As we stayed in touch we learned that we spoke the same dance language: funk, house, boogaloo, poppin, get lite, vernacular jazz, and of course Lindy Hop. Now, it's not many a dancer I meet that is versed in this way so it was exciting to plan to work together. I was in the midst of fundraising and organizing the Starchild Dance Lindy Hop Porject who's mission was to reintroduce African American to the rich innovations and cultural dances of the Harlem Renaissance. I was excited and proud to delve into this legacy work of my ancestors. Although Ray lived in NYC and I in California, I found ways to organize time for us to train together and develop performance and teaching material. In addition to the funds I raised through IndieGoGo, the city of Oakland's Cultural Funding Department, and a commission through the EastBay Commuity Foundation, I landed a gig with Central Parks Summer Stage family programming where my sister Monique Martin was a director. This gig allowed us to be on the same coast for about 3 weeks in the summer and work out the creative material I envisioned. Ray also came to Oakland for work I was doing with Diamano Coura, Leadership Excellence, and Eastside Cultural Center. Below is a picture of our performance at Marcus Garvey Park at Harlem's Family Day. Today I was looking through my hard drive and came across this video of one of our performance routines we performed on Lenox avenue after a photo shoot for our publicity shots. This piece is a section of the family show I created called B-Love's Hip Hop Jazz Groove. In this section Ray and I have a Charleston dance battle that includes the many variations of the Charleston including swing outs I know would make Frankie Manning and Norma Miller proud. Ray's fiance did a great job filming us as my sister helped with crowd control and other logistics. Baby, look at the wide sidewalk in this historic neighborhood. This is the birthplace of the Lindy Hop and we were thrilled to throw down and honor the legacy we are proud to preserve! We did two takes and both were an amazing presentation! I'm grateful this moment was captured of us showcasing our passion and creative work together! As I reflect on the past 10 years and moving into 2020, dancing with Ray F. Davis has been one of my greatest collaborative experiences of the past decade! Thank you Ray! And a special thank you to the Frankie Manning Foundation for all of your support. Ray & I are featured in this video, 'Let Me Hear You Say Hep Hep' Lindy Hop Forever! Keep Swinging Yall!
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We sometimes lose comrades in the struggle. This King and Queen right here, two of the realest ones you could ever be blessed to know. Ya’ll having a good time in the afterlife with each other? Of course you are! Angels. Blessed ones on earth and in heaven. We honor you and all you touched in your short lives here on earth. King Dream. Queen Nikki. She was my friend. Tomorrow we celebrate you! Oakland’s 2019 Dream Day! With a dance of praise I dedicate my performance to my girl Nikki and all the Queens in that hold our families and each other to the highest accord. Nikki and Mike, you touched us with your greatness. We shine in your memory. My performance is at 2:30 pm. I thank you in advance all who come out to celebrate with us. ![]()
So, tending to my mother's garden became a regular thing and my brother and I even convinced her to let us grow a weed plant among her veggies and flowers. Unfortunately, that was short lived when my aunts came to visit and they convinced my mother that allowing her children to grow dope in her yard was a bad idea. Yes, marijuana was considered to be dope. Even classified in the united States as a schedule one drug that is equally as harmful as heroine! This is nonsense!!! A complete lie! Now, in 2019 things are shifting to see the multiple health benefit of this plant. I've been enjoying the health benefits of drinking fresh pressed juice for many years. Investing in a juicer has been one of the best investments I've made for my well being. Exploring the different flavor and combinations of fruit and veggies in my juices has been a lot of fun. When I heard the juicing the fan leaves of the marijauna plant was possible I was eager to try it. The first thing I noticed was the deep green color of the juiced leaves were a beautiful dark green like wheat grass juice and that color made me excited. Next was the taste. It was sweet and a much better flavor than wheat grass juice and I was thrilled! From there I explored different combnations of fruits and settled on apples and ginger to be a delightful pairing with the cannabis leaves. I added a few more fruits and the recipe for Radiant Bliss was born! Honey, let me tell you about the goodness of this divine elixar! Numero uno: It taste YUMMY! Number two: The health benefits are vast! As with any dark green leafy vegetable it is rich in iron, calcium, fiber, manganese, and vitamins A, K, B, phytochemicals, and antioxidants. It also contains cannabinoids that support cellular regeneration which in large does has halted or reversed certain cancers. Number 3: I harvest, press, and sale the juice once a week on Wednesdays. This adds to the health benefits as the enzymes are fresh and still present. This fresh pressed, nutrient dense fruit and cannabis juice consumed the same day is easy to digest and the nutrition is easily absorbed into the body. So, do not waste anytime to have some of the divine elixar I created called Radian Bliss. It is available at B-Love's Guest House every Wednesday from 4-8pm in the month of August. Come enjoy the beautiful garden at B-Love's and get your taste of Radiant Bliss! ![]() Radiant Bliss: A Nutrient Dense Fresh Pressed Fruit and Cannabis Juice. Available at B-Love's Guest House every Wednesday in the month of August from 4-8pm. $10. ![]() devouring these words/as if I’m being/introduced to my self/for the