THIS IS HISTORICAL INFORMATION ONLY

THE INTERSECTION
GRAND OPENING - MEETING OF THE MEMBERSHIP
Sunday
August 27, 1967     2:30 P.M.

Setup: Two tables with two chairs - for Rudy and Athan

RUDY
 
  INTRODUCTION:
Introduce officers
Purpose for calling a meeting of the member
Procedure/agenda for the meeting
Supply pencils & paper for questions following the discussion
 
ATHAN
 
I. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
 
  1. Began with Rudy and Athan over a cup of coffee after a dance session one night.
  2. It began with the idea of having a place where coffee can be served while dancing is going on instead of having to go out for coffee after the dance session.
    • permanent place or building
    • centrally located
  3. Both had a serious interest in folk dancing and the folk arts - Rudy in some magazine work; Athan with his research, pageant programs and presentations of programs in the theatre
  4. Reading of "The Way It Was" written by Helen Chester - for more insight into the INTERSECTION in the beginning stages.
 
RUDY
 
II. PURPOSE - membership club
 
  1. To provide a meeting place where the atmosphere is comfortable for the folk arts, song, music,and dance. -- European coffee house.
  2. Central location for easy access by people from all parts of Los Angeles.
  3. To provide cultural entertainment instead of being a social-working or sociological group.
 
RUDY
ATHAN
III. PRESENT PLANS & FUTURE PLANS
 
  1. Our present plans: make this step that we sarted a more permanent one, which is far more flexible than the other place on Alvarado Street5.  To make the people as comfortable as they can be and still have room to expand for future plans and activities.
  2. OUR FUTURE PLANS and ACTIVITIES
    • To provide the best teachers in dancing, acting, language, and the other workshops which we are planning to have.
    • To make an international center for all folk dance activities whereby not only people can actively participate in the classes, but also in special sessions, concerts, readings, and the visual arts; also to make it an information center of exchange ideas; to work with organized ethnic groups in LA, exhibition groups, and folkdance groups as well as with people interested in the folk arts and crafts of different countries.
    • Among those activities would be the following:
      • folk arts workshop - costumes, crafts, decorative objects
      • music workshop - to understand and appreciate music, song, and musical instruments.  Perhaps, later learning how to craft an instrument.
      • song and music sessions as opposed to just dancing
      • special parties - such as LADO party coming up soon.  The plan is to meet at the INTERSECTION, then car pools to the LADO performance, and return fot the Intersection for a snack and some dancing.  Try to get som LADO performers and dancers to come down to the Intersection, if possible.
      • theatre workshop - where people can be trained and can expand into research of the folk theatre and present these here as well as other places.
      • concerts - to present dances, songs, musicians, and people who excel in s specific area or who have concentrated their talents in a specific area to present something to us and for us to appreciate the program or talent aesthetically.
      • The Intersection Dancers - have appeared at various places including the Pilgrimage Bowl, the Long Beach Civic Auditorium, and coming up in September dancing for 186th Birthday of Los Angeles at Century Plaza and San Fernando Valley
      • Mission.
      • language workshops in Greek, Hebrew, Russian, etc.
      • foods from different countries
    • To expand our building program - outside patio with dancing; building extension near the patio for the theatre workshop and additional activities and still be able to have room for dancing.
  1. PAST ACTIVITIES
    • Puppet theatre for children
    • Reading of an Armenian poem:  An Armenian Legend
    • Films:  A grecian Odyssey; Our immigrant Heritage
    • Children's class in folk dancing
    • Picnic in Elysian Park with roast lamb
    • Greek Night
    • Programs for PTA shows; Congregational Church, etc.
    • Plays:  Poison, passion & Petrifaction by George Bernard Shaw
    • Talk on folklore by Walter Starkie, well-knonwn authorities
    • Discussion of Greek poetry - professor from Claremont
    • Readings on poetry from different countries
    • Art exhibitions - Jovan Obican, Yugoslav; Ann Loch
    • Special institutes: Andor Czompo, Ricky Tejada-Flores, Vince Evanchuk, Atanas Kolarovski, Tom Bozigian, etc.
    • Balladeers, troubadors, folk singers
    • Summer outings to beaches & pools
    • Comedian Laird Brooks
    • Satya:  Indian dancer; sari draping
    • Theatre workshop presentations
    • Travel slides
    • Film on Yugoslavian dances
    • Language classes in Greek, Hebrew, Russian
    • Dumbek class

  2. Through our various activities and parties we have discovered that we have been able to engage with peoples of various backgrounds, interacting together through song, music, and dance to express themselves and to relate to their fellow man.  We have been able to bring this INTERSECTION IDEA to many private homes also and have found a crying need that in our modern society man still needs dancing--and folk dancing is this need for most of us...or perhaps even for all of us.
  3. QUESTION-ANSWER PERIOD


GRAND OPENING      Sunday, August 27, 1967
 
MEETING OF THE MEMBERSHIP MINUTES
 
I.   PRESENTATION BY ATHAN & RUDY
 
II.   POINTS BROUGHT UP BY ATHAN & RUDY FOLLOWING DISCUSSION NOT INCLUDED IN THE OUTLINE
  1. Membership club run on a business basis
  2. No discriminations in treatment of members, non-members, or visitors.  All get the same treatment.
  3. EXPANSION of front patios
  4. FRONT AREA to be used for display purposes and shopping area.
  5. History of dancing - religious ceremonies, etc.
  6. Rhythm comes from the heart and is therefore life.
  7. Type of program Rudy wojld like to present in the future.
    Example:  Program of weddings - one Greek, one Japanese, one Mexican, one Indian, etc.
 
III.   POINTS OF DISCUSSION
  1. Poor turnout may be disappointing; but Athan said as far as he and Rudy were concerned it was a success because it gave them a chance to review their objectives.
  2. Members interest in the discussion.
  3. Bulletin board for announcements, minutes; a center of information with posted material approved first.
  4. Information booth near display case for flyers, calendars with announcements for reinforcement.
  5. Music workshop - contact people ethnically involved with church or social groups.
  6. Attandance from people of the arts and performing arts a very small percantage; self-expression and creativity lacking in many of our lives in normal existence with the Intersection acting as an outlet or way of self-expression; these people may wish to get away from that.  No advertisement because it will bring tourists to observe the natives who will then be made uncomfortable; the natives leave and the tourists take over and eventually they leave because the natives are not around.
  7. No advertising in the Free Press or KPFK because the Intersection doesn't wish to be aligned with them because of their strong political views.
  8. Government and police controls against ethnic and cultural groups at one time.
  9. Location of the building near the police station.
  10. Playing of requests - to be written on a sheet of paper.
  11. Discussion of immigrants-want also to have first generation people become interested as well as 2nd and third.