By Diane Wright
EVERETT — Geshe Lobsang Tenzin remembers his first impressions of actor Richard Gere: “He is a person of great integrity, a really kindhearted person.”
That view hasn’t changed since 1988, when the first tour of “The Mystical Arts of Tibet” sent a culture in exile to theaters and colleges throughout the U.S.
“He assisted in bringing the monks on the tour,” Tenzin said of Gere. “Right from the beginning, he gave his support.”
The Dalai Lama, Tibet’s Buddhist spiritual leader, fled into exile in 1959 after a failed revolt against Chinese rule. Since then, Tibet has been both a country and a culture in exile. About 100,000 Tibetans, including the Dalai Lama, live in other countries such as India.
Gere, a Buddhist, has maintained his connection to Tibetans, and now Richard Gere Productions co-sponsors a touring show of Tibetan music, dance and chanting that will come to the Everett Civic Auditorium for a free performance at 7:30 p.m. next Wednesday.
The 10 monks in the show will also begin a four-day residency Monday at Everett Community College, doing a mandala, or sand painting, in the college’s Northlight Gallery. An art that’s been seen in the world’s major galleries, it involves “painting” geometric designs and symbols in colored sands flowing out of handheld funnels.
“It is a road map, in a sense,” Tenzin said. “Mandalas are symbolic ways to understand a deity and the process of actualizing that state. The mandala is dismantled at the end.”
The monks’ residency and performance will be a glimpse into 1,300 years of art, dance, music and culture. In the two-hour show, there are dances with mock lions and yaks, drums, bells and harmonic singing, Tenzin said.
The troupe was featured in the films “Kundun” and “Seven Years in Tibet,” and has been heard on tour with Paul Simon, Sheryl Crow and other recording artists. The monks have performed on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for more than 50,000 people.
“There are 10 different pieces, some of them vocal, others sacred dances, like the black-hat dance or the dance of the skeleton lords of the cemetery,” Tenzin said. One references certain deities; the other is a reminder of life’s impermanence.
“The Dance of the Celestial Travelers” depicts a spiritually evolved dimension, often performed in Tibet when a high lama, or holy man, sees symptoms of illness or aging.
“People are so preoccupied with instant gratification — it’s a reminder to pay attention to spirituality,” Tenzin said.
“There are certain elements that may be so obvious in Tibetan way of life that can inspire people — a certain appreciation for life, and love and compassion for others. These are the central values in all religious tradition.”
Tenzin spoke by phone from the Drepung Lobsang Institute in Atlanta, where he is the director. He said the institute (www.drepung.org), affiliated with Emory University, offers many programs on Tibetan Buddhist meditation and language, and works to preserve Tibetan culture.
A U.S. resident since 1991, Tenzin said: “Americans are incredibly generous people. There’s a real appreciation for diversity. I think that is a great asset.”
Diane Wright: 425-745-7815 or dwright@seattletimes.com
Free performance
Richard Gere Productions and the Drepung Loseling Institute will present a free show of Tibetan music and dance at 7:30 p.m. next Wednesday at the Everett Civic Auditorium, 2415 Colby Ave. No tickets are necessary.
The show’s Tibetan monks will begin a four-day residency at Everett Community College with an opening ceremony at noon Monday in the multipurpose room of the Parks Student Union Building. During their stay, the monks will create a sacred sand painting, or mandala, open for public viewing.
Sand-painting viewing hours at the Northlight Gallery in the Parks building will be 2 to 7 p.m. Monday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. next Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 6. A closing ceremony is scheduled for 3 p.m. May 6 at the gallery. Admission is free.
Information: www.everettcc.edu, 425-388-9561 or 425-388-9508.
