I attended my 3rd event of the season with the New World Symphony on Sunday, January 26, this was my 2nd event as an audience member at the New World Center location on Miami Beach. I headed to the performance after listening to the enlightening, hopeful, and cathartic sermon by Pastor Arthur Jackson III at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Miami Gardens. His sermon was titled “Shining in His Glory” where he encouraged us to “be the light in darkness.” My spirit was filled and ready to receive more light, energy, and positivity. 
 
Pastor Jackson stated, “we are living in dark times”; this current administration reveals this truth daily so, it was nice to take a reprieve from the calamity and chaos to feel the calming power of music and dance. As I listened to the first piece, Suite for Cello and Chamber Winds (2015) by Chinese composer Chen Yi, featuring the selections Lusheng Ensemble, Echoes of Set Bells, Romance of Hsiao and Ch’in, and Flowers Drums in Dance, my body relaxed, melting into the chair as if I were laying on the floor in X position in my stretch and core class. I allowed the weight of my body (and the world) to collapse (briefly).
 
The second selection was the multimedia production, Prohibido: Scenes from an Imaginary Ballet (2024), choreographed by Ariel Rose, commissioned by the New World Symphony, and performed by Lucy Nevin and Alexander Kaden of Miami City Ballet. This featured work is included in the “Resonance of Remembrance,” series which commemorates the 80th Anniversary of the end of World War II and the Holocaust*. The premise of the program is rooted in the “war, despair, suffering, and destruction” that has ravaged communities, cultures, racial, ethnic, and religious groups globally. The more poignant message is centered on the repeating of these atrocities, which are evidenced in real time today. Sadly, we are (re) living this perilous history. The program (music and dance) encourages us to “consider war’s lessons of conflict and peace, totalitarianism, and resilience, allowing us to heed these warnings…” ** and the importance of rejecting and resisting hate to manifest and build a future filled with love, peace, hope, and humanity. 
 
The dancing reminded me of Merce Cunningham’s Points in Space (1987) with its simplistic and repetitious carvings, shaping, and partnering (balance and counterbalance) phrases as well as Alonzo King LINES Ballet with their beautiful lines, virtuosic extensions, and technical prowess. The performance included images projected on the screen in the upper level of the theatrical space so, if engaging with the Laban Movement Analysis rubric, one could argue that this performance included multiple levels, medium, high, and ultra-high, with the negative space offering a rich context, supporting the dancer’s narrative. The multiple/poly foci inclusive of image projections, dancers, musicians, and text drew the audience in deeper and deeper into their enigma of storytelling. 
 
The duet began with the dancers entering both ends of the stage. Lucy’s hair was pulled back into a traditional ballet bun, and she wore pointe shoes, possibly depicting conformity, constriction, and containment. They both wore unitards, Lucy in yellow and Alexander in brown/black. The musicians uttered various phrases as they transitioned from section to section of the musical accompaniment. At one point, I heard them say, either “you have the right to be who you want to be,” “live how you want to live,” or “love who you want to love,” something to that effect. I instantly thought about all the civil rights and equity laws that are being stripped away. 
 
In the second section of the piece, Lucy reentered with her hair in a hanging ponytail, this time she wore ballet slippers. Then, in the last section, she released her hair and they both took off their ballet shoes which at one point were illuminated with a spotlight down stage. One could surmise, that they were releasing certain elements that were oppressing them and were finally able to capture some element of freedom and liberty. Most of the dance moved at a Butoh-esque pace but there was a section in the musical score that was upbeat, rhythmic, and tension filled. I felt my body moving, desiring to see the dancers match the rhythmic patterns, accenting, and playing with the frenetic measures that I translated to be some sort of fighting and resistance. 
 
Though this is a contemporary ballet/classic musical piece, I am reminded of African Diasporic scholar Thomas Prestø’s, term “Rhythmokinetic Accenting,” which is rooted in “…linguistic prosody, [which] features…pitch, stress, rhythm, tempo, volume, tone, inflection, and duration [which] give[s] rise to speech patterns, allowing the listener to recognize accents, dialects, and regional variations.”*** This certainly is applicable to the dancing body. Caribbean dance practitioner Kieron Sergeant has built a pedagogical methodology, coined “Accenting Dance” on this ideology, which asks the body to include, engage with, and translate the “rhythmic complexities” demonstrated in the music. 
 
The last two musical performances were Pizziquitiplas (1988-1989) composed by Paul Desenne and Trio No. 1 in Major for Violin, Cello and Piano (1854) by Johannes Brahms. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed myself, I was even interviewed by the Alexa Roxelin, Social Media Manager at the New World Symphony****.
 
*This information is featured in a program note. 
** This information is featured in a program note.
*** Sargeant, K. D. (2025). Accenting Dance: A Pedagogical Approach to Caribbean Dance. Dance Chronicle, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/01472526.2024.2436746
****The video appears on my Instagram Page (@caridance100

Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) performed at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach. The audience was a mix of ages and ethnic groups, but I was particularly drawn to the abundance of Brown and Black faces. As a dancer, particularly a dance educator, one who teaches both dance appreciation and dance history, DTH is central to discourse surrounding units on Black Dance in America, Ballet History, and Racism in Ballet so, attending this performance is monumental for many reasons. 
 
The row in front of me included a Black family of 10, mom and dad, their 6 kids, as well as the grandparents. The little girls were dressed in all pink, dresses, tights, headbands, and various jackets/shawls. The two older sisters who looked very close in age, sat on the edge of their seats soaking it all in. I wondered what conversations were held in their home about the company, what they knew and saw about DTH previously, what seeing this Black company means to them, and the impact it will make.
 
Before the show began, artistic director Robert Garland greeted the house, providing us with a little history in terms of the financial struggles that they endured. He asked dance patron Sharon Luckman whose resume includes Executive Director of the Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation as well as having received the Dance USA Trustees award to stand, thanking her for saving the company financially. 
 
Four works were performed, New Bach (2001), Take Me With You (2024), Higher Ground (2022), and Donizetti Variations (1960). “New Bach,” choreographed by Robert Garland, was chock full of attitude, Black vernacular dance, and aesthetics, Balanchine-esque nuances, which included pelvis thrusts, finger snaps and hip rolls. The dancers were elegant, sassy, playful, and dynamic while executing beautiful big jumps, jeté’s, battements, and pirouettes. 
 
“Take me With You,” choreographed by Robert Bondara featured a duet which began with the female dancer clapping, reminding me of the Afro Cuban clavé rhythm. Then the wonderful drumming and shaker sounds permeated the auditorium, I eagerly anticipated where this couple would take us. This contemporary work featured beautiful movement, demonstrating the technical prowess of the dancers but I searched to locate the soul and passion.
 
“Higher Ground,” another work by Garland, featured a medley of Stevie Wonder songs as well as Wonder with a few collaborators. The dancers wore flowing earth tone costumes which could be symbolic of a few things.  There was a lot going on kinesthetically, culturally, and politically. The most glaring note is related to “fusion” as a choreographic and aesthetic construct. Overall, the choreography which features ballet technique is clear, in execution and transitions in terms of connection to phrases and ideas but the other sections seemed “different.” It has been stated by Marlon Riggs in the 1995 award winning documentary ‘Black is…Black Ain’t” that explores Black expressiveness, determining that Blackness is on a spectrum. Through my research, most understand this and agree, but I query if this theory is relative to Black dance/movement? 
 
