The Dr. Goddess Is In (from 2005)
What a fabulous woman ! It was an honor to interview Dr. Goddess. I first
encountered Dr. Goddess at the Embodi Black Female Fest opening reception in
September. I didn’t even talk to her, but I felt that something was amazing about
this woman. I grabbed one of her fliers and the name of her performance piece just
sparked my interest. If you want a dose of inspiration and some fire to your muse,
read on, read on.
JJ: Tell me a bit about yourself
DG: Let's see, I feel as though I am living multiple lives, each of which are multilayered.
This is reflected in my career choices and continued, developing interests.
This is probably the way many artists feel, especially those who work at staying
open to every endeavor of the human experience. Dance is my first love and I'm
working at getting back in shape to enjoy it as much as I used to. I've been an avid
reader since childhood and I remain curious about the human experience. Some
might just call that nosy (laughing) but it's only partially true. I graduated with my
Ph.D. before I turned 30, so I have been able to pursue other activities without
having to worry about "going back to school". Indeed, education is my business,
formally, as a professor and also as a performing artist who takes "arts education"
to another level. I have an older brother who's a lawyer and my mother is also a
teacher and an administrator. I'm single with no children but I am open to dating
and would like to have a family one day.
JJ: What is Dr. Goddess about and how did you come up with the idea and
title ?
DG: Dr. Goddess is a coming-of-age story about a girl who learns to cultivate her
own voice and harness her inner power by developing a greater and more balanced
connectedness with her innate divinity. She grows and becomes a writer, a poet
and citizen with much to contribute to herself and the world. In the end, she finds
her song.
JJ: Why did you pick theatre as an avenue as opposed to a book or
workshop ?
DG: Well, I am wrapping up a book of poetry and I actually give writing and
teacher training workshops but I think, in terms of the show, that I chose theater
because it forces all of us to deal with the fullness and complexity of humanity
right there on stage. There is nothing more powerful about artistic, human
interaction than the theater.
JJ: So far what kind of feedback have you received regarding Dr. Goddess
?
DG: It's been tremendous and overwhelmingly positive. My friends, family,
students, administrators, other artists, the general public have embraced it and
celebrate it. They email me and anticipate the next performance and have been
asking, repeatedly, for a DVD. I'm working on that. And even some of my
colleagues in the academy are a bit shocked by the show, my performance in it and
they tell me how much they have been uplifted by the art. One always hopes that
one's art can be shared and enjoyed by others, especially if you place it in the
public forum but I'm not sure I was entirely prepared for this type of response and
so soon. It simultaneously humbles me and challenges me and excites me. I'm still
sort of blushing . . . and I really like to get specific feedback on the show. I have
some heavy tour dates coming up in the Spring that include Morgantown, West
Virginia, Kansas City, Kansas, Boston, MA, Atlanta, GA, Pittsburgh, PA,
Philadelphia, PA, Louisville, KY and hopefully Los Angeles! I'm looking to create
some more "Believers". (smile)
JJ: What other theatrical projects have you been involved in ?
DG: My first love is dance, so I have been doing ballet, tap and jazz since I was
seven years old. However, once I entered college and graduate school, I began to
learn more traditional African dancing from various regions and the (Katherine)
Dunham technique of Modern Dance. I've had some pretty good teachers in
Horton as well and I must say I love the flatback (smile). But I starred in Aishah
Rahman's "Unfinished Women" and Crystal V. Rhodes' "Middle Passage" in
graduate school with the New Directional Players at Purdue University. I am most
well known at Purdue, however, for choreographing fourteen dance pieces for the
Jahari Dance Troupe of the Black Cultural Center. One of my pieces, "Umoja!
Dance Theatre for The Kwanzaa Song" was the only piece chosen to represent the
Center for the Grand Opening of the new building. That was a special honor for
me because it was done on alumni weekend and we made people cry. I mean,
former students were coming up to us in tears and that touched me in an immense
way. I created "The Kwanzaa Song" in my hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
and I started work on the CD and could not finish because I was trying to focus on
graduating. Now I am working to complete that CD as well.
