​Haint Blu, “[the] multi-year project created by legendary movement collective Urban Bush Women…premier[ed]” (liveartsmiami.org) at the Historic Hampton House March 9-12, 2023. As I read critiques of praise and excitement by attendees on social media, I thought about their words and the description of their experiences and waited patiently for my turn on Saturday night. When I entered the space, I started to make the immediate left to the courtyard area, since that’s where I went for the previous performance in November (2022) and was quickly redirected by the ushers to the café. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the set up. There were high and low tables and chairs. It was a full house. Guests were laughing, chatting, drinking beverages from the bar, and/or watching the screen which at times projected civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., who from what I understand was a guest there; there were also scenes with former company member Melissa Cobblah Gutierrez. Music was playing softly in the background, adding a particular ambiance that was nice. I scanned the room for familiar faces and saw several local scholars, artists, and professors, even former UBW company member and South Florida native Stephanie Mas. 
 
After about 15 minutes we were welcomed by a member of the Live Arts Miami Staff and then introduced to The Historic Hampton House Brand Manager, Edwin Shepard. Co-artistic director Mame Diarra Speis entered the space, asked us to look at our program, find the inner paper, look on the back to see what number we had, and sent us on our way with the guides. I had number 1 on my sheet. I walked with my group to the first stop on the journey which featured co-artistic director Chanon Judson and two Miami Dade College/Jubilation Dance Ensemble MDC/JDE student performers. Guests gathered in the space. Some were seated while others stood. Everyone listened deeply to Channon’s words which included information and directions for traveling “in safety and in care” while watching her body give and take energy. Her shoulders rolled forward with fists clenched. She contorted her chest, stepping forward, over her imaginary bridge or gateway. She swayed her upper body like a palm tree in the hot wind of the Savannah and rolled her neck, torso, and hips. The MDC/JDE performers anchored Channon walking forward with their blue fabric. Are they gatekeepers? My eyes are drawn to the table placed in the corner where I was standing, covered with a beautiful crème fabric. There are note cards placed on the edges of two corners of the table as well as various gold trinkets—bells, shells, and a small basket. This was an enigmatic yet lucent embodiment of African spirituality. I was intrigued and curious to see what was next on the journey. We were sent on our way while several other MDC/JDE members danced us to our next location in the courtyard. There were hand washing stations facilitated by dance program director at MDC and artistic director of JDE Michelle Grant Murray as well as Olujimi Dance Collective company member Shanna Woods. Givers Revival provided a drink bar that offered cool and refreshing drinks –I had a delicious womb strengthening lemonade. There was also an intricate alter space constructed by healer, ritualist, and restorative justice practitioner Wakumi Douglas. At the alter we were afforded the opportunity to either meditate, write a prayer, or connect with and write an ancestors name down and place the paper on the alter. This was a magnificent and necessary beginning to the work. The elements of African spiritually offered by Douglas, Grant-Murray and the Olujimi Dance Collective provided a grounding that is essential based on the premise of the piece which, “explore[s] the movements histories, and stories, of community elders, [and] ancestors” (liveartsmiami.org). 
 
What I viewed previously in November 2022 at the first iteration and what “I saw” (Warren 2022, 29) and felt via the “psycho-meta-emotional-spiritual” (Gottschild 2022, 30) at the premier were different. I had several questions concerning intention, spiritual embodiment versus performance of spirituality, and how the concept of “Haint Blue” which is a ritual involving painting the ceiling or roof of a homes in the South blue to ward off spirits was imparted and evidenced (non-superficially) in the work. That might be a question for the dramaturg as well. 
 
Overall, this is undeniably a “dance theater” work. It is interactive; the community travelled through the space, room to room, experiencing deep mythical expressions of longing, memory, and sacred healing elements. We also were enthralled in dance/house party vibes, offering a cacophony of sound and movement. The dancers performed superbly, both UBW and MDC/JDE. Those young dancers are a force, they held their own, and yet provided the necessary support for UBW.
 
From an aesthetic perspective, this UBW company offers a different movement vernacular as opposed to what I remember what UBW presented several years ago. I am still thinking about what this means to me —the groundedness and openness of the hip, African aesthetics, looseness and articulation of the torso and extremities, and that fiyah batty. Much of the choreography is devoid of these elements. Grace Galu Kalambay, vocalist and musician, was fantastic. She rocked the house with her sultry rhythm and blues performance offering another dimension to the work while also leveling out some of the schism. I loved the gold netting costume with the black trunks/body suit underneath. This visual conjures up multiple visions and memories of our ancestors either as fisherwomen/men or being fished and hunted by white murderers. The imagery is stunning. 
 
In November, as I stated in my mini reflection, the (then) work in progress was piercing, poignant, and powerful. It centered Blackness, Black culture, and offered a space/place for Black women to “heal and [be] present [while] we are in a constant state of erasure” (Nadege Green 2022). This is still an accurate statement. Haint Blu should be seen and experienced. Thank you for the Bush Medicine!
 
Asantewaa, Eva Yaa. 2022. “As We See It: Black Elders On Writing on Dance: Eva Yaa Asantewaa in Conversation with With Brenda Dixon-Gottschild and Charmaine Warren. Movement Research Performance Journal (56).
 
Image 1: Shanna Woods, A’Keitha Carey, and Apon Nichols
Image 2: Chanon Judson, Alaina Spears, and Stephanie Franco
Image 3: Wakumi’s alterspace
Image 4:  Grace Galu Kalambay
Image 5:   UBW in gold netting
Image 6.: Chanon Judson and Mame Diarra Speis

​On Saturday, my son and I attended the Diva Arts annual “sneak peek” at the Lou Rawls Center for the Performing Arts at Florida Memorial University. The show was hosted by local comedian Marcelleous “Chello” Davis; this element is always refreshing and such a great representation of Black culture while in a Black space at a historically Black university. Now, with that said, “Chello” had to address theatre etiquette; I mean we were not at a Miami Heat game but that’s another conversation.
 