To be clear, are we all expected to perform Black vernacular movement the same way? Are there certain movements and aesthetic markers that must be present? For some, the answer is a resounding yes. Brenda Dixon Gottchild’s “Africanist Principles”, Dr. Kariamu Welsh’s  “7 African Aesthetic Senses,” and  Thomas “Talawa” Presto’s “Dancing Well vs Dancing Correct: A Smaddieaesthetic Approach” (and many other scholars!) discuss elements that are present in Black dance. This query goes back to discussions about the ways the body trains and what movement forms are needed to perform particular genres. As I viewed the work, I really had questions about the body rolls that were not being completed, that began at the chest and ended in the waist, hip rolls that were not completed, the stiff and locked hips during the hip toss and hip flicks, the minute hip accents, and the dancehall “Butterfly” movement that was almost missed due to lack of clarity. Overall, the social Black vernacular dances just looked “different.” Maybe that was the intention???
 
Donizetti Variations choreographed by George Balanchine, closed the performance. It was traditional in every sense, featuring entrances, exits, lifts, partnering, ensemble work, solos, and rigorous footwork. This piece is unbelievably technical and fantastic to watch. The audience loved it and acknowledged their wonderment through wild clapping and a standing ovation. 
 
Images 
1. Higher Ground
Photography: Christopher Duggan 


 

Part 1: “Black Time is Universal and Hereditary” (Jay Ward)
Long MEmories is a multimedia, interdisciplinary interactive experience, inclusive of dance, music, and spoken word—storytelling at its finest. It is multi and intergenerational project that digs into traditional African, African American, and Afro Diasporic cultures, fusing language, dance genres, and aesthetics to create a work of art that pays homage to the evolution of Blackness and its roots in African spirituality and the Black church. 
 
The performance takes place at the Historic Brooklyn Grace church in Charlotte, NC. This intimate setting offers a wonderful feeling that exudes Black church vibes. The audience/congregation is seated in the round, many of them are fanning, this is emblematic of being in church in the south or Caribbean on a hot Sunday morning. Before the performance, the audience is asked to write a lesson, advice, or warnings we’ve gotten from our elders on note cards which are read later in the performance by Margarette Joyner who subsequently opens the piece. Wearing a yellow African print two-piece ensemble with a head wrap, she sets us on course singing “Oh Lord Come by Here.” The audience joins in, offering up their vocals.  Joyner thanks the audience for being there, does a land acknowledgment of Indigenous people, and recognizes the elders. 
 
Next, a piano is rolled out and musicians Luciano Xavier and Icaro Nascimento da Silva enter the space, pianist Judith Porter also enters and asks the audience to rise for the Negro National Anthem. She promises them that it would only be one verse—the audience laughs out loud, because of course everyone only knows the first verse. What is the purpose of the Negro National Anthem? How does it connect to the hymn “Come by Here My Lord”? There’s a groundation occurring, artistic director, Tamara Williams is taking us somewhere. 
 
Getting deeper into the act of building the foundation, spoken word artist Jay Ward performs “Black Time,” “Black Rapture,” and “Gentrification” which speaks to the Black experience in a multitude of ways, demonstrating how these themes connect to the South and various Black experiences. Ward is the interlocutor, through metaphor and a colorful seminar on Black culture, he preps us for what’s next. 
 
The company, comprised of four members, an apprentice, and three guest artists enter the space (minus Montë) to the song “Swing Low” with baskets on their heads dressed in variations of blue, purple, and red carrying artifacts, flowers, and fabric. Each dancer places objects at their alter and begins gesturing and connecting, paying homage to their space, treasures, and “long memories.” A video plays on the screen/television, and includes images of an open field, water/ocean, birds flying, the sky, and sand. Six dancers rotate in a circle, shuffling their feet and waving their arms as if responding to powerful preaching. The movements are grounded, powerful and heavy, with big jumps, juxtaposed with flailing arms. The dancers rotate counterclockwise. Dinora Ramirez enters the circle, dropping rose petals on the floor. 
 
A second video plays featuring black and white photos/images of a Black woman and a couple. The dancers kneel on the floor and engage in a beautiful call and response—a prayer calling out the ancestor’s names which match the images of the individuals on the screen. It’s hard to pay attention to the screen in some sections with everything that is going on. Is this a challenge that the choreographer designed? 
 
Tamara sings—there are gesturing of arms, reaching outwards, wrapping around the waist, and reaching for the heavens. The reaching quickens as the dancers move the phrase all over the space, in and out of the circle. 
 
This section opens the ancestral realm, introducing us not only to the spirituality of Blackness but also the movement vocabulary. Ring Shout as a theme, and the shuffling step are the dominant yet connecting movement concept and sequence, as well as the circle, this includes the literal center of the space as well as the counterclockwise and clockwise movement that occurs in most sections. Their billowy shirts/tops and flowing pants, create a cascading effect, coupled with the articulation of their back arms and feet is quite enchanting.  
 
Xavier and Nascimento da Silva support the graceful and calming movement with sounds of the rain forest. I hear wind, birds chirping, a rain stick, conga drums, bells, and some kind of whistling sound—simply magnificent.  
 
There are so many beautiful moments within the work; several of them showcase the dancers expressing their connection to the ancestors, a reconnection with a loved one, the joy of seeing an old friend, or the loss of someone dear. I absolutely loved the ancestral section which featured Ibas, “which is a Yoruba Isese L'gba practice for giving homage. After a name is called, we respond, ‘Iba se’, to give reverence to the deceased” (Williams 2024). The vocals sound like an African lullaby, it was soothing, deep down to the bone marrow. 
 
Three young dancers are featured in the work. They enter singing the hymn, This Little Light of Mine. Wearing various styled African print dresses, they bring pure joy. Walking to their alter spaces, placing candles down, they shuffle their feet, rotating in a circular pattern. The audience starts clapping and joins in singing. Someone in the audience has a tambourine—no old time Black church service is complete without one. 
 
Another beautiful moment is when the elders, women from Tamara’s community class enter the space with Montë singing “Jubilee My Lord.” They clap their hands to various rhythms and shuffle their feet. They enter with a procession, rocking their arms, swaying the body, and reaching for the heavens and the earth. Their hips shift with delight. Each woman’s solo was joyful, graceful, and celebratory—their confidence was apparent.
 
A video of an “Interview with Grandma Ida,” Tamara’s grandmother is shown. She is asked about her family and where she was from. Grandma Ida is as sharp as a whip, stating that she is 95 years old and was raised in Edgefield, SC. She recalled that her grandmother lived to be 100 years old, that she had to walk 4 miles to school daily and had a 1 room school. She even remembered what they she wore to the old-time church services. And for clarification, Grandma Ida stated that they sang notes, not songs at church. Alright Grandma Ida, we got it!
 
Part II: “Black Time is Spiritual, Always Guiding, Moving Our Spirit Towards a Promise…” (Jay Ward) 
 
Guest artist Montë Murphey’s solo features the Egungun Ancestral Dance, which is a masquerade in motion. Dressed in an all-white fringed off the shoulder regalia, Montë walks in the space, looks around as if to confirm both his location and intention. He opens the dimension through clockwise and counterclockwise rotations. Fabric is twirling. Flickering gestures of the hips, arms, and torso, create a dynamic tornado of emotion. Is Montë calling the ancestors, are they speaking through him, or is he an ancestor? This is a spiritual intervention. Looking at the screen, I see bodies. Are they images from the transatlantic slave trade where our ancestors were packed like sardines, headed on a death cruise?
 
