Remembering Fred Ho the Legacy of Afro Asian Futurism Zachary Price

Remembering Fred Ho The Legacy of Afro Asian Futurism Zachary Price

What’s little known is that Bruce Lee was really, truly a jazz artist. — Fred Ho (2011a)

On 12 April 2014, baritone saxophone player, composer, Asian American activist, and theatre artist Fred Ho passed away after a near decade-long battle with cancer.1 Throughout his life, Ho was involved in various political movements and organizations, including the Asian American movement, Marxist-Leninist-Maoism, the Nation of Islam (NOI), the League of Revolutionary Struggle (LRS), I Wor Kuen (Society of the Harmonious Righteous Fist), eco- socialism, and matriarchal-socialism. A second-generation Chinese American, Ho wrote and published extensively on art and political practice and was heavily influenced by the Black Arts Movement. His journey to find an artistic and political space within multiple cultural spheres was driven by transformation, transgression, and contradiction. Ho’s Afro Asian2 jazz martial arts performance pieces, which he began creating in 1997, are important works in US theatre and the field of performance studies in terms of understanding how performance can be used to create nonessentialist identity formations. Ho’s core band, the Afro Asian Music Ensemble, formed in 1982 in New York City, provided the music for his martial art theatrical performances. The Afro Asian Music Ensemble represented a revolution within Asian American music, the Asian American movement, and Asian American theatre and performance. Its compositions integrated traditional Chinese instruments such as the erhu (two- stringed bowed lute), sona (double-reed pipe), p’ip’a (four-stringed plucked lute), xiaoluo (small gong), daluo (large gong), muyu (wood fish idiophone), ban (wood block), and naobo (cymbals)

1. Ho was diagnosed with stage 3b colorectal cancer on 6 August 2006, just before his 49th birthday. After numer- ous surgeries and attempts at conventional Western medical treatment, Ho turned to radical alternative strategies such as a raw food diet. For Ho, the elimination of the toxicity that gave growth to cancer cells in his body was a war against capitalism and the toxic conditions that such a system produces. As Ho wrote in Diary of a Radical Cancer Warrior: Fighting Cancer and Capitalism at a Cellular Level (2011a), “Capitalism [...] is the cancer for Planet Earth; and cancer [...] is the exponentially increasing environmental and social toxicity of capitalism assaulting the individual person” (Ho 2011a:xl). 2. In keeping with Ho’s use of the term “Afro Asia” I am foregoing the hyphen.

Zachary Price is currently a Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow at UCLA in the Department of African American Studies. He works at the intersection of performance studies, black studies, film studies, and ethnography, drawing from his experience as a playwright, actor, educator, martial arts practitioner, and cultural producer. His book project, “Fists of Freedom: Performing, Asian Martial Arts in the Black Radical Imagination,” is a study of comparative ethnic relations and the making of Black subjectivity across multiple performance disciplines and modalities. [email protected]

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3 Sweet Science Suite: A Scientific Soul Session Honoring Honoring Session Soul Scientific A Suite: Science Sweet The Peter B. Lewis Theater, Guggenheim Museum, NY, NY, Museum, Guggenheim Theater, Lewis B. Peter The

by permission of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum) permission Guggenheim R. Solomon by the of Figure 1. From left: Fred Ho, Ricarrdo Valentine, Roderick Callaway, Marcus Marcus Callaway, Roderick Valentine, Ricarrdo Ho, Fred left: From 1. Figure Big Monster performing Green the with Reyes Gilbert and Brito, Edward Braggs, in ensemble Band Ali. Muhammad Inc.; Media Red Big and Ho courtesy Fred of (Screengrabs 2011. 13 November - - -

Voice of the Dragon: Once of the Dragon: Voice the relation of the darker to the lighter races of men in Asia and Africa, in America and in Africa, Asia and of men in the relation of the darker to the lighter races

—

Despite Du Bois’s efforts to create international solidarity between Asians, Africans, and Africans, Asians, Despite Du Bois’s efforts to create international solidarity between While Du Bois did much preparatory work for the Bandung Conference in April 1955, he was unable to attend attend to unable was he 1955, April in Conference preparatoryBandung the much did for Bois work Du While Bandung passporta him denied The stance. political his to due Department State of States United the when non- the of direction the define to Asia and Africa from countries 29 together brought Conference [Indonesia] world. postcolonial the of World,” “Third the nations, aligned Ho wrote about W.E.B. Du Bois’s relationships with Asian leaders in his edited anthol- Du Bois’s relationships with W.E.B. Ho wrote about An analysis of the politi- 3. ity” whose ability to assimilate and achieve economic and educational success is contrasted to whose ability to assimilate and achieve ity” advantage of various governmental programs to Americans’ assumed inability to take African African Americans, Asian Americans and African Americans in the United States have often African Americans and Asian Americans, African minor “model Americans are framed as a Asian been situated in diametrical opposition. as well as instruments associ- as well as instruments ated with American the African and tenor, alto, jazz tradition: double baritone saxophone; crash, kick, bass; and hi-hat, drums (Asai 2005:99). and snare a vehi- The Ensemble was also and his cle through which Ho a radical performers articulated Asian American consciousness. per Asian martial arts Afro formances synthesized perfor formances synthesized Asian Americans and African Connections between and Cultural Political Asia: Revolutionary Afro ogy Ho Reader A Fred Practice: Naked Theory, Wicked Americans (2008) and in his collection of essays Asian juncture drew upon a transhistorical narrative of sol- Afro articulations of For Ho, (2009). of the 20th Du Bois articulated these notions at the turn idarity and efforts at decolonization. of the twentieth century is the problem of the color- “The problem century when he wrote, line, and the South Pacific, India, China, on Japan, Writing ([1903] 1989:10). the islands of the sea” and multiple ethnic diasporas as national interdependence, “Du Bois perceived globalization, (Mullen 2005:xiii). ineluctable elements of the modern world” Sweet Science Suite: A Scientific Soul Session Honoring Science Suite: (1999) and Sweet America Chinese in Time Upon a work created alternative epistemol- Muhammad Ali (2011) illustrate the ways in which Ho’s identity through cultural production and ogies that offer a way forward to a post-essentialist cross appropriation. mance disciplines, thus offering mance disciplines, strategy for transculturation as a of pol- “a solidarity developing peo- itics and culture between of white ple of color in the face capitalist domina- supremacy, and old and new patriarchy, tion, forms of colonial imperialism” (Mullen 2004:165). cal context that informed Ho’s together with close textual work, analyses of two of Ho’s perfor mances, Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00547 by guest on 29 September 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00547 by guest on 29September 2021