JJ: What's your opinion about the self-help movement ?
DG: I'm not sure I understand the movement so perhaps that means I'm not a part
of it. I like the work of Deepak Chopra and I believe that good African American
literature (and any good literature, actually) has been transformative for me and
empowering. I could rattle off many names but at the top of the list is Toni
Morrison, bell hooks, Maya Angelou and Alice Walker. But there are so many
others and I haven't even begun to get into the poets amongst us. In general,
however, I do believe that one has to be a "co-creator" with that which is Divine.
So, you do have to help yourself. However, I also believe in the communal power
of healing and I am certainly a product, if you will, of a kind of communal healing
as well as the determination of my spirit. My father died when I was a little girl,
we grew up struggling, financially and although I was always a bright child, I was
not always placed in a proper school environment that could foster my intelligence
and creativity, so it was a major struggle for me sometimes. As a result, different
teachers, community members, friends' parents and other peoples' relatives became
my fictive kin and they, along with certain members of my family, nurtured me
into adulthood. Many of these are pre-colonial African social constructs that
sustained us throughout our trying times and continue to sustain Continental
Africans and those of us throughout the Diaspora, so I cannot say this is new. It is
simply that I tapped into a longstanding tradition and it has proved itself helpful.
JJ: Describe your creative process ?
DG: I know this may sound corny but my creative process got better when I
respected my Muse. She would wake me up, tap me on my shoulder and not allow
me to go to sleep sometimes and I used to ignore her, attempting to write and do
things on my own schedule. Once I started to respect Her for what she was trying
to offer me, my life and art got better. So, I write things down when I am inspired,
I have rolled out of bed to write a poem and I generally laugh when a funny
thought for a new poem, play or article pops into my head and I go right it down. I
think "that's good. that's very good" and the fact that I, alone, am amused is
enough. Since doing my show, I have found that that inner voice is on point.
JJ: What and who inspires you to create ?
DG: Just about everything inspires me, as I love life and I love stories. But more
specifically, other artists inspire me. Dancers, poets, painters, thespians, you name
it, I am inspired. Women inspire me. Black women inspire me immensely and if
they are Black, artistic women, it is all over. I believe they are the goddesses and
guardians of this planet and perhaps the universe. Everyone has a role, of course,
but I believe ours is very special and even a cursory study of history proves this.
Still, whether there are empowering human beings on the planet, I am inspired by
them and I have been inspired by various people on the plane as I travel across the
U.S., as well as in Ghana, Jamaica and China.
JJ: What advice to you have for aspiring actresses and creative individuals
?
DG Respect yourself. Respect your Muse. Respect your history. Respect your
struggle. You are timeless and yet now is your time. You are universal and yet you
exist in this time, in this space, in this country, in this family, in this city and
neighborhood and body for a reason. Figure out why and live accordingly . . . and
also remember that sometimes you have to surrender to your inner voice before
you see the end result of your multilayered journey.
JJ: Are you a feminist ?
DG: Yes but only if it's in the way that Yaa Asantewaa and Sekhmet and Maat
and Queen Nzingha and Ida B. Wells and Harriet Tubman and Ella Baker and
Joan Robinson and Rosa Parks and Assata Shakur and Kathleen Cleaver and
Elaine Brown and Angela Davis and Alice Walker and June Jordan and Toni
Morrison and bell hooks and Pearl Cleage and my own mother are feminists.
That is to say, I am a Womanist, I am an Africana Womanist, a Black Feminist, a
Feminist and a Human Being who happens to be a Woman and a Goddess among
many. I don't like to play the name games because at the end of the day, I believe
that women are different but equal to men and should be treated accordingly, with
tremendous respect but not the kind of special patronage that says we are weak
and fragile and inferior. I believe that, at best, women are the female _expression
of the Divine and I wish to say that the practical application is that you can't be
paying me $71 cents to a man's dollar.