The open, sharp, and pounding arms, juxtaposed with the fluid orchestral sounds of the String Musicians is captivating. The Charlotte String Collective offer a deeply sensual musical interlude. The body naturally wants to find an entry point. Memories are exhumed and spirits are soothed. What about this music is familiar? What makes me comfortable or uncomfortable with this performance? 
 
“Black Time is a superpower” (Jay Ward)
“Afro Latina” was one of my favorite sections. This duet offered deeply personal experiences of two Afro Latina women, Erika Guzman & Dinora Ramirez, who live in the US. Stories ranging from self-hatred, the love of their nation state, not always feeling accepted, loved, and valued were shared. The movement vocabulary was powerful and warriorlike. Traversing through multiple genres, they danced Palo, West African, Contemporary, Silvestre Technique and Afro Cuban. Their hips rotated, demonstrating their sovereignty, femininity, sensuality, and Latinidad. Bravissimo Senoritas! 
 
The Finalé was other worldly, dynamic, and spiritual. There is clapping, singing, dancing, deep breathing, the ring shout, exhaustion, Ori/ head gestures, formations, ring play, circular rotation/clockwise and counterclockwise, jumping over the stick/stick dancing and more. We were transposed to an African village. The solos were ahhhmaziing! After the phenomenal display of talent and technique, the circle opened, the elders and the audience/congregation were invited on the floor. The rhythm changed and the entire group is now doing the infamous shuffle step in a circular rotation. There are bows, clapping, and SAMBA!
 
Conclusion
I assure you that this review does not cover half of what was presented in Long MEmories. I hope that my attempt to convey the depth and richness of this performance was conveyed. So much was offered from Moving Spirits and Tamara’s gifts are evident as teacher, choreographer, artist, mentor, spiritual mediator, director, and seer. She has curated an amazing ensemble of givers, who are also unabashedly vulnerable, sharing their stories through laughter, tears, and strength.
 
I thought about what interview questions would serve this process. I was taken aback by the improvisational, unchoreographed moments that took place after the performance that engendered such profound truths about each dancer’s history, their pathways, and the preparation for this work. Instead of interviewing the dancers separately, we had open discussions on two occasions, after the performance on Saturday at El Thrifty Mexican Restaurant and on Sunday at Dance XLNC Studio where the dancers shared intimate details about their lives that informed their connection to the work, offering a profound analysis of their performance. 
 
I am left with these words: Refreshing, Replenishing, Love, Grace, Empathy, Compassion, Community, and Moving Spirits.
 
Company
Tamara Williams (Founding Artistic Director)
Suzi Alila (Associate Artistic Director)
Monique LeFlore (Member)
Jameelah MacMillan (Member)
Dinora Ramirez (Apprentice)
Erika Guzman (Guest dancer)
Montë Murphy (Guest dancer)
Jasmine Powell (Guest dancer)
 
Elders
Suzzette Byrd
Deatra Jacques
LaTanya Johnson
Heather Lee Johnson
Grace Mills
 
Three Young Dancers
Desiree LeFlore
Madison Ketter
Delany Nia Lewis
 
​Photographer: BT Twitty
 

​This reflection is written from the lens of educator and curriculum specialist. Since returning to South Florida 8 years ago, I have attended 5 productions of Diva Arts Dance Studio which features all tiers of the program, the Dolls, Darlings, and various Repertory groups (1, 2, and 2a). I reviewed the last 2 performances from the perspective of dance writer, but for this production, I made the conscious decision to focus solely on the technical proficiency, performance quality, and production elements. This meant that I would not take any pictures to capture the exquisite lines, shapes, and architecture of movement that was showcased. 
 
Something felt different about this show. I decided to sit back and allow the revelations to unfold.
 
Comedian Chello Davis served as the Master of Ceremony and went through his routine, priming the audience, roll calling, asking the different generations to represent, he also asked audience members who they were there to support. Even though this was his regular interaction, his engagement with the crowd was more laid back and reserved for this show. The audience’s excitement did not waiver, expressing their enthusiasm through screaming their kids, friends, and/or family members name and clapping wildly. I am sure that several audience members needed throat lozenges that evening. 
 
Even though the show was over 3 hours, the production ran smoothly. Make sure that ya belly full and your bladder is empty before you attend one of these performances baby, because your blood sugar may drop!
 
The show began with “Tribute” featuring Rep 1 and 2, which was reminiscent of an Ailey Suite with the highly recognizable songs, I’ve Been Buked, Fix Me, and You May Run On. The dancing was powerful and strong, demonstrating profound execution of movement and delight. This work set the tone of the show, allowing me to excavate the depth of what it means to be a studio owner, not only providing exceptional dance training but also creating experiences for Black and Brown students that transcend the dance studio. The transferable skills acquired, at Diva Arts Dance Studio are leadership, administrative, teaching and choreography, time management, interpersonal, and collaboration. All tools that will help them long after their days of tights, jazz shoes, and long rehearsals. 
 
The performances displayed by all age groups, from the babies to the seniors, exhibited a wide range of versatility: Tap, Jazz, Modern (Horton), Contemporary, Ballet, and Hip Hop/Street Dance. Costume design is key when conveying a narrative. Each costume thoughtfully conveyed the concept of the work as well as the personality and energy of the dancers. They brought their whole selves, dancing with a level of confidence that was certainly rooted in pride and coolness because they looked FAB-U-LOUS!
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Several moments stood out during this performance, Alumni Marcus Themistocle’s powerful solo. This young man ate. His performance was sublime, captivating, and expressive, evoking a spiritual, almost creature like precision and profundity. This is exactly what we as educators want to see. We appreciate students who enter college dance programs with a certain level of skill and proficiency, which is rooted in pristine technique that is diverse, and are then able to build off that already strong foundation, adding new information to their movement practice as well and theoretical inquiry. 

“I Believe” (Daddy and Me) featured the Darlings dancing with male figures; this was a tearjerker and spoke to Chello’s discussion of the importance of moms and dads, particularly dads staying in their kids’ lives and the impact being seen by your dad has in the child’s life. As a single mom who was raised by a single mom, this hit home.

Two pieces that I thought stepped outside of the usual choreographic and thematic flow were “Warriors of War” performed by Rep 1, choreographed by Shannon Haynes and “Power of a Woman” also performed by Rep 1 and choreographed by Clarence Jones. “Warriors of War” has potential to be a phenomenal work. It was fast paced with dynamic entrances and exits. There was an aggressive, warrior vibe going on. Haynes pushed past her comfort zone, challenging both the dancers and herself with out-of-the-box choreography. “Power of a Woman” was a contemporary jazz piece with nice transitions, call and response, and included some hip hop and African vocabulary. I appreciated the young women exploring their feminine power and energy. 
Graduating senior Brandon Charles was afforded the opportunity to showcase his vocal skills. Walking onstage beaming with Black Boy Joy, he serenaded us with Tevin Campbell’s “Can We Talk.” Jada Bush, also a graduating senior performed a solo, “Pressure.” Jada danced with the Rep dancers, hanging the balance, sometimes hitting the step, but she became a different dancer in this work. She took control of the stage and her body. Her movement was big, playful, sensual, and robust, showcasing her feminine dominance and agency. MORE please!!

