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The Dream Dancer
written in loving memory by Kajira Djoumahna, with help from Doug Adams |
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"De Ann will long be remembered by those whose lives she touched. When she danced, magic happened; a divine light came down through her to us. One could believe that she was born to do this dance. One could believe that she had danced this dance in other lifetimes. One could believe that she will dance that way again - and forever." ~ Doug Adams. It is with great sadness that I report the death of De Ann Bonham Adams, early in the morning of December 8, 2000. De Ann had a lifelong history of sleepwalking, which she apparently did that night as well. But this time she fell - and died from her injuries, as the autopsy report shows. Doug mentioned that this was not in the least uncommon for De Ann - as long as he knew her she had danced (sometimes as if she was flying!), sung, talked and walked - in her sleep. Perhaps it is fitting that De Ann chose this method for making her transition as well. Born in Healdsburg, California on January 5, 1949, she was always creative and spunky. Crowned Miss Sonoma County in 1968, De Ann's great beauty inside and out was beginning to get noticed even then. As a dancer she was known for her powerful stage presence, masterful finger cymbal playing and unrivaled sword work. She studied long and hard with Jamila Salimpour in the early 1970s and became a featured soloist with the famous troupe, Bal Anat. From those roots, De Ann went on to found The Dream Dancers, in which her own choreographic genius was displayed. She inspired thousands of dancers through her teaching, where she shared her spirit and laughter as well as her dancing skills. This group was well known for their captivating shows throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and with their work with the band, Light Rain. Doug Adams, violinist and one of the composers for Light Rain, met De Ann shortly after moving to California from his native Texas. He "heard her before he saw her," he related at her memorial service in Healdsburg on December 16. He was visiting the Ghirardeli Square and Fisherman's Wharf areas of San Francisco in the summer of 1973 when he heard the distinctive sound of finger cymbals and drums. Almost from the day they met, they became fast friends and lifelong partners. As with all artists, and all marriages, their relationship was fraught with equally tremendous bliss and strife. Through it all, their love remained. De Ann and Doug were filmed during this period while performing on the streets of San Francisco for the film, "Gameel Gamal." It is unfortunate that she was not filmed more during her peak years. Doug's explanation for this loss is: "It was before video was so common. Film was very expensive and we were always broke, putting everything into the Light Rain recordings. But mainly, we were young and thought we could go on like that forever." Before her death, De Ann and Doug compiled and edited a wonderful video of their best clips they had available. This rare footage is now available in video form as "De Ann's Dream." "De
Ann" by Hal Marcus.
Copyright retained. Reprinted with permission from Magi Productions.
Rain,"De Ann performed for him at a studio in San Francisco. One can clearly see her influence in the hip and arm movements that Mr. Arpino chose for his ballet choreography, should you have a chance to see it. In turn, at that studio session, he gave her some pointers on choreography such as the use of diagonals and lots of floor space. This came through in her work with The Dream Dancers. Even after The Dream Dancers disbanded, Light Rain continued to play and record with De Ann on zills and keyboard. Offering their services at various festivals and student nights held at the Grapeleaf Restaurant (now the Al Masri) in San Francisco, this band became many dancers' first experience with live music. Always attentive and supportive for beginners and rewarding for professionals, De Ann and Light Rain was a delight to work with live or >from one of their four recordings, all of which feature De Ann's incredible zillwork. She will be remembered whenever I play or hear finger cymbals or place a sword on my head. De Ann will live on within the countless dancers and musicians she has inspired, and in the love, light and laughter of the angels. The following is from the Memorial Service Program: The title of this song came to De Ann in a dream. She spoke it to Doug in her sleep. The verses and music came to Doug while he was walking the next day.
Dream Dancer, know that you are missed. We shall dance again .... To
contact Doug to offer your condolences, for Light Rain music or
the video, "De Ann's Dream," please write to him at: ***
Both of those photos are of De Ann Bonham Adams, and are courtesy
of Magi Productions ~end~ |
Her reputation preceded her. I had heard such stellar reports about
De Ann that I knew I had to seek her out to study with her early
in my dance career, even before I had ever seen her dance. I did,
and was forever affected by her remarkable spirit, her kindness
while teaching and her quality of fearlessness that shone like a
beacon for all to enjoy. De Ann taught as she lived and danced,
passionately and from the heart.
De
Ann and Doug began composing music, and at De Ann's urging they
recorded what would be the first of four albums. But Oriental
dancers, poets and musicians were not the only people inspired
by De Ann. Soon after the Light Rain album "Dream Dancer" was
released in 1978, they were contacted by the Joffrey Ballet of
San Francisco. They had heard the song, "Sword Dance." A meeting
was arranged with De Ann, Doug and the Ballet's main choreographer,
Gerald Arpino. Before Mr. Arpino began work on the ballet, also
titled "LightAbout
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