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Anthony Shay

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Anthony Shay

BACKGROUND

Information: Dr. Anthony V. "Tony" Shay, teacher, choreographer, and ensemble director.


Dr. Shay is a dancer and choreographer with over fifty years of performing and creative experience in staging and choreographing dances and music from Eastern Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia. After years of study in Iran, Dr. Shay created the Village Dancers. Along with Leona Wood (1922-2008), a painter, teacher, and expert in Middle Eastern dance, he created the famed AMAN Folk Ensemble (aka, AMAN International Music and Dance Company) of Los Angeles, California in 1963 and served as artistic director until 1977.

With Master's Degrees in Anthropology, Folklore and Mythology, and Library Sciences, he is able to bring the expreriences of travel and training to his work. In addition to being a full-time librarian, a part-time researcher for the Smithsonian Institution, a choreographer for a number of ethnic-oriented dance companies, a concert flutist, teacher and translator for the Department of Immigration, he directed AMAN. Somehow, in his spare time, he has become a better-than-average bridge player, designed and planted a rose garden in his back yard, and conducted lecture and dance courses for UCLA Extension.

During his first years in college, he learned Persian on a dare and became so accomplished in the language the he was able to fool even natives. Invited by the Iranian ambassador to visit Iran, he spent one year there eventually singing in Persian on a regular radio program.

He was choreographer and artistic director of the AVAZ International Dance Theatre, a group he founded in 1977. In this period he has choreographed over 150 works for both his own company and on commission to other groups.

He is an assistant professor of dance and cultural studies at Pomona College in Claremont, California.

Dr. Shay earned a Ph.D. in Dance History and Theory at the University of California, Riverside in 1997. He currently holds the position of associate in dance at the same institution, where he teaches dances of the Iranian cultures sphere.

Dr. Shay is a five-time recipient of the National Education Association (NEA) choreographic fellowship and was an NEA resident artist in La Napoule, France. In 1990, he was a seminar participant in "Latin American Music in a historical and social perspective" at the University of Texas, Austin. In 1995, Dr. Shay was again awarded a summer scholar position in the seminar "Re-imagining Societies: The Middle East and Central Asia" at Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire. On November 18, 1995, Dr. Shay received commendations from President Bill Clinton and the entire City Council of Los Angles for excellence of his choreographies, honoring his fortieth year as a choreographic artist. The Kaleidiscope Festival designated him as Distinguished California Artist in 1997. He was awarded a James Irvine Fellowship in Dance for 1998 as one of eight of the top choreographers in the State of California. The award is accompanied by a $30,000.00 fellowship for research focused around a core focus on Iranian art, which enabled Dr. Shay to visit important art collections and libraries in a number of different countries. This fellowship is the most coveted dance award in the United States.


REFLECTIONS

Tony's 10 Commandments

Thou shalt not shuffle.
Thou shalt have no other directors before me.
Honor thy left foot and thy right and keep thy buttocks tight.
Thou shalt not commit atonality.
Thou shalt drop no costume pieces before me.
Obey the Sunday and Thursday and keep them holy.
Thou shalt not become pregnant.
Thou shalt not kvetch.
Thou shalt not miss rehearsals; be the reason lice, vermin or pestilence.
Thou shall take every final bow...and bow...and bow.

 

AMAN Psalm 23

Tony is our shepherd; we shall not forget it. He maketh us to dance on wretched stages; he leadeth us beside short people. He restarted our soles. He leadeth us in the paths of folklore for AMAN's sake. Yea, though we walk through the valley of the shadow of Berendo, we shall fear no purse snatchers; for thine art is with us. Thy shrieks and thy stomps; they comfort us. Thou preparest suites before us in the presence of all. Thou annointest our heads with false braids; our caps runneth over...and over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us dummies all the days of our lives and we shall dwell in the house of AMAN forever.