I had no intention of writing anything this evening; I just wanted to enjoy the performance as a patron but as the dancers showcased their artistry and talent, many thoughts arose. As I watched the Darlings, Dolls, Junior Repertory, Repertory I and Repertory II demonstrate technique in creative movement, contemporary, tap, hip hop, jazz, and ballet, I knew that I needed to make a statement in terms of the importance of quality dance pedagogy, visibility/invisibility and erasure,  supporting Black (dance) businesses, the centering Black and Brown bodies and culture, and the politics surrounding these claims.
 
The babies (darlings and dolls) were cute and drew all the oohs and aahs from the audience but babayyyyyyy! THE (insert clap) KIDS (insert clap) WERE (insert clap) TWIRL (insert clap) ING! Lines, legs, levitation, layouts, linear/curvilinear, low/high, contractions, twerking, pirouettes, flap ball change, assemblé, and more and more and more. I didn’t see any dancehall or Carnival movement but I’ll wait.  The costume design for each piece accentuated the beautiful choreography which demonstrated the thoughtfulness and intentionality of the choreographers and the costume designer. Light designer maestro @Apon Nichols added another dimension to the production, creating depth and intimacy as well as sunshine and joy as necessary for each piece.
 
Shannon Haynes, the CEO and artistic director has been in operation for 26 years; she has dedicated her life to dance education, mentorship, and youth empowerment through the arts. This is evidenced in the quality dance production that I experienced which is a demonstration of the professionalism and expertise of staff and administration and the support of the parents. Her alumni roster is impeccable. Former students have achieved exceptional status in many disciplines which is a testament to the profound effects of the discipline of dance and the arts at large.  Some are professional dancers having worked with Alvin Ailey, The Lion King, Beyonce, Janet Jackson, Rihanna and other international artists, others are attorneys, entrepreneurs, dance studio owners, real estate agents, educators, and are now mothers bringing their daughters to receive quality dance training as second-generation Diva Arts dancers.
 
That evening, I noticed an alumni parent in the audience, @Dr. Angela Spencer. Dr. Spencer comments on ALL my reviews and I see her at local performances. This is beautiful and a wonderful example of the importance of dance education and exposure and how its benefits are multilayered, this includes building lifelong arts patron, one who is informed and active and can speak up on the needs of the culture and community which leads me to my next point.
 
Diva Arts should be funded as a top tier applicant from our local funding agencies, and unfortunately they are not. Their community engagement and contributions are bar none. They currently offer year-round quality training in “commercial, concert, competition or recreational dance” through an afterschool program, evening classes, and Arts and Academics for Excellence, Youth Summer Camp.  “Diva Arts Dance has served more than 5000 children and [the] program participants have performed before more than 150,000 community spectators in the Miami Dade and Broward areas. Over the years, Diva Arts has [been] awarded more than $100,000 in scholarships and [has] mentored more than 1000 youth” (https://divaartsdancestudio.com/diva_about-us.htm). DO BETTER LOCAL SOUTH FLORIDA FUNDING AGENCIES!!
 
Of course, Diva Arts is not the Black dance studio in South Florida doing great work for the culture, but the problem is LACK OF SUPPORT amongst the Black dance community. You should not be existing in a silo and YOU ARE NOT/SHOULD NOT be in competition with each other. The battle is never among us. I can assure you that the dragon that needs to be slayed is much larger than you/we/us. We must come together to fight the institutions and systems that seek to erase and destroy Black culture and its impact in the community; and that is what is occurring in South Florida through poor and inadequate grant funding, little to no representation on the boards that make decisions concerning Black culture, and the lack of dance writing which serves to build an archive for the community. It doesn’t matter how well the kids twirl and how many tickets you sell, if you are not being funded adequately to support your efforts and there is no documentation about what you are doing, it never happened therefore you don’t exit. These are the concerns that Florida Black Dance Artists Organization (https://www.floridablackdance.com/)  addresses. Let’s come together to support each other and be the agents of change that is so desperately needed.
 
Image 1: “Strings”; Choreographer: Anita Hope; Ballet Jr. Rep
Image 2: “Lyric Waltz”: Choreographer: Anita Hope; Ballet Dolls
Image 3: “Shaking and Baking”: Choreographer: Ralph Cummings; Hip Hop Rep 2
Image 4:  “Fly Before You Fall”: Choreographers: Nia McClain/Jamie Hampton; Contemporary Jr. Rep
Image 5: “Gravity”: Choreographer Trenard Mobely (Late)/Restaged by Shannon Haynes: Contemporary Rep 1
Image 6: “Gravity”: Choreographer Trenard Mobely (Late)/Restaged by Shannon Haynes; Contemporary Rep 1
Image 7: “Whip My Hair”: Choreographers: Nia McClain/Jamie Hampton/Kai Ricketts; Hip Hop Darlings
Image 8: “Surrender”: Choreographer: Troy Powell/Restaged by Shannon Haynes; Contemporary Rep 1
Image 9 : “Surrender”: Choreographer: Troy Powell/Restaged by Shannon Haynes; Contemporary Rep 1
Image 10: Diva Arts Dancers
Image 12: Host: Chello Davis
Image 14: Tiago, Shannon Haynes, and A’Keitha Carey

Rihanna, Superbowl LVII, and the Critique
 
We are two days post Rihanna’s Superbowl performance and there have been a barrage of critiques and think pieces about the event. I have read several reviews, (re)watched the performance, and watched her Apple Music Half Time Press Conference moderated by Nadeska (https://youtu.be/kPKvslHF2ps). There are many points of view and a range of analysis based on everything from her pregnancy, the choreography, costume (homage to late fashion editor and stylist Andre Leon Talley), her virtuosity by being suspended in the air on platforms (while pregnant), the assault on Black motherhood and womanhood, the unlimited expectations of Black women, her playlist selection, the fact that she was unpaid, and the marketing for Fenty. The list goes on and on. I think one of the statements that was a constant was why are we spending “so much energy” discussing this performance? For their/your edification, there is a whole field of study/inquiry and a profession that critiques and analyzes culture, performance, etc. We are in fact cultural critics and analysts. And…it is important.
 
