Dancer and choreographer Rulan Tangen believes that “to dance is to live, to live is to dance”. You can see this idea manifested in her dance company, Dancing Earth Creations, which she founded in 2004 after surviving cancer.
She calls the work “indigenous contemporary dance,” inspired by the intertribal and interdisciplinary nature of the company. Her pieces explore themes like nature, transformation, and decolonization, all through an indigenous, matriarchal worldview.
Dancing Earth Creations is performing as part of Dance Mission’s D.I.R.T. Festival in San Francisco this weekend. KALW’s Jen Chien spoke with RulanTangen about the new piece, and the origins of her art.