50 Zachary Price transcend “black pathology” anddysfunctionalitywithinurbanepicenterssuchasLos Angeles begun toembracetheliberatoryimpulsesembodiedinwritingofFanonandPauloFreire. taneously creatingthenecessityforcounternarrativestrategies. Byhishighschooldays, Hohad racialized knowledgeconstructsthebodyfromathousanddetails, anecdotes, andstoriessimul- ing FanonemergeoutofaParissubway(Fanon[1967]2008:91). Suchencountersrevealhow ence ofayoung, whiteFrenchboycryingout, “Mom, look, aNegro;I’mscared” uponsee- with thewhite “normative gaze.” InBlack, Skin White Masks (1967) Fanonrecountshisexperi- 2005). Ho’sexperienceswerenotunlikethoseofwriterandactivistFrantzFanon’sencounter dishonorably dischargedin1975whenhestruckanofficerwhocalledhima “gook” (Brown direct racialslursfromotherstudents(Smith2013). After joiningtheMarinesin1973, Howas very youngage. As earlyaspreschool, Howasforcedtouseasegregatedsandboxandendured Amherst, Massachusetts, wherehehadtoconfronttheviolenceandalienationofracismfroma Born asHou Weihan in1957toChineseimmigrantparentsCalifornia, Hogrewupin Fred Ho, SunRa, andtheRadicalImagination Afrofuturist’s radicalimaginingoftheimpossibleinorderto create whatIadvancehereasa the prolificjazzcomposer, bandleader, pianoandsynthesizerplayer, poet, philosopher, and ing haschanged. What weneedistheimpossible” (Sun Ra[1974]1993). Hoappropriated such apainfulimpactwithinhisfather’shome. process ofnegotiatingtheexternalracismoutsideworld withtheinternalracismthathad desire foracademicrecognitionthwartedbythewallofdiscrimination. Hodevelopedathought projected ontohisfamilythe “twoness” of “unreconciled strivings” (DuBois[1903]1989:3), his father’s violencewithaChinese “double consciousness” (Mullen 2004:168)wherebyhisfather socially andprofessionally, relegatinghimtothestatus ofperpetualoutsider. Holinkedhis into whichhisfathersoughttoassimilate. InHo’saccount, theacademydisavowedhisfather the UniversityofMassachusetts Amherst, toaself-hatredinculcatedbythesamewhitesociety attributes thephysicalandemotionalabusehesufferedfromhisfather, aConfucian scholarat post-racial society. the UnitedStatesin21stcenturyandforcefullycountersanyclaimsofnationasa Ho’s writingcreatesanimportantdialoguearoundissuesofidentityandracialpoliticsin juncture, andtheculturalproductionof Afro Asian MusicEnsemble, inconjunctionwith Examining Ho’sworkopensupanuancedperspectiveonthe Afro Asian junctureanddis- Ho wrote: pieces. In “Nobody Knowsthe Troubles I’veSeen: The RootstotheBlack–AsianConflict,” Ho critiquedthefalsityofmodelminoritymythologyinbothhiswritingandperformance 5. 4. Ho wasfondofquotingSunRa’smantra: “Everything possiblehas beentriedandnoth- Racism andracistviolencepermeatedHo’searlychildhoodinsidethehome, aswell. Ho level ofthemonopolybourgeoisie, whichisallwhite. (2010:26) cal power. The presenceofsuccessful Asian Americans doesnotequatewithpoweron the it works. However, educationandincomearenotameasureofrealeconomicpoliti- attainment isoftenviewedasameanstoeconomicadvancement, andonalimitedlevel, Confucianism, theeducationethic, respectforfamily, etc. Educationalachievementand Some Asians themselvesbuyintothismyth, attributingitto “cultural values” suchas essays and poems, Connecticut. See Ho’s high school essay “Is There a Way” in the Amherst Regional High School’s collection of Based on research I conducted at the Fred Ho Archives, Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, University of as the welfare queen and undermines organized labor movements. According to Robin D.G. Kelley trope (1997), the neoconservative of dysfunctionality promotes stereotypes such As WeAs WalkTogether: Third Experience, which Ho edited (HoLiberation 1975). World .4 5

Fred Ho and Afro Asian Futurism 51 - - - - the globalization of Cedric Robinson defines Cedric Robinson defines — 7 Malcolm X and the Black liber not just for America, but for the America, not just for — and are able to form “new and imaginative uses “new and to form and are able 6 In “Tribute to the Black Arts Movement: Personal to the Black “Tribute In 8 a way of understanding the experience of Black intellectual, Black intellectual, a way of understanding the experience of — at the turn of the century. Its musical and stylistic innovations reflect Its musical and at the turn of the century. —

Ho credits Lewis and Sanchez as being two influential figures who helped him him helped who figures influential two being as Lewis Sanchez and credits Ho Practice, Naked Theory, Wicked

discover his own identity while growing up in Amherst (2009:170, 171). 171). (2009:170, Amherst in up growing while identity own his discover is also the title of a CD by the Afro Asian Music Ensemble. Ensemble. Music Asian Afro the by CD a of title the also is Power Into Pain Turn the contain localities, geographic and temporal as Asia, Africa and that notion the embrace and pause can we If Ho’s then force, labor largest and reserveslargest resources, natural of history, longest populations, largest world’s interlocutoryas well as past. the of echoes future the of possibilities imaginative performanceare pieces finance capital American oppressed nationality. African of the the changes in the twentieth-century life 94) (Ho 2009:93, planet as well. It is the music that embodies and expresses the contradiction of the cen- It is the music that embodies and expresses the contradiction of the planet as well. imperialist nations, division between oppressor, fundamentally rooted to the world’s tury, Its historical emergence and nationalities. and the struggle of the oppressed nationals of imperialism and development parallel the rise and development As a young Chinese (Asian) American growing up in the 1970s, I was profoundly drawn American growing up in the 1970s, As a young Chinese (Asian) as the expression of an oppressed national- American music African to and inspired by and for its and resistance to national oppression, because of its social role as protest ity, American music African or “Jazz” qualities [...] musical energy and revolutionary aesthetic century is the revolutionary music of the twentieth Double-consciousness, in its dogged strength, offers a lens through which to develop alter offers a lens in its dogged strength, Double-consciousness, For Ho, the dialectics of transcultural and transnational Afro Asian futurism began with his Afro of transcultural and transnational the dialectics For Ho, initiated Ho into Black and Latino like Marilyn Lewis and poet Sonia Sanchez Teachers 7. 8. In Ho’s early life elucidates how Asian American radicalism was in conversation with, and even American radicalism was in conversation with, Asian Ho’s early life elucidates how Ho latched onto a musical energy the aesthetics of the Black radical tradition. guided by, force of the sensuality that emerges from “revolutionary that Fred Moten articulates as a “the generative It was as an expression of resistance and struggle. (2003:12), the sonic event” ontological and historical priority of resistance to the force of a venerable phonic propulsion, and Political Impact and Analysis,” Ho wrote: Ho Analysis,” and Political Impact and 6. concept called “Afro Asian futurism.” Afro Asian futurism is a method by which marginalized which marginalized method by is a Asian futurism Afro Asian futurism.” “Afro concept called ( exclusion” just upon eviction and based not “new collectivities create communities Johnson into power,” “turning pain also by 2013:x) but adoxical mode of embodiment from which one reimagines and recreates a new epistemology a new epistemology and recreates from which one reimagines of embodiment adoxical mode experiences. based on his or her lived of technology, creativity, and spaces” (x). Working through this framework makes visible how framework makes visible through this Working (x). and spaces” creativity, of technology, 1989:3) into a par (Du Bois [1903] “double-consciousness” to transform his own Ho was able native performance strategies for the survival of Black Americans and other historically mar Americans for the survival of Black native performance strategies 2012:xii). (Robinson [2007] “racial regimes” ginalized subjects within racial regimes as “constructed social systems in which race is proposed as a justification for the social systems in which race is “constructed racial regimes as modality that contests the mythic Asian futurism is a performance Afro (xii). relations of power” as memory and the “makeshift patchwork masquerading and their authority of racial regimes [2007] 2012:xii). (Robinson immutable” “Black radical tradi- as the or what Cedric Robinson has offered exposure to Black radicalism, (Robinson [1983] 2000:1) tion” an ontological and an epistemological resistance to and artistic life as both economic, political, Ho’s intellectual and artistic lens was formed by his personal and Eurocentrism. Westernism and trau- and his experience with the violent Americans, African and political relationships with produce. matic ruptures that systemic racist structures of introducing him to The Autobiography struggles at an early age, respectively. ation movements of the 1960s, Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00547 by guest on 29 September 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00547 by guest on 29September 2021

