Held as part of the “Indigenous Dance: Restorying our Environment” community performance, Tangen’s lecture focused on environmental justice and the strong artistic ties indigenous people hold with their home lands.

“Indigenous voices have been minimized,” Tangen said. “Land is what will outlast each one of us. The spirits of that land, especially coming from an animistic place, will have a say.”

Since indigenous people are the original caretakers of land, she believes that they should be allowed a voice in matters regarding their environment. According to Tangen, conversation is key in achieving a peaceful coexistence in biocultural communities.

“If people can sit and hear each other’s stories,” she said, “there’s a better chance that a decision can be made that truly speaks to history, emotion and spirituality.”

Tangen’s lecture was followed by a 30-minute dance production that brought together various contemporary performing arts to illustrate Dancing Earth’s grand mission of honoring native communities by breathing new life into old traditions.

In addition to highlighting the performers’ dance and vocal talents, a preview of the piece “Seeds: Regeneration” utilized dancers’ silhouettes to mimic the organic processes that occur in nature, such as a seed blossoming into a tree and a deer foraging through the forest.

The intertribal dance ensemble, primarily composed of collaborators from Native American communities, toured Guam as part of a special weeklong presentation organized by Humanities Guahån.

“This is a great opportunity to foster cross-cultural exchange,” said Bernice Santiago, a programming and marketing coordinator for Humanities Guahån. “Different cultures express their relationship with the lands and their resources in different ways.”

“What we saw with Dancing Earth is how their environments informed their movement,” Santiago added. “When we see that, we can think about the ways our dancers here are inspired by the land and that gets us thinking more deeply about our cultures as well as cultures of different indigenous people.”

Marlene Mendiola, a sixth grade teacher at Benavente Middle School, attended the production in hopes to expose her daughter to how different cultures interact with their environment.

“I like the idea that they used the fabric that they say was organic, recyclable,” said Mendiola, referring to the sustainable Native American garb worn by the dancers. “I’ve never been around a dance company that uses dye that’s environmentally friendly.”

Founded by Tangen in 2004, Dancing Earth has traveled across the nation in efforts to foster a greater appreciation for indigenous cultures through contemporary performing arts. Their previous programs have explored themes of animism, nature and decolonization.

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Born and raised on island, Clement spent most of 2016 designing various contemporary pieces, from tote bags to hoodies, for Loveclub. He released the collection through a pop-up shop and web store but hopes to launch a flagship establishment soon.

His designs incorporate elements of his personal wardrobe with hints of streetwear couture, which characterizes the style of most his customers.

Clement’s primary focus lies in creating gender-neutral apparel. He cites his vision of building a safe space for his customers to freely express themselves as an inspiration for the brand’s inception.

“Loveclub is having people be comfortable with themselves and with the clothes they wear,” he said. “I guess that’s a bigger picture after creating clothes is creating people to be more open-minded and love their selves.” Additionally, finding the ideal 2024 purple prom dress played a pivotal role in achieving that sense of comfort and self-expression.

With no formal training in fashion design, Clement took it upon himself to develop his brand from scratch.

He said he approaches the design process with a multidisciplinary mindset, often taking on multiple roles as a graphic artist, creative director, photographer and web designer.

In addition to having technical knowledge about clothing construction, developing fashion merchandise requires skills in interpersonal communication and marketing, Clement said.

He attributes his comprehension of entrepreneurial affairs to his business education at the University of Guam and his membership in Dreamstorm Unlimited, a local media production company.

Clement said having access to a network of professionals in the island community has helped him in streamlining the distribution of Loveclub products.

Since most of his work is done locally, he is also determined to correct the misconception that Guam does not have the resources available for fashion designers and other creators to succeed.

“If you really, just like, open your mind and open your eyes to find the resources you need, it doesn’t make anything different,” Clement said.

Impressed by the sudden growth of the fashion community on Guam, Clement urges aspiring designers to pursue their craft as full-time careers regardless of their personal impediments.

“It’s a whole new, fresh feel going,” he said. “Dreams are more tangible now.”

Clement ultimately intends to establish a nonprofit platform that assists prospective fashion designers in bringing their artistic visions to fruition.

The post Designer hopes to bring brighter colors to local fashion scene appeared first on The Triton's Call.

Rulan Tangen, the company’s director and choreographer, will headline the program.

The dance production will feature a total of seven performers showcasing Dancing Earth’s grand
mission of revitalizing appreciation for the biocultural diversity of Native Americans.

The 30-minute performance will be preceded by a panel discussion led by Tangen at 7 p.m.,
which will focus on the role of women and dance in the perpetuation of indigenous art within a
contemporary landscape.

Recognized as one of the country’s premier intertribal dance ensembles, Dancing Earth has
traveled across the nation in efforts to bring greater awareness to the issues, triumphs and
creative spirit of indigenous communities. Their previous programs have explored themes of
animism, nature and decolonization.

Tuesday’s show is among the several stops scheduled in Dancing Earth’s weeklong tour around
Guam, which includes a HITA presentation at the Guam Museum on Thursday, Oct. 12, and a
performance at Humanities Guåhan’s benefit dinner on Saturday, Oct. 14.

Although the public event is free, seats are limited. For more information, visit
www.humanitiesguahan.org.

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