Attorney Zwerdling discusses Martha Graham

www.libertylawsite.com

Attorney Zachary Zwerdling
is working out of Eureka, California although his educational background features Stanford University & Santa Clara University School of Law.

MOLLOY: As a creative artist myself in a cyberspace world, I was wondering if you dealt much with content protection at this point?

ZWERDLING: My practice focuses on civil law & personal injury cases, but I can easily suggest several lawyers working in the Los Angeles area that would have greater experience in this field. I am currently a member in a rock-and-roll band, therefore I  have a serious interest in copyright laws however. I hate it when files are stolen without proper credit.

MOLLOY: I am aware of a conference being sponsored by Variety Magazine upcoming in December that features the topic of content protection with some of the best minds and largest budgets in the industry. Http://www.contentprotectionsummit.com/2012/conference-programs

The beauty of knowing someone since high school days is that I know your mom was a dancer in NYC. Could you remind me who she had performed with?

www.pbs.org

ZWERDLING: Thanks for remembering my mom. Yes, she performed with Martha Graham Dance Company and also created a concert at Carnegie Hall with a friend of hers, another dancer. The score was developed especially by the same composer from the Graham company at the time.

MOLLOY: His name?

ZWERDLING: His name was Ned Roren, a peer of Aaron Copeland, who usually did the music.

MOLLOY: Do you have programs or costumes?

ZWERDLING: It is all packed away, but yes, I do have a collection that she had kept. I don't know where to begin.

MOLLOY: Let's start with pictures. I have the perfect camera, very simple. There are places in San Francicso... The Performing Arts Library at the War Memorial Opera House Complex, or in NYC at Lincoln Center, they also have a performing arts library and research center. I will get started for you, this is terribly exciting for me & I know it would of great interest to other dance lovers.

ZWERDLING: She definitely gave me the appreciation for dance.

MOLLOY: You were one of the few people who actually understood what I was doing... going off to dance class day after day during my teen age years. Dance was the only thing that made sense to me, & I remain devoted to my first love, the ballet. Thanks Zachary!

Zwerdling, Bragg, & Mainzer, LLP is the name of the firm where Zwerdling is currently at work.
Http://www.zbmlaw.com

www.zbmlaw.com

Evil & Good in Law & Entertainment

www.fanpop.com (Black Swan)

Since I was a child I have been fascinated with the full-length ballet "Swan Lake". I had the good fortune of having a mother that would take me to watch classical ballets in Portland, OR or San Francisco, CA. I witnessed The Royal Ballet from London, and The Bolshoi Ballet from Russia.
With the emblem arch-types of black & white, thus evil & good, my small child mind was riddled with symbolism for psychological metaphor.

The producer for the film "Black Swan", Fox Searchlight, is being sued by two former interns for violating minimum wage and overtime laws. Interns Glatt and Footman were seeking a jury trial in a suit where they were required to track purchase orders and personnel files. They was also gossip amongst the dance community about the use or misuse of the company dancers and stand-ins also.
(www.thewrap.com)

We are privy to another politically charged film, where there is a suit against "2016: Obama's America" Dinesh D'Souza, the documentary's star and director. Judge Kevin Enright wrote that "The applications before the court are vague, lack specificity, and do not seek to enjoin a particular act"...."The plaintiffs failed to make an adequate showing of irreparable harm to occur in such a way which cannot be later remedied". Apparently decisions about funding had been made in a manner that was not in line with the memory of the Sain Communications, Inc. or Rancho Esperanza, both entities felt entitled to rearrange how the money was being spent.(www.hollywoodreporter.com)

There has been some squabbling in California courts about Netflix in a Class Action Lawsuit. Netflix has had a practice titled "decoupling" which separates Entertainment Content Viewing History, be it television or movies a person may have watched. The issues include the protection of privacy, identity, and personal information through user control.(www.lawyersandsettlements.com)

