Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and beyond…

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I recently attended the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre presentation in Cleveland, Ohio on Sunday, May 6 at the State Theater. It was awesome! A friend and I had discussed going two months previous to the day, but then I got the Sunday jitters and didn’t plan to go. He called me a few hours before the event and asked if I was going. I was chillin! But the thought of not going was making me super anxious. When he called, I was actually pretty happy. He insisted that I go. I immediately got online and purchased a ticket in the balcony for 40 bucks. I was ready and happy and feeling blessed that they even had tickets left! I got dressed, and arrived downtown at exactly 3:00 p.m. That was curtain time! I am always determined not to pay for parking, so I found a spot 2 blocks away, jumped out and ran down to the theater. It only took a minute to grab my ticket from will call and I sat down at 3:08 p.m. It was like they were holding the curtain for me! As soon as I sat my behind in my seat, the lights dimmed and the curtain went up! I just knew I was in for a treat. Timing is everything, so they say, right?

I’m no dancer, so I may not know the correct terminology, but the show opener was a 22 minute long dance that gave definition to modern and  African dance. It was so smooth. The crew had so much energy and love to give to the audience- my heart beat fast. I am so thankful that I didn’t miss this 1st dance because it definitely gave me chills.

I counted 18 dancers- male & female. Might have been more. They wore the clothes that a dancer practices in- loved it (costumes by Jon Taylor). I could see the movement of their limbs and I imagined myself in their positions. I imagined my body moving like theirs. Each dancer was like a mini ocean or a mini stream, flowing, rushing, bringing in tides and tearing down damns. The hip hop undertone of the dance was uplifting. This dance was called “Home,” choreographed by Rennie Harris. Wow Rennie! You are excellent (check out his website). Nina Flagg was the Assistant Choreographer for Home. Much love to Mr. Harris and Ms. Flagg as they produced an awe-inspiring opening dance.

Choreographer

Assistant Choreographer

I understand that Judith Jamison was a collaborative choreographer for this dance. I absolutely love the thought of Judith Jamison. I remember being at Fisk University (where I graduated from in 2006) and seeing a picture of her in a book. It was this one…

I had to have the picture! I took it out the book and tucked it in my bag and went back to my dorm. That wasn’t very honest, but I did it. I had never seen anything like it. I still have it.  By the way Judith attended Fisk for 3 semesters before transferring to a dance academy. She wouldn’t be proud that I took the picture out of the library!

The 2nd dance was performed by a single dancer- Michael Francis McBride. It was totally relevant in a way that was exhilarating. He wore dancer-tight red pants that allowed us to see his every jerk. The music was funky. You might find this track really awkward, but he totally did his thing and made it work. The music reminded me of 80s music- people took lots of risk. It was nice.

The 3rd dance, was comprised of 6 male dancers. It was called the Hunt and choreographed by Robert Battle.

Acclaimed Choreographer

The dancers wore long skirts that resembled a sort-of Japanese warrior attire. It started with an upbeat African track called Jungle Jazz. What a great name! Definitely check out that track. You can only imagine what a dancer would do to this! Jungle Jazz transitioned in another track performed by the same artist called Black Bull. Really great choice of music. It reminded me of a Saul Williams track I heard earlier this year at a Saul Williams concert @ the Grog Shop in Cleveland Hts, OH. Saul has this homemade drum that he rocks with. It’s very creative and it sounds good. Both the dance and the Saul are tribal mixed with funk. Adrenaline rushing!

Saul Williams-Poet Artist

The dance combos were extremely on beat. These men danced for about 12 minutes. They made use of the entire stage The lighting added dimensions to the act. It changed about 8 times during the hunt, each correlating with the movements of the dancers. Great job Burke Wilmore!

Lighting by Burke Wilmore.

What seemed to be the 2nd half of the show, opened on a more spiritual and religious tone. The negro spirituals took me back to my days of sitting in the chapel at Fisk, listening to the Jubilee Singers belt out songs that took a lot training to perform!

A female dancer in all white, Alicia Graf Mack, took the stage in all white performing the dance- Journey. How pleasant was she? Very.

This dance somehow transitioned into a formation reminiscent of a church choir. The dancers were dressed in earth tones of brown, which made them stand out and blend with the lighting. This sort-of contradicting effect was magnificent. It was a vintage look. I believe Nicola Cernovitch was responsible for these lighting effects.