PUBLICATIONS


CHOREOGRAPHIES

Because most of Dr. Shay's works were intended for repertory companies, they received and still receive multiple performances, sometimes over one hundred or more times. For example, Up with People has five casts of one hundred performers and annually performs Dr. Shay's works several hundred times in one year collectively. Im Anush Daviq, an Armenian choreography he composed in 1979, has been a permanent part of the AVAZ repertoire for more than 15 years and has received at least 200 performances during that time period.

NAME

AREA

PERFORMED BY

YEAR

Raqs-e shadi

Iran

AVAZ

1997

Raqs-e ghuri

Tajikistan

AVAZ

1996

Raqs-e Ayineh

Iran

AVAZ

1997

Ferghanin usuli

Uzbekistan

AVAZ

1995

Ciftetelli Suite

Ottoman Turkey

AVAZ

1995

Mouashshahat

Lebanon

AVAZ

1995

Dabka Suite

Jordan

AVAZ

1995

Usul-e Samarqandi

Uzbekistan

AVAZ

1994

Tak-Navazi

Iran

AVAZ

1994

Vrlicko Kolo III

Croatia

Komeinka

1995

Ghawazi Dance

Egypt

AVAZ

1994

Răčhenitsa from Thrace

Bulgaria

Up With People

1995

Gagara

India (Gujerat)

Up With People

1995

Šop Suite

Bulgaria

AMAN, AVAZ

1963

Podravina Wedding

Croatia

AMAN, Duquesne U.

1974

Vrlič'ko Kolo I

Croatia

AMAN, Duquesne U.

1968

Linđo

Croatia

AMAN, AVAZ, Duquesne U.

1969

Dances of Bukhara

Uzbekistan

AMAN, AVAZ

1967

Dances of Bojnurd

Iran

AVAZ

1993

Raqs-e Chupi

Iran

AVAZ

1978

Kurdish Suite

Iran/Iraq

AVAZ

1986

Katta Uyin

Uzbekistan

AVAZ

1978

Persian Gulf Suite

Iran

AVAZ

1979

Dances of the Ghawazi

Egypt

AVAZ

1994

Dances of Eastern Serbia

Serbia

AMAN, AVAZ

1964

Dances of Prizren

Serbia

Village Dancers

1962

Bunjevačko Momačko I

No. Serbia

AMAN

1966

Bunjevačko Momačko II

No. Serbia

AMAN, AVAZ

1966

Bunjevačko Momačko III

No. Serbia

Duquesne U.

1969

Azerbaijan Suite

Azerbaijan

Village Dancers

1960

Azerbaijan Suite II

Azerbaijan

Komeinka

1989

Azerbaijan Suite III

Azerbaijan

AVAZ

1990

Azerbaijan Suite IV

Azerbaijan

Duquesne U.

1975

Im Anush Daviq

Armenia

AVAZ

1978

Dances of Zelina

Croatia

Duquesne U.

1974

Balun I

Croatia

AMAN

1970

Balun II

Croatia

AVAZ

1983

Stara Bosna

Bosnia

AMAN, AVAZ

1971

Kraljice

Croatia

AMAN, AVAZ

1972

Cake Walk

USA

Up With People

1980

Carnival

Brazil

Up With People

1981

Dajčovo Horo I

Bulgaria

Village Dancers

1961

Dajčovo Horo II

Bulgaria

AMAN, AVAZ

1963

Dajčovo Horo III

Bulgaria

Up With People

1982

Thracian Suite

Bulgaria

AMAN, AVAZ

1968

Dances of Šumadija I

Serbia

Village Dancers

1960

Dances of Šumadija II

Serbia

AMAN

1970

Dances of Šumadija III

Serbia

Duquesne U.

