The Song of Our Homelands is the mutiny scene that ends Act One of Queen Victoria’s Floating Garden of Secrets and Natural Wonders. The prostitutes, street vendors, peasant girls, and scullery maids held captive on HMS Annelid, a scientific research vessel that doubles as a floating reformatory for wayward women, declare mutiny and take over the ship. This video is a single camera angle and features three songs by (in order) Ruth Brand as Nina, Corinne Denney as Molly, and Jacinda Espinosa as Margeurite. Dance solos by Elizabeth Van Noy (Irish step dance) and Neena Massey (South Indian bharatanatyam). Susan Rahmsdorff plays Olga, Zil Ricker plays Half-fast Stage Manager. Music Direction and piano by Daniel Mullens. Recorded at Su Teatro in Denver on May 5th- 2013.
Having decided to take over the ship, the women reminisce of their homelands and tell their stories of how they came to be on board HMS Annelid and what they will do when they make it home. When the Captain and Lady Henrietta come on deck to see what the ruckus is about, the pirate lasses take them prisoner. The scene ends with a dance honoring Ganesh, a god of peace known as the Remover of Obstacles and Lord of Beginnings, a patron of the arts and sciences, and the deva of intellect and wisdom. The dancer is accompanied by Laurissa Vibhuti, a keeper of the Devadasi Sadir tradition.
Luminous Thread 