Alumni Zach Ingram blew us away with his majestic solo to Smokie Norful’s “I Need You Now.” This regal tribute to his mother who recently passed was nothing less that magnificent. I began snapping away with my camera phone capturing the wonderous grace and athleticism of this blessed performer who effortlessly glided across the stage like a gazelle. Zach’s technical ability is bar none. I got lost in the beauty of his brilliance and technical prowess as I watched him dance.
“Drum Line” closed the show representing HBCU culture. Dancers entered from the audience, posed, rolled, wined, twerked and pranced, giving all the things reminiscent of the Majorettes, Golden Girls, and Dancing Dolls.
 
Artistic Director and CEO of Diva Arts Dance Studio recognized her team and village, inclusive of teachers, administrative team, and parents providing them with plaques and awards. Students were also recognized for their achievements, many running up to the front to collect their trophy with pure joy on their faces. Lastly, she recognized her graduating seniors, gifting them with luggage, monetary awards, and other goodies. Adora Barnes received top honors, this young woman is an amazing dancer, academic, and has a beautiful spirit. 
Thank you, Diva Arts, for seeing these kids, offering them a space to grow, nurturing their gifts, and giving them room to shine. 

Teachers/Choreographers:
Shannon Haynes
Anita Hope
Algeria Thomas 
Kennady West
Clarence Jones
Ambriah King
Nia McClain
Anthony Velasquez
Jada Bush
Ralph Cummings
Zach Ingram
 
Costume Design: Adrianne Daniels
 
Performance Venue: Lou Rawls Center for the Performing Arts at Florida Memorial University
 
Production Team: Apon Concepts and Designs and Ray Parris and Parafruit Incorporated
 
Diva Moms and Dads as well as well as the backstage crew.
 
Image 1: Zack Ingram
Image 2: AC & TC
Image 3: “I Believe” (Daddy and Me) featuring the Darlings
Image 4: Brandon Charles
Image 5-6: Zack Ingram
Image 7: Full Ensemble of Drum Line
Image 8: Full Cast and Shannon Haynes
Image 9: Shannon Haynes, Zack Ingram, and AC
Image 10: AC
 
 

Introduction
What happens when you bring Miami born Tarell Alvin McCraney, who is an Oscar winning powerhouse for Best Adapted Screenplay Moonlight and Washington, DC native, Broadway actress, director, educator, playwright, and vocal coach Caroline Clay together on a production? You get a spontaneous combustion! We witnessed love, passion, fire, desire, pain, jealousy, death, despair, disappointment and hurt throughout the play, In The Red and Brown Water.

Written by Tarell Alvin McCraney and directed by Assistant Professor of acting at the University of Iowa, Caroline Clay, this outstanding production premiered at The David Thayer Theatre and ran for two weekends, April 12-20. I attended the first two nights (Friday and Saturday) and interviewed several of the actors on Saturday afternoon. I wanted an introspective analysis of their experience, particularly what the character meant to them, if they saw themselves in their character, what they were walking away with from this experience, and what they wanted the audience to take away with them. The articulation of their process as well as what they wanted the audience to know about the characters were rooted in the spectrum of Blackness that filmmaker, educator, poet, and activist Marlon Riggs discusses in the 1995 documentary Black Is…Black Ain’t, which establishes that Blackness and Black identity are not monolithic. 

The play explores African spirituality rooted in Yoruba religion, emphasizing Santerían Orisha’s and how these ancient deities have taken on human form, appearing as a modern-day Oya, Aunt Elegua, Elegba, Ogun, Shun/Oshun, Egungun, and Shango. I mean Shun/Oshun and her sidekick Nia had on pum pum shorts. Shun even had box braids with blonde highlights. It was clear that this story was about Black culture, and I am here for it! African symbolism is threaded throughout the play as characters create gestures associated with their specific deity. Color schemes corresponding with each Orisha is evidenced in the costuming and fabrics. There is even a beautiful hoodoo spiritualist who destroys Oya’s plans as she seeks “alternative” methods for conception. The practitioner is dressed in all white, carrying a cigar. The use of cigars in the spirit world is common practice as it is a device used to communicate with the ancestors and spirits as well as for offerings and prayer rituals. 
So, what is this play about really about? Oya, the protagonist, is a talented track star who is as swift as what her deity represents—the wind. She devours her competition during local track and field events in the mythological town of San Pere, Louisiana and is recruited by “The Man from State” to attend college on a track scholarship. Due to a tragedy in her family, she is unable to attend. This life event sets the course for the rest of the play and fuels her emotional roller coaster. 
 
Opening Night 
My amazing hostess Jen Knights picked me up from the Grant Wood Residence at 7:30pm for the 8pm opening night performance of In The Red and Brown Water. We had a small hiccup with the seating but thankfully it was sorted out just in time. Upon entering the theater space, I was captivated by both the scenery, props, and the interaction of the actors. The provocative hanging fixture that was part octopus, jellyfish, and chandelier was mesmerizing. I sat down and began to stare deeply at the shape, identifying objects hanging from the tree. Was this a bottle tree? In Congolese communities during the 9th century, blue bottles were hung from trees to ward off and banish evil spirits. This tradition was brought to the Americas by enslaved Africans during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, and it is practiced in the Southern states. 
 
The actors were engaged in preshow interactive conversations and playfulness that ranged from playing basketball, teasing each other, gossiping, and Oya running around the proverbial “track.” As I watched her, I noticed the level of focus and intensity displayed in her facial expressions, as well as her demeaner. This woman was carrying a heavy load, and I was curious to know her story. 
​
A deep blue overcast produced a very radiant glimmer of light that encompassed the set which featured a porch with several chairs, as well as a swing. The blue light is emblematic of a practice (haint blue) in the south where people paint their ceilings blue to ward off ghosts or haints from their homes. This blue was symbolic of the sky and/or water and used to confuse or trick ghosts that passed by; it is believed that ghosts cannot cross water. 
We were drawn in immediately by the intimacy of the set. As I familiarized myself with the space, and got comfortable in my seat, I noticed that Hip Hop music played softly in the background. When Beyoncé’s Formation came on, I began to make connections about female empowerment, women’s narratives, and Louisiana, all used as a backdrop for truth telling. I also observed that the theater was set up in-the-round, which was designed by Visiting Assistant Professor Bethany Kasperek. This construct offered a level of connection and sensual engagement that would be lost on the proscenium stage. Ogun, the Orisha of war, iron, and metal, and one of Oya’s lovers sat next to me. He wears overalls that depicts that he is a blue-collar worker. As he entered an exited his scenes, I could feel his energy as he rose from his seat. Ogun’s power was palpable, permeating for the surrounding audience members to experience.
 
The Play
After the cast concludes their pre-show shenanigans, the space clears, and they reenter with white cloths covering their heads. Are they ghosts or spirits? What is their relationship to the fabric, and how does it connect with the bottle tree and haint blue. I was already analyzing. 
 
I noticed gestures that represent Oshun, the Orisha of fertility, love, water, and sensuality such as holding her mirror to admire her beauty. Shango, the Orisha of male power and virility, who is associated with lightning and thunder wore a red t-shirt with Shango written on it, white shorts, and a black durag. He was the epitome of male aggression and dominance. Shango’s attitude was menacing to Oya’s mental and emotional health, as this was her lover of choice. Their relationship was emblematic of some contentious relationships between Black women and men. 