To be clear, in my discussion of Rihanna’s performance, I’m not “tearing anyone down” with my analysis. I’m a cultural critic, particularly one who analyzes performance ESPECIALLY OF CARIBBEAN WOMEN. To be even clearer, when you live your life in the spotlight as an entertainer, discussions about your craft are not only a requirement, it is also expected. To be super clear, it is important to note that one can be critiqued and it not be considered an attack on the person, their artistry, Black womanhood; allah dat.
My disappointment on Sunday’s presentation comes from a selfish place. I anticipated analyzing Rihanna’s performance and connecting it to my dissertation research on erotic performance (within a Black female dancehall context). Her performance was important (to me) due to my efforts to theorize movement from a Black feminist and Caribbean performance framework. That said, I have constructed my own definition of erotic performance building off Audre Lorde’s (1984) erotic as power and also the work of more contemporary scholars Jaffari Allen (2011), Lynden Gill (2018), and Sabia McCory-Torres (2017), McCoy-Torres specifically addresses  this within dancehall performance. I am looking at 9 elements (read the upcoming dissertation!!); very few of these elements were displayed in Rihanna’s individual performance in comparison to her previous performances. So, this is not a critique of motherhood nor is it a comparison of her to any other female performers. It is in fact, for me, a comparison of her to her other performances. And as Caribbean person, woman, performer I was disappointed.  Listen, I get it. She was 6 months pregnant and was suspended in the air; she was probably dealing with fatigue, exhaustion, and physical limitations, etc., and she showed up and did her best. That is wonderful, but there were a few things missing for me and that included seeing her iconic BAD Gyal styling and Caribbean, Dancehall, and Carnival culture. There was a hip wine here and there, I saw the dancers “pepper seed” and “butterfly”. In my opinion, the performance was lacking the dancehall vibe which is the Caribbean representation I thought she was speaking of in her pre performance interview and what she is most noted for. I felt that it wasn’t slack, dutty, wicked or EROTIC. There were some dancehall elements, the batty was jumpin’ at times, there were some body rolls, some of the dancers did the infamous head top stand and Rihanna did “tap her pun#@y.”
 
Now, Ms. Fenty ain’t really a performer in the traditional sense but she always gave us screw face, mi nah rump and mi no skin teet vibes and the aesthetic of the cool which dance historian Dr. Gottschild defines as “…hot/engaged with cool/detached…Cool however, is manifested in contrast with hot…” (Gottschild 2002, 7). The aesthetic of the cool is “emblematic in the full spectrum of Africanist aesthetic characteristics” (7) and most certainly is a performed identity in dancehall culture. I didn’t see or feel it. This was her BIG return to the stage after 6 years (her own admission). ALL EYES WERE ON HER, globally. Particularly, from the Caribbean massive. We was watchin’!
 
I read the challenges that her production team navigated which included “maximizing her body of work in 13 minutes”, Rihanna’s pregnancy, managing the 200 plus performers, “Protecting that grass from the massive weight of Rihanna’s stage, and thus from altering that Gmax rating, [this] required delicate choreography. For one, Rodgers says, the stages for this year’s show could only be about half the size they have been in previous years. There was also the matter of getting them on and off the field swiftly. The crews had about 7.5 minutes to set up this year’s performance and about six to take it down. ‘That’s the science you have to inject into an artist’s world,’ Rodgers says” (Watercuter 2023). So, I get it. I am not minimizing the effort that went into this performance; I am analyzing particular elements of the performance.
 
I read some comments suggesting that a Carnival theme would have been appropriate. I say yes and no. Yes, this is a fantastic concept but what about the execution and criticism/critique of the Black performers WININ up and gettin’ on bad? I am positive that a negative critique would be shared by both white and Black folk operating in the politics of respectability; this would only detract from the AMAZING experience and celebration of African Diaspora culture and creativity. Some white and Black “Christian” conservatives would be clutching their pearls. What would they wear? How would the performance maintain its authenticity on this platform? I can hear the hypersexual (mis)readings and the politics of the Black body debates, inclusive of the demonization of Black culture now! Plus, dey didn’t want di people dem to trample di grass and ting, so that wasn’t gonna work anyway!
 
There were many spectacular elements that night. In terms of choreography, the visuals, the large group choreography, and formations were great. It was clean, dynamic, and engaging. The dancers were fiyah! Their ferocious energy carried us through the 13 minutes. Rihanna’s musical selection was good, she stated these choices were simply trial and error. Congratulations to the creative team—designer Willo Perron, choreographer Parris Goebel, and production manager Joseph Lloyd.
The Caribbean massive will always big up RiRi. WE LOVE HER…PERIODT!  I’ll wait for the next performance to see who and what part of herself she presents because Black women are nuanced and have nuanced experiences and that is OK.
 
Works Cited:
Allen, Jafari S. 2011. Venceremos? The Erotics of Black Self-Making in Cuba. Durham: Duke University Press.
 
Extratv. (2023, February 9). Watch Rihanna’s Super Bowl LVII Halftime Press Conference. https://youtu.be/kPKvslHF2ps
 
Gill, Lyndon K. 2018. Erotic Islands: Art and Activism in the Queer Caribbean. Durham: Duke University Press.
 
Gottschild, Brenda D. 2002. “Crossroads, Continuities, and Contradictions: The Afro-Euro-
Caribbean Triangle.” In Caribbean Dance from Abakuá to Zouk: How Movement Shapes
Identity, ed. by Susanna Sloat, 3-10. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.
 
Lorde, Audre. 1984. “Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power.” In Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches. New York: Random House.
 
McCoy-Torres, Sabia. 2017. “Love Dem Bad: Embodied Experience, Self-Adoration, and Eroticism in Dancehall.” Transforming Anthropology, 25(2): 185-200.
 
