Words that Inspire Dance...

Have you heard of One Book, One Philadelphia? It’s an innovative, yet simple program created by the Free Library of Philadelphia in partership with the Mayor's Office that gives Philadelphia a common reading experience. Mayor Nutter called it “one of the most spectacular ideas that’s come along in this city in decades.” Each year, the One Book, One Philadelphia committee chooses a book for our city to read (actually, they choose one book for adults, one for teens, and one for children).

Philadelphia is a city diverse in… everything! Diverse in race, ethnicity, culture, language, age, socioeconomic status, education level, experience, etc… One Book, One Philadelphia invites all Philadelphians to read one book in "together" each year. It gives Philadelphians of all walks of life a shared literary experience, something for people to talk about (who may not otherwise talk to each other).

The committee seems to choose books that represent and celebrate the diversity in our city; Persepolis (Marjane Satrapi), The Buddha in the Attic (Julie Otsuka), Create Dangerously (Edwidge Danticat), What is the What (Dave Eggers), and Waiting for Snow in Havana, (Carlos Eire) to name just a few. This year’s book is Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline. The Philadelphia Library website describes it as

“the compelling story of Vivian, a 91-year-old widow once orphaned as a child, and Molly, a troubled teen who has been shuffled from one unstable foster home to another. The two women develop a bond, with Vivian treasuring her Irish immigrant roots and Molly finding comfort in her ancestral Native American tradition. The novel sheds light on an era when thousands of orphaned children were taken from crowded cities to face uncertain futures in the rural Midwest and connects with the importance of heritage and memories in shaping who we are, the value of intergenerational relationships, and the fundamental power of family.”

To watch a video about the history, future and success of this project, click here.

So, why am I talking about this awesome reading project on a dance website? Because art loves art. Literature inspires dance.

The Pennsylvania Ballet II (Pennsylvania Ballet’s pre-professional company) will be performing a piece inspired by Orphan Train this Saturday at 1:00 p.m. the Philadelphia Library (1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103). The performance will be free, but you’ll want to get there early to get a seat!

I’m fascinated to see how the book has inspired a ballet piece! For more information about the event, click here.

Article written by Hannah Lorenzo.