by Livia Vanaver
July 15th, 1:45 AM
Just returned home from an historic day in the life of The Vanaver Caravan. Yesterday we celebrated Jane Sherman’s 100th Birthday at the Actor’s Fund Residence in Englewood, NJ. To tell you the truth, I was apprehensive about the whole event. I knew that Jane was literally “ living for this day” and was excited to have people with whom she is very close joining her at this milestone in her life. But most of our Company was out of town for this particular weekend. Even Toby, who has missed only one or two shows in the past 30 years and has never missed a performance for Jane at the Actor’s Home over the past 15 years, was in Utah. Nevertheless, there were 6 Caravan Kids ages 11-14 (most of whom have been with us since age 4 : Anna Rose, Emma Baker, Rachel Campbell, Rebe Underhill-Hval, Ginger Clickner and Juliet ten Broeke). They worked diligently to prepare 3 of our favorite suites of ethnic dances, some fancy footwork/odd rhythm percussive dances, and they learned the Denishawn Floor Plastique as recreated by the Denishawn Repertory Dancers with Jane years ago, especially for this occasion. Jan Campbell, one of our rock steady Caravan Moms, would drive there and would be ready as dresser and go-for. Of the Company members, Fode Sissoko, Ramona Staffeld, Amber Wirthmann, Bill and myself would be perform. I would be the congenial M.C. as usual and try to weave the program together. The program would also feature Lyudmilla Melerud, a fabulous pianist who toured with us in France, during the 1990 Bienale as accompanist for the DRD. Would this be enough? We always have our own fiddler and pianist and a larger Company. I wanted ideally to perform several pieces from our repertoire of 10 Denishawn dances that Jane has recreated for us over the past 28 years, but as I mentioned most of the Company happened to be out of town. I wanted it to be special for Jane and wanted it to meet her expectations. I needed to get out of my own way and remember what was important. Jane had for the past 3 montths been living the Nursing Home section of the Actor’s Fund Residence and no longer in her well loved room with her writing desk, copy machine and a flurry of papers indicating many active projects, in the Assisted Living section. In the Nursing Home section, she could receive more attention after several falls. Jane had not been back to the upstairs Assisted Living section that she’s known home for the past 15 years since her transfer. This event would ultimately be wonderful for her as is.
The drive down was uneventful. Another particularly hot and humid day and by the time we got down to New Jersey from New Paltz, we were all schvitzing. We set up and Amber began rehearsing the Caravan Kids in the high celilinged lounge. I went down to check on Jane. She was just getting up from a rest and a bit apprehensive about seeing everyone and having to greet so many people individually when she couldn’t necessarily even see or hear them well. Then I heard my inner voice say, “Get out of the way, Livia, and just offer this loving gesture and enjoy every moment “. 2 PM arrived and so did Jane, wearing for the first time the white tiger patterned flowing floor length vest that I gave to her, which had been given to me in Oklahoma spontaneously by an audience member in the lobby of one of our shows this past winter. The program began with Lydumilla playing 2 pieces including, “Soaring”. I watched from the lobby and wept with the Caravan Kids and some of the beloved Actors Fund staff members as Jane literally danced in her chair. I could see her being transported back to the 20’s when that piece was actually set on her. She moved to every nuance of Lyudmilla’s forceful and fabulous rendition of Schumann’s masterpiece. Then the Caravan Kids took their places for Floor Plastique. Lyudmilla accompanied them (without even a rehearsal). This was our surprise gift to Jane and it was performed with great love and reverence, flawlessly. Amber danced, "The Legend of the Peacock”, the final piece that Jane recreated for TVC. It seemed as though Miss Ruth herself was coming to pay homage to Jane on this auspicious day. Fode Sissoko played the ngoni (a West African harp that he made on his last trip to Senegal and which never leaves his side these days) and the djembe (a West African drum which he plays like nobody’s business! No one even comes close to his stroke of genious touch and spiritual connection on these instruments). Fode sings while he plays the ngoni, often improvising in Mandinko about whatever or whomever is on his mind. Today, he sang to Jane. He stood right up in front of her. You could hear the unrecognizable words interspersed with the gently sung English sounds of, “happy birthday, Jane.” I moved the microphone close to her so that the audience could hear her comments. She brightened noticieably as the concert continued. Ramona danced a Charleston. The audience could really relate to this! They just loved it. Ramona’s gracious and ebulent style was a perfect offering in this spirit of generosity. Michelle Mathesius, Director of the Dance Department at NYC’s High School of Performig Arts. (She and I have the good fortune and karma to be Jane’s “Dancing Daughters”), Greg Cary and Bentley Roton from Kaatsbaan and several of Jane’s dearest friends were also present. We all agreed what a gift it was it was for us all to be together to celebrate Jane during while she was still alive. There were beautiful flowers from Margaret Myers (daughter of Clifford Vaughn who wrote many of the Denishawn accompaniments and also toured in the Orient with Jane in the 1920’s). Howard Gardner, who maintains a long time correspondence with Jane, sent his regards which was read during the performance and really said it all:
"To live a full century is a remarkable achievement for anyone. To have lived life to the fullest, to have given so much to so many, and to remain actively and optimistically engaged with the world, despite all its wrinkles and mis-steps, is a singular accomplishment. I join your multitude of friends and admirers in saluting you on this historic day."
It was indeed an historic day for all of us! Livia
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
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