52 Zachary Price Wu-Tang Clan’sentireaesthetic. martial artschoreographyonthescreenalsoservedasinspiration forbreakdancersandthe that kepttheminbusiness” (Figueroa2011). over andagain, companiesliketheShawBrothers wouldn’thavemadeit. We werethefans hadn’t beenforBlackandLatinokidswatchingthosepoorlydubbedHong-Kongkung-fuflicks ner, choreographer, andcofounderofthe RockSteadycrew, toldmeinaninterviewthat “If it tive vernacularstylistics. JoséFigueroa, aBronx-bornPuertoRican T’ai chich’uanpractitio- tradition” [Neal1999:165])andkung-fucinemabothinlyrics, presentation, andperforma- transcultural interplaybetweenhiphop(aspartof “hip hop’sappropriationofthemodernjazz Wu-Tang ClanandtheS1WsofPublicEnemyprovidesfurther evidenceoftheimpactand non-white heroesandheroines. Hard Waythe (1974)providedBlack, Latino, Asian American, andworking-classyouthswith Death (1978)aswellBlaxploitationmartialartsfilmssuchBlackbelt Jones (1974)andThree ful andsometimesarmedwhitemales” (2006:296). Along withEntertheDragon,Game of Lee’s (1973) projected ‘non-whites’ asflawedheroeswhocouldkickthebuttsofphysicallypower uncontested. The hugeimpactofthelateBruceLeeandreleasehisfilmEnterDragon Ho writes, “The Asian martialartshavecontinuallybeenanareawherenon-whitedominanceis of decolonizingcinemaandavehiclebywhichpeoplecolorcanreimaginetheiridentities. such as Vijay Prashad, M.T. Kato, andHohavesuggested, martialartsfilmshavebeenaform 1970s and1980s, andtheperformativeboxingstylesoflegendslikeMuhammad Ali. As writers budo imageryfoundinmanga andanime, BlaxploitationandHongKongkungfucinemaofthe myths thatincorporatedaconfluenceofChinesefolktales, popularrepresentationsofJapanese were morethanjuststagecombatforthepurposesofentertainment. Rather, theywereneo- use of Asian martialartsasstagecombat. However, thejazzandmartialartsperformance pieces tice inwhich “new forcesareexemplifiedandnewformsofstrugglegenerated” (2011b). synthesis ofdisparateperformancedisciplinescreatesanexpandedvisionsocioeconomicjus- invincible. They don’tsubscribetotheillusionthatcapitalismhasperpetuated” (2011b). The of theperformances, thesearevisionqueststodemonstratethatthesystemisnotinfallibleor recounted duringaninterview, “Afro Asia representsadifferentparadigm. Within thecontext strategy inwhichmartialartsmovementswereintertwinedwith Afro Asian sounds. As Ho egy, Hoconceived Afro Asian futurismasaconfluenceofdisciplines, acculturation, andpolitical ism. JustasBarakasoughttheefficacyofmusic, poetry, visualart, andtheatreasapoliticalstrat- and theBlack Arts Movement, whichinturndrewhimintothepoliticsofinternationalsocial- performances” (12). power andobjectiontosubjection, theold-newthing, thefreedomdrivethatanimatesblack 11. 10. on theShawBrothers’The36thChamberofShaolin(1978). 9. The influenceofthesepopularrepresentationsmartialartsonhiphopartistssuchasthe As an African American theatreandmartialartspractitioner, IwasinitiallydrawntoHo’s Ho cameofageduringthe “roaring ’60s” (Ho2009:161)andgravitatedtoward Amiri Baraka RZA DiscussesRZA How ‘The 36th Chamber Of Shaolin’ Inspired Him” (2014). For a discussion of kung fu cinema’s influence on the Wu-Tang Clan, read Carman Tse’s“Wu-Tang article Clan’s rate it into his or her repertoire, the motion when breaking and perform against another crew member. rise of kung fu cinema in the United States. A b-boy might copy a movement seen in a kung fu movie, incorpo- African American, Puerto Rican, and other working-class youth in New York City during the same period as the “B-boying” was the original term used by breakdancers, and is used by Figueroa. B-boying was developed by dancer, and original member of the Rock Steady Crew. Museum, and elsewhere. He is a professional Chen Style Taijiquan (tai chi ch’uan) practitioner, filmmaker, break- atre. Figueroa choreographed Of Afro Caribbean descent, Figueroa collaborated on almost all of Ho’s Afro Asian adventures in the the- Journey Beyond the West at the 1997 BAM Next Wave Festival, the Guggenheim 10 TheWu-Tangalbum,Clan 9 As Figueroaalsosuggested, theconsumptionof 11

Enter the36Chambers, wasbased - Fred Ho and Afro Asian Futurism 53

- 13 Ho composed Ho composed 12 presented at Kean Kean at presented Dragon the of Voice to ride the wind. His fighting style: to ride the wind. — reimagines the mythic story of the forma- reimagines the mythic decried Asian Americans who discarded the history of Asian Asian who discarded the history of Americans Asian decried are from the unpublished playscript by by playscript unpublished the from are America Chinese in Time a Upon Once Dragon: the of Voice

served as a critique of Asian Americans who settled for model minor Americans who settled Asian a critique of served as the Dragon of Voice

First of the Five to escape was Chen Jak, visionary strategist. His philosophy: “Not to His philosophy: visionary strategist. First of the Five to escape was Chen Jak, win one hundred victories in one hun- To resist is to acquiesce to your own oppression. your enemy without fighting is the highest to subdue dred battles is not the highest skill, His animal: the Dragon Water. His element: skill.” T’ai chi ch’uan. T’ai chi ch’uan. University. I also used supplementary materials provided to me courtesy of Fred Ho and Big Red Media, and and Media, Red Big and Ho courtesyto me supplementaryused also Fred of I provided materials University. Kingsley. Mira from quotes All Margraff. Ruth and Ho Fred For my analysis, I used a 2004 video recording of a live production of production live a of recording video 2004 a used I analysis, my For Dragon Dragon as part of a trilogy, Originally envisioned began as the Narrator, dressed in a fusion of 19th-century US dressed in a fusion of 19th-century began as the Narrator, of the Dragon Voice in a time when Human and Fantasy, Once upon a time...in a Place beyond History Arts... Weapons of Mass Destruction but by the Martial Waged by Conflict was not they were or Fighters, Warriors Artists were much more than and the Martial 1999) (Ho and Margraff WAY!!!” THE exemplified Temple revolutionaries...the Shaolin The character of Gar Man Jang from 17th-century China allies herself with the Manchu impe- The character of Gar Man Jang from 17th-century which scrolls, She discovers the legendary Shaolin secret rial forces who had sacked the temple. deadly power, By absorbing the scroll’s of martial arts. include all of the accumulated knowledge who survived the The Five Disciples, force. she becomes an invincible supernatural destructive Gar Man Jang. refine their kung fu skills and reunite in the end to destroy attack on the temple, created a new space in which each martial artist The confluence of jazz and Chinese mythology These animal styles distinguish Shaolin fighting system. embodied one of the five animals of the are introduced to Chen Jak: We the Five Disciples from each other. The character of Chen Jak is a play on both Chen-style t’ai chi ch’uan, as well as the Chinese The character of Chen Jak is a play on both Chen-style t’ai chi ch’uan, The choreography that creates Chen Jak’s character is ini- Jack Chen. American activist, when t’ai chi ch’uan However, tially fast and snapping movements throughout the narration. 13. 12. A Jazz Martial Arts Journey Journey Arts Martial A Jazz Ho’s of whiteness. access to the social privileges in order to gain ity mythology Afro Asia the musical score and cowrote the script with playwright Ruth Margraff; the production was the production was Ruth Margraff; the script with playwright score and cowrote the musical Afro and performed live by the choreographed by José Figueroa, directed by Mira Kingsley, Dragon Asian Music Ensemble. activists whose efforts dove- American Asian and turned their backs on American discrimination of color. tailed with other radicals tion of the Shaolin Temple and the temple’s subsequent betrayal by a renegade disciple, Gar a renegade disciple, and the temple’s subsequent betrayal by Temple tion of the Shaolin Shu Wu art practitioners; Ho utilized martial of casting trained dancers, Instead Man Jang. story was guided by a didactic The the base vocabulary for movement. fighting forms were action onstage by introducing the who helped orchestrate the plot and the omniscient narrator that the disciple represented. along with the particular kung fu form name of each disciple, introduced a multiethnic ensemble of American–style clothing, Southwestern- and Chinese white paper The ensemble then entered from the wings, martial artists dressed in kung fu attire. The hanzi and Scrolls served as with Chinese hanzi that also represented the Shaolin Scrolls. artists moved The martial making the ensemble seem like cartoon characters. the scenic frame, as the Narrator located upstage, Music Ensemble, Asian Afro to the rhythm of the music of the Shaolin”: of Way “The delivered the prologue, Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00547 by guest on 29 September 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00547 by guest on 29September 2021

