आमा / AAMAA is a performance art project featuring Nepali women and girls from every generation of life. Created during artist Ryan Elisabeth Reid’s Fulbright Creative Arts grant, the project focuses on collaboration with women in creation of dance scores that represent their lives and womanhood. Presented here is the first collage of scores made collaboratively with two 11-year-old girls. The two girls, Tulip and Saki, are “mitinis". In Nepal, two baby girls become "mitinis" when the parents decide to have a special puja or ceremony. A priest recites mantras and guarantees the approval of the parents for the union. Because a majority of the female relationships in Nepal are familial, this ceremony which seals the girls together as lifelong friends, is very important. As AAMAA develops over the next 8 months, Ryan plans to create, collaborate and film with the other generations, additionally creating scores with all the ages performing together, and ultimately exhibiting the final videos in Nepal and the United States.

The artist wakes up each morning, rubs her cheeks and acknowledges the cycle of a new day.
The artist befriends people from a different generations of life, converses with them, learns from them and works with them.
The artist sees importance in dancing, being silly and being still.
The artist listens with the whole body.
The artist combines art and life as one.
The artist seeks community. A community that challenges, supports, and teaches.
The artist asks questions: of others, of herself and of time.
The artist believes aging is the great crescendo.
The artist wakes up each morning, rubs her cheeks, and acknowledges the cycle of a new day.

Performers: Tulip Shrestha and Saki Shrestha, Composer: Charles Belpois, Videographer: Suraj Shakya