In Sum: To me, the common thread of these three stories is the altered landscape of boundaries. In the dance world, there is such competition and willingness to perform on the stage, that often dancers are taken advantage of. Privacy concerns by customers are begin generated as each of us who use the Internet are inundated with companies and social websites beckoning and urging us to give us more and more personal information. The third boundary for me with serious consequences is that we now have a celebrity President. This is a manifestation of the need of government officials to look the part.
Unfortunately, we recently needed a Commander-In-Chief with military experience to make some difficult decisions that could have saved our Ambassador's life, and not a person who speaks well and rubs shoulders with television hosts, with priorities that included stardom but not citizen safety. As a product of the 50's-60's I well remember the McCarthy era, and to me, it is in reverse. People with traditional values are black-listed while celebrities without boundaries get the roles. Religious and faith-based persons who just say NO, are not often included in the crossover lifestyles witnessed and celebrated by most of today's public. I do not know a better place than the arts to express one's ideas, but I think so much of creativity can be sifted through a lens of political correctness, that creativity itself, has lost its innocence.

Libby Maynard, Community Arts Maven

www.inkpeople.org

Libby Maynard, trusted expert & community arts maven, ... she has graced the Humboldt County Arts Scene since first arriving to attend Humboldt State University in 1967.

Prior to her move, she had begun her collegiate career at Wellesley College, Wellesley, MASS. &
at the International School of Bangkok, Bangkok,
Thailand.

With her clear vision of the value of a community with a strong arts emphasis, she has pioneered individuals and organizations to propose projects that work within the realm of The Ink People mission. These proposals are determined to fall into four categories:  1) short-term "one-offs   2) long-term "one-offs"  3) standing programs of The Ink People  4) with development and planning, projects become separate 501c3 entities.

Confronting the myth of the eternal "starving artist", Maynard refuses to go negative. I personally have enjoyed her enthusiasm & support for creative projects, noticing her self-discipline to remain positive.

Back to detailing Maynard's work in Humboldt County, located in Northern California, she has organized cultural communities featuring their expression through the arts with Native Americans,
the Hmong, & with the Latino community. We are all the wealthier in spirit for these efforts.

Maynard is an excellent project manager, and her talent for fostering the creative spirits among us is a true strength. In addition to her love of the arts she has the required skills of good presentation, good understanding of business, command over writing, leadership skills for individuals & groups, and her high energy and integrity.

Another person dedicated to creative entrepreneurship is Mark McGuinness, with a website for artists that includes coaching, training and coursework called The Creative Pathfinder.
Http://www.lateralaction.com. 

Todd Henry is a leader in the creative productivity business. He discusses "inventing brilliant solutions that meet specific objectives by defined deadlines",...a tall order. But he is finding method ot the madness and along with his breakthrough book THE ACCIDENTAL CREATIVE, he offers a series of podcasts on his website Http://www.accidentalcreative.com.
AC Podcast: Steal Like An Artist with Austin Kleon
AC Podcast: Creative Inversion
AC Podcast: The Nature of Contribution
AC Podcast: Wyatt Jenkins of Shutterstock
AC Podcast: Leveraging Failure For Growth

We are fortunate indeed to have at our fingertips such an abundance of information & inspiration.

David Powell Lyric Tenor Goes To New York

David Powell Lyric Tenor

I have a pronounced and deep love of the singing voice.
I would like to be reincarnated as an opera singer, but since the chances are slim, I resort to listening to lyric tenors. Not a bad alternative really.

I began my studies of the classical arts with ballet lessons as a child and young adult. This acquainted me with classical scores for the opera... birthplace of the ballet. I took piano lessons to no avail, but I can learn music by listening and memorization, and compose the same way.

Let's begin with Enrico Caruso (1873-1921, Naples), who stated when interviewed about why the public insisted on buying tickets to hear and see him sing in the opera. He claimed "they are buying my pain". As an orator of the truth, the human voice does depict the truth and sorrows of our own existence. Here is an example of Andre Bocelli singins Caruso on Youtube.com.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9NYZQ5bh0c

In the 90's we had The Three Tenors making the rounds. I have one of their video-tapes from their concert with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Music Center Opera Chorus. This features "Ave Maria" with Luciano Pavarotti, "With A Song In My Heart" with Jose Carrerras, "Amor, Vida De Mi Vida" with Placido Domingo, and a stunning "The Star-Spangled Banner" with all three fabulous voices as one.