54 Zachary Price is 14. fu, asitiscommonlybelieved thatshewastheprogenitorof Wing Chun–styleofboxing. Gee Shin’sstaff, becomesanextensionofhisbody, aweapontofendoffhisattacker’ssword. through themovementofmartialartist. Li Wen Mao makes useofanironfan, which, like transcultural creationthatgeneratesitsownauthenticity, theoriginsofwhichareproduced performance didnotimitateBeijingOpera, butratherwasan idiomaticexpressionofHo’s the Crane is warfarewithoutbloodshed. Warfare isoperawith bloodshed.’ Hiselement: Fire. Hisanimal: “The FourthoftheFivewasLi Wen Mao, theCantoneseOperaartist. Hisphilosophy: ‘Opera a weaponintomusicalinstrument, andthenintoatheatrical prop. ated betweenthestaffanddrummer’srhythmictappingof shells. The stafftransformsfrom Gee Shin’smovement. When GeeShin’sstaffhitstheofhisfoe, acallandresponseiscre- an extensionofhisbody, asthedrummerandkeyboardist’srhythmssynchronizeintimeto His fightingstyle:Leopard-stylekungfu.” GeeShincarriesalongwoodenstaffwhichbecomes root, thestrongertree.’ Hiselement: Wood. Hisanimal:theLeopard martial artists. “Third oftheFivewasGeeShin, theBuilder. Hisphilosophy: ‘The deeperthe Fourth disciplesbringsaboutadirectinterplaybetweenthemusiciansinquartetand tizing hisopponents, neutralizingtheirattemptstoattack. The introductionofthe Third and His fightingstyle:Snake-stylekungfu.” MiaoHinslitherssnakelikebackandforth, hypno- (Screengrab of Fred courtesy Ho and Big Red Media Inc.) Upon a Time in Chinese America. Kean College, New Jersey. of center), in the 2004 performance with the Afro Musical Asian Ensemble led by Fred Ho (upstage Figure 2. Chen Jak (right), battles a soldier loyal to Gar Man Jang, dynamic sparringthatmetaphoricallyconveyshisstory(fig. 2). Another playerentersandattacksChenJak. ChenJakisnolongersolo;heengagedina The melodicsoundofanaltosaxthatflowswithjinglingchimessuggeststhewind. ized slowmotion. ChenJakisimmersedinasoftbluelightthatmatcheshisuniform. introduced, hismovementchangestoamarkedlyslowertempoemblematicoftaichi’sstyl- The lastoftheFivedisciples, Ng Mui, holdsasignificantplaceinthemythologyof kung The introductionoftheFourthdiscipleinjectsanewfeelto musicandchoreography. Mui, see ertoire to defend herself against a forced marriage. For of moreWing on the history Chun and the legend of Ng It is commonly believed that Ng Mui taught boxing to Wing Chun, a peasant woman who used the combat rep - — Wing Chun Kung-Fu (1972) by J. Yimm Lee, technical editor Bruce Lee. for graceandself-control. Hisfightingstyle:Crane-stylekung fu.” Li Wen Mao’s Voice of the Dragon: Once pleness andrhythmicendurance. His animal:theSnake the teeth.’ Hiselement:Metal. ‘A manofpeace, armedalwaysto was MiaoHin, MasterofKnives. Narrator. “Second oftheFive ciples isintroducedbythe gle againstassimilation. American radicalsintheirstrug- for thedesiredsuccessof Asian Jak’s victoryisthusametaphor American reactionaries. Chen aphorically withthe Asian with GarManJang, andmet- skill.” The opponent isaligned without fightingisthehighest est skill;tosubdueyourenemy dred battlesisnotthehigh- hundred victoriesinonehun- Jak’s philosophyof “To winone Each ofthesubsequentdis- The sceneillustratesChen — to harnesspower. — for sup- 14

Fred Ho and Afro Asian Futurism 55 - -

16 This contrast is brought This contrast is brought 15 to strengthen bones. Her fighting style: Tiger-style Tiger-style Her fighting style: to strengthen bones. — Taijiquan and the Search for the Little Old Man: Understanding Identity Identity Understanding Man: Old Little the for Search the and Taijiquan (2006).

By the end of the piece, the Five Disciples regroup and refine their fighting skills to defeat the Five Disciples regroup and refine their fighting skills By the end of the piece, concludes with the suggestion that others will be complicit in systems concludes with the suggestion that others of the Dragon Voice Firecrackers ruins. Temple rebuild the Shaolin the Five After the defeat of Gar Man Jang, seeking more lurking in the shadows, bandits, Western blaze above another pack of of Bandits can’t exactly reach the next most coveted invention Western These advantages! but today as gunpowder (not as in gunpowder tea, ...the Firecracker...known the Chinese. See Yvonne Tasker’s “Spectacular Bodies.” The idea of creating a role through muscularizing a woman or man is is man or woman a muscularizing through role a creating of idea The Bodies.” “Spectacular Tasker’s Yvonne See qual- constituting a as “Performance that suggests Tasker part performance.within transformation of inherent an part,the acting of sense a but on persona male a out playing potency, physical just not involves masculinity of ity 1995:123). ([1993] stage” public a We Martial Arts “Through chapter Frank’s Adam see Temple, Shaolin the of revitalization CCP’s the on more For ethnography his in Friends,” Become Will ArtsMartial Through also of the Dragon Voice Chun, Wing the legend of the introduction of Ng Mui and With kung fu. kung fu. Ng Mui. Teacher, propagandist, organizer, inventor, healer, philosopher, revolutionist, and revolutionist, philosopher, healer, inventor, organizer, propagandist, Teacher, Ng Mui. tunic and hailing from wearing the yellow corner, announcer) in the far (ad libs as boxing she’s Ng out like a jiggly-puff, she’ll knock you she’s tough, rough, central China: She’s of allllllllllllllllllllllllll time! Her the greatest hand-to-hand boxer Mui, Annihilator” “The Her ele- make revolution!” spread the glory of kung fu, principles, “Uphold philosophy: Tiger the Her animal: ment: Earth. Gar Man Jang. Forming a circle, the group creates an improvised choreography that coincides the group Forming a circle, Gar Man Jang. form a circle and each steps into the middle to per The disciples with a free-form jam session. form a reiteration of their fighting system. This style mirrors jazz’s improvisatory style; like a form a reiteration of their fighting system. within the performer explores his or her own interpretation musician making a run within a set, who reenters a reactionary figure defeat Gar Man Jang, the Disciples In contrast, the moment. They carry her body suggests her disfigured soul. dressed in a one-piece spandex costume that battle. who has been watching the final leaving only the Narrator, offstage, points once again to the problematics of revolutionary The final monologue of domination. of and the anxiety that an empathetic audience faces when posed with the challenge practice, power within the appropriation of technological understanding the intertwining of race and words: This became explicit with the Narrator’s closing innovations in war. to the foreground when, after having knocked her opponent spread-eagle flat onto his back, Ng spread-eagle flat onto his back, after having knocked her opponent to the foreground when, as he lets out a shriek. and emasculates him grabs his testicles, Mui reaches down, the imagery of Shaolin constantly reinvents history bypointed to a larger metanarrative in which Shaolin Even the permutation of the present-day exploring China’s historical-political evolution. Party (CCP) works in conjunction with reinvention through the Chinese Communist Temple’s evidenced by the guided tours that bring thousands of as fascination with martial arts, West’s the the present incar For the CCP, birthplace of kung fu. “authentic” practitioners every year to the serves as a vehicle for perpetuating the nation-state by bolstering Temple nation of the Shaolin as capitalizing on the social-somatic process of kung fu, of folk heritage as well “authenticity” the at the nexus of a transnational martial arts network. Temple which situates the Shaolin 15. 16. Ng Mui is nimble and quick, embodying the boxing tiger form. Her hands and feet move with embodying the boxing tiger form. quick, Ng Mui is nimble and His flabby body creates a stark of an opponent could not match. an agility that her leviathan Mui. body of the actor portraying Ng “muscularized” contrast to the Wing Chun became a popular form of close-quarter fighting within southern China and was southern China and fighting within form of close-quarter Chun became a popular Wing The Jeet Kune Do system. Chun into his eclectic Wing adapted who by Bruce Lee, popularized Ng Mui: Narrator introduces Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00547 by guest on 29 September 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00547 by guest on 29September 2021