Lighting by Nicola Cernovitch

There was a duet with a male and female dancer that was very strong. They got to show off some very difficult dance moves that the audience loved. A single male dancer in all white took the stage he did the same, performing dance moves that only 10,000 hours of practice would allow.

Form this, props were introduced on the set. The dancers made use of every corner of the stage. They climbed on tops of stools, spun umbrellas, created water by running long blue and white ribbons horizontally across the stage. They ended, dressed in yellow dresses and black suits.

One word can describe this experience- extraordinary. It was strange, teriffic, beyond belief- all traits of true art.

Mr. Ailey’s legend is an amazing experience. I loved to see so many young girls in the audience. It was a performance children could really benefit from seeing insomuch that it showed the professionalism behind art. I got some really great Alvin Ailey paraphenalia from the show and a bag with a picture of the 2012 company members.

These are the shirts I purchased:

2012 Yellow Season Tee AIL-YL-SEASON-TEE

Ailey 2011 Red Logo Tee AIL-RED-LOGO-TEE

And the complimentary bag I received with the purchases:

This performance made me want to go home and watch The Wiz!

By the way, my seat in the balcony was perfect. I sat in Row U, Seat 605. It put me in the center of my row so I could clearly see the stage. I felt like I was meant to be there at that exact time in that exact seat.

Peace,

Queen Duafe for African Essence

What is African Art? Politically correct or not?

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Recently I read the book Natural Fashion: Tribal Decoration from Africa by Hans Silvester.

Actually, there wasn’t much to read, it was more a visual exploration of the Surma and Mursi tribes of East Africa. I am not sure how to feel about the book. As much as I would like to say that it was a great book, I think it is just an exploitation of culture. I recognize that this culture is special and unknown to many Americans, but what makes it so artistic and fashionable? It is the everyday lifestyles and traditions of people in the Omo valley. The author says that Kenya and Sudan are two of the “wildest” places in in Africa. Really? Wild? So, because they have been able to hold on to their original traditions and heritage, they are wild? Because they think of the body as a temple and adorn it as such, rather than glorifying it as a sex symbol, they are wild? One thing he was right about is that their way of living is threatened by conflict and tourism. They know that their era and days of independence is coming to an end. I believe that Eurocentricity will find its way to their lands if it hasn’t already.

Moreover, Hans, deficient of a definition of what he means by wild, I have to assume that he was referring to the manners and actions that he photographed the people. There are pictures of them in the nude, bodies draped in leaves, painted with the excretions of plants and berries, and mud. They live from the land, taking advantage of the elements that surround them. Is this what you mean by wild?

Playing devil’s advocate and I do mean devil’s advocate, I can appreciate that he visually recorded a culture that may be lost. Without record, the civilization will be lost forever. However, I’m sure it doesn’t have to be lost if it weren’t for people exploiting it, and trying to steal the resources of the land. So overall I repeat, it doesn’t have to be lost, but I am sure covetous explorers will attempt to steal it. What Hans does is tell a pictorial story of a tribe whose culture is about to be raped. The idea of “African art” fascinates me because it’s only categorized this way because it has become something “special” in the West because they have stolen the idea of it. It is just people’s everyday traditions!

As a female who sports ethnic attire, I am too, categorized as Afrocentric, having the inclination to wear things that speak more to my roots. This is who I am, nothing special! It’s what I feel in my spirit. I don’t do it for fashion purposes or to be recognized. I wake up feeling like a part of me has been lost, stolen, and naturally my spirit try’s to find what vanished from my heritage generations ago. So when I wear mud or kenti cloth, paint my face with black and white dots just to have dinner, it’s just me being what I was meant to be. No, I do not want to be a model for it. One thing, I want children to know that there was a culture before this Eurocentric culture that we live every day. At the rate of the decline of the American education system, we cannot rely on it to teach our children who they are and where they come from. That’s my goal. I just couldn’t enjoy this book because I’ve already seen these pictures in my dreams. Please understand that this is only truth. I travel to many different countries in my dreams. Ethiopia, Sudan, & Kenya were among them.

Peace & Love,

Your African Essence, Musik for the Soul

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Yo, check this very wonderful song out. Sanitgold is mos def doing her thing with the lyrics. I really dig her style. She is super eccentric and unapologetic about it.

Our dreams must carry us! Please wake up people.

Tobacco and Slavery

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“How could educated, deeply religious Europeans trade in human flesh, as casually as they traded sugar and rice?” They traded black bodies like staples, I say!