This play includes all the intersectional politics: racial, sexual, parental, and cultural, while exploring deep topics such as mother daughter relationships, homosexuality, the comedic elements of Black mourning, all that goes (wrong) with Black church culture, and teen pregnancy. Elegba, the Orisha of the crossroads, known to be mischievous and a trickster was exactly that. His tall, thin frame transposed from a youth, young boy, and a teenage father. Within his precocious and often inappropriate dialogue, he reveals himself as a seer, sharing a recurring dream about Oya with her mother Mama Moja. We witness this recurring dream manifest throughout the play. 
​
Each character was clearly portrayed through the actor’s skillful performance. It was evident that there was a deep investigation into their roles and that they were guided and pushed beyond their comfort zones. The language was raw with many f bombs being dropped as well as the use of the word nigga’, which had some white audience members clutching their pearls. Black culture, vernacular, and aesthetics were centered as we saw natural hairstyles, Afro/Afro puffs, braids, cornrows, locs, durags, red cups for that mixed drink collabo, double entendre reads, gold chains, street parties, and booty and coochie poopin’ by inappropriate aunties—it was Blackity Black and very real.
 
“Clay’s vision for In the Red and Brown Water is inspired by the Brechtian impulses in McCraney’s writing. Brechtian theatre, developed and named after mid-century German theatre practitioner, playwright, and poet Bertolt Brecht, uses distancing effects, and dispenses with any illusion that presents the performance as real—thus there is an emphasis on theatricality. In the play, characters announce their own entrances and speak their own stage directions aloud” (https://theatre.uiowa.edu/news/2024/04/oyas-future-air-department-theatre-arts-prepares-final-mainstage-production-season-red), which is a form of acting that I was unfamiliar with but made sense as they took us down this journey with them. 
 
The audience’s responses to the play the first night was starkly different from the second night. On the first night, the crowd was older, predominantly white, and they barely laughed at the jokes. Could it be that they couldn’t understand the cultural contexts? I observed many stoic faces and tense bodies throughout the entire show. During the second performance, I saw new things. I was able to take a deeper dive into the performance holding on to this more informed perspective from the actors from interviews. I witnessed the actors also taking a deeper dive into their roles, adding a little more flavah and playfulness. This night, the audience was younger and more diverse in terms of racial make-up. They laughed immediately and continued throughout the play. Everyone was disgusted at Shango. Every time he entered the scene, the audience audibly sighed with frustration.  It was hilarious! 
 
Well done everyone. Big ups to collaborator Kieron Dwayne Sargeant. His knowledge on African spirituality and Caribbean and African dance practices and aesthetics were beneficial, offering an authentic perspective, and ensuring that the performers honored the ancestors, culture, and Orisha’s in a respectful manner. Asé.
 
Director: Caroline Clay
Dramaturg: Rebecca Weaver
Stage Manager: Savanha Moore
Assistant Stage Manager: Emma Merkes
Choreographer: Kieron Sargeant
Set Designer: Bethany Kasperek
Lighting Designer: Bryon Winn
Costume Designer: Loyce Arthur
Sound Designer: Victor Maldonado
Photographer: Miranda Meyer
 
Cast:
Oya: Dajzane Meadows-Sanderlin
Elegba: Kylen Phillips
Ogun: Isaac Addai
Mama Moja: Cianon Jones
Aunt Elegua: Asha Keller 
Nia: Delaney Waterman
Shun: E'mma Camara
Shango: Michael Taylor
O Li Roon/The Man From State: Jasper Rood
Egungun: Patrick Adu
Ensemble/Dance Captain: Garin Clinton-Nelson

Images:
​Image 1: Oya: Dajzane Meadows-Sanderlin; Elegba: Kylen Phillips; Mama Moja: Cianon Jones; Egungun: Patrick Adu
Image 2: The Cast
Image 3: Shango: Michael Taylor; : Oya: Dajzane Meadows-Sanderlin; Ogun: Isaac Addai
Image 4: Oya: Dajzane Meadows-Sanderlin and Aunt Elegua: Asha Keller 
Image 5: Oya: Dajzane Meadows-Sanderlin and Shango: Michael Taylor
Image 6: Oya: Dajzane Meadows-Sanderlin  and Mama Moja: Cianon Jones
​Image 7: Nia: Delaney Waterman; Shun: E'mma Camara


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

​This trip took place during the Easter Holiday which meant schools (K-12) were on Spring Break and Friday (Good Friday) and Monday (Easter Monday) were holidays. This also meant that it was a short work week, some things may not get done, and some people may not be on the island. Surprisingly, I got a lot accomplished.
 
Day 1: I arrived on Monday in the midst of the Spring Break rush, so it took a minute to clear customs and immigration. As I am waiting, I noticed there was no music playing; I was disappointed.  Where was the local entertainment whose purpose is to provide the tourists with a taste of our native sound and culture? As time passed, I did hear something over in that corner where they were set up, but it wasn’t consistent; maybe they were warming up.
 
Day 2: The Town Hall (the main purpose of my trip) was a success. I shared my research, discussed what the data revealed, expressed my thoughts on the needs of the community and the state of dance in the country, and then facilitated a fruitful discussion. 
 
Day 3: I took care of some banking needs earlier that morning, then I made my way downtown to The Central Bank of the Bahamas to see the “Junkanoo Colours: Inside the Shack” photography exhibit by Douglas Barkey and Leader of Colours Junkanoo Group, Christian Justilien and group members. To provide some historical context, “The Central Bank of The Bahamas was established on 1st June 1974, to carry out the independent monetary policy and financial sector supervisory functions entrusted upon The Bahamas after political independence from Great Britain in 1973. This need for an alternative institutional arrangement with statutory powers became even more apparent amid the turbulent developments in global financial markets, marked by the 1967 devaluation of the Pound Sterling, to which the local currency was linked. Based on the emerging strong trade linkages with the United States, the Government de-linked the Bahamian dollar (formerly the pound) from its peg with the Pound Sterling, and established the currency on par with the United States' dollar” (https://www.centralbankbahamas.com/our-history”.
 
As I walked upstairs to view the exhibit, I was immediately drawn in by the crisp sharp colors as well as the abstraction of some of the images which forced you to hone in on the possibilities. I loved the multigenerational component of the group; young men and women of all ages were participants, whether as a musician or a dancer. The kids were smiling and focused on what they were doing. There was a sense of purpose and integrity captured in the images. Barkey states that, “Every photograph in this exhibit is a play on the meaning of the word, “colour” and the colours of Junkanoo. Color is more than pigmentation, it is also the nuance of personality, the style of sound, the smells of street food—the character of celebration” (Barkey 2022).
 
He's interested in capturing the raw behind the scenes elements of the shack and the diverse ways the members prepare for the ultimate performance on Bay. He investigates the unseen moments that aide in the wonderment of that “actual final performance” (Barkey 2022). As I thought about these words, I wanted to move through the space. I walked around the exhibit and imagined hearing the powerful drums playing and the sound of the horns moving my body up and down the thin pathway in the bank. I visualized my legs shifting side to side as my hips dropped to the earth rotating in small circles then gradually increasing creating a tsunami of waves. My arms would gather the energy of Oya’s power and send it around my body, rhythmically turning, carving, and cutting through the space, flinging limbs around effortlessly.
 
After this experience, I treated myself to a Fried Fish (snapper) dinner with peas n rice, macaroni and cheese, and coleslaw from Twin Brothers on Arawak Cay (Fish Fry). I also ordered conch salad and a Sands Pink Radler beer to seal the deal.
 