56 Zachary Price for themuseum’s Works andProcessprogram. transcend thelimitationsofdidacticism. ment ormusic. The Narratorwasbothanintermediaryandaselloutassimilationistunableto an agentwhoselanguageisfalliblebecauseitnotembodiedintheformofmartialartsmove- polemic suggeststhatbyhavingtheabilitytospeakwithinworldofplay, theNarratoris 21. 20. 19. 18. 17. maintain aracialhierarchywithinthewhitesettlerprojectofUnitedStates. technology ofgunpowderthat Western colonialpowersusedtodominate Asia and Africa and hitting Liston. ClaysentstingingjabstoListon’shead and flyingbodyblowstohiscollaps- manifested itselfintheringasheslippedaroundandbetween themoretruculentandhard- racialized space. Chineseimmigrantlaborbuiltthetranscontinentalrailroad, Asian diasporawaspartoftheconstruction West asbothadiscursiveandphysically clothing emulatedthesynthesisofHo’ssemioticprocessandremindedaudiencethat and theinventionofgunpowder. The Narrator’ssartorialcombinationof Western andChinese With theNarrator’sclosingspeech, Ho linkedthelegendofShaolinwithChinesetechnology a butterflystinglikebee!Hey, rumbleyoung man, rumble!” around theworldduringweigh-in, Clayrepeatedly echoedhisfamousphrase: “Float like Liston towintheheavyweightchampionship. Surroundedby morethan400reportersfrom well as Ali’s transformationfromCassiusClaytoapoliticalfigureoutsideofthering. transhistorical connectionbetween Ali andHo’sformermembershipsintheNationofIslamas films, butwithaSunRa-nianfuturisticbenttoit” (2011c). TheSweet ScienceSuiteservedasa the ’60sand’70s, particularlythesoundtracksofblackexploitationandyellow his spirit, butdoitinatransgressivekindofway. Somethingthatwouldevoketheperiodof ator Valerie Gladstone. “I satdownandIdecidedthatwasgoingtowriteanhomage Ali, on thestageatmuseum’sPeterB. Lewis Theater betweenMovements 2and1 taries andoldfightfilms. HeencapsulatedhisvisionofthepieceduringfirstQ&Aheld cal performances. To copewiththewoesofhisfightcancer, Howatched Ali’sdocumen- spirit” (Ho2011c)andanotherexplorationintoFredHo’s Afro Asian martialartsjazztheatri- Christal Brown, thepiecewasintendedtobebothanhomage “Muhammad Ali’s indomitable Muhammad Ali, wasHo’slastperformance.Honoring A collaborationwithchoreographer In 2011, HowasawardedaGuggenheimFellowshiptodevelopnewperformancepiece ever after. poisoned soulsagainstShaolin. Everypassingcentury, everyonceuponatime, andevery scrubbing attheShaolin Temple. they kowtowlowbeforeanewandvery, very, foolishlittlemonk, downonhiskneesand tiate ourhumanconflictsinsteadofhand-to-handinthecumbersomeShaolinway). So as infirearms, cannons, and Weapons ofMassDestructionwithwhichwecouldnego- The bout can beseen here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=OezriPEepZs. Ho joined the NOI and took the name Fred 3X. stimulating offeringconversation unprecedented and performance, access to creators and performers. The Guggenheim Museum’s Works and seriescreation that promotes artistic Process through is a performing-arts contested in history. nitrate that became gunpowder, the expansion and appropriation processes of this technology muchare still very While it is popular knowledge that China is credited for inventing the mixture of sulfur, coal, and potassium be separated from the Asian American experience in the Southwestern United States as laborers of the railroads. As writers such as Frank of the Chinese diaspora cannot Chin (1991) have demonstrated, the historical trajectory In 1964, Clayunveiledanunorthodoxandgracefulfighting stylewhenhe TKO’d Sonny And Ireacheddown. Isoldthefirecrackerandmysoul. Andsoongoesthepiratingof (An apology:) 19 The Sweet ScienceSuite: A ScientificSoulSession 21 Clay’sprefightloquaciousness 17 yetitwasthe 18 The closing The with moder 20 - Fred Ho and Afro Asian Futurism 57 Figure 6. George Foreman hits Ali with a left jab as Ali leans on the the on leans Ali as jab left a with Ali hits Foreman George 6. Figure Zaire, Kinshasa, championship. world the for fight the during ropes Zachary by Price) (Screengrab 1974. October 30

When Ali refused to be inducted into the US Army in 1967 during the Vietnam War, he was War, Vietnam Army in 1967 during the Ali refused to be inducted into the US When was staged in Zaire on 30 October “Rumble in the Jungle,” The Foreman bout dubbed the “rope-a- as referred to Ali’s guerilla tactic, Rather than fight Foreman punch for punch, Ali con- 32-year-old the beginning of the bout, By throwing a series of right-hand leads at stripped of his title, barred from the boxing ring, and threatened with jail time and a $10,000 barred from the boxing ring, stripped of his title, but nearly four of his best fighting Ali’s conviction, the Supreme Court reversed In 1971, fine. Ali was Kings demonstrates, Were as the 1996 documentary When We However, years were lost. the unde- He would ultimately do this by beating determined to regain his heavyweight title. George Foreman. feated heavyweight champion, It became some- reached far beyond the realm of sport. The event had implications that 1974. ideals of Black masculinity within the dialectic thing more than boxing; it was about competing whereas American capitalism, Foreman represented an agenda of assimilating into of struggle. of which he imbued with the NOI’s performance Ali represented the Pan-Africanist campaign, discipline and Black cultural nationalism. not match the US military’s firepower. who could Vietcong, adapted the strategies of the dope,” exhaust their enemy Vietcong that the The asymmetric distribution of power necessitated which the faster in stick-and-move, or to use a boxing term, through hit-and-run techniques, from a larger flat-footed opponent. and more agile fighter keeps moving away Ali convinced Foreman that he Foreman. stronger 24-year-old fused and enraged the younger, as he had was going to dance, encourag- often done in the past, ing the crowd in Zaire to cheer kill him). (Ali, bomaye” “Ali, Ali’s long because of However, and sub- absence from the ring, sequent decline in athletic abil- he could not beat Foreman ity, Ali Instead, by trading blows. leaning retreated to the ropes, against them allowing his body to absorb Foreman’s power until By the fifth round of the fight. Foreman had the seventh round, ing abdomen over six rounds before Liston failed to answer the bell for the seventh round. One bell for the seventh round. rounds before Liston failed to answer the ing abdomen over six elu- he would display a similar kind of Ali, after changing his name to Muhammad year later, knocking him to the canvas Liston, when he defended his title against graceful movement sive, Ali simply sidestepped jab that be a phantom counter punch to a Liston with what seemed to 5). (figs. 3, 4, Figures 3–5. Muhammad Ali momentarily rears back to avoid Sonny Liston’s jab and then counterstrikes, counterstrikes, then and jab Liston’s Sonny avoid to back rears momentarily Ali Muhammad 3–5. Figures May Maine, Lewiston, championship. world the for rematch their during canvas the to Liston knocking Zachary by Price) (Screengrabs 1965. Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00547 by guest on 29 September 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00547 by guest on 29September 2021

58 Zachary Price woman, Toni ReneeJohnson, whoalsoservedasdancedirectorforthepiece. He accompaniedtheall–African American danceensemble, whichconsistedofsixmenandone Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Flight oftheBumblebee” (1933)in5/4timeopenedthepiece. lights dimmedandthebuzzingsoundofHo’sbaritonesaxperformingavariationNikolai began withabriefintroductionby Works andProcessproducerMarySharpCronson. The Movement 1:Shake Upthe World; Process presentation:Movement 2:FloatLike aButterfly, StingLike an Afro AsianBumblebee ; Sweet ScienceSuitethatIexperiencedon13November2011attheGuggenheim Works and ated asthemusicandchoreographyofhisMovements 1 and perspective wroughtbytheliberationstrugglesof1960s, aperspectivethatHotransliter an African theywouldbereadytofight” (inGuest1996). Lee’sstatementshowsthechangein a lotofushadbeentaughttohate Africa. There wasatimewhenifyoucalledBlackperson two African Americans tocomehomewasofgreatsignificance. BecauseofHollywoodand TV Africa. As filmdirectorSpikeLeesuggestsatthebeginningofWhenWe Werethese Kings: “For ity betweenthestrugglesofBlacksinUnitedStatesanddecolonizingBlack broader globalaudience. The “Rumble intheJungle” wasanorchestrationofpoliticalsolidar eration strugglesembodiedattheBandungConferencewereonceagainmadevisibletoa left jabandarightcross. run outofgas, andwith12secondsleftintheeighthround, Ali knockedForemanoutwitha 23. 22. interlude. which wasinspiredbyBillyMay’s “Green Hornet” theme(1966)andtheRimsky-Korsakov bodies weredrapedinkenteanddashiki-styleclothingduringHo’ssolo, FloatLike aButterfly, and Brownusedmoderndance, jazzmusic, andboxing eran, wasalsoavehiclethroughwhichtomakevisible the bodypoliticsofchoreography. Ho rialism. The collaborationbetweenHoandChristalBrown, whosefatherwasa Vietnam vet- was todevelopacultofpersonality, whichheusedtocontestdomesticracismandglobalimpe- outside theringmirroring Ali’s gracefulandattimesunorthodoxtactics. Oneofthosetactics Foreman. The productionwascounternarrativechoreography, withpermutationsinsideand the subsequentlossofhistitle, hisimpoverishment, andhiseventualcomebackagainstGeorge sion explored Ali’s refusaltoparticipateinthe Vietnam War, hisconvictionfordraftevasion, Asia asaformofcoalitionalpolitics. The productionandsubsequentquestion-and-answerses- other halfinthepit. George. Halfofthebandwasdividedbetweenhouseleftandrightaudience, withthe a celebratoryresponseandaffirmationoftheyoungCassius Clay. Hisidentitywascapturedby the 20musiciansinGreenMonsterBigBand. Each movementofthedancersseemedtobe that acknowledgedtheaudience’sappreciationofchoreography anditssevendancers, and sounds, seethelivemovementofflesh, hearand participateinthewhistlesand “yeaaahs” Muhammad Ali’s conversiontotheNOI, and Ali’s comeback. Iwasabletofeelthevibrationof Black experienceinthe Vietnam War throughBrown’smemoriesofherfather. In keepingwithhiscancerwarriorethos, Hoperformedhisbaritoneinspiteofillness. While Hocreatedatotalofsixmovements, threedifferentpiecescomprisedtheversionof By placingtheboutinZaire, formerlytheBelgianCongo, thePan-Africanand Asian lib- Sweet ScienceSuitehistoricized, problematized, andinsomecasesevenmythologized Afro Movement 2setthestageformetaphoricaldeathofCassiusClay, thestoryof /archivegrid/collection/data/794928204. The page refers to the video of the event (see Cronson et al. 2011). For a complete description of the event’s programming see the Guggenheim archive at https://beta.worldcat.org Callaway, Gilbert Reyes, and Ricarrdo Valentine. Besides Johnson (rehearsal director), the dancers were Marcus Braggs, Dante Brown, Edwardo Brito, Roderick 23 The solowasbackedbytheGreenMonsterBigBandconducted Whitney Movement 3:No Vietnamese Ever CalledMeNigger! — “the sweetscience” 3.