I read Booker T. Washington’s autobiography Up From Slavery, in 2003 as part of my course studies at Fisk University. I love autobiographies because they allow me to communicate with my ancestors. By hearing their stories, I can hold the history close to my heart. I use these stories to help make my own story and life better. History is my anchor. I learn.

I am in the process of watching a documentary called Up From Slavery. It is packed with info that just makes me feel some type of way. I’ve watched and read accounts of history like it before, such as Alex Haley’s Roots, and I will continue to seek out such information because I enjoy learning about what happened (not so long ago might I remind you) to my great grandparents and their parents.

This film speaks to who I am. My grandparents are deceased so I have no storytellers left in my family. For that, I am sad. So I have to do lots of reading to keep myself up on the history.  I loved to listen to their stories when they were alive. Mostly my maternal grandfather. I miss him so much. However, I will keep the few stories he was able to tell close to my heart. They rose up from slavery.

THIS IS AN EPIC STRUGGLE… honestly, sometimes, I cry.

Up From Slavery is a 5 hour documentary that takes you on a journey of the history of Africans in America. Great information.

I have 4 more hours to go, but thus far, I have re-learned this: tobacco was one of the main reasons why Europeans needed slaves. They needed slaves to come to America and work on tobacco plantations. The African slave was especially important because he already possessed the skills it took to grow these crops and he looked different from the natives, making him easily identifiable. There was a high demand for tobacco in the 1670s and the number of slaves in VA heavily increased because of this. From the beginning of our history in America, we have been enslaved by TOBACCO. It kills me to see us fiend for cigarettes. Knowing the history of the nasty plant, I will never smoke it! Let me say it again, I will NEVER smoke it. It was used in the process of enslaving the African. !**%$ tobacco! It’s not for me and I hope you can understand that it is not for you either. Brown teeth, funky breath, blackened lips- why would you want it? Clothes, car, and house smell bad. You hair even stinks from it. I cannot stand the stuff. I’d rather smoke the illegal option, but I won’t smoke at all- it’s really no point. Same with drinking. Why do we need alcohol in our blood? It manipulates your conscious, encouraging you to make really bad mistakes and say and do things that are unnecessary. What are you drinking for? To take your mind away from reality? Erykah says: “teach your children wisdom, reality today. so they can live tomorrow.” I am saying this to say that REALITY is important and you should never hide from it. Deal with what is happening. What do you get from a cig? Does it calm your nerves. Oh. is that what you think? Well, find a better option. Did you know that exercise can calm your nerves? Yeah, try that. Wine is healthier than liquor. If you like the taste of the grape, try wine as a much better option. Might I suggest what they call two buck chuck, Trader Joe’s wine. It is actually really good to be $3.79. Yes, it’s that cheap for a bottle. The cabernet is awesome!

The point is TOBACCO sucks! Don’t kill yourself smoking one of the very things that helped to enslave our ancestors. Don’t be a slave to tobacco.

THIS IS AN EPIC STRUGGLE… honestly, sometimes, I cry. I cry because it’s not over. Wherever I go, I feel it. Lots of people don’t even realize that some of the things they say are disrespectful and hurtful. They think that I should get over this. My response: If you are asking me to forget, then you are asking me to die. Walk in my shoes. Bet you couldn’t. I wish I could forget, but the world won’t let me. Just tonight, my friends and I were in a restaurant and some white people were pointing at us with their eyes and we heard them making rude comments. Yes, this is still alive! I almost couldn’t believe how these people were behaving. It’s really silly, but the fact is, racism is still alive . It’s subliminal in many ways, but it’s all just the same.

THIS IS AN EPIC STRUGGLE… honestly, sometimes, I cry.

Coexist? Diversify? It’s hard. I’d much rather everyone got along, but those people who hate hearing about slavery and racism are setting us back. Why do you think it is OK to remain ignorant about what happened to Black people in America? Just in the 1960s we were being beaten with clubs, sprayed with water hoses, bit by dogs, punched by police. NOOOOO! The history must be told. I see it happening still, but more subliminally, if not in your face! We are enslaving ourselves by not telling the story and sweeping it under the rug like it didn’t happen. Do you see what is happening now? Our children are in a state of confusion. They are lost without the lessons history teaches.

