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| ABOUT TRaC |
Dance TRaC Fall 2003
Black Burlesque (Revisited) at DTW The music is the dancer's voices as they chant, sing and shout. The rhythm evolves from the pounding of the performers' feet, as they use their bodies to produce echoing sounds and rhythms. On Thursday October 30th, the audience at Dance Theater Workshop (in conjunction with 651 Arts) was exposed to a fusion of cultures, Caribbean, South African and African styles. The musical genres ranged from spiritual hymns, jazz, pop, black folk and the accapella Zimbabwe and Zulu styling of Black Umfolosi. It was collaboration between Reggie Wilson's Fist and Heel Performance Group, Black Umfolosi and Noble Douglas Dance Company. The show entitled "Black Burlesque (Revisited)" successfully united African rituals and celebrations with religion, heritage and dance. The performers were a group clearly composed of people with a passion for dance and their own personal backgrounds. The beginning of the show displayed each dancer greeting each other and making a strong personal connection. The whole ritual was celebratory and full of exuberance and jubilation. This mood was carried throughout the show, making a statement about this high energy culture. The backdrop was patchwork sewn together each piece was a different shade of brown, giving the appearance of an animal hide. This set element by Thabiso Phokompe is symbolic of the many different cultures presented in the show, all "sewn together" through background and heritage. The lighting by Tyler Micoleau changed as each piece transitioned, and the light shined through the backdrop, transforming its appearance. Religion and rituals were an essential element in the show. One segment revealed men performing a gumboot dance, wearing rubber boots, stamping, slapping and shaping their bodies to produce rhythms that may appear unfamiliar, yet intriguing to American audiences. Another ritualistic aspect was when the men of the company Paul Hamilton, Richard Lessy, Dumisani Ndolvu, Brian Sibanda and Clemence Nkululekosibanda, laid down white dresses for the women to walk across. The procession of the women Rhetta Aleong, Charlene Harris, Penelope Kalloo, Louanna Martin and Pene McCourty, lasted for quite some time. This ritual could symbolize marriage, because preceding the ritual a man and woman lay next to each other as if they were a couple in a bed. Religious allusions were evident through spiritual hymns such as "Jesus is Real to Me" in whch the dancers were on their knees in prayer. Each company's artistic director Reggie Wilson, Noble Douglas and Thomeki Dubie brought their styles and background to create art that educates, intrigues and exposes the audience to a celebration of culture, spirituality and human connections.
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