Watercuter, Angela. 2023. “Wired.” https://www.wired.com/story/super-bowl-rihanna-halftime-tech-flying/?utm_source=facebook&utm_social-type=owned&mbid=social_facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_brand=wired&fbclid=IwAR12n0CsGM94vkWOp-dbSjvrc6EwgsdgXBupz5YUYT_Pjg-viCwYSqLzTzg&mibextid=Zxz2cZ
 
Image 1: Mike Coppola/ Getty Images
Image 2: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Image 3: Polygon
Image 4: Ross D. Franklin

​Sunday, December 11, 2022, I attended The Hip Hop Nutcracker with Guest Kurtis Blow. In transparency, I have been struggling to get this review done. I intended to post on Wednesday, December 14, but after hearing the news of our dance brother tWitch Boss walking with the ancestors, I just couldn’t get the words out. What made sense just moments prior to reading of his death did not anymore. I am still struggling with what to say about the work in light of how the dance community is grieving at this time. I also recognized that the artists who put it all out there for the Fort Lauderdale community were deserving of being recognized for their hard work and efforts.

This production, based on the Nutcracker by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, adapted by Mike Fitelson and directed and choreographed by Jennifer Webber takes place New Year’s Eve in “Uptown, USA.”
Act I: Set at a holiday street fiesta, the protagonist Maria-Clara gets upset at the party due to her parents arguing. The characters Drosselmeyer, the Nutcracker, and the Mouse Crew appear entertaining the audience with high energy and explosive dance moves. Marie-Clara meets a street vendor (The Nutcracker) and falls in love with him.

Act II: Maria-Clara and her boo, the Nutcracker are taken back in time to 1984 by Drosselmeyer. They enter a nightclub scene and from the sidelines witness the partygoers showing off the dances of the era. Maria-Clara understands this as the initial encounter of when her parents first met. After another dance scene they time travel to the present and aide in her parents rekindling their love.

I enter The Coral Springs Center for The Arts and hear DJ Boo playing “Love Nwantiti” by CKay. I had to make the decision, asking myself was I performing tonight or am I going to be an audience member? This was the beginning of his mix to get the crowd hype. His playlist included “Sweetest Taboo” by our royal queen Sade, “Back to Life” by “Soul II Soul, “Candy Rain” by Soul For Real, and “Only You (Club Mix) by 112. I was pleased to see a multigenerational and multiracial audience. I observed audience members eating popcorn and drinking various beverages that were allowed into the theater. It appeared as if the audience members were going to the movies or a music concert.  I have not heard of or seen people eating popcorn at the theater especially when going to see a ballet or any other dance production. It was becoming clearer that tonight would not be average.  
Kurtis Blow enters the stage dressed in a white tuxedo with graffiti that had “HIP HOP” painted on the blazer, a white baseball cap, silver bowtie, and white sneakers. He led the crowd in a call and response that included rapping to old school joints such as “Rappers Delight” from the Sugar Hill Gang, Grand Master Flash’s “The Message, “Just a Friend”  by Biz Markie, and House of  Pain’s “Jump Around.”  DJ Boo had the crowd rockin’ as he took us down old school Hip Hop memory lane. Blow informed us that this was “not a normal Nutcracker [and we should] let our hair down [and] let [our]selves go” (Blow 2022). He stated, “if Tchaikovsky was here, he would want to do a nutcracker like this” (Blow 2022). Let’s see, a white male from Europe in the 1800’s working within a classical music tradition…I don’t know Kurtis—probably not.

Violinist Vivek Menon sets it off with impeccable skills, making his violin sang! He torches the stage with his fusion of Hip Hop and classical music. It’s giving very much Black Violin vibes. DJ Boo is mixing in the background layering the levels of funk to this exquisite sound. It was Fiyah! The performance featured solo’s, duets, and ensemble work that included contemporary dance elements and old school and current street and social dance; but the choreography  was heavily drawing from breaking vernacular. We saw B-boy and B-girl’s voguing, whacking and doing backflips/front flips, backspins, head spins, battles, popping and locking, turtles, and windmills in and out of the cypher.

I connected a lot of this work to Rennie Harris’s Puremovement, particularly his Rome and Jewels piece which similarly juxtaposes a classical idea/concept (theater/music) with Hip Hop dance and music. Harris’s demonstration of Hip Hop technique for the concert stage is bar none particularly when discussing the seamlessness of the dancers as they enter and exit the cypher but also as they transition from one aesthetic to the other. It is like buttah baby. This is where the Hip Hop Nutcracker loses a little steam. This doesn’t discount the power and the dancer’s execution of the movements which are amazing. Secondly, I did get lost in some sections; had I not read the program, I would not have made certain connections. The storyline gets lost at times,  this is due to some of the acting—perhaps.

Overall, I loved the production, the cast is brilliant. The digital background added to the texture of the scenes and the period based costumes very vibrant. There was humor, symbolism, and cultural references that I think many of the audiences received. The women were beasts. Randi “Rascal” Freitas took no prisoners when she danced. I appreciated the multiracial casting. This production was an authentic representation of the world that we live in and to see not only women on stage cutting up and showing out but also to see so many women and men of color in this production performing in movement styles that have been dismissed in many predominantly white institutions (PWI’s) in higher education dance programs speaks volumes to the work that many of my colleagues are doing. This is it. This is where we want to see dance go, move, be, and live. It also serves as an education for the audience as well, revealing that dance is not reserved for one body, race, culture, or aesthetic. I mean Drossylmeyer was a Black woman with locks!

