FareWell: Parched Earth – Remembrances from Tomorrow – Nairobi, Kenya – 2008

Cultural Envoy Program / U.S. Department of State / US Embassy
Nairobi, Kenya
Maida Withers and the Dance Construction Company were honored to be selected to represent the USA dance and music fields as Cultural Envoys in Kenya, Africa:
* Maida Withers – choreographer / dancer / filmmaker / professor
* Steve Hilmy – electronic composer / musician / professor
* Wendell Cooper – African-American choreographer, urban dancer (break dance, hip hop and modern dance)
Note:  comprehensive embassy report is available in Maida Withers and the Dance Construction Company archives (U.S. Department of State / U.S. Embassy, Cultural Envoy Program, Nairobi, Kenya).

The long-term goal of the Kenya cultural project was to build and strengthen understanding between Americans and Kenyans through bicultural collaboration and presentation of contemporary dance, music, and visual installation to the Kenyan dance and music communities and general public. Our goal was to create new performance works in Kenya, collaborating with Kenyan dancers, and, then, presenting these new works in the GoDown Arts Center.  Our deepest desire was to build a foundation for a long term relationship between American and Kenyan participants and the Kenya presenting organization, GoDown Arts Center.

(2008) May 17 – June 3  An open audition was held in Kenya at the GoDown Art Center.  Six male and three female dancers were selected.  Dancers rehearsed from 11 am to  5 pm every day to collaborate with Withers in the creation of a new/unique 23-minute multimedia dance work.

Our cultural residency in Africa occurred shortly after the 2007/2008 CRISIS, a period of serious (violent) political disruption in Kenya.  GoDown Art Center exhibition of photographs by Chiba Yasuyoshi, Japanese photographer, shocking images from the violent civil disturbance, were accessed during rehearsals. Participants in the dance project were very aware of the insurrection and impacted by the sorrow and grief in Kenya

FareWell: Parched Earth – Remembrances from Tomorrow  was created with Kenya dancers and presented to the public in the GoDown Art Centre, June 3, 2008.   This powerful new work featured extraordinary Kenyan professional dancers and creative artists (varied age range) who represented the 2nd and 3rd generation of professional modern dancers in Nairobi.  Several of the dancers were experienced choreographers.  Rehearsals focused on individual and group choreography through an inclusive process to create a new dance work that included, not only dance, but voice and original text coupled with meaningful visual elements by American artist, Ayo Okunseinde, and objects (water jugs, other).

Dancers participated in the creation of the work. Their authentic movements were strong, unique with each dancer.  Improvisation and creative skills contributed to the concept and content of the work created with Withers.  Statements/short poems by dancers included in the new work were insightful, sometimes humerus, and, along with the emotional depth of the dancers, brought cultural authenticity and meaning to the performance.

Parched Earth – Remembrances from Tomorrow, the topic of the work, directly related to the dancers lives and the significance of the earth and culture in Kenya. Dancers knew the story they would tell.  Steve Hilmy attended rehearsals, interacting with dancers every day. This powerful new work became part of the series of FareWell dances conceived of by Maida Withers and the Dance Construction Company. (See dances in Maida Withers archive starting with FareWell)

Wendell Cooper, American dancer, US Cultural Envoy,  created a contemporary urban dance work, Spirit Rising, with eight young male and one female, Kunja Dancers, from Kenya neighborhoods.  Spirit Rising featured styles of dance from American club culture that also has roots in traditional dance – dance forms Cooper has mastered.  The athletic and very specific partnering work were deeply embraced by the young Kenyan dancers.

Our desire, our hope, was that working together creatively would lead to a  deep understanding, trust, and acceptance among the artists and the audience. We felt so honored to work with the talented African dance artists, Judy Ogana, Program Director from the GoDown Arts Center, and Aruna Amirthanayagam, US Cultural Atttache, and others at the Embassy of the United States in Nairobi.

(2008) – June 3 @ 7:30 – Concert Performance
Go Down Center – Nairobi, Kenya

Program
<  Progress Report #11: Nothing, Like Dying
     Multimedia solo created and danced by Wendell Cooper
<  Spirit Rising: a new work by Wendell Cooper  *see below
Performed by Kenya Kunja Dancers
<  Secrets Kept
Multimedia duet choreographed by Maida Withers
     Performed by Maida Withers and Wendell Cooper  *(See below)
<  FareWell:  Parched Earth – Remembrances from Tomorrow  ** (See below)
     Choreography – Maida Withers with Kenya dancers:
     Juliette Omollo, Neema Bagamuhanda, Kepha Oiro, Evans Ng’ang’a,
Mark Onyango, Michael Muriithi, Rebecca Gatu, Joseph Kanyanjo,
and Paul Barkedaniel.
     Electronic Music:  created and performed by Steve Hilmy, Cultural Envoy, USA

**FareWell is a series of dances created by Maida Withers, dances that explore
questions of FareWell related to the life of planet earth and the human race.

*Guest Artist / Dancer / Choreographer:   Wendell Cooper, USA Cultural Envoy, taught workshops  for two and one-half hours, daily, that featured break dance, hip hop, and house dancing techniques that attracted the younger, upcoming, more commercial dancers in Nairobi.  Wendell, with Kenya dancers, created Spirit Rising a performance event with Kunja Dancers performed on the June 3 concert.

Post Concert Discussion:
The GoDown Theatre was filled to capacity for the public performance.  Many in the audience stayed to ask questions during the post concert discussion.   Channel 24 in Nairobi was interested in the US/Kenya Cultural Envoy project.  The television team spent two full days taping rehearsals and conducting interviews during the tech-in and dress rehearsal for the upcoming show at GoDown Arts Center as well as documenting the show. Video shorts included interviews of Americans and Kenyans and excerpts shot during rehearsal and, also, live performance.

A large number of the audience stayed for the discussion following the performance.  View Maida Withers US Embassy report in the archive.

Photos Below / Kenya dancers – 6 men and 3 women:
Juliette Omollo, Neema Bagamuhanda, Kepha Oiro, Evans Ng’ang’a, Mark Onyango, Michael Muriithi, Rebecca Gatu, Joseph Kanyanjo, Paul Barkedanie
Steve Hilmy – Composer/Musician – Cultural Envoy,  US Department of State

Photos Below /  Kunja Dancers – acrobatic/aerials  – GoDown Center youth: “Beautiful / joyful result in performance:” Wendell Cooper, USA Cultural Envoy


See Maida Withers Dance Archive:  Cultural Envoy Program Report – U.S. Department of State / U.S. Embassy Cultural Envoy Program – May 17 to June 3, 2008, Go Down Arts Centre, Nairobi, Kenya.