Stop asking me to forget. Stop saying that I talk about it too much, No the hell I don’t! Walk in my shoes. Experience life from where I am standing. Racism is still here. Hate is still around. How bad do I wish it wasn’t? Really bad. But there it is, surfacing in such evil ways. Segregation, mis-education, no occupation, world inflation! We are selling ourselves out for material things that do not matter. Drugs, alcohol, tobacco, sex every where we look! SLAVERY IS STILL ALIVE. LET’S KILL IT OR DIE TRYING.

Peace & Love

Chlorophyll is great! … and yes, I drink it from the bottle!

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HERB YOU MUST ADOPT

      CHLOROPHYLL: INTERNAL DEODORANT

Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in almost all plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. It is an extremely important biomolecule, critical in photosynthesis, which allows plants to absorb energy from light.

Buy it from Whole Foods or most health food stores. It is a liquid with a naturally minty taste. Drink it twice a day. You can drink it right from the bottle or you can use a tablespoon to limit the spread of bacteria. The brand I use is pictured below. I purchased it at Whole Foods and it lasts about 2 months if you use it everyday.

Price: 13.00

Why do I love chlorophyll? I like it because it really gives me more energy. This is not an illusion. This summer, I am  adopting a junk free diet based on more natural foods with less ingredients. I don’t want to eat anything with more than 5 ingredients. When you go over this number, it gets harmful to the natural flow of the blood. It promotes disease and chemicals in the body. I read all food labels, being sure that I get those with ingredients that I can pronounce and with no sugars. This is my new theme. It is not easy. Adopting a diet that is majority green. Many non-meat eaters can have a tendency to eat french fries and pizza which can still be bad for you because of the excessive amounts of greases and fats. I want to steer clear of this type of diet as well.

Chlorophyll is miraculous. It has a lot of health benefits and I encourage you all to look them up. It contains numerous vitamins, is antioxidant and anti inflammatory, an antiseptic, and treats bad breath! This was the original reason for me buying it. I had a root canal that went bad (be sure to get a great dentist) only after one year. Bacteria began to accumulate  in the pockets of the tooth that were not sealed, causing a rancid odor to come from only that tooth. I was petrified. I went to the dentist twice and he kept telling me that the tooth was OK. Actually, I had two root canals. both done by the same dentists that only lasted a year before the crown came off one and the other has the odor. I stopped going to that dentist and decided to find someone else. Meanwhile, I am treating my own mouth. I brush and floss as necessary. I sometimes have to put alcohol on a swab and blot the area around the tooth to get rid of the odor. It works, but is a lot of work for a root canal that I paid nearly $1800 for. Multiply that times two and you have total disappointment.

The chlorophyll alleviates this odor. People tell me that they never could smell it, but I can. It’s better since I drink this everyday.

Two people talk about their green diets.

Her name is Santigold and the song is called Disparate Youth

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SONG OF THE WEEK

I really dig this chick!

CHECK OUT THE LYRIC CARD

 

 

Things I Like… you can like them too

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Beautiful!

I like this… strong pic.

An old couch I have in my friends basement! I need to get it out. Do you want to buy it? It will go swell in my coffee shop. I’m going to “pimp” it.

www.griotproject.com

 

 

 

 

 

The Griot crew…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I like face paint and ear cuffs, dark red lip gloss, kinky hair, and I like to order from the Victoria Secret catalog once a year.

My favorite shoe…

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I went and got these a while back, in the summer actually. They are just lovely.

I love this pair of shoes and think that it was a great decision for me to purchase them. It’s my 1st pair of really hot shoes that look sort of afrocentric to me. I love “ethnic” clothing. I don’t even feel right in some clothing because it has no ethnic or cultural detail. I appreciate kente and mud cloths. Very beautiful things that a girl like Shila must have. I bought these shoes because they reminded me of kente cloth.

Funny, whenever I wear these shoes, people asks if I made them. I wish! I wait until the weather lets up to wear them and I am sure I will be wearing them for many seasons to come. They are not in stores anymore. They are actually the most expensive pair of shoes I have. I don’t think I’ll ever go over this amount. I see a lot of companies are trying to imitate this shoe for much cheaper, but I am one who is very sensitive about my feet and I will opt out for the softer materials when I can…

Imitation

 Bumper Zena-84 Striped Peep Toe Wedge Bootie

www.urbanog.com

While I have gotten several pairs of really hot shoes from urbanog for super cheap, I know my limits. However, it is a great site and you should take advantage of the DEAL OF THE DAY. Normally these deals feature shoes for under $15. However, the shipping is $10 if you don’t spend $50 so get a few things if possible or the deal is not so much a deal.

