Neena Massey (Performance Artist, Workshop Presenter)
BIO
With respect to the greater community, I utilize my skills as a multidisciplinary artist and educator towards addressing unhealed wounds that manifest into autoimmunity.
I allow my intuition, imagination, and prayers to guide me to gentle and intuitive art practices. My intention is to increase healing in the body, mind, and soul, documenting my process in an interdisciplinary method, which takes form in live presentation, writing, photo, and video.
Raven Speaks is my performance art moniker. My art practice is composed of Classical South Indian dance, (Bharatnatyam) Middle Eastern dance, and Urdu poetics. Through language reclamation work, I intend to transcend cultural perceptions through linguistics. (http://neenaexpressions.com/education/language/)
As a first generation Pakistani American, my performance art engages traditional South Indian ritual and ceremony with poetry, mantra and meditation that draws on diverse languages and cultures. I open each space with a sacred Indian dance and Urdu poem designed to welcome audience members and guests.
My newest Urdu poem, “Raath aur Din”, is a journey through darkness and light, from the perspective of gratitude and love. Each of my performance pieces follows with an optional workshop and online continuing education for people who want to continue the journey with me. I am also available to meet with people online, individually, and in small and large groups. Please contact neenaexpressions@gmail.com for more information.
In addition to performance art, I’ve hosted a Community Gathering in Denver, Colorado for three consecutive years thus far. The gathering has created space for healing and transformation of displaced and gentrified communities and has a strong future trajectory.
Through integrative work, I create spaces of individual and collective healing, in order to amplify the potential for trauma recovery, thus unlocking genuine self-awareness and potent self-transformation. We heal better together.
More information can be found on neenaexpressions.com
20th Anniversary
I’ve been a part of the Ollom Art events since 2017. I am once again honored to join you this year in 2023 for the 20th Anniversary Celebration. Goddard College originally brought us together in 2017 and since then, I’ve shared three performances with you all in New York City.
Coincidentally, my new piece, “Raath aur Din,” will fit into the Landscapes theme because the setting of this piece takes place in a forest.
2020 – Haus of Ollom (Workshop Presenter)
The Devil, The Tower and the Star Workshop [with Jendi Reiter]
In this online workshop we explore our experiences of disruptive change and renewal, through the framework of a three-card progression in the Tarot’s Major Arcana. Our intention is to inspire you to make your own cards for self-reflection and group readings.
2019 – Haus of Ollom Experience (Performer)
Coil Study: Love Movements
This performance will include images, music, and movement art that take participants on a journey of self-discovery. Ritualized performance can lead towards healing of past wounds. The goal is to provide self-healing tools, and share the results of this project from a personal and community perspective.
2018 Festival (Workshop Presenter)
شفا یابی کا پانی : Svadisthana – Gateway of Healing and Transformation – Thank you so much for this opportunity to share personal stories of transformation and healing. This performance piece/workshop demonstration is intended to inform participants about my experiences healing the womb, and in this case, the cervical gateway. Yoni is a word that’s highly popularized right now, yet in Sanskrit literally translates to home, abode, womb, sacred space, center of creation. I am currently working on healing emotional wounds at the cervix level. When I hid my own sexuality I experienced fear of sex, neglect, shame and betrayal for many years of my life. When I became brave enough to invite my erotic energy to take the lead, I created solutions to these self-imposed limitations. In this performance art piece I celebrate sacral chakra healing through movement art and tantric breath work. I’ve incorporated other sacred healing tools to clear the cervix of past trauma, self-abuse and neglect. I will candidly discuss these healing tools with the attendees of the workshop. This was the theme of my recent research in my MFA-IA program.
2017 Gala (Performer)
Echo S P A C E, eMERGe, is about self-initiation and rebirth. The many inspirations for this piece take me on a slow walk through a prismatic kaleidoscope. I needed healing, and I asked my body for answers. My intention is to create movement that heals and circulates my personal essence and feels incredible.
Echo S P A C E exudes physical, spiritual, emotional and mental transformation. It metabolizes years of repression into joyful life expression. This piece has helped me discover several healing modalities that gently and tenderly allow for liberation, circulation and advanced healing. It is an innovative point in my life, my art and my praxis studies. The performance piece takes place within and throughout a portal, representing a timeless space of healing and renewal.
John Ollom’s book “Internal Landscapes” is an inspiration for eMERGe. His insight enhances the evolution of Echo S P A C E. His book beautifully interweaves written word, poetry and descriptive illustrations. John Ollom’s fascinating progression of performance art and methodology helps other performers heal. His work resonates with me on many levels.
For this piece I have created a hypnotic repertoire of relaxation and movement that allows bliss and love to flow through my entire being using aspects of Qi Gong, Middle Eastern and South Indian Dance as the main forms of movement. I’m delighted to express my passion, celebrate in new ways and share with you.
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