Day 4: This day was filled with back-to-back meetings at the University of the Bahamas. I also had the opportunity to observe Shauné Culmer’s dance class that afternoon. Later that day, I grabbed an early dinner with my dancing buddy from high school and ended the day preparing for my post on Bahamian Women Dancer’s.
 
Day 5. Good Friday. I went on a tour of the Colours Junkanoo Shack to see where all the magic happens; I also tried on a few costumes!
 
Day 6: Headed home to work more…
 
 Image 1: Town Hall Meeting attendees
Image 2: Students from Shaune Culmer's Dance Class
Image 3: Students from Shaune Culmer's Dance Class
Image 4-10: Junkanoo Colours Exhibit
Image 11-13: Colours Junkanoo Shack Tour
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
I finally viewed the Docuseries Supa Girlz Season 1, episodes 1 and 2 which airs on the ALLBLK Network on Thursdays. This was a special treat because I viewed it with none other than Supa Black Girl herself, the star of the series Mrs. Traci Young-Byron at Shannon Haynes’ residence. So, some back story is that we all know each other from the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center (AHCAC). We were teachers there for the Summer Arts Program in the 90’s and both Shannon and Traci founded their dance companies at that location. So, we have Her-story! 
 
Shannon fed us curry chicken (which I don’t eat), curry shrimp, and rice and peas to get us ready for the viewing. I was prepared with my note pad, pen and a whole heap of questions, laugher, shock, and laughter. So, more back story. Watching this docuseries was a flashback to the ACHAC in terms of Traci’s teaching style, yes it has developed as she has clearly crafted her pedagogical skills and knowledge over the last twenty plus years but there is something a little different happening; we get to see on screen the practicality of her method but I also got to ask her, in real time what those looks and statements meant, why she did certain things, and the rationale of particular behaviors of the dancers. It was fantastic!
 
Episode 1 titled “Leaders of the New School” walked us through the rigorous conditioning and drill sergeant-esque workouts that the dancers endure as a part of their 2-week audition process. Listen, your mind and body must be in the right place baybay because, it’s not for the weak, TRUST ME. Traci shared some of the feedback that was shared on social media concerning her brutish behavior and treatment of the young women. She also expressed the level of misogyny that was rooted in the comments stating that “if she were a football coach, it wouldn’t be an issue.” 
 
Multiple signifiers of cultural identity and pride were demonstrated through the voices of the community. The community is passionate about the G Girls, but it was not always the case. We paused the TV to go into a deep discussion concerning her experiences in terms of the pushback she received from some parents, alumni, and members on the team who could not see her vision or couldn’t perform the aesthetic… and hunnnny, that is a difficult task because momma is a perfectionist so, I know just how that went. And those of us in leadership positions know that most people resist change particularly when it challenges them to step away from tradition asking them to do more and be better and we know Mrs. Young-Bryon “ain’t no punk” so, I know how that went as well.
 
Episode 2, titled “Changing Lives Don’t Pay the Bills” continues to walk us through the audition process, we see the young women in rehearsal and at games dancing their a$$ off, in conversations with their peers and family members sharing their unfiltered feelings and emotions, and we witness the Queen demand that her court uphold her legacy…PERIODTT! This docuseries is real, unscripted, and raw. Mrs. Young-Byron has allowed us into her process and those who value hard work and understand the trials and tribulations that Black women must navigate in this world, you can appreciate the tough love that is demonstrated.
 
She showcases Black culture that is centered on the experiences of Black women in a positive light, advocating for their success and survival in a world that deems them/us useless, worthless, hypersexual, immoral, and classless. Young-Byron is adamant about how these young women are received, viewed, and discussed in the public, therefore, she cultivates an experience that is only attainable by a woman who is driven, intelligent, talented, voracious, beautiful, powerful, and strong physically and emotionally. 
 
Young-Bryon shares many nuggets, the biggest one for me is “I’m walking so that the next generation can run.” Regardless of what you think of her personality, I know that she is selfless and gives everything she has to those who want to be poured into. We want more!!! I mean, I might even come to a game. Is there a VIP section???!!
 
Please tune in and witness this premier docuseries like no other…it is a major milestone for Black women, culture, and dance….
 
#dancewriter
#culturalcritic
#supagirlz
#ggirlz
#miaminorthwestern
#blackwomen
#blackculture
#blackdance

 
Image: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31181349/
​
 

​Introduction
I was grateful to watch the live streamed event that took place in Barnett Theatre in Sullivan Hall on the campus of The Ohio State University on February 17th where the couple Orlando Hunter-Valentine and Ricarrdo Hunter-Valentine are 3rd year students in the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Dance Program. I guess I’m late to the party but is this a thing? Are MFA thesis concerts live streamed now? I guess when you have celebrity status and you’re “the 2020 Bessies Honoree…” (https://www.bhooddance.com/new-page-82) they are! 
 
Though I would have loved to see the show live and participate in the interactive experience, I was happy to sit in the comfort of my home, in my pajamas watching the performance being streamed on YouTube. I hear that there was going to be some of Orlando's ‘“Fierce Love Fried Corn”…[served pre show and that there was also a] digitally led ‘Ekonkon’ dance which originates from the Jola people of Senegal and is associated with harvest time…” (Burt 2024) taking place. 
 
The Hunter-Valentine collaboration offers a lot of firsts (can’t get into it here) but let’s start with the term that they coined “D.A.T.”. “D.A.T is an intersectional praxis that embodies stories about the earth through the African diasporic movement, transferring embodied agriculture knowledge and generating innovative, technologically immersive environments” (Hunter and Valentine 2023).  Simply, the work addresses Black farmers life experiences through dance, agriculture, and technology (D.A.T.). “Black on Earth” centers the stories of Black famers and educates the viewer on the challenges that they endure ranging from racism, lack of access, gender politics, and a host of other inequities. The project also builds off their experiences with dance and agriculture as residents in New York City “Thinking of the ways that Black people have created resilience and sustained ourselves through farming and agricultural practices…” (Burt 2024).
 
The Hunter-Valentine's embark on this journey of storytelling through interdisciplinary arts which features dance, theater, photography, singing, sculpture, agriculture, music and ecomemory which is  “collective and individual memory of the earth and relationship to and with the earth” (Harris 2021, 28). This concept is based within ecowomanism which is a framework “…that signals the importance of developing an interdisciplinary approach and method to doing environmental justice work” (Harris 2021, 9). This is the philosophy which grounds their work.
 
The Dance
As audience members entered the space physically or virtually, we witnessed a man seated next to a steel bucket stage right, dressed in white, flailing his hands. The draping white sleeves of his shirt offered various interpretations. Was he cleansing the space, fanning himself, or conjuring the ancestors? He wore a cross body bag. Is he going to plant seeds? He engages with the bucket reaching in to touch the water. There is also reverence, spirituality, and worship. The sounds of roosters, cows, birds chirping, and various other animals on a farm along with distorted and echoing sounds of water creating melodies permeating the space. This is evidence of the collaboration with haptic and immersive audio design technician Jessica Rajko.
 
The ancestor/mediator/interlocutor is cued. He departs, and the ensemble enters dressed for the fields with their own buckets, forming a diagonal line from upstage right to downstage left. Two dancers are holding a sculpture of a tree limb that hovers over them like a hut. The ensemble begins a dialogue of thanks, “thank you for these tools.” Then they begin a call and response singing “thank you for these hands, these healing hands.”
 
