By Walter Rutledge
This weekend is a great mix of downtown dance and uptown cinema. The diversity promises to explore different eras of the African American experience with candor and humor.
Two dance companies will perform this weekend at the Joyce Theatre. David Dorfman Dance and Camille A. Brown and Dancers. David Dorfman Dance returns to The Joyce with the New York première of Prophets of Funk. The work is a multi-media tribute to the music of Sly and The Family Stone. Choreographer Dorfman took us on a dance theatre excursion that can only be described as funky.
The eight-member company is clad in period costumes complete with platform shoes and large Afro wigs. The fifty-minute one-act work is staged without an intermission, and used music, spoken word and video projections to transport the audience back to the turbulent 1970’s; but it is the message driven lyrics of Sly Stone that provides the best backdrop for the time travel. “A celebration of the band’s groundbreaking, visceral and political music, a tribute to the ‘funk’ of everyday people, the piece leaves everyone dancing in their seats, except for those choosing to join the performers on stage,” says the choreographer.
Camille A. Brown makes her company solo evening début this weekend beginning Friday, January 27th. The three performance will include Ms. Brown’s solo dance The Evolution of a Secured Feminine, The Groove To Nobody’s Business featuring guest artists Christopher Huggins and Matthew Rushing, Been There, Done That, and a new solo performed by Carmen de Lavallade. Brown will also present an excerpt from a new work in development Mr. TOL E. RAncE.
The completed work, Mr. TOL E. RAncE, will première in 2012/2013. The premise of the work is a historical overview of the African- American role in American entertainment, with a special emphasis of the comedic contributions. Through sketch comedy, live music, and haunting animation, this work (in collaboration with J. Michael Kinsey) Brown examines the sustained stereotypes of black performers.
David Dorfman Dance will perform on Saturday at 8pm; Sunday at 2pm. Camille A. Brown and Dancers will perform Friday January 27 at 8pm. Saturday 2pm at and Sunday at 7:30pm. Tickets can be purchased at JoyceCharge: 212-242-0800, and joyce.org .
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in collaboration with the National Black Programming Consortium (NBPC), Firelight Media and Columbia University’s Institute for Research in African-American Studies (IRAAS), is proud to première More than a Month on Saturday January 28th at 4pm. This is a provocative new film is by African-American filmmaker Shukree Tilghman, who is making his New York début ths weekend. Through a challenging, complex, and often comedic journey, More than a Month explores what history tells us about race and equality in “post-racial” America.
Following the screening, the audience is invited to join media personality Amanda Seales as she leads a conversation with Shukree Hassan Tilghman, Schomburg Director Khalil Gibran Muhammad, and filmmaker Sharon LaCruise (Daisy Bates: First Lady of Little Rock) about the films. The discussion will be streamed live on Facebook. This program is free and open to the public. For registration, go to www.schomburgcenter.eventbrite.com or call (212) 491-2040.
As always thank you for letting me sharing my world with you.
In Photo: 1) Kyle Abraham, Raja Kelly, Whitney Tucker 2) Renuka Hines, Kyle Abraham, Karl Rogers; Background: Luke Gutgsell
Photography by Adam Campos
Submit your newstip or news photos
St. Philips Church
Cohen's Fashion Optical of Harlem
...the HW Cup
...Harlem tees
Harlem umbrella by Wardell Milan
"Bearden, 1944," 
Harlem World Magazine
