festival - it was crispy, crunchy, awesome - better than KFC!

Here in New York the show will air on WYNC-AM, Friday 10:30pm and Saturday 11:30pm. For your local station go to Latino USA.

Check out the blog and photos from the interview back in April.

Journalist Reese Ehrlich filed other great stories from Peru and Bolivia for NPR as well, you can find them by putting "Reese" or "Peru" in the search bar.

We're gonna be on NPR!

Hey, now this is press we like.

I got an email from an Oakland-based journalist Reese Erlich last month. We were connected by Global Exchange, a cool organization I traveled to Cuba with four years ago on a cultural exchange program (before the Bushies decided to ban that in the name of Freedom. Don't get me started....)

Reese was planning to file a few stories about Peru, and I suggested a few ideas and contacts. Turns out one of the stories he liked was ours! Or I should say more accurately, Cynthia's. Hip-hop Latina New York girl travels to Peru to come to grips with cultural identity while plunging into folkloric dance world. Perfect fit for Latino USA, a weekly show airing on NPR stations.

Cynthia was in fabulous form, spinning tales from her "gangster" days in NY to remote villages in Peru with her unique blend of street smarts, wit and insights that continues to blow me away.

And thanks Generalisimo de Sonido Guillermo Palacios and Anamari from Perfo Sound Studio for sharing their space and expertise.