Politically powerful movement
The Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Urban Bush Women strive to bring the untold and under-told histories and stories of disenfranchised people to light through dance. They have performed throughout the United States, as well as Asia, Australia, Europe, and South America.
The Compagnie JANT-BI, from Toubab Dialaw, Senegal was founded in 1998 by Germaine Acogny and her husband Helmut Vogt. Compagnie JANT-BI’s namesake means sun in Wolof, one of the languages spoken in Senegal.
In addition to their performance at the Lied Center, the Urban Bush Women and Compagnie JANT-BI are performing this program at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. and the Yerba Buena Arts Center in San Francisco, among others.
The all-female Urban Bush Women and the all-male Compagnie JANT-BI encountered one another when they had overlapping residencies at the Dance Center at Columbia College Chicago in 2004. The two groups recognized a dynamic potential in each other and began a collaboration in December 2005.
Les écailles de la mémoire, which translates to “The scales of memory”, explores gender differences, and the dichotomy of movement between dancers living in a Muslim country as opposed to those living in the United States where Christianity is the predominant religion. The dancers also examine their common ancestry, which has been separated by geography and history.
The Urban Bush Women was founded in 1984 by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, who was born and raised in Kansas City, Mo. She received a Bachelor of Arts in dance from the University of Missouri at Kansas City and continued her education at Florida State University where she received a Master of Fine Arts in dance.
In conjunction with their performance, Movement (R)evolution, a film that explores different aspects of African life through dance, will be shown at Liberty Hall (644 Massachusetts St.) on Monday, March 24 at 7 p.m. Compagnie JANT-BI is one of the groups featured in this film in which nine African choreographers react to the beauty and tragedy of 21st century Africa. Following the film we will have an informal discussion with Omofolabo Ajayi, KU Women's Studies and Theatre & Film Department and Michelle Heffner Hayes, KU Associate Professor of Dance. This event is open to the public. Admission is a suggested donation of $2 at the door.
Links
Urban Bush Women
Compagnie Jant-Bi
Movement (R)evolution
Washington Post review
Houston Chronicle blog
Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Back to Newsletter Home
The Compagnie JANT-BI, from Toubab Dialaw, Senegal was founded in 1998 by Germaine Acogny and her husband Helmut Vogt. Compagnie JANT-BI’s namesake means sun in Wolof, one of the languages spoken in Senegal.
In addition to their performance at the Lied Center, the Urban Bush Women and Compagnie JANT-BI are performing this program at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. and the Yerba Buena Arts Center in San Francisco, among others.
The all-female Urban Bush Women and the all-male Compagnie JANT-BI encountered one another when they had overlapping residencies at the Dance Center at Columbia College Chicago in 2004. The two groups recognized a dynamic potential in each other and began a collaboration in December 2005.
Les écailles de la mémoire, which translates to “The scales of memory”, explores gender differences, and the dichotomy of movement between dancers living in a Muslim country as opposed to those living in the United States where Christianity is the predominant religion. The dancers also examine their common ancestry, which has been separated by geography and history.
The Urban Bush Women was founded in 1984 by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, who was born and raised in Kansas City, Mo. She received a Bachelor of Arts in dance from the University of Missouri at Kansas City and continued her education at Florida State University where she received a Master of Fine Arts in dance.
In conjunction with their performance, Movement (R)evolution, a film that explores different aspects of African life through dance, will be shown at Liberty Hall (644 Massachusetts St.) on Monday, March 24 at 7 p.m. Compagnie JANT-BI is one of the groups featured in this film in which nine African choreographers react to the beauty and tragedy of 21st century Africa. Following the film we will have an informal discussion with Omofolabo Ajayi, KU Women's Studies and Theatre & Film Department and Michelle Heffner Hayes, KU Associate Professor of Dance. This event is open to the public. Admission is a suggested donation of $2 at the door.
Links
Urban Bush Women
Compagnie Jant-Bi
Movement (R)evolution
Washington Post review
Houston Chronicle blog
Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Back to Newsletter Home
