A letter by my beautiful daughter #ProtectOurSchools

March 28, 2015

Dear Governor Cuomo,

My name is Äya Krienke, I’m 11 years old, and I am completely disappointed in your decision to take money away from public schools, and your enforcement of standardized test. There is nothing bad about Common Core, it has actually taught me a lot, but what’s really disappointing is making students and teachers performance based on standardized tests. Children should have the right to learn things other than Common Core, for example, learning about history, art, music, and the actual meaning of what it is to learn. Otherwise what’s the point of going to school? Teachers and students are more than test scores! If I was a teacher and you had passed this law, I would not want to teach under these circumstances.

School should feel safe, and taking way billions of dollars from our public school system, will not benefit our safety. I have the privilege of going to a very good public middle school, if you make these cuts, then my school, and all other public schools are at jeopardy. I thought that we were trying to make New York a better place, and if you pass this law, the New York dream will be at risk.

Not everybody has the privilege to go to a private or charter school. Please don’t take away the advantages of having a good public education. Public schools should offer children free and equal education. This is often not the case in New York City school. Taking away funds will make this even worse. Plus, funding charter schools only puts money and education in the hands of corporations.

I want you to know that all public school members and I think that your decision is unacceptable! Please make the right choice for New York!

Sincerely, Äya Krienke
6th grade, New Voices MS.443
Brooklyn NY

Cedar Lake Ballet

Last night I left the Gibney Dance Center elated and honored. I had just come from an almost private Gaga class with 4 of the Cedar Lake dancers, lead by Navarra Novy-Williams. By the time I came home, it was announced that the Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet was to be no more. I was heartbroken and saddened by the loss of such an influential American dance company, one of the few of it's kind. Funded by a Walmart Heiress, and housed in a larger than life space, it was an icon of dance, which I wrote about in Lonny just recently. It also had it's share of problems, run like a corporation with unreasonable demands on it's dancers.

Still what impressed me last night, as we moved together for one hour sensing our bodies in space, was the connection of dance. How it bridges the gap between age and skill, touching and unifying in both a very personal and communal way. They held their emotions in check beyond a weary look in their eyes, like the good dancers that they are. To them I wish a fruitful future, and as Mr. Gaga, Ohad Naharin, always instructs one must keep moving, never stop moving!

Please support them on their last performance this June at the BAM!

photos by Carolyn and Äya Veith Krienke at the Cedar Lake's Installations on Feb 7, 2015

Vollmund

To celebrate tomorrow's solar eclipse a little Pina Bausch from her majestic Vollmund

cherry pits

The facelessness
of
love
stripped
the color
from you.
Reaching
deep
in the grave
for the remains
of my once
before
bliss.

The child
had a song
under
the cherry blossoms,
juicy pits tumbling
around the tongue.
It's hands
bloody
from
your heart.

Drawing circles
in the sand.
Who will
erase you
and
bring
another
face
to
love?

daughter

can't get enough of this absolutely sublime band

Minnie Riperton

A soulful thanks to T for introducing me to this angel.