Creation Lab 2015 – “Harvesting”

Jorge Luis Morejon during Kaha-wi Dance Theatre's CREATION LAB's last day showcase. The Destillery Historic District, Toronto, August 28th, 2015

Photo Irina Popova.

Redefining Theatre Communities 2015

Invisible Performance Practices and Indigenous Caribbean Theatre: Restoring the Areito

Abstract: A community that has lost its sense of origin and belonging must be redefined before it finds its own performance identity. Also, the performance practices of a group can contribute to the building of community even if what precedes its history is decimation and invisibility. Thus, redefining performance practices, contextualizing its present and projecting its future could be the difference between remaining or disappearing from embodied cultural legacies that may need restoration. When the gap between what was and what is seems greater, the subjunctive mode may be one possible alternative to redefine, reconstruct and reenact newly found performance identities. These can emerge from a personal commitment to engage in creative process that in turn may inform the group and subsequently the community. Indigenous theatre is in this paper proposed as an area of contemporary theatre that is in critical need of attention. The established theatre circuits in big metropolis do not allow space for indigenous theatre communities to engage in a dialogue with the practice, the practitioners and the mainstream audience at a level that could generate differing perspectives in Contemporary Theatre-making. The invisible indigenous artist is invisible many times: historically, physically, culturally, politically, and on stage. The restoration of indigenous performance ritual practices, for instance, is treated in this paper as a long due necessity to demand theatre reparations by rebuilding theatre structures from the ground up. In the Caribbean this possible initiative starts with the areito complex, a type of song-dance-storytelling that encompasses the very nature of the Taino people’s performance activity in the XV century. Its reappearance as Danza del Cordon or Lace Dance may be considered raw material in the creation of new epistemologies in the field of indigenous dramaturgies and performances.  

Artist Salon

Movement Class at Kaha-wi Dance Theatre 2015

Participants in the Kaha-wi Dance Theatre Summer Intensive 2015, Toronto, during class with Dr. Jorge Luis Morejon

Kaha:wi Dance Theatre's Summer Intensive

 Kaha:wi Dance Theatre's Summer Intensive is gearing up for week 3 including classes with Louis Laberge-Côté (Contemporary), Marcos Martins (Capoeira) & Creation Lab - Harvesting with Jorge Luis Morejon, Monique Mojica & myself. I will also be teaching Contemporary Indigenous & KDT Rep. Registration is still open. Register at (416) 923-7373.

Kaha:wi Dance Theatre‎CREATION LAB - Harvesting

Creation Lab - "Harvesting" - http://bit.ly/1HMs7If
Photo credits
Jorge - courtesy of Jorge
Santee - Michael Demski
Monique - Nadya Kwandibens - Red Works

Soul to Sole Festival, University of the West Indies

Percussion on the Greens

 Ariana Thomas in Children's Song

 Candice Brathwaite in Broken

Departement of Creative and Festival Arts, Gordon Street,

University of the West Indies, St. Augustine. 

Saturday 28th March, 2015, 3:30 PM. Photography: Joseph Drayton

Percussion on the Greens a production hosted by the Department of Creative and Festival Arts, Musical Arts Unit. The Musical Arts Unit also invited the Dance Arts Unit to participate. Dance students Ariana Thomas (above) dance Children's Song No 1 by Chick Corea, conducted by Louise Clark, whereas Candice Brathwaite (bellow), danced the piece Broken to the musical piece Synergy by Chris Crockarell, conducted by Demika Guevara. Both pieces were choreographer by Jorge Luis Morejon in collaboration with the dancers. Other dancers were also present: Danielle Balroop, Any Reyes, Michelle Pilgrim and Schae Harrison who danced Gopak, composed by Modest Moussorgsky, choreographed by Anya Reyes, conducted by Trinity Cockburn and Bound for Marakesh, danced by Reyes and Balroop, composed by Chriss Brooks, choreographed by Deboleena Paul and conducted also by Trinity Cockburn. The Percussion Ensemble was directed by Dr. Jeannine Remy, the African Drumming Ensemble was directed by Mikhel Carter and Daniel Griffith, the Dance Ensemble was directed by Dr. Jorge Morejon and Ms. Deboleena Paul.