#hiphopnutcracker
#culturalcritic
#dancewriter
#fashion
#danceandculture
 
Image 1: Maria-Clara and the Nutcracker
Imag 2: Kurtis Blow
Image 3: Vivek Menon
Image 4:  Hip Hop Nutcracker Backdrop
Image 5: Drosselmeyer (Lisa “L-Boogie” Bauford) w/ Castmeber  
Image 6: Ensemble Act I
Image 7: Ensemble Act I
Image 8: Nutcracker
Image 9: DJ Boo
Image 10: AC


 
 
 
 
 
 
 

​It has been a full week of art, music, fashion, and dance! I’m grateful to have experienced so much beautiful artistry by amazing local, regional, and international creators. My week commenced with the Knight Foundation Art Champion Celebration at the Perez Art Museum Miami on Monday. Tuesday, I performed at the LOOP art showcase and exhibition at the Claire Oliver Gallery (http://www.caribfunk.com/blog). Thursday was “Le Art Nior, Diversity in Color,” an evening of art, fashion, and entertainment at The African Heritage Cultural Arts Center which was a part of the “Art of Black Miami” series (http://www.caribfunk.com/blog). Saturday featured an evening of dance at Miami Dade College Kendall Campus where the Jubilation Dance Ensemble shared “The Art of Dance: Sacred and Sanctified—Breathe, Motion, and the Creative Process” under the direction of Michelle Grant-Murray. This event was not a part of the Miami Art Week/Art Basel but it was ordained for this event to fall in alignment with this festival (to be discussed later!) Sunday, I performed with Olujimi Dance Collective as a part of the culminating event of AfriKin Art 2022 who’s theme was “The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born: Acknowledging the Beauty of the Creation Existing Here, Now, and Next…”

AfriKin Art 2022 featured artists “whose works are being presented within the framework of concepts surrounding the 1968 novel, The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born, by Ayi Kwei Armah” (www.afrikin.org). The contributing artists featured represented the Diaspora far and   wide: Nigeria, Jamaica, Haiti, USA, Senegal, Cameroon, Netherlands, Colombia, Ghana, Cuba, Burkina Faso and beyond!

AfriKin 2022 opened with a VIP preview at Maison AfriKin, 318 NE 80th Terrace, Miami, FL 33138 as well as curated events at the Miami Hilton Blue Lagoon Thursday, 12/1/22 through Sunday, 12/4/22. Thursday, 12/1/22 “Loci of Affiliation: The Artist as a Producer of Knowledge (panel discussion). Friday, 12/2/22 “Narratives of Resistance: The Poetics and Politics of Staying Human (panel discussion), Saturday, 12/3/22 “Black Women’s Rights: Leadership and the Circularities of Power” (book launch and discussion). Sunday, 12/4/22: Fashion show by Aida Diop and dance performance by Olujimi Dance Collective.

AfriKin Founder and Director Alfonso D’Niscicio Brooks hosted the culminating event. The place was packed with patrons of the arts, familiar faces, and profound Black artists, scholars, and performers. It was a wonderful event. Aida Diop’s fashions are exquisite and are a must have. Her designs are beyond gorgeous. The color palette offers something for everyone—rich, bold, and vibrant. Her designs can take you from casual, to the office, or cocktail hour effortlessly.  I have several pieces that I am in love with!

Olujimi Dance Collective under the direction of Michelle Grant-Murray burned the house down (as per usual). The first piece “Un Earthed” was performed by Barney Pena Espinal, Erika Layola, and Shanna Woods. Espinal’s solo begins the piece. She sets the atmosphere with her raffia inspired costume, the fullness of the skirt and top provides a musical composition with its swooshing sound. With her arms placed in several Dunham-esque positions and pelvis rising and falling to meet Damballah, she cleanses the space. The work offers traditional African dance movements layered with a fusion of Black dance rituals and aesthetics. The women breathed life into the atmosphere with big jumps, rotating hips, and fluid torsos. African drumming, roosters crowing and the sounds of bottles clacking work in relationship to Bowmboi performed by Rokia Traoré.  Woods enters by unrolling and releasing herself from a sea of aqua fabric revealing her earth toned halter top dress that moves with her sometimes erratic and fierce composition. Layola’s lime green dress is the perfect complement; Woods and Layola are a splendid pair searching, reaching, and succumbing to the powers of the earth.

The second piece T.W.E.R.K. performed by company members Erika Layola, Shanna Woods, and A’Keitha Carey is centered on women journeying with the idea of the “train”  which serves as a metaphor for transition but also as the conduit to take one to their location/destiny. The work explores the history of each woman and the events that take place on their journey. The company performed and excerpt of the work which is set to premier at the Dennis C. Moss Cultural Arts Center in January 2023.

AfriKan’s mission is to “Creat[e] cultural connections through masterful artistry and meaningful conversations” (www.afrikin.org) and they did just what they said! Congratulations Alphonso and your team. You have curated yet another wonderful event that has enlightened, enriched, and empowered the community. The selected works and artists featured were sublime! Please support this organization—they are “The Beautiful Ones…”  Thank you Miami Art Week/Art Basel; it was beyond my expectations. Remember to ALWAYS SEE SOMETHING NOIR!
​  
Photo Credits
Images of Olujumi Dance Collective and the Fashion show taken by Folayan Griffiths
Images of group and A’Keitha Carey taken by Steph Sanchez
Images of the artwork was not posted
​
#culturalcritic
#dancewriter
#fashion
#art
#danceandculture
#artbaselmiami
#afrikannation
#olujimidancecollective
                                                           

​Day 2 of Miami Art Week (for me) and she’s booked and busy! Still working on the Knight Foundation Art Champion Celebration recap from Monday!

November 29th, I performed at the LOOP art showcase and exhibition at the Claire Oliver Gallery. I am still basking in the overwhelming brilliance of artistic expression that included several of the nine dimensions of “erotic performance” that I am investigating in my dissertation research!): power, pleasure, sexuality, virtuosity, desire, autonomy, play, sensuality, and freedom.

The vocal savant and goddess Mumu Fresh shared her gift with an intimate group at the Historic Lyric Theater. After her performance, the audience was invited to walk next door for cocktails, art, dance, and fashion at the Claire Oliver Gallery. I opened the fashion show with a solo featuring signature CaribFunk dance and fitness movement performed to AfroBeat and Soca, setting up the beautiful models to showcase the collaboration between Bahamian visual artist Gio Swaby and the fashion designer duo BruceGlen.

The critical and engaging art exhibition was the perfect backdrop for the moving art exhibition/fashion by the designers. The artists featured in the exhibition were: Robert Peterson, Gio Swaby, Stan Squirewell, Simone Saunders, Lauren Fensterstock, Aaron Stephan, Barbara Earl Thomas, and Jeffrey Henson Scales. Please feed your soul and spirit by stopping by the gallery to view the imaginative and profound work by the artists.