Interspersed between the movement are very poignant excerpts of interviews projected on the screen of the various farmers that were interviewed. There were also monologues performed by the dancers addressing pertinent themes. Some of the text sound is distorted and I struggled to hear what the interviewees and the dancers were saying. I am sure this was a streaming/technical issue; it did not take away from the performance.
 
Images used in the work were taken by Ricardo and are just as intricate and vital to the piece. He captures distortions and abstractions of the fields and farms. Rich shades of greens and blues morph into various designs that mimic stencil art designs, sometimes reminding me of 70’s psychedelic art.
 
The movement vocabulary included gestures of sowing and planting; the most familiar image was the visual of the dancers holding the buckets on their heads which is a familiar image in marketplaces and rural towns and countries in the African Diaspora. There was a very clear demonstration of various movement techniques and aesthetics such as ‘Yorchha*,’ ‘Ekonkon**’ dance, “Chiwara***, Mayí****, …amongst others, as motifs through lining ancestral agricultural wisdom held in the body” (Hunter and Valentine 2023), Black social dance and Western contemporary.
 
Use of space by the ensemble is vital, providing texture to the already lush work, this includes travelling patterns, diagonal lines, and seamless transitions. The movement vocabulary was emblematic of the powerful themes being addressed and their bodies accepted the challenge. We observed fighting/protesting; connection/support/community; playfulness; struggle; fusion of dance forms, and deconstruction of such forms. The vocalization, monologue’s, interviews, and sound scape offered a whirlwind of emotions. There were moments of loss, crisis, happiness, sadness, calm, intensity, reflection, searching, and clarity. Orlando’s shout of FREEDOM was a reminder of our ancestors and their never-ending philosophy that no matter what the hardship, we shall overcome or that “Weeping may endure for the night but joy cometh in the morning*****.” 
 
The end of the work demonstrates this analogy. As the dancers move through the space, the image on the screen is bright displaying luxurious and plush greenery. This is the first time I can see the image clearly. There is excitement in their bodies as well as in the chanting and singing. I hear them say “nourishment” and “healing” as they circle the parameter of the stage. They make several rotations. Their arms reach up to the heavens as if they are picking fruit. Are they celebrating a harvest? Are they reaping the fruits of their labor (physical, emotional, and psychological)? The ancestor/mediator/interlocutor enters the group, participating in the round. As the dancers exit the stage one by one, the lights dim and an image of an opulent apple tree emerges, bearing sumptuous fruit beaming in the spotlight. He reaches upward towards the fruit, picks one, sits on the floor, and bites into it. I surmise that visual articulates that at the end, regardless of everything we endure, we can still bear fruit. 

DAT (D.A.T.) WUZ FRIGGIN' FABULOUS!!

End Notes
* This dance form contains elements of classical Odissi, vinyasa yoga, the eastern Indian martial art form Chhau and new movements which bring these forms into a modern, activist setting” (https://themacweekly.com/76632/arts/ananya-dance-theatre-performing-decolonized-contemporary-dance/)
 
**‘Ekonkon’ dance: “The Ekon Kon portrays growing food from the Jola tribe of Southern Senegal. The Ekon Kon dance includes common aspects of Africanist aesthetics, and the Jola people embedded the wisdom of planting to harvest within the dance” (Hunter and Valentine 2023, 5).
 
*** Dance from Mali
**** Agricultural dance from Haiti
*****Psalm 30:5
 
There was post performance discussion facilitated by Dr. Mary Rodriguez where they audience was asked to share “what this dance meant to. What did you feel? What did it bring to you?”
 
Choreography by Orlando and Ricarrdo Hunter-Valentine in collaboration with the dancers: Kenneth Eaddy, Isaiah Harris, A .Raheim White, and Kierra ‘Kiki’ Williams
 
Photographer: Ky Smiley
 
References
Burt, Rosel. 2024. “Black on Earth” Interactive MFA Performance Combines Dance, Agriculture, Technology, and More.” The Lantern. https://www.thelantern.com/2024/02/black-on-earth-interactive-mfa-performance-combines-dance-agriculture-technology-and-more/
 
Harris, Melanie L. 2017. “Ecowomanism 101: Method and Approaches.” Essay in Ecowomanism: Earth-Honoring Faiths and African American Women, 13-59. Orbis. 
 
Hunter Jr., Orlando Zane and Ricarrdo Valentine. 2023. “Black on Earth.” Master’s Thesis. The Ohio State University. 
 

​Drum Tao 30th Anniversary Review
 
On Sunday, February 18th I had the pleasure of witnessing Drum Tao perform at Wells Hall at the Parker in Fort Lauderdale. The company was stablished in 1993 and are based in Oita, Japan. This performance was glorious, divine, and superb! It features the taiko drums and the “beautiful melody of the Japanese Shinobue (flute), Koto (harp), and Syamisen (guitar)” (https://drum-tao.com/en/index.php/about/) and something similar to hand symbols. There was dance, music, martial arts, comedy, singing, and theater. I felt like I was at a rock concert and a musical. The ensemble of 11 artists are storytellers, engaging the audience through visually and aurally stimulating displays of artistry and evocative technical prowess (movement and music). 
 
The set design, lights, and props that included sticks (short and long) which they twirled like other worldly machines. I mean these long sticks where massive, and they spun them effortlessly. There were fans, umbrellas, a spinning silver cube, and let’s not forget the use of skirts/dresses. They wore fluted skirts with shiny silver armlets, fitted tops (leotard cutouts), with black tights and they moved (bodies and skirts). 
 
The movement was FULL. They beat the drums with so much power and force. The visual of the percussionist beating the drum and seeing the rapid action of the stick was cinematic. Then there was the balancing and turning with the drum like they were in a duet with a submissive partner. The movement was “choreographed precision and dynamics” that featured slaps to the floor, big jumps, summersaults/acro, and intricate floor patterns. Some sections were like watching a martial arts movie with those amazingly choreographed fight scenes.
 
There was fighting and dancing with each other and the drums. The movement was internal with lots of looking down and on the floor. And my goodness the ways they lifted those big drums up and down—nothing but core and upper body strength. They used their entire body to beat the drum. The POWER…
 
Some of my favorite moments was the section where the men were seated on the floor, playing the drum. Their backs were arched, sternums lifted to the ceiling, contracting, and releasing honoring Mutha Martha. That bottom sound penetrated my pelvis, my insides vibrated, increasing in speed and power. It was a climatic rush. The sound was hypnotic and mesmerizing, transposing me to another atmosphere.   
 
The second moment was the beautiful solo performed by a man that danced with a white fabric. It was a duet with him and the fabric. The fabric was an anthropomorphic representation of sensuality, playfulness, and tenderness. 
 
The transitions were seamless, sliding the drums in and out, up, and downstage.
 
Connections
This performance reminded me of my MFA thesis concert where I choreographed “Dig Deep.” I used the artist KODO which is a taiko drumming group from Sado Island in Japan. I am definitely resurrecting this work and restaging it (soon). 
 
I saw a connection to African drumming and dancing. I felt and heard the polyrhythm. My body was doing manjani (from Guinea and Mali in West Africa) in the seat to some of these rhythms. I was also reminded of the dundun dance from Guinea, West Africa as I watched the Japanese percussionist engage with the drums.  I saw call and response and elements of the cypher as they transitioned in and out of the center/circle. 
 