I kind of want to dye my hair… but I promised I’d keep it black this time!

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I love this color. I had something similar…

Really love color, but I am cleansing and it attracts too much attention! I guess I won’t!

That dress…

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Get ready because the spring and summer shall return and you will want to rock this… I know I do. I can’t remember what website I got it from, but it is not my pic and no I am not trying to lay claim to it (SOPA!) Imagine how this will fall on the hips. I can’t wait. My man is going to freak out!

Practicing Kwanzaa

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Jambo! If I haven’t already told you, I do not celebrate most holidays in America. The specific holidays that I observe such as Kwanzaa, MLK Day, & Veterans Day have substance and elements of respect for mankind. Some things and some people should be celebrated. Kwanzaa is something that I think every single African American in the country should celebrate. Yes, every single one, including mixed races. I am sad to see that it is not fully acknowledged by many many people. Perhaps one day as a country, we will understand why Kwanzaa is so important. Kwanzaa lasts seven days and have seven principles:

         

Day 1: Umoja means unity. It focuses a lot on the elimination of selfishness in our lives. Taking time to think of others and uplift them in some way. My 2011 Umoja affirmation: “May I respect every person and speak gently remembering that each person may be doing the best that they can do. It is not for me to judge.”

 Bi Nka Bi: “Bite not each other”

Day 2: Kujichagulia highlights the ideas of self-determinatios, self-discipline, and self-control. It’s like stopping bad habits, getting up on time, not overspending. It emphasizes responsibility and having a well-balanced life. My 2011 Kujichagulia affirmation: “Let me seek, find, and maintain a balanced life. No overspending, pulling or picking, moving too fast, no anxiety. Breath, balance, stop!”

 Ani Bere A Enso Gya: self-control & self-discipline

Day 3: Ujima is collective work and responsibility. We are all members of social groups and we should be fruitful in those groups (family, spiritual partners,workplace), helping its members to grow forming a tight community. My 2011 Ujima affirmation is: ” I will be faithful and honest in the relationships that I have. I will only love, criticizing only when necessary from a calm and collect place. Love everyone and eliminate obstacles through constant communication.”

 Fihankra: Forms a house/compound respresenting security and safety

Day 4: Ujamaa is cooperative economics whereas we are all interdependent and our success depends upon all of us working together for a mutual benefit. We should share, not being wasteful or possessive. My 2011 Ujamaa affirmation: I will share all of my resources with and in like-minded social circles. Together, we will all benefit from my knowledge. I will be the library for change, giving and sharing the tools when I have them.”

 Funtummireku Denkyemmireku: Depicts two crocodiles sharing a common stomach. We are interdependent.

Day 5: Nia means “purpose.” We must reclaim our past, our heritage, and our Ancient African wisdom. Commit yourself to a certain standard of behavior by not accepting bad trrends. For instance, the sagging trend is suspicioulsy accepted by many women. I would not ever give a man the time of day that is wearing his pants off his behind. I see it as disrespectful to those around you. Showing your underwear is not ok. With Nia, we embrace our past, we can have a better understanding of our purpose in the present and our destiny as individuals and as people. My 2011 Nia affirmation: may I pray and ask for understanding in my life. May I spiritually connect with those that are most important to me. May I love hard and criticize less. Love is the key.

 Sankofa: The most popular of adinkra symbols, it means “it is never too late to go back and fetch what has been lost.”

Day 6: Kuumba means creativity and responding to the natural world around us. Wonder why sitting at the lake makes you think? Or imagining that you are somewhere in a secluded place, in silence with nature? Ordinary and organic things stir creativity. It opens our minds to new and innovative ideas. My 2011 Kuumba affirmation: May I always use my creativity to adorn myself, always staying true to who I am.

Owo Foro Adobe: Depicts a snake climbing a raffia palm, representing ingenuity, excellence, and performance of great feats.

Day 7: Imani means having faith. Did you know that God is within all of us, we just have to accept? I think God is our conscious minds, telling us when we are right and telling us when are wrong. The power we need to succeed will come from our spirituality. You must be in touch with your spirit and God in order to be prosper. This is most difficult, but most simple. We can only try to get in touch with our spirits. My 2011 Imani affirmation: May I work on connecting with my spirit daily, using therapy and yoga as a means to find out who I am and where I am going.

 Gye Nyame: “Except God”

Thanks for reading love,