— 22 The dancers’ The to illustratethe Movement 2 Movement 2 - -

Fred Ho and Afro Asian Futurism 59 The Peter B. B. Peter The Sweet Science Science Sweet in 2 Movement , appears alongside Ho in her her in Ho alongside appears khimar, Sweet Science Suite: A Scientific Soul Session Session Soul Scientific A Suite: Science Sweet The Peter B. Lewis Theater, Guggenheim Museum, Museum, Guggenheim Theater, Lewis B. Peter The in 2 Movement second solo of solo second Figure 8. Toni Renee Johnson, wearing a wearing Johnson, Renee Toni 8. Figure NY, 13 November 2011. (Screengrabs courtesy of Fred Ho and Big Red Media Media Red Big and Ho courtesy Fred of (Screengrabs 2011. November 13 NY, Museum) permission Guggenheim R. Solomon by the of Inc.; Honoring Muhammad Ali. Muhammad Honoring Figure 7. Toni Renee Johnson, in a modernist looking dress, looks back at the the at back looks modernista in dress, looking Johnson, Renee Toni 7. Figure of close a to solo first her bringing audience, Suite: A Scientific Soul Session Honoring Muhammad Ali. Muhammad Honoring Session Soul Scientific A Suite: (Screengrabs 2011. November 13 NY, Museum, Guggenheim Theater, Lewis permission R. Solomon by the of Inc.; Media Red Big and Ho courtesyFred of Guggenheim Museum) she was to be taken seriously. In Johnson’s second solo, she In Johnson’s second solo, she was to be taken seriously. (a long headscarf worn by Muslim women, typically gathered or (a long headscarf worn by Muslim women, —

- The lightness and nimble Their retreat segued into appeared in an all-black khimar The change illustrated the fastened under the chin and covering the body to variable lengths). ness of Clay’s body came alive ness of Clay’s body came danc- through the weightless of ers onstage as each member between the ensemble alternated stance the structured boxer’s pirou- and the choreographed some- ettes and jetés of their Ho and the times balletic solos. con- Green Monster Big Band’s Hornet stant refrain of the Green theme underscored the move- a dancer Edward Brito, ment. leapt with boxing experience, abdo- his feet, through the air, and head parallel to the men, ground for what seemed almost until his fingertips a meter, finally reached the stage again, as he landed in a controlled roll. The ensemble then picked him up and hoisted him above their heads before placing him back Then they down on his feet. retreated offstage in a series of choreographed steps: they took one step folded their arms, made a Black back upstage right, Power salute with their fists in took one step pointed, the air, and repeated back upstage right, the sequence again until they had completely exited offstage. Toni one of two dance solos by Renee Johnson as she contin- ued to weave the story of the transformation of Cassius Clay Ali as a meta- into Muhammad The sartorial presentation of Johnson was vastly American identity. phorical search for a Black Johnson wore a In the first solo, 7 and 8). different between her first and second solos (figs. chains, black-and-white striped dress that was split up the front and connected by small metal demand- The solo ended with a raised open palm to the audience, revealing her abdomen. “talk to the hand” ing that we the interplay between ensem- the interplay as they sparred ble members amongst each other — shadow bobbing and weaving boxing, graceful dancing in like Clay’s his first Liston fight. the ring in Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00547 by guest on 29 September 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00547 by guest on 29September 2021 60 and Big Red Media Inc.; of the bySolomon R. Guggenheim permission Museum) Guggenheim Museum, NY, 13 November 2011. (Screengrabs of Fred courtesy Ho Scientific Soul Session Honoring Muhammad Ali. Zachary Price Figure 9. Members of the dance ensemble square off in from CivilRightstoBlackPower. shift inpoliticalconsciousnessfrom1966to1967 24. became aninterlocutionbetweensaxophone, dancingbody, andspectator. ence, andsimplysatdownonthefloor. WhenHohittheseoctaveswithinthepiece, thesound instrument’s lowerregister. At thispointthedancerspausedintheirmovement, facedtheaudi- the saxophone’sreed, andthen, eversogently, ledusbackdowntothesoulfulbottomof from aspectatorasHo’svoicetookhisaudiencetotheedgeofsoundwithpiercingpop raising hisbaritonetothehighestaltissimopossible. This inturneliciteda “yoooo” response Foreman. Ho’sentirebodyseemedasifhewaspullingtheweightofhisfeetintolungsand leaned back, recalling Ali’s submissivepostureontheropesashereceivedpunishingblowsfrom Black Power. This transition was inscribed in the choreography as the dancer wearing the afore- Movement 1, paralleledtheuncertain andperhapsmultifarioustransitionfromCivilRightsto education. Thus, thestylistictransitionofearly1960s, aswitnessed inthechoreographyof sponsored meetings, letter-writing campaigns, undergroundnewspapers, and armedself-defense Radical Action Movement’sRobertF. Williams ledtransnational Afro Asian movementsthat gle forsocialjustice. Like Ali, radicalssuchasthe BlackPantherParty’sHueyP. Newtonand within theBlackliberationmovementandrepresentativeof variousapproachesinthestrug- . into specificposesandgesturesthanthenonspecificfreeflow ofMovement 2 positioned incontrapuntalalignmenttoeachother with USsocial-economicinequity. Movement 1employedtableausinwhichthedancerswere kis. Inturn, Movement 1signifiedthediscordwithinBlackcommunityabouthow todeal taposed withthemoreproletariandresscodeofotherdancers intanktopsandcasualkha- Stokely Carmichael gave his “Black Power” speech in Greenwood, Mississippi, on 20 October 1966. One ofHo’ssaxsolosprovidedthemusicforJohnson’sseconddance. As heplayed, Ho The intelligentsiacouldhavebeentheNOIitself, but the NOIwasjustoneofmanygroups 24 The Peter B. Lewis Theater,

Sweet Science Suite: A — — from NegrotoBlack, fromClayto Ali, and tableaus thatweremoresynchronized black pantsandties 1950s and’60s The Blackintelligentsiaofthe within theBlackcommunity. related tothemountingtension among theensemblethatcor and movementstagedatension The differencebetweenstillness hands andkneestostanding. and forthfromallfourson dancer, whosebodypulsedback fluid movementoftheupstage erectness wascontrastedbythe spine proclaimingpride. This stage rightstoodstill, anerect and blacktie. The dancerdown- black suittrousers, whiteshirt, their black-and-whiteclothing: on twodancersonstagerevealing Movement 1thelightscameup ing tocapture. At thetopof experience thatHowasattempt- image ofthetransformative Movement 2andsharpenedthe Movement 1followed — the dancersin — were jux- - Fred Ho and Afro Asian Futurism 61

we used that in our — The Peter B. Lewis Theater, Guggenheim Museum, NY, NY, Museum, Guggenheim Theater, Lewis B. Peter The Sweet Science Suite: A Scientific Soul Session Honoring Honoring Session Soul Scientific A Suite: Science Sweet As the dancer struck the Black Power pose, the As the dancer struck the Black Power pose, 25 Figure 10. Roderick Callaway, his fist raised high, has knocked out the rest of of rest the out knocked has high, raised fist his Callaway, Roderick 10. Figure in ensemble the Ali. Muhammad Inc.; Media Red Big and Ho courtesy Fred of (Screengrabs 2011. 13 November by permission of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum) permission Guggenheim R. Solomon by the of especially one section when we create the portrait of the two guys who especially one section when we create the —

attempted to recall connections between global political movements Science Suite attempted to recall connections between Sweet

