Hotfoot Online Edition 6: Contents Welcome
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Hotfoot Online Edition 6: Contents Welcome 1. Editorial: from Jeannette Brooks 2. Think Piece: ‘Making Moves –Creating Opportunity’ by ADAD Advisory Panel 3. Review: Resolution 2007: by Laura Griffith 4. Interview: ’21 and looking young’ Corrine Bougaard interviewed by Jeannette Brooks 5. ADAD Asks… Thea Barnes 6. Review: Ballet Black ROH2, by Francis Angol 7. ADAD Update: Pamela Zigomo 8. Insight: ‘Journey of the Artist’: Zeze Kolstead, Diane Mitchell, Menelva Harry 9. Credits and Notes Editorial Welcome 36 months have past –another period of evolution and change traversed and now once again ADAD stands at the crossroads of another development. For the past five years ADAD has been an integrated organisation within Dance UK, suckled by that supportive relationship of established administration and fledgling organisation. That is about to change as ADAD moves office, changes management and staff and flies from the nest that was Battersea Arts Centre to Finsbury Town Hall near Sadler’s Wells Theatre. So to celebrate that moment of funded and independent organisation status, this Hotfoot Online issues poses the most fundamental of questions… Is there a cohesive African Peoples Dance Community in the UK? We have asked the sector to repond and a snapshot of the responses are written here. The advisory committee of ADAD also step into the printed spotlight to share their views and an interesting interview from the long establish name in the UK dance scene, artistic director Corrine Bouggard. At the moment Hotfoot looks like it also will be taking a pause to breath and perhaps refresh its mission given the new faces in the office. They will bring their own flavour and points to raise in this magazine. So at least for now, this is my final Hotfoot Online as Editor. I hope you have at least one good read in the last two years… See you soon. Jeannette Brooks Hotfoot Online Editor Interview… Making Moves & Creating Opportunity As ADAD enters another phase of evolution in response to the sector’sneeds, we catch up with three members of the Advisory Panel –those backstage movers and shakers who volunteer their time and experience to the cause. We ask, so why are you involved on the work of ADAD? Their answers are here. When did you join the ADAD Advisory Panel? ‘Well, I joined the ADAD steering committee in 2001. Sheron Wray was chair at the time.’ says Funmi Adewole. ‘Then I managed the organisation from 2003 to 2004. I’ve been chair of the organisation since 2005; however I will be leaving the steering committee in May.’ Francis Angol said ‘I joined the panel 5 years ago but was not very active before the last 18 months’. Why are you a member? Ukachi Akalawu replied, ‘For me, I am a member of ADAD because I understand the importance of supporting the only organisation that represents practitioners of African Peoples Dance.’ Francis has another standpoint, ‘I am a member of ADAD because I want to contribute to, and influence change in British dance.’ What do you bring to the organisation? I offer the organisation my skills as a dance researcher.’ says Funmi. ‘I’ve been able to act as advocate for events and programmes which have taken the discussion about dance in the APD/Black dance sector beyond the debate about definition.’ Francis, an experienced and reputed practitioner adds, ‘I bring the organisation my wealth of knowledge and expertise of working in the arts as well as my knowledge of the African/ British Black dance sector and many national and internationally links and contacts.’ What would you like to achieve in this role for dance? ‘My achievement,’ replied Francis, ‘would be to successfully help to place ADAD in a position where it has an equal voice to that of any other major arts organisation that causes and influences change in British dance.’ Ukachi says, ‘I would like to achieve a raising of the profile of African dance practitioners; the work that they do and the issues they face. I would also like to give them the opportunity to develop themselves through further training such as through the Trailblazer fellowship.’ What are your biggest aspirations for ADAD? My biggest aspiration for ADAD, is to unite Black dance in Britain.’ says Francis. Ukachi makes another point, ‘That we become an