It was a pleasure to participate in this event because of the Bahamian connection. Even the videographer Charlie Bahama is Bahamian! I will provide a full recap of all the events I attended and/or participated in at the end of Art Basel.

Image 1: AC and Gio Swaby
Image 2: AC and BruceGlen
Image 3: AC Pre Performance w/Jacket
Image 4: Designers and Hostess
Image 5: Mumu Fresh
Image 6: Gio Swaby: “Self Portrait 2”
Image 7: Simone Sanders: “A Prayer”
Image 8: Stan Squirewell: “Bonita & Blu”

#culturalcritic
#dancewriter
#fashion
#art
#danceandculture
#bahamas
#artbaselmiami

​Art Basel: Le Art Nior, Diversity in Color (Review)
The African Heritage Cultural Arts Center (AHCAC) hosted Le Art Nior, Diversity in Color last night (12/1/22) which is a part of the “Art of Black Miami” series. It was an evening of Art, Fashion, and Entertainment but it was also a homecoming and family reunion for me. The AHCAC and Marshall Davis, the Director serve as my dance education home. Mr. Davis offered me my first teaching job in 1998 and I remained there for 8 years serving as the Dance Director and the Artistic Director of the resident dance companies before leaving for graduate school in 2005. Driving up and seeing the transformation of the campus and the expansion of the buildings was such a joy because I can recall staff meetings where Mr. Davis and other employees shared their vision and to see the manifestation of these ideas was gratifying. I saw former colleagues Bayunga Kialeuka, a featured artist, Darryn Ferguson, who was there volunteering his time to assist with the setup, and Isis Roberts, Arts Administrator. My heart was full.

The First Frequency art exhibition in the Amadlozi Gallery was developed by Bayunga Kialeuk:  the artists featured are Boris Anje, Precy Numbi, Sesse Elangwe, Nicole Grace, Kingtsey, Aurelia Djena, Hako Hankson and many more! As I entered the gallery space, I was blown away be the work—many of the images didn’t have the artists information because they are still preparing for the official opening which is today (12/2/22). There was a range of mediums, textures, and themes on display. The work is brilliant and vivid, drawing you in multiple ways. I overheard conversations with a few of the artists and visitors; they were very generous as they discussed their process and inspiration. The gallery on the west side of the building offers a different experience and energy. As soon as you walk into the space you are greeted with deep and rich colors, reminiscent of Nick Cave or Junkanoo artwork set in den like space. The gallery on the side (around the corner) is more open and lighter with large pieces which will captivate the senses.

The gallery on the east side of the building provides a wonderful cultural stamp, offering pieces that are reminiscent of both moments in history in terms of Black activists and also work that features men and women who could be our friend, neighbor, or partner. The art moves you and seems to move with you, this is what Louis Oliver (one of the hosts of the event) stated as he viewed the work.
​
After, I viewed the galleries, I noticed that there was a buzz occurring and it was time for the program to begin. The DJ was in full effect, hyping the audience up with Afrobeat and remixed 70’s and 80s classics. There was also a saxophonist rocking with the beat which added to the funky vibes of the event. He later stated that he also plays at the Miami Heat games. After his performance, Louis Oliver and his event co- partner welcomed us, thanked their sponsors, and brought them all up on stage to offer a few words. Mr. Davis greeted us in his usual “short and sweet” performance, then the fashion show commenced. The lovely ladies of all shapes, sizes, and ethnic backgrounds, wore various indigenous inspired pieces; nude dresses, multiple versions of a fringe long leather vest over unitards, thongs, and pants, a light-colored two-piece (skirt and mid riff cut out top). There were various versions of sheer dresses revealing cheeks of all proportions.  The designer also featured a full figured look. Most of the models wore feathered headpieces accentuating their unique designs. I would definitely rock any of these looks! If only I knew her name. Unfortunately, there was no information immediately available for the designer. If, you are interested in a piece of artwork or the fashion, please call the center at 305-638-6771 and definitely make your way out there to see the amazing work of the artists. On Sunday, December 3 @ 3pm (3:30pm – 9:00 pm) the AHCAC is hosting the 6th Annual Art, Blues & Soul Festival with special performances by Marsha Ambrosius, Meli’sa Morgan, Next, and more! Check out www.ahcacmiami.org for more information. See and do something “Noir” this weekend!

A’Keitha Carey
Cultural Critic and Dance Writer
#culturalcritic
#dancewriter
#fashion
#art
#danceandculture
#bahamas
#artbaselmiami
 
Image 1: A’Keitha Carey
Image 2: A’Keitha Carey (Artist Unknown)
Image 3: A’Keitha Carey (Artist: Bayunga Kialeuk/”Protect Your Seed”)
Image 4: A’Keitha Carey (Artist Unknown)
Image 5: A’Keitha Carey (Artist Unknown)
Image 6: Artist Unknown
Image 7: Artist Unknown
Image 8: VanJoe: “Heart of the City

eOh “Come Ye” into the tabernacle of “Grace.” Enter the divine with an agile spine, rotating pelvis, and open back. Breathe in the fullness of the Continent, Caribbean, and the Americas. Have “Mercy.” Asé! I was overjoyed and ready to partake of this fresh manna from the heavens served by this glorious company. As I walked into the Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts for the final show (Friday), I was stunned by the fact that there was no program or QR code to scan. And then dumbfounded by the ridiculously low attendance (I will address this separately). There were more empty chairs than bodies. In a state of confusion, I walked to my chair and tried to remain focused on the show.