Send Dr. Goddess some sass or just visit her website and check out what she’s
doing. Dr. Goddess
What a fabulous woman ! It was an honor to interview Dr. Goddess. I first
encountered Dr. Goddess at the Embodi Black Female Fest opening reception in
September. I didn’t even talk to her, but I felt that something was amazing about
this woman. I grabbed one of her fliers and the name of her performance piece just
sparked my interest. If you want a dose of inspiration and some fire to your muse,
read on, read on.
JJ: Tell me a bit about yourself
DG: Let's see, I feel as though I am living multiple lives, each of which are multilayered.
This is reflected in my career choices and continued, developing interests.
This is probably the way many artists feel, especially those who work at staying
open to every endeavor of the human experience. Dance is my first love and I'm
working at getting back in shape to enjoy it as much as I used to. I've been an avid
reader since childhood and I remain curious about the human experience. Some
might just call that nosy (laughing) but it's only partially true. I graduated with my
Ph.D. before I turned 30, so I have been able to pursue other activities without
having to worry about "going back to school". Indeed, education is my business,
formally, as a professor and also as a performing artist who takes "arts education"
to another level. I have an older brother who's a lawyer and my mother is also a
teacher and an administrator. I'm single with no children but I am open to dating
and would like to have a family one day.
JJ: What is Dr. Goddess about and how did you come up with the idea and
title ?
DG: Dr. Goddess is a coming-of-age story about a girl who learns to cultivate her
own voice and harness her inner power by developing a greater and more balanced
connectedness with her innate divinity. She grows and becomes a writer, a poet
and citizen with much to contribute to herself and the world. In the end, she finds
her song.
JJ: Why did you pick theatre as an avenue as opposed to a book or
workshop ?
DG: Well, I am wrapping up a book of poetry and I actually give writing and
teacher training workshops but I think, in terms of the show, that I chose theater
because it forces all of us to deal with the fullness and complexity of humanity
right there on stage. There is nothing more powerful about artistic, human
interaction than the theater.
JJ: So far what kind of feedback have you received regarding Dr. Goddess
?
DG: It's been tremendous and overwhelmingly positive. My friends, family,
students, administrators, other artists, the general public have embraced it and
celebrate it. They email me and anticipate the next performance and have been
asking, repeatedly, for a DVD. I'm working on that. And even some of my
colleagues in the academy are a bit shocked by the show, my performance in it and
they tell me how much they have been uplifted by the art. One always hopes that
one's art can be shared and enjoyed by others, especially if you place it in the
public forum but I'm not sure I was entirely prepared for this type of response and
so soon. It simultaneously humbles me and challenges me and excites me. I'm still
sort of blushing . . . and I really like to get specific feedback on the show. I have
some heavy tour dates coming up in the Spring that include Morgantown, West
Virginia, Kansas City, Kansas, Boston, MA, Atlanta, GA, Pittsburgh, PA,
Philadelphia, PA, Louisville, KY and hopefully Los Angeles! I'm looking to create
some more "Believers". (smile)
JJ: What other theatrical projects have you been involved in ?
DG: My first love is dance, so I have been doing ballet, tap and jazz since I was
seven years old. However, once I entered college and graduate school, I began to
learn more traditional African dancing from various regions and the (Katherine)
Dunham technique of Modern Dance. I've had some pretty good teachers in
Horton as well and I must say I love the flatback (smile). But I starred in Aishah
Rahman's "Unfinished Women" and Crystal V. Rhodes' "Middle Passage" in
graduate school with the New Directional Players at Purdue University. I am most
well known at Purdue, however, for choreographing fourteen dance pieces for the
Jahari Dance Troupe of the Black Cultural Center. One of my pieces, "Umoja!
Dance Theatre for The Kwanzaa Song" was the only piece chosen to represent the
Center for the Grand Opening of the new building. That was a special honor for
me because it was done on alumni weekend and we made people cry. I mean,
former students were coming up to us in tears and that touched me in an immense
way. I created "The Kwanzaa Song" in my hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
and I started work on the CD and could not finish because I was trying to focus on
graduating. Now I am working to complete that CD as well.