1975

Dances of Šumadija IV

Serbia

AVAZ

1984

Dances of Baranja

Croatia

AMAN

1976

Nevestinsko Oro

Madeconia

AMAN

1967

Macedonian Suite

Macedonia

AMAN

1965

Kalajdžisko Horo I

Macedonia

Village Dancers

1961

Kalajdžisko Horo II

Macedonia

AMAN

1964

Banat Suite

Serbia

Village Dancers

 

Lancer Quadrilles

USA

Village Dancers

1962

Dances of Vera Cruz

Mexico

AMAN

1974

Fandango

California

AMAN

1976

Jota Aragonesa

Spain

AMAN

1973

Banat Suite I

Serbia

Village Dancers

1961

Banat Suite II

Serbia

AMAN

1964

Banat Suite III

Serbia

AVAZ

1978

Čoček

Serbia

AVAZ

1980

Ḱuperlika (Ćuperlika)

Macedonia

AMAN

1966

Ottoman Suite

Turkey

AMAN

1964

Hoedown

USA

Up With People

1978

Dances of Posavina I

Croatia

AMAN

1970

Dances of Posavina II

Croatia

AMAN

1972

Dances of Posavina III

Croatia

Duquesne U.

1974

Dances of Posavina IV

Croatia

AVAZ

1979

Dances of Posavina V

Croatia

AVAZ

1991

Dances of Split

Croatia

AVAZ

1992

Tanac from the Isle of Krk

Croatia

AMAN

1967

Dance from Pag

Croatia

AMAN

1967

Ballos from Sifnos

Greece

AVAZ

1980

Ballos from Chios

Greece

AMAN

1969

Taverna I

Greece, USA

AMAN

1972

Taverna II

Greece, USA

Duquesne U.

1976

Taverna III

Greece

AVAZ

1993

Zeybek

Turkey

Village Dancers

1961

Turkish Suite

Turkey

Village Dancers

1960

Dances of Slavonija I

Croatia

Village Dancers

1961

Dances of Slavonija II

Croatia

AMAN

1963

Dances of Slavonija III

Croatia

AMAN, AVAZ

1968

Ladarke I

Croatia

AMAN

1965

Ladarke II

Croatia

AMAN

1970

Dances of Prigorje

Croatia

AMAN

1969

Dances of Prigorje II

Croatia

Duquesne U.

1969

Dances of Pokuplje

Croatia

AVAZ

1987

zang bozi

Tajikistan

Village Dancers

1961

raqs-e mojassameh

Iran

AVAZ

1993

Running Sets I

USA

AVAZ

1983

Running Sets II

USA

AVAZ

1986

Caluşari

Romania

AVAZ

1986

Šopsko Horo

Bulgaria

AMAN

1965

Rice Harvest Dance, Gilan

Iran

Village Dancers

1960

Bazi-ha-ye namayeshi

Iran

AVAZ

1992

The Dancing Out

Hungary

AVAZ

1985

Verbunkos

Hungary

AMAN

1970

Dances of Torbat Jam

Iran

AVAZ

1980

Dances of Baluchistan

Iran

AVAZ

1982

Motreban

Iran

AVAZ

1980

Dance of Qajar Court

Iran

AVAZ

1984

Shateri I

Iran

AVAZ

1979

Qazaqi I

Azerbaijan

Village Dancers

1961

Qazaqi II

Azerbaijan

AMAN

1965

Qazaqi III

Azerbaijan

AVAZ

1979

Dasmali

Azerbaijan

AVAZ

1981

Tarantella

Italy

Up With People

1980

Hopak (Gopak)

Ukraine

Up With People

1982

Horovod

Russia

Up With People

1992

Katanka

Serbia

AMAN, AVAZ

1965

Shota

Albania

Village Dancers

1962

Kartuli

Georgia

AVAZ

1993

Dance of Qaraqanah

Tunisia

AVAZ

1985

Rugovo

Albania

AMAN

1969

Kochari

Armenia

AVAZ

1983

Dances of Vranje

Serbia

Village Dancers

1963

Kheliji

Saudi Arabia

Komeinka (New Orleans)

1997

Bandari (Persian Gulf)

Iran

AVAZ

1977

Bandari II

Iran

Komeinka

1996

Bandari III

Iran

Pomona College

1997

Armenian Suite

Armenia

AVAZ

1996

Silent Dances

Bosnia

Pomona College

1998

Monajat

Uzbekistan

Scripps College

1998


DOCUMENTS


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