I am mentioning this history of tenors as I listened to a radio interview this week with Nathan Pacheco with Jim Bohannan. Pacheco's unique blend of skill, imagination, and respect for those who came before him, give his music sung in Portuguese, Italian, and English, a thrilling fusion of technique and style.

http://nathanpacheco.com/

Humboldt County is fortunate to be home to David Powell, Lyric Tenor, in his sendoff concert as he is moving to New York to pursue his musical career. His program includes familiar arias, oratorio, art songs, Broadway show tunes with more on the list. The performances are being held at the redwood, stained glassed sanctuary of the Christ Episcopal Church in Eureka, a firm supporter of classical music.

Negotiation Experience A Big PLUS!

Producer & Executive 
Bill Morrill 

Clarke Historical Museum collection "Fort Humboldt"

 ON NEGOTIATING...   

To follow are questions about negotiation in television advertising & production.
Bill Morrill, Humboldt County history buff and creator of "101 Milestones" (a video featuring Northwestern California's Redwood Coast, and historical records) discusses how values play a large role in negotiating. 


MOLLOY:   I know that you handle television advertising contracts on a daily basis. In addition, your recently worked with 
Shell Oil, owned by Mario Andretti. When working with high profile companies and personalities, do you consciously separate the personalities from the negotiation bullet points?

MORRILL:  There's no separation...people are generally the root of conflict and problems.

MOLLOY:  What is your "negotiating persona", or rather, when you enter the room ready to work on a contract, are you always willing to accommodate their requests to secure the deal?

MORRILL:  I approach the table from a position of strength. I always reiterate benefits of placement and how the success of the project lies in reaching to the audience.

MOLLOY:  When you think your client may not be playing fair, do you confront them? How do you choose to handle difficult situations in the Board Room?

MORRILL:  The challenge is always do the best job you can to help the client, while upholding your worth and value of the product.

MOLLOY:   With your experiences in negotiating with strangers and friends alike, do you have a different set of rules for different situations?

MORRILL:  Honesty and kindness go a long way----sincerity can be read when it's real.

MOLLOY:  So then perhaps, strangers can become friends. Mutual benefit is a key, we all want the WIN-WIN. Can you give me an example of finding that balance necessary for succeeding in your negotiations?

MORRILL:  I met Mario Andretti personally several times when working on the Shell Oil deal. I thanked him for his trust, and he thanked me for doing a good job. I hope this helps.

Bill Morrill moved to Humboldt County in 1972. He is a direct descendent of pioneers Joseph & Zipporah Russ. His family still owns Fern Cottage, Ferndale, their ancestral property. He is active in writing about local history. The photograph above represents the large collection found at the Clarke Museum, Eureka. He produced a series about Humboldt history that aired 50 episodes on Fox 29 and MyNet 33, beginning in 2006.

Bill Morrill enjoying a classic car show

Please visit the site Http://www.clarkemuseum.org
This will allow you to see the terrific collection of Indian artifacts and Victorian objects from the founding communities.
 

Poetic Balance Act: Art + Biz

nocheoscuradelalma.wordpress.com

homorazzi.com

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL....
exemplifies what merging business & the arts is all about.
The decision to define themselves as an
artistic entertainment company was brilliant.

With 21 shows ongoing globally, 16 in the United States, I think it is today's quest for aesthetics that leads the sales 
drive. The list of show titles currently touring the USA are
Amaluna, Believe, Dralion, Ka, Kooza, Nouba, Love, Iris, Immortal, Mystere, O, Quidam, Totem, Elvis, Zarkana, and Zumanity.