Mexico City hosted the 1968 Olympic Games amid serious civil uprisings. Ten days before the Games were were Games the before days Ten uprisings. civil serious amid Games Olympic 1968 the hosted City Mexico and resistance the both mirroring troops, army by killed were students university of scores open, to scheduled Olympic the from dismissed immediately were Carlos and everywhere.people Smith aggrieved of suppression threats, death received mother Smith’s medals. their of stripped and Committee Organizing US the by team from dismissed were brothers His later. heart a of died she mail; the in rats dead and years two attack manure, of University the by scholarship revoked academic his had brother his and teams, football school high their emblem an as intended he which sapling, tree olive an contained that box a carried Smith Ironically, Oregon. of peace. choreography. I think that picture was very important. They didn’t have any shoes on. It They didn’t have any shoes on. important. I think that picture was very choreography. young men at that They felt confident in who they were as was Black Power in the air. confident, very I think a lot of the ways that they carried themselves back in the day, time. (Valentine 2011) in my opinion. and it’s something that you don’t see now After the performance, I After the performance, I found VALENTINE: my myself wanting to do own research about the Black people coming up in the I books on different leaders like Marcus Garvey. I would read movement back in the day. really understand what was going on back in would watch a lot of documentaries just to it was time When I had to really personalize it and just use it in my movement. the ’60s. to do the fist they hold up their fists the two Black men, went to the Olympics, The phrase, “No Vietnamese Ever Called Me Nigger,” is popularly associated with Ali is popularly associated with Ever Called Me Nigger,” Vietnamese “No The phrase, 25. The Tommie The image of (Foster 2011:2) and solidarity. “choreography of empathy” Ali as a and with bowed heads US sprinters at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, Smith and John Carlos, around the connected with people in the United States, and raised fists in protest against racism world who were struggling against oppression. interviewed dancer Ricarrdo interviewed about Brown’s I asked Valentine. rehearsal directing during the engage process: How did Brown the Black Power movement? much I wanted to know how actual Brown emphasized the of movement as a manifestation kind of political action and what Valentine: research was involved. mentioned two-toned suit finally two-toned suit finally mentioned the erect posture of performed salute (fig. 10).the Black Power other ensemble members immediately collapsed to the ground: they were literally knocked over other ensemble members immediately collapsed Power salute was a recursive thematic gesture anticipat- The Black by the force of the gesture. dressed in a shirt and tie 1 in which one of the Black Power dancers ing the climax of Movement who also in a shirt and tie, the other ensemble member, threw a flurry of punches aimed toward dancer who’d thrown the flurry of punches then delivered The reacted as if being knocked out. 1 to a close and the audience to its feet. bringing Movement a knockout blow to the audience, but the phrase was actually Vietnam, in American involvement because of his stance against While the slogan signifies the converging first used by Stokely Carmichael (Carmichael 1967). it also raises the and those fighting racism, War Vietnam struggles of those who opposed the Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00547 by guest on 29 September 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00547 by guest on 29September 2021

62 Zachary Price bassist slidinghisfingersalongtheneckofbass. ing. The stagelentitselftoaghostlypastthatwasenhanced byamoaningsoundcreatedthe as hemovedinslowmotion, performingaseriesofgliding turns, hisarmsextendedandrotat- spirit, withamelancholy, almostbluesyfeel. DanteBrown’sbodyseemedtofloatonthestage out mouthpiecescreatedasoundthatresembledJapaneseshakuhachi opening momentsofMovement 3. Brownemergedintoabluespotlightastenorsaxduet with- brought forwardthroughtheBlackfemalebody. context, thelegacyofBlackmasculinityin Vietnam isreinscribedintothe presentasthepastis into thepresentinrelationtocollectiveexperienceof Afro Asia. When reconsideredinthis which enabledBrowntotracetheechoesofherfather’sexperiencesin Vietnam andbringthem vis-à-vis thechoreographywasanactofimaginationandinterconnection(Taylor 2003:82) The graftingofChristalBrown’sexperienceontoDantebody(norelationtoChristal) and grafteditontomalebodiesduringtherehearsalprocess. ist toembodyhislossoflegs. Shewentontorevealhowsheinternalizedherfather’sexperience affected herandfamily. Herfather’sexperiencepromptedBrownasaresearcherandart- Movement 3existsforChristalBrownasaprocessofexpressinghowthe Vietnam experience about hermovements: embodied inChristalBrown’schoreography. DuringthesecondQ&A, GladstoneaskedBrown visibility ofthelargenumbersBlackcommunitywhofoughtin Vietnam. This legacywas 26. of transformation, simultaneously actualizingthetransformationofhisphysicalbody changing lessons andtacticsofguerrillawarfare. Hisbodywassymbolicallyresurrectedasafocal point military fatigues. The dancersthenproceededtoschoolthealmostnakedDante Browninthe was strippedtohisbriefsbyothermembersoftheensemblewearing blackskimasksandpara- The tracesofeventsandmemoriesgraftedontoDanteBrown’s bodywerevisibleduringthe happens onaman’sbodywasreallyimportantfortheentryintoprocess. (2011) level ofbravadotothetable. SohavingDantethereasabodytohelpmefigureoutwhat for mebecausemycompanyisallwomen. Soworkingwithmen, Ihadtobringmyown BROWN: IshouldalsosaythatwhenFredaskedmetodothisproject, it’sahugeleap HO: Shecanfly! BROWN: JustbecauseI’magirl? GLADSTONE: SorryIevenasked. HO: Shecanfly! BROWN: Ofcourse!(Brownsmilestotheaudience. Loudlaughterandapplause.) GLADSTONE: Canyouflyupintheairliketheydo? I wouldjustdosomethingandheittoo. (Brown2011) was fortunateenoughtobeinaroomwithhimwherehedidn’taskmelotofquestions. because ithadamelancholytypeoffeeltoit. The soloistthatyou’llsee, DanteBrown, I Called MeNigger.” Myfatherlosthislegsin Vietnam. Iwasreallypulledtothemusic with kind ofpouredout. IstartedwithMovement 3 whichiswhatyou’llseenextandIstarted a lotofthingstogether. What happenedherewasthateverythinginme, just I thinkthatartistsarealotlikevessels. You pouralotofthingsinthemandyoucanmix vocalist. I realized after several seconds that it was the upright bass creating this human-like sound. At that the sound was a one person point, humming, I but looked thereinto the pit because I was certain was no This mappingofDanteBrown’sbodywithpastexperiencesbecame mostvividwhenBrown Movement 3intermsofhowIcouldrelatetoit.is “NoVietnameseEver Movement 3 26

flute. Itwasghostlyin Fred Ho and Afro Asian Futurism 63 journey. journey. Sweet Science Suite: A Scientific Soul Soul Scientific A Suite: Science Sweet Sweet Science Suite: A Scientific Soul Session Session Soul Scientific A Suite: Science Sweet The Peter B. Lewis Theater, Guggenheim Museum, Museum, Guggenheim Theater, Lewis B. Peter The (Screengrabs courtesy of Fred Ho and Big Red Media Media Red Big and Ho courtesy Fred of (Screengrabs Figure 12. The ensemble has transitioned from paramilitary fatigues into suits in in suits into fatigues paramilitary from transitioned has ensemble The 12. Figure in Islam of Nation the of style the Ali. Muhammad Honoring NY, 13 November 2011. November 13 NY, Museum) permission Guggenheim R. Solomon by the of Inc.; Figure 11. Dante Brown’s nearly naked body begins to move to the new repertoire repertoire new the to move to begins body naked nearly Brown’s Dante 11. Figure in him taught have guerillas the that . The Peter B. Lewis Theater, Guggenheim Guggenheim Theater, Lewis B. Peter The Ali. Muhammad Honoring Session Red Big and Ho courtesy Fred of (Screengrabs 2011. November 13 NY, Museum, Museum) permission Guggenheim R. by Solomon the of Inc.; Media . Speaks Muhammad

