The Dances: "I Take Myself Back"

I Take Myself Back
Choreographer: Cheri Anchondo
Dancer: Cheri Anchondo

Text: Joy Harjo
Spoken by: Cheri Anchondo, Jerri Sweeney, Jackie Silva
Sound Score: Cheri Anchondo and Glen Nagy

Costume and Light Design: Ali Bertramo

This dance received highest honors at the American College Dance Festival Northwest Conference in March 2009.

A solo inspired by a Native American poem that focuses on the resilience of the human spirit and the resolute nature of survival in the face of oppression. The goal of this contemporary piece is to pay homage to all peoples who have endured suffering and chosen to reclaim their identities and re-instill in themselves their value and self worth. " Cheri, who is a double major in Dance and Geography, had this dance selected as one of the top 10 dances (out of 66 dances) in the Northwest Region of the American College Dance Festival. It was featured in a Gala concert that closed the conference activities in Utah. It's a deeply moving solo work based on a poem by Native American author, Joy Harjo, who gave permission and her blessings to Cheri to use the poem, “I Give You Back” for a sound score and for public performance. Cheri and sound designer, Glen Nagy, collaged excerpts of the text using multiple women's voices and translations into other languages."