JJ: What's your opinion about the self-help movement ?
DG: I'm not sure I understand the movement so perhaps that means I'm not a part
of it. I like the work of Deepak Chopra and I believe that good African American
literature (and any good literature, actually) has been transformative for me and
empowering. I could rattle off many names but at the top of the list is Toni
Morrison, bell hooks, Maya Angelou and Alice Walker. But there are so many
others and I haven't even begun to get into the poets amongst us. In general,
however, I do believe that one has to be a "co-creator" with that which is Divine.
So, you do have to help yourself. However, I also believe in the communal power
of healing and I am certainly a product, if you will, of a kind of communal healing
as well as the determination of my spirit. My father died when I was a little girl,
we grew up struggling, financially and although I was always a bright child, I was
not always placed in a proper school environment that could foster my intelligence
and creativity, so it was a major struggle for me sometimes. As a result, different
teachers, community members, friends' parents and other peoples' relatives became
my fictive kin and they, along with certain members of my family, nurtured me
into adulthood. Many of these are pre-colonial African social constructs that
sustained us throughout our trying times and continue to sustain Continental
Africans and those of us throughout the Diaspora, so I cannot say this is new. It is
simply that I tapped into a longstanding tradition and it has proved itself helpful.
JJ: Describe your creative process ?
DG: I know this may sound corny but my creative process got better when I
respected my Muse. She would wake me up, tap me on my shoulder and not allow
me to go to sleep sometimes and I used to ignore her, attempting to write and do
things on my own schedule. Once I started to respect Her for what she was trying
to offer me, my life and art got better. So, I write things down when I am inspired,
I have rolled out of bed to write a poem and I generally laugh when a funny
thought for a new poem, play or article pops into my head and I go right it down. I
think "that's good. that's very good" and the fact that I, alone, am amused is
enough. Since doing my show, I have found that that inner voice is on point.
JJ: What and who inspires you to create ?
DG: Just about everything inspires me, as I love life and I love stories. But more
specifically, other artists inspire me. Dancers, poets, painters, thespians, you name
it, I am inspired. Women inspire me. Black women inspire me immensely and if
they are Black, artistic women, it is all over. I believe they are the goddesses and
guardians of this planet and perhaps the universe. Everyone has a role, of course,
but I believe ours is very special and even a cursory study of history proves this.
Still, whether there are empowering human beings on the planet, I am inspired by
them and I have been inspired by various people on the plane as I travel across the
U.S., as well as in Ghana, Jamaica and China.
JJ: What advice to you have for aspiring actresses and creative individuals
?
DG Respect yourself. Respect your Muse. Respect your history. Respect your
struggle. You are timeless and yet now is your time. You are universal and yet you
exist in this time, in this space, in this country, in this family, in this city and
neighborhood and body for a reason. Figure out why and live accordingly . . . and
also remember that sometimes you have to surrender to your inner voice before
you see the end result of your multilayered journey.
JJ: Are you a feminist ?
DG: Yes but only if it's in the way that Yaa Asantewaa and Sekhmet and Maat
and Queen Nzingha and Ida B. Wells and Harriet Tubman and Ella Baker and
Joan Robinson and Rosa Parks and Assata Shakur and Kathleen Cleaver and
Elaine Brown and Angela Davis and Alice Walker and June Jordan and Toni
Morrison and bell hooks and Pearl Cleage and my own mother are feminists.
That is to say, I am a Womanist, I am an Africana Womanist, a Black Feminist, a
Feminist and a Human Being who happens to be a Woman and a Goddess among
many. I don't like to play the name games because at the end of the day, I believe
that women are different but equal to men and should be treated accordingly, with
tremendous respect but not the kind of special patronage that says we are weak
and fragile and inferior. I believe that, at best, women are the female _expression
of the Divine and I wish to say that the practical application is that you can't be
paying me $71 cents to a man's dollar.
Send Dr. Goddess some sass or just visit her website and check out what she’s
doing. Dr. Goddess
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