The first piece “Come Ye” (2002) featured music by Nina Simone and Fela Anikulapo Kuti. The costumes were various denim designs. The work was presented in several sections with Brown’s signature phrase work illuminating Afro Cuban movement and various dances from the Continent. Shoulders were rolling, machetes were slicing, and hands and torsos were pounding. The second section offered a lovely contrast with an adagio. Dancers bourreéd across the floor while Nina Simone belted out “One More Sunday in Savannah.” The Third section was all about revolution; we saw the notable swagger and groove that has become synonymous with Brown’s aesthetic. A strong moment featured the full ensemble travelling around the stage showcasing signature movements in the repertoire. If “hit it and skin it” was a person, it was Baby Love, Ms. Joyce Edwards. Her presence is ethereal, captivating the audience with her command of the space. She is giving height, strength, power, grace, and femininity. The clarity in her movement brings life to Brown’s narrative. The men’s section in the Fela moment felt nostalgic taking me back to Baba Richard Gonzalez’s Afro Caribbean and Orisha Dance class at Djoniba Dance and Drum Center and Peridance Center in New York.

The second piece “Mercy” (2019) with music by Meshell Ndegeocello featured beautiful ensemble work. I was immediately drawn in by the white fabric dropped from the ceiling. This was contrasted with the blue backdrop and black costumes. The second woman who enters wears a black hat/crown like the Zulu inspired hat worn by Queen Romonda in Black Panther; this took me out. Demetrius Burns’s solo was pure fiyah! He embodies the seamless synthesis of African Diaspora movement journeying through space and time which is amplified by his costume, a chiffon balloon top and black flowing pants.

“Grace” (1994/2004), the third and final piece with a sound score by Duke Ellington, Roy Davis, Jr., and Fela Anikulapo Kuti was deep. Joyce Edwards solo begins the crossing with power, strength, grace, beauty, elegance, confidence. It’s the walk for me! In this work, some of the dancers were a little stiff in the hips, back, and torso, and the movement aesthetic, that groove/flow is not so obvious and pronounced. The energy level noticeably dropped. I questioned if they were feeding off our (the audiences) energy? The house was dead. From where I was sitting, heads were not bopping, backs were not contracting, and shoulders were static.
Michelle Murray and I did our call and chants to liven up the house. I did my Fela “Yea Yea” call and Michelle chimed in with her high pitched “Yaowww.” This seemed to work because some of the audience members verbalized their appreciation as well. This appeared to revitalize the company because the fiyah was stoked; this was demonstrated as they concluded the piece.

Brown’s aesthetic includes a softness that hits and funks within the steady pulse that grooves yet conjures up a fiyah that demands the body: head, neck, torso, shoulders, back, hips, and legs to respond. When it’s there, it is remarkable and when its off, it leaves the (informed) viewer somewhat disappointed. Some of the company members have not found this yet or it’s not consistent. This doesn’t negate the fact that they got it in. They are all fiercely strong, but the newness of the group is observable. I am certain they will find Brown’s poignant groove.
Evidence, a world renown dance company is always a soul fulfilling experience and something not to be missed. It was painfully embarrassing as a Florida dance artist to see what Broward Center for the Performing Arts offered their guests. I’ve seen local high school and dance studio performances with a better turn out. What happened Broward Center for the Performing Arts? Were the tickets just not purchased due to poor marketing and/or did the people who purchased the tickets all decide not to show up? What say you? There was “No evidence of Evidence…”  (Shanna Woods 2022) in terms of what the presenting agency demonstrated.  Let’s do better South Florida.

Images
Image 1: Come Ye
Photographer: Julieta Cervantes
 
Image 2: Mercy
Photographer: Ernesto Mancebo
 
Image 3: Grace
Photographer: Julietta Cervantes
 
Image 4: Michelle Grant-Murray and A’Keitha Carey
Photographer: A’Keitha Carey
 
Image 5: Empty Seats
Photographer: A’Keitha Carey
 
Image 6: A’Keitha Carey
Photographer: Michelle Grant-Murray
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I attended the Saturday performance of Shamel Pitts’s Touch of RED (A Miami Light Project and Young Arts Collaboration) at Miami Theater Center in Miami Shores, FL. I was intrigued about the performance based on several narratives that I read by Pitts, particularly his discussion of the “Afrofuturistic performance art landscape,” “Male vulnerability,” “Aggression into softness,” and “Futuristic and Voyeuristic gladiator entertainment.” I thought about what that means philosophically and how that translates aesthetically and kinesthetically.

In my most recent writing “A Response: As We See It: Black Elders On Writing On Dance (Eva Yaa Asantewaa in Conversation with Brenda Dixon-Gottschild, and Charmain Warren)” in The Movement Performance Journal #56 (Summer 2022), I was intrigued by Dr. Warren’s discussion of her blog “What I Saw” which offered her the opportunity to “say something there before [she] had it in print at The Amsterdam News” (Warren 2022, 29). I thought that this approach was most fitting for this review.

The audience enters in groups. We are confronted with the challenge of navigating the tight dark space to get to our seats; this design element captures the vibe and authenticity of a boxing/wrestling match/arena. There is also excitement in seeing the beautiful red bold structure that contained the two male dancers Tushrik Fredericks (performer) & Shamel Pitts (concept direction and choreographer) who were already in motion when we arrived. They were contracting and bouncing in a very close and contained manner. As I sat in my seat, taking in the elements, I was reminded of Nora Chipaumire’s prolific piece Portrait of Myself As My Father which also features a boxing arena. I was curious to see and experience how Pitts would articulate his impressions and deconstruction of masculinity through this design and concept.

My focus shifted on the costumes designed by Dion Lee. Pitts wore red cut out leggings with a red mid-riff top with his arms exposed.  Fredericks wore a red bikertard with long sleeves. Both men wore black socks and black slip-on shoes/boots which balanced the bold frame of red (costume, marley/floor, lighting, frame of the arena). The original music score was created by Sivan Jacobovitz and Taylor Antisdel was the featured cinematographer. The sound score was a seemingly abstract melodious concoction that was reminiscent of a muffled house groove at certain points in the work. The cinematography and soundscape were engaged in a performative matrimony. Spatial patterns moved on the diagonal, sometimes clockwise and counterclockwise. The dancers maintained close contact most of the work and separated heading to their opposing corners to hydrate and recalibrate.
The movement vocabulary features a multitude of forms and aesthetics. I saw: Gaga Movement; Lindy Hop; House/African/Afro Beat(ish); Child’s play; Pedestrian, Animals Playing and Copulating, Irish Clogging, Yoga, Pas de deux: Tango/ Paso Doble (sans the passion, intensity, and eye contact). There is quite a lot happening in the work. I also saw some elements of Lil Buck’s alluring aesthetic. The duo’s strongest moments were when they were actually touching, feeling, and allowing themselves to become enthralled with each other through touch, play, sensuality, sexuality, challenge, and trust.  