first time/like/how you know/deep in the core of your being/your truth/but it has been silenced/and then/it's laid out/simple/plain/complex/the small bites/long drinks/deep sighs/fatty parts/lean and deliberate/it's all there/and you know it/it's what you have been waiting for/it's what you had all along/just too timid/to let it loose I/am still/watching/ a brilliant sunset/with a view/from the edge/of the earth/I am/at the tip/the bottom of California/holding on/to the round parts/of me/loving/every arc/and curvature/savoring/the essence/of my truth/it's/so small/its/so expansive/its/so magical/stillness/speaks/in the smoothest measure/it is effortless/like the rise and setting of the sun/like the ebb and flow of the tide offering my all/sacrificing/my everything/first in libation/next I pass around the chalis/then I pour a bit out into the mouths of the thirsty/until I am empty/the cup is dry/no moisture left/so/drop/by drop/by drop/she filleth her cup/in the stillness of mighty sunsets/on the edge of existence/with radical self care/and zero fucks black queen/#ntozakeshange/patron saint of our liberated voices/I salute you/and all our nappy edges
Last year when I called Norma on her 98th birthday the ring tone was odd, followed by a message in Italian that seemed to say, 'the person you have called...'. I left a a birthday greeting when I heard the beep. I picked up a few items she had sent me in the mail; a Christmas card with a colorful drawing of Norma steering a gondola in a Christmas hat, and, her latest CD; A Swinin' Love Fest recorded with The Billy Bros. Swing Orchestra also of Italy. I smiled thinking about this unique lady and the incredible life she lives. Later when I talked to her she tells me she lives in Italy a few month out of the year and that she wanted to have a 100th birthday party there called, 'Goin' Out Swingin'. I screamed with laughter and told her, 'hell yeah, I'll be there'!
Today, December 2, 2019 is Norma Millers 99th birthday and I along with countless people world wide honor and celebrate her. On Instagram Toni Basil posted photos of Norma's birthday celebration at the Pasadena Ballroom last night. Chester Whitmore was there along with a huge jazz orchestra. And that's how my friend rolls. From city to city, world wide, with the most incredible artist around. Happy Birthday Norma!!! I'm grateful for your gifts you share with the world. I'm grateful for your wisdom, your laughter, your friendship, and for trusting me as an event producer. There's so much more I want to share so I'll add more to this blog but for now, it's a celebration for the Queen of Swing!!! dance for love for truth I dance tapping in to the divine I dance my heart out passion and power is revealed through the rhythm of my feet the arc of my back as I stretch to the heavens use me I get it cue music go Here are the last of my tomatoes of 2018. It's a sure sign of the change of season. There's a just a few tomatoes left on the vine so I'll harvest this plump one for my breakfast. If feels great to step into my garden in the morning to find something to eat. The sun is bright but everything is cool and damp from the morning dew. I'll harvest some oregano to go with my tomato and have also spotted a few wasabi arugula. Now, arugula is spicy on it's own and this wasabi arugula has and extra kick. Now that I have my ingredients I can get to work. This mornings menu is soft boiled eggs with butter, salt and pepper. Creamy grits with a bit of Parmesan cheese. Tomato and herb salad on a bed of wasabi arugula. This quick meal was yummy, hearty, fresh, and delicious. Getting ingredients from my garden is fulfilling and simply makes me smile.
![]() In 2008 when I created The West Oakland Hostel, now known as B-Love's Guest House, my target market was the international community of artist I know and love. With my background as a performance and visual artist I knew of all the dance conferences, film festivals, live shows and other creative events that brought people to the Bay. I immediately put the word out to my tribe of artist that I had rooms for rent when they came to town for a weekend gig, or for several months of an artist residency program. And my people came through! Before Air BNB and now countless other short term housing services, I called, emailed, and through word of mouth let me artist community I was in business. One of my first guest was my girl Lori I've known since the 90's. We were regulars on the house and dancehall club scene and loved to party together. In this photo I shot Lori for an assignment with 4080 Magazine to shoot a fashion editorial in 1996. I loved Lori's vibe and in the coming years I would see her on the Hip Hop dance scene in LA, NY, and even an International Hip Hop Festival in Madrid Spain. She was a perfect example of my target audience. In one of her trips home to the Bay she stay with me the first year I was in business and wrote the first review. That you Lori for believing in me and giving my business a try. Here is her review of the West Oakland Hostel. "The West Oakland Hostel is the best place that any one could stay in the Bay Area without the huge price tag! In addition to being extremely centrally located from San Francisco which is a hop skip and a jump away, Jack London Square/Downtown Oakland/Chinatown, it's clean, cozy and secure, has everything you need for an enjoyable stay i.e.: fresh linens, towels, iron and fully equipped kitchen, cool people and great vibes and the hostess Traci is very sweet, accommodating and helpful. The train is less than a five minute walk and a fantastic 99cent store which has everything you need as well as high quality food and fresh produce! Take my word this is the Bay Area's best kept secret!" Lori M. 9/21/2008 New York, SF Bay Area Native |
B-Love's BlogA view into the world of Artist/Entrepreneur Traci Bartlow Archives
October 2023
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