I researched some of the who and the how and discovered that the steel backbone of their ongoing success is the promise and strength of their corporate sponsors.
The list includes the following: Infiniti (high performance luxury cars), CGI (common gateway interface, web server software), Xerox (digital document management), SAP (business software company), MAC (media access control), and SPG (simon property management). Http://www.CirqueDuSoleil.com

As a potential job seeker, I looked at their employment page and found an excellent outlay of information regarding their needs and functionality. The navigation tabs began with Accounting, then Financial Analysis, Financial Systems, Internal Audit, Payroll, Taxation, Tour Accounting, and then last alphabetically came Treasury, Risk, and Capital Projects. 
Their taxation team is divided into two groups of specialists: personal taxation experts that support 4000 employees and performers. Corporate taxation specialists provide knowledge regarding the company's compliance with the various government entities they share while touring.
Since I am studying risk, on both a personal and academic level, the faction that oversees FX exposure, interest rates, and capital structure also manages the retirement funds, corporate insurance portfolios, and combines their stated issues with the respective financial institutions.
To close, this company is a prime example of that there is money in the arts. Seeking an appropriate audience, and embracing new tools for selling are part of the required mix.

I love the healthy combination of a steel spine and fire in the belly performers. This passion for the love of life, dangling off a trapeze, is exciting for the audience and is a poetic statement about the financial wranglings, and risk taking by the artistic vision.
There is an old-fashioned notion in traditional marriages where the corporate guy goes out and earns the money, while the lady makes plans for the opera. Begrudgingly, our corporate hero follows along, only to find soaring symphonic sounds, lovely girls in short, 

colorful tutus, and another version of himself, the operatic hero facing multiple angst of every description, only to win in the end. Is this story-telling a good balance, are there words to eulogize the arts? Possibly. This query can be found outlined in "the philosophy of beauty". http://schooltheatre.org/education/teaching/pedagogy/it-beautiful-and-does-it-matter. 

"Dance Is Who I am"

Http://www.alvinailey.org

      The talent of Clover Mathis was spotted by Alvin Ailey in a dance class at Spelman College in Atlanta in 1967. He spent the next 2 & 1/2 years with the Dance Theater of Harlem, then toured with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) beginning in 1971. Here is my interview.

Clover Mathis, Dancer & Choreograher

MOLLOY: How long did you tour with Alvin Ailey's company?

MATHIS: I toured with AAADT in Eastern and Western Europe, the United States and Canada for about 3 years.

MOLLOY: Whom do you admire?

MATHIS: I love the quote by Duke Ellington that goes "Each man prays to God in his own language and there is no language God does not understand".  I agree with him whole-heartedly. However, the noun God does not reflect my awareness of the Source. As a Spirit Warrior and wanna-be Taoist, I would say there is no language  the Great Spirit does not understand.

MOLLOY: Can you say that the world of the arts, dance in particular, has satisfied your hunger for a spiritual connection?

MATHIS:  Dance is not what I do. Dance is who I am. For a long time I was estranged from the culture of dance. I did not like the direction concert dance has taken. I neither took class nor attended any performances. This has changed for me however.  I primarily listened to what my body was saying...I realized I wanted to dance again.

MOLLOY: Are you available for choreographic commissions or private lessons? If I google your name there are three pages of references. Now that you have begun to write your memoirs, we can look forward to reading those?

MATHIS: I keep to myself. I did engage in a performance series recently in the Mission District in San Francisco. The location was the Dance Mission, and the group was Labayen  Dancers. (See photo below) If I was comfortable with the dance company leadership, I would consider working again in my field.

MOLLOY: You also speak of listening to James Brown.

MATHIS: As a  younger man, I was aware of the stigma about male dancers, but when I listened to Brown I recall the lyric about "You've got to live for yourself, yourself and nobody else". Rudolf Nureyev had defected to the West in 1961, and he had a virile, graceful style of dancing that had changed the general perception of male dancers. I was affected by his professional prestige.

MOLLOY: I went to Portland, Oregon with my mother to watch Rudolf Nureyev and Dame Margot Fonteyn perform "Swan Lake" in 1960. The audience went nuts. I still have the program, it was from one of the final tours of The Royal Ballet from London. The whole country was open to new art and artists. It was an exciting time.

Peggy Molloy and Clover Mathis first worked together as dancers in the Danny Sloane Modern Dance Company in Boston, MA.

Clover Mathis can be reached through his talent managing agent with Http://www.pegalomania.com.