february 2019
FREE
BASEMENT POETRY ELEVATES TOUGH TOPICS WITH ART Basement Poetry performs For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf in May 2017 at The Ice House in Bethlehem, PA. photo by Kellie Marie Hammond
by Christine Lake Sometimes, the world feels like a lonely place and it’s hard to open up about difficult issues that affect humanity. Whether the subject is mental illness, LGBTQIA+ identity and lived experience, systemic racism or sexual assault, starting conversations about these heavy topics can seem incredibly daunting. Basement Poetry, a Bethlehem-based performance group that focuses on slam poetry and movement theatre, believes that art allows us to come together to create safe spaces to share stories, especially the difficult ones. Basement Poetry was founded in 2015 by a group of 6 female classmates at Northampton Community College. “Basement Poetry started off as a tiny seed of an idea that was nurtured by a group of girls who were tired and exhausted and sad and frustrated over the lack of inclusivity in the art happening around them,” the founders recall. Their first performance was at the NCC campus, to an audience of approximately nine people, but the members could tell that something different and magical was happening. Creating a safe space for conversation through art felt new and innovative, and they were determined to keep a focus on things that haven’t been done in the Lehigh Valley before. “Our art is intimate and creates the human connection that commercial theatre does not offer,” the group explains.
Slam poetry rose in popularity during the 1990s, and is a style of poetry that focuses on live performance; in fact, many of the poems actually lose something when read silently from a page. The content is often highly political, using economic, racial or gender inequities as well as current events to draw subject matter. The “slams” are the performances, often structured as a type of competition with the audience as judge, with winners being judged as much on enthusiasm of performance as content of poems. Movement theatre is a type of performance that uses physical movement as a primary storytelling medium, combining speaking with the movement to convey the fullest picture of the words. The combination of these two styles makes Basement Poetry performances unique. Some notable performances from the past include Identify, which explored racial identities in late 2015 and early 2016 as part of Lehigh Valley Voices of the Conscience: Towards Racial Understanding. That was followed by Her: The Female Experience from Birth to Death, which played throughout summer of 2016 and even marked performances at The Philly Fringe Festival, an internationally recognized two-week-long continued on page 3
YWCA BETHLEHEM ADULT DAY SERVICES PROGRAM OFFERS AN ENRICHING EXPERIENCE FOR AGES 60 AND OVER by Christine Lake There’s a common saying: “You’re only as old as you feel.” The truth of this phrase is being proven by scientific research, and one of the things that’s been found is that the more active your social life, the longer you’re likely to live, and the happier and healthier you’ll be. According to 2018 US Census data, 16.4% of Lehigh County residents and 18.6% of Northampton County residents are age 65 or older. As many from this group retire, they may be in need of some new activities to help fill their days. Additionally, there are many informal caregivers in the area who are involved in assisting another adult with daily living activities including medical care; nationwide, the data shows that about 34.2 million people provide care to an adult over age 50, and about 15.7 million of those are caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. The YWCA Bethlehem’s Adult Day Services Center (ADSC) offers options for these seniors, and their caregivers, to continue living their fullest and best lives. Serving the Lehigh Valley since 1984, the ADSC offers professional, licensed care with a friendly and caring staff including an on-site registered nurse and bilingual caregivers. The longest running program of its kind in Northampton County, the Center offers a caring “second home” for aging seniors of all genders, age 60 or over. Attendees enjoy healthy meals, social interaction, physical activity, personalized support as needed and a variety of activities such as music, crafts, cooking, games, puzzles, pet therapy and more. “Our center is for any senior, whether they need a safe place to be during the day or just want socialization,” says Center Director Yvonne Toth. “We know that socialization plays a large role in maintaining quality of life as one ages. Our center enables aging adults to remain active and engaged within a compassionate and caring community of peers and professionals.” For those with dementia, Alzheimer’s and other cognitive or physical disabilities, the Center is a Music and Memory Certified organization. “We offer personalized music through iPods to engage the person with dementia even as memory fails,” Toth explains. “Using personalized music can help decrease feelings of uneasiness, help connections with loved ones at any of stage of dementia, improve communication and increase the overall quality of life.” Importantly, the ADSC also offers caregivers a respite, and a place where they know that their loved ones are valued, and where they themselves can be supported. Daily activities include time for unstructured socialization during arrival, discussion of current events after breakfast, an indoor walk or chair aerobics before lunch with
Call 610-258-4330 to advertise
Artistic Endeavors page 8
YWCA Bethlehem Adult Day Services program offers a variety of activities including arts and crafts projects. photo courtesy of YWCA Bethlehem.
time for reading and relaxation following the mid-day meal. Table activities and/or active games take place in the afternoon, and then there is time for trivia and stories or an independent activity. Live entertainment is scheduled for some afternoons as well, and activities include everything from manicures and spa days to jewelry making, and even Plinko, Giant Jenga and bowling are options. The best thing, however, according to Toth? “I really enjoy the family of friends that has developed in the center. Everyone knows each other so well that if one is having an off day, another participant will try to make them feel better,” she says. “It’s also the loud ‘hellos’, the daily laughs and big smiles, the jokes and the singing, the competiveness while playing games. There are so many favorite things, just like in The Sound of Music, I could make a song of them all!” Although programs like the ADSC are invaluable to those who need them, there is unfortunately a lack of government funding for these programs. Some may recall that Third Street Alliance in Easton was forced to end their adult day services program in the summer of 2018 due to lack of funding and other complicating factors. The
Gardening page 8
continued on page 3
February 2019
The Irregular