27 advanc- 28 was Call Final The

The precursor of precursor The held was he Graterford; at Institution Correctional State Pennsylvania the at years 40 for incarcerated was Shoatz case Shoatz’s to brought attention the incarcerated, remains Schoatz While solitaryin years. 22 for confinement February solitary from release 22 on confinement his about bring helped (SSS) Sessions Soul Scientific the by www.scientificsoulsessions.com/maroon. visit SSS, the on more For 2014. combined gue- 3 combined Movement 27. 28. Scientific Soul Sessions Ho com- At the end of his life, mitted himself to a major push to free political activist Russell Shoatz, “Maroon” What Remains - US mil rilla representations, NOI marching and itary, the libera- putting disciplines, in tion struggle of US Blacks who conversation with Blacks It climaxed Vietnam. fought in six dancers with a tableaux of the Having 12). in black suits (fig. offstage done a quick-change the solo, during Dante Brown’s dressed in now other dancers, bowtie and the NOI’s signature the audience, point at dark suit, almost as if speaking back to the asking: witnesses of the event, It was “What is your response?” beckoning to “final call,” their the audience as did the newspa- Call. The Final per of the NOI, from a fighter in military fatiguesfrom a fighter spokesman in ainto a political dark suit (fig. 11). ing eco-socialism, and building eco-socialism, ing upon his idea of matriarchal socialism through a new organi- zation he helped develop called A Scientific Soul Sessions (SSS). refrain on Afro Asian futurism provided by a perception of past and future affective “alternative temporal and special maps as the SSS represents Ho’s final transformation on his lifelong (Muñoz 2009:27), worlds” In recalling Christal Brown’s Vietnam, father’s experience in the violence enacted upon his and his loss of mobility, body, pain was transformed into power through the choreography of the dancing body. Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00547 by guest on 29 September 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00547 by guest on 29September 2021

64 Zachary Price order torehearseforaposthumouspoliticalmobilizationintothefuture. than mereperformances. They werewaysoforganizingcommunitiesthroughperformancein Ho’s aggregateperformances, includingVoice oftheDragon andSweet ScienceSuite, weremore musical liberation” (Incontreran.d.)andwhatIrefertohereasa “queer bluesepistemology.” writing, Incontrerahasexplored “Bisexuality intheBlues:legacyofwomen’ssexualand whose workspansqueeropera, politicalbigband, andmusicfortheoppressed. Through her Big Band, andledbyMarieIncontrera, whoactedascomposer, conductor, andbandleader, and Celebration. The eventwasheldatJoe’sPubon19January2015, performedbytheEco-Music have beenthethemeforliveperformanceeventssuchasYear oftheQueer! &SunRa Ho’s songssuchas “Yes, meansyes. No, meansno. Whatever shewears, andwherevershegoes,” works dedicatedtomatriarchalsocialism, eco-socialism, anddevelopingaqueersubjectivity. collectivity dominate.” SinceHo’sdeath, theSSShasbeencommittedtoperforminghismusical humanity isre-socialized, inwhichthevaluesofcaring, nurturance, creativity, compassionand towards “a matriarchalfuture[...]inwhichthesocialconstructofgenderiseliminatedand leadership andorganizing, theScientificSoulSessionsispredicatedonbeingledbywomen n.d.; see “Scientific SoulSessionsManifesto”). ety freeofimperialism, colonization, racism, hetero Point Program, Asian MusicEnsembleandjazzmartialartsperformances. LiketheBlackPantherParty’s Ten- writer MarieIncontrera, andBenBarson, Ho’sbaritoneprotégé Many ofthemembersactiveinSSSareyoungermusicians people, naturalcreatures, andtothecosmos, imagininganddoingtheimpossible” (SSSn.d.). The SSShas “soul” becauseitbelievesin “each selfmovingbeyonditslimits, reachingoutto standing thatthestruggleforliberationis “scientific” becauseitseeksanswersandsolutions. “recogniz[ing] spiritualityasanessentialelementinthestruggleforliberation” withtheunder The SSSisanintergenerationalcollectiveofwriters, artists, andactivistswhoarecommittedto 30. 29. on theirstreets, andinthesonic-scapesthatembodyhis spirit. scholars, activists, andartistscontinuetoengageHo’s work intheirclassrooms, theatres, texts, tainable relationshipbetweenhumanbeingsandtheirenvironment. Itisforthisreasonthat At thisparticularmoment, itistheverycancerouseffects ofcapitalismthatthreatenasus- environmental andsocialtoxicityofcapitalismassaultingthe individual person” (Ho2011:xl). “Capitalism [...]isthecancerforPlanetEarth;and istheexponentiallyincreasing proven accurate, anticipatingtheveryglobalcrisisthatwefindourselvesinasaspecies2016. away fromself-destruction. Hiscritiqueofcapitalism’seffectonasustainableenvironmenthas laborations withmanyartistsandscholarsleftbehindamodelforforgingpathwayforward, white settlercolonialism. The archiveandculturalimprintthatHodevelopedthroughhiscol- the writingsofbothFanonandBarakatheireffortsforliberationfromvariedeffects live performance, recordedmusic, andwriting. Inmanyways, Ho’sworkwasareiterationof struggles forracial, gender, andclassjustice, whichwereembeddedinhispolitical activism, For more on blues epistemology see Clyde Woods’s Revolutionary Suicide ([1973] 2009:122–24). destiny.” The Ten-Point Program was published on all of the Party’s and in newspapers Newton’s book, jects will be allowed for the purpose of determining the will of Black to participate, people as to their national United Nations-supervised plebiscite to be held throughout the Black colony in which only Black “We want land, bread, housing, education, clothing, justice and peace. And as our major political “an immediate end to POLICE BRUTALITY and MURDER of Black people,” and, summarizing in point 10, included a call for freedom, full employment, “an by the capitalist of our Black end to the robbery Community,” In October 1966, Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale created the Black Panther Party’s Ten-Point Program, which Ho’s workplacedintoconversationamultiplicityoftranshistoricalconnectionsaround However, unliketheBlackPantherParty, whichemphasizedmasculinistconceptionsof 29 theSSSmissionrevolvesaround11pointsthataimto “prefigure anewsoci- Development Arrested patriarchy andcapitalistexploitation” (SSS — (Woods 1998). — such ascomposer, singer, and who performedinthe Afro objective, a colonial sub- 30

Fred Ho and Afro Asian Futurism 65 Scientific Soul Sessions Manifesto Scientific Together, as members of Scientific Soul Sessions: as members of Together,

36, 1:87–108. Asian Music 36, of the Society for Asian Music: Journal

We promote ecosocialism: the unity of humanity with the planet’s ecosystems. As with the planet’s the unity of humanity promote ecosocialism: We the same respect indigenous existence based on we aim for aspiring ecosocialists, the rightful share had for the earth and returning to producers peoples have always life on this our Mother Earth as provider of all respect We of the fruits of their labor. footprint for the health and concrete steps to lessen our ecological take planet. We and future generations. well-being of all beings be the opposite of patriarchy, towards a matriarchal future, which will are building We in which the social Matriarchy will be a revolutionary future, not its mirror image. in which the values eliminated and humanity is re-socialized, construct of gender is denounce dominate. We compassion and collectivity creativity, of caring, nurturance, attempted to break capitalism and white supremacy have gynocide: the ways that women and all by inflicting violence upon and de-valuing the spirit of struggle we represent. and intuition process emphasizes imagination, improvisation Our decision-making perception, wisdom, communal leading the way into the new and unforeseen; In as ways to overcome brute power. balance, and the art of listening and reception, of our descendants in mind (as taught all decisions, we keep the seventh generation by many indigenous peoples). Our recognize spirituality as an essential element in the struggle for liberation. We we seek answers and solutions; “Soul” name is Scientific Soul: “Scientific” because its limits, reaching out to people, because we believe in each self moving beyond and doing the impossible! natural creatures and to the cosmos, imagining and bring art and politics together in provocative ways in our quest for excellence We aesthetics see anti-capitalist analysis and anti-imperialist the impossible dream! We living that is not dictated by Western as the paradigm for a new way of being and capitalist values. and political organizing, we realize SSS Through forward-thinking artistic creation and clarity. leadership principles of commitment, capacity, nationalities and the strength of a Recognizing the self-determination of oppressed composed of oppressed nationalities and United Front, our leadership is principally takes responsibility to change the ways women. Each of us checks our privilege and oppression. we reproduce our internalized racism and NGO/ refuse to compromise and be made mediocre by institutions such as the We aim to be self-sufficient. We Non-profit Industrial Complex. of our acknowledge the experience and dedication are intergenerational. We We respect the energy and fresh visions of the young. elders. We boundaries and divides. seek to build a united front across are internationalist. We We don’t think capitalism is fixable. are revolutionaries! We We

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