There are some strong elements and others that are not so clear and don’t connect to the narrative and the cinematography, and at times overshadowed the dancers’ performance. Pitts’s discussion of male vulnerability was not as prevalent aesthetically. This concept, juxtaposed with the boxing ring, which is the epitome of male power, strength, and at times vulnerability (when they are holding on to each other, embracing each other out of necessity and desperation) was lost at times. I looked for moments when Pitts was going to queer heterosexuality “and “relationships [within] normative social and political structures” (Ellis 2020, 208). I did not see this but that’s OK. At the end of the performance, the dancers went to each quadrant and shared a story with the audience. I appreciated this moment offered by the performers. I did see elements of these reflections demonstrated in the work. Pitts’s reflection was evidenced in the duet that featured the “strongest moment” in the work. Fredricks reflection was evident at various times throughout the piece where it appeared that they were both in a club together unaware of anyone else’s existence. This is WHAT I SAW.

Image 1 (photo credit): Young Arts
Image 2 (photo credit): Miami New Times

References:
Ellis, Nadia. 2022. “Out and Bad: Toward a Queer Performance Hermeneutic in Jamaican Dancehall.” In Dancehall: A Reader on Jamaican Music and Culture, ed. Sonjah Stanley Niaah, 205-222. The University of the West Indies Press: Jamaica.
Yaa Asantewaa, Eva. 2022. “As We See It: Black Elders On Writing On Dance (Eva Yaa Asantewaa in Conversation with Brenda Dixon-Gottschild, and Charmain Warren)” in Movement Performance Journal (56):27-35.
           
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

“As We See It…” is featured in The Movement Performance Journal #56 (Summer 2022). This topic of dance writing was of interest due to the prolific dance artists, scholars, writers, curators, and critics that were featured in this edition. It spoke to my recent endeavor as a self-proclaimed “Cultural Critic and Dance Writer” which is more so out of necessity in my South Florida community. Yaa Asantewaa dives in, boldly with the first affirmation and “read” concerning the erasure, invisibility, and lack of recognition of writers of color in the field (29). White dance critics affirm and recognize each other but do not offer that same level of regard and distinction to dance writers of color (29). That set the tone of the article. In terms of erasure and invisibility, we have a similar concern in South Florida. The issues are the lack of 1. Black dance writers; 2. dance writers who know dance kinesthetically, historically, and culturally; 3. previewing/reviewing of Black dance companies and 4. support of Black dance artists in the community by mainstream presenters and media outlets. The article is timely, I wrote five pages of notes; the nuggets were nuggeting!

The women tackled pertinent topics such as appropriate compensation for “Knowledge, skill, labor, and time…” (Yaa Asantewaa 2022, 28) and the erasure and invisibility of Black dance writer’s voices in mainstream outlets. I have asked myself and several members of Florida Black Dance Artists Organization (FBDAO) this question concerning how we can get compensated for doing “the necessary work” particularly outside of our communities? There are so many talking points which I can’t address in this response, but I will present some of the poignant statements/themes from the “Trinity” (Yaa Asantewaa, Dixon-Gottschild, and Warren!).

• “To me the only way to talk writing and to write talking about dance is to be in that frame of reference so that you’re more like an anthropologist who is working from the emic frame…rather than an etic frame [from an outside perspective]” (Dixon-Gottschild 2022, 30).
• “…Racism is encoded in the white DNA, if you will…But is so deeply embedded in our Euro-American culture that, in a sense, the critic is bringing that with them all the time” (Dixon-Gottschild 2022, 30).
• “How are we to reach people who are not already clued into how magnificent an art form dance is and the geniuses we have in it?” (Yaa Asantewaa 2022, 30).
• “We need our writers, and we need them writing from a variety of different motivations and perspectives” (Yaa Asantewaa 2022, 30).
• “We need both our own platform and mainstream” (Yaa Asantewaa 2022, 30).
• “Just because a person is designated a dance critic doesn’t mean that they know what they’re talking about” (Yaa Asantewaa 2022, 32).

This article distinctly informs us of where we are and points us in the direction where we need to go, even proffering ideas and suggestions centered on authenticity and “being in it,” (the emic versus the etic). It was made abundantly clear that we need our own spaces to discuss our brilliant, Black moving bodies but we also need other platforms that will allow us to extend our reach to other communities (Warren 2022, 33). That can happen through the ways we discuss the “history, analysis, and perspective” (Warren 2022, 34) of our artist’s work. We are still dealing with many challenges in the field which is heavy laden with white supremacy and non-Black voices writing about cultures they have no knowledge of or investment in. Warren offers staunch advice, “write what you see” and “make our own.”

This “Trinity” of Black excellence has modelled how to beautifully make that happen, Warren through “Black Dance Stories,” Yaa Asantewaa with her Gibney projects, and Dr. Dixon-Gottschild with her plethora of scholarly literature of Black dance aesthetics and history (this is of course a too brief list of their many accomplishments!). I want to thank you all for your contribution, influence, and legacy. You have mentored more of us than you are aware of, and it is with great gratitude that I share my ardent appreciation for all that you have done for our Black dance community globally.

We move with joy and power
We write with fiyah
We see through the lens of wisdom, knowledge, and history
We are students of your brilliance

A’Keitha Carey
Cultural Critic and Dance Writer

Photo credits
Dr. Charmaine Warren (Tony Turner)
Eva Yaa Asantewaa (Queer-art.org)
Dr. Brenda Dixon-Gottschild (Humanitiesfutures.org)