Correspondances, Kettly Noel of Voices of Strength, photo by Eric Boudet

Voices of Strength: Two Programs of Contemporary Dance and Theater by Women from Africa

September 13 & 14, 2012 * 8:00PM and
September 15, 2012 * 3:00PM & 8:00PM    

 

"Correspondances pushes the boundaries of theatre and dance, mixing elements of both forms until it shatters the very idea of form itself.” – NYTheatre.com

[of Madame Plaza] "the complex mixture of longing, regrets, hopes and frustrations [speaks] to an understanding of friendship and female solidarity which will be immediately recognizable to everyone."

 – Deutsche Welle, Germany

 

Voices of Strength is a two-program “mini-festival” celebrating the stylistic diversity and talent of contemporary dance and theater by women from Africa. From dance rooted in tradition, to cutting edge performance that makes satirical use of classical conventions, the five choreographers employ humor, irony, poignancy and power to reference personal obstacles as well as political and social themes, as they articulate women’s struggles toward empowerment.

Program A:

Thursday, September 13 &

Friday, September 14, 2012 * 8:00PM

Correspondances: Kettly Noël (Haiti/Mali) and Nelisiwe Xaba (South Africa)

A lively, sophisticated duet that is part theater, part dance and part storytelling.  Noël and Xaba come together for a raucous conversation addressing the intimacy of friendship while exploring themes of race, culture and gender.

 

Quartiers Libres:  Nadia Beugre (Cote d’Ivoire)

One woman’s persistent pursuit to penetrate forbidden spaces and overcome real and perceived limitations to her freedom of expression.

 

Program B:

Saturday, September 15, 2012 * 3:00PM & 8:00PM

Sombra: Maria Helena Pinto (Mozambique)

A stark and poignant solo which give voice to the hidden women in our societies.  

 

Madame Plaza: Bouchra Ouizguen (Morocco) with three Aïta singers

Choreographer, Bouchra Ouizguen is joined by three traditional Aïta vocalist whose practice includes guttural wailing and incantation.  In Morocco, the Aïta are paradoxically the object of admiration and fantasy, but also contemptuous rejection.

Voices of Strength: Two Programs of Contemporary Dance and Theater by Women from Africa from The Dance Center on Vimeo.

 

 

OTHER EVENTS

DanceMasters Class led by Nadia Beugré

Tuesday, September 11 * 9:30-11:00am    

See the Dancemasters Page for more information

 

Post-Performance Conversation

Thursday, September 13, 2012

 

Choreographer's Panel Conversation

Saturday, September 15, 2012

5:30-7:00pm at The Dance Center

Free and open to the public

A conversation with VOICES OF STENGTH choreographers Kettly Noël, Nelisiwe Xaba and Nadia Beugre. Moderated by Jane Saks, Executive Director, The Ellen Stone Belic Institute for the Study of Women and Gender in the Arts & Media.

 

Moving Voices: An In-Depth Conversation with Women Choreographers from Africa

Saturday, September 15, 2012 * 5:30-7:00PM

The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago, 1306 S. Michigan Ave. Room 102

Free and open to the public Join three of the Voices of Strength choreographers: KETTLY NOËL (Haiti/Mali), NELISIWE XABA (South Africa) and NADIA BEUGRÉ (Cote d'Ivoire) for a conversation on each woman's distinct experience as choreographer and community leader. Moderated by JANE M. SAKS, founding Executive Director of the Ellen Stone Belic Institute for the Study of Women and Gender in the Arts and Media.

Download pdf Flyer for event

 

Images of voices of strength

 

SPONSORS

 

The Dance Center’s presentation of Voices of Strength is funded, in part, by the National Endowment for the Arts and the MetLife Community Connections Fund of the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project. Major support for NDP is also provided by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation with additional support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Special thanks to the Cultural Service at The Consulate General of France in Chicago, and the South African Consulate General: Chicago.