I couldn’t get any good pictures because the ushers were in full force policing. It was like you were at a Baptist church and talking while the pastor was preachin’. Bay bay! They were not playin’. Drum Tao will be back in two years and so will I!

​

​On Saturday, October 28, 2023, I attended Program 1 of the curated performances of COCO Dance Festival 2023 in Trinidad and Tobago. The evening began with a pre-show performance titled “How We Danced Our Way Back Home” (Nigeria and T&T, 2023) choreographed by Amir Denzel Hall and Ayodamola Okunseinde and performed by PACCINO. The performance took place outside in the courtyard area with the beautiful backdrop of the city lights and buildings. 
 
As Kieron Sargeant and I entered the theater, it took several minutes for us to be seated in the “dance writer/reviewer” area as it seemed no one knew who I was—what a travesty! We were finally seated upstairs in the center section—the seats were decent. After viewing the program, I realized that this was a very full show with 14 pieces. There is absolutely no way to feature every piece in its entirety for this review so, I will write about the works that stood out to me (for various reasons) and I must share beautiful images of each piece featuring the amazing dancers and choreographers that were captured by Karen Johnstone’s Motiontography.
 
ACT 1 opened with a dance film titled “The Color of Transformation” (UK, 2022) choreographed by Ming, Oluwatosin Omotosho and Carolyn Bolton. This work was a celebration of Black women, centered around nature/mother nature, and offered food for thought through the evocative text which stated, “futures unprepared,” “stay small seems like abuse,” “expand yourself,” “I am the color of transformation,” ““You are nature, nature is you” and other powerful nuggets. The women danced to a reggae beat with strength and groundedness. Their bodies undulated demonstrating a clear articulation of the spine. There were high knees, representations of Yemaya, and a movement vocabulary that was rich. The dancing women dressed in black, juxtaposed with the image of the woman in blue, the diety Yemaya was just gorgeous.
 
I have questions concerning the protocol for late arrivals. A whole crew of audience members came sauntering in after the dance film finished which delayed the start of Terminè (USA, 2021) choreographed by Amanda McCorkle.

Tamisha Guy performed “Signals” (USA, 1970), a Merce Cunningham (staged by Jean Freebury) work. Ms. Guy embodied that technique YOU HEAR ME? She began the piece seated in a chair wearing a black top and rust bottom/pants. The stark stage was the perfect canvas to view this phenom execute this work. “All eyes on me” was the unspoken rule. She captivated the audience as she worked in minimalism and counterpoint, effortlessly holding beautiful extensions in a la secondè and arabesque positions. As the dance progressed, I got very anxious, and then just like that, I felt relief when the piece ended.

The second dance film featured was “Ausencia (Absence)”, conceived and performed by Jaruam Xavier. Some late audience members were let in mid performance (why?). People were talking, chatting, and laughing during the performance, so things were missed.  It would have been great to have a talk back so that audience could express their thoughts on areas of the work that may not have been clear. 
 
LaKeisha Johnson’s “4 Women” (USA, 2020), a.k.a Nina Simone’s “Strange Fruit” was interesting. This song is quite profound and recognizable and has been choreographed by many people. I was curious to see what Johnson was going to do with it. The women are exceptionally strong individually, I mean legs, power, strength, and explosiveness but as a collective, I was surprised that these elements weren’t demonstrated as an ensemble. 
 
Dust to Dust: The Final Hour (T&T, 2023) choregraphed by Bridgette Wilson was very reminiscent of the conservatory program that I was enrolled in for undergrad (briefly). The dancers wore light colored unitards with their hair pulled back. The movement is grounded in Graham and Horton technique, and they executed the movements beautifully, fiercely performing motifs of pain/openness, surrender/searching and anguish/redemption.

Un/Bound (USA 2022) choreographed by Daniel Garcia closed ACT 1. During intermission the audience viewed “Since Though Wast Precious In My Sight (USA, 2014), choreographed by Danielle Russo in the lobby downstairs. This contact improvisation was a full-bodied masterpiece of chaos and calm.  

ACT 2 was fast moving full of energy, excitement, cultural politics, and fusion forms representing some of Trinidad’s premier dance companies. “I Was Walking” (Two Excerpts) (T&T, 2023) choreographed by Dave Williams began with the dancers interacting with each other and connecting with square boxes offering support and connection.  The image on the scrim was unclear and dark throughout the entire first section. When the section ended, the image became clearer the audience let out a collective “ah.” There was a sense of familiarity as the image on the scrim was revealed, showcasing beautiful locs. During the piece there was a heaviness/sadness. The dancers touched, embraced, and caressed their hair. The personal was political as it was later revealed that the piece addressed an issue pertaining to students being punished for their wearing their hair loc’d as school. I would have liked to see a smoother transition into the second work which would offer a sense of cohesiveness from one piece to another. 
​
Hana Delong performed “Journey Unknown” (USA, 2023). This beautiful Black woman devoured the stage. Sis ate and left no crumbs. She mesmerized the audience with her virtuosity, pristine technical prowess, and the articulation of her body, arms, feet, and chest. It was scrumptious. Delong carved space like an artisan sculpting a prized artifact. This piece was a contemporary, urban funk fusion that was liquid gold. 
 
“Reciprocal” (Excerpt/USA, 2022) choregraphed by Katie Gutmann made the audience gasp when the dance film began, I guess they were like “oh no not another dance film!” The video mirrored the duet of the dancers. The movement was Cunningham-esque which was inclusive of points in space, directional changes, reaching, and pointing. The male dancer reminds me of David Dorfman in the ways that he uses his body. 
 
“Inside Out—A Journey Not Finished” (T&T, 2023) choreographed by Shakeil Jones was a fusion of modern and Caribbean styles with great use of space and creative variations and juxtaposition of movement and timing.
 
Mariposa De Papel (USA, 2023) choreographed by Eloy Barragan is another political work. In my interview with Barragan, he stated that this work is an excerpt of a larger work that he set on a company in Mexico.  He revealed that in Mexico, young women and girls bind their chest so that they won’t be captured, and the piece is exploring this. The piece is about transformation which explains the butterfly metaphor which is demonstrated when the dancer unwraps herself in fabric as she enters the stage. The dancer beautifully translates this tragic issue with her flawless artistry. 
 
The last two pieces of the evening Faderles (T&T, 2023) choreographed by Matthew “UGK_Matt” McClean and HER! (T&T, 2023), choreographed by Zidane Roopnarine were FANTASTIC fusion forms that included Classical Indian, African, Jazz, Hip Hop, and Ballet. The Faderless piece included 7 dancers. They offered a very funky and cultural version of Papa Was A Rolling Stone.” The red back drop complimented their fiery movement. The dancers were young but oh so strong and fierce!
 
HER! (T&T, 2023) was the perfect ending to the fabulous evening of dance. This work was more traditional in terms classical Indian movement and also their costume which featured bright yellow, orange, pink, and fuchsia colors. The 6 dancers served a Baratynatyam/Mohiniyattam fusion that was unmatched. The hips circled and swayed. The transitions were seamless and the choreography was engaging. The articulation of the arms and feet were immaculate. I appreciated the choices made in terms of spatial patterns, which added to the ebb and flow of the movement. The high energy, deep expressions and ferocity of the choreography and execution of the movement captivated the viewer. MORE PLEASE! 
 
Images

1. Faderles
2. How We Danced Our Way Back Home
3. Terminè
4. Signals
5. Dust to Dust
6. 4 Women
7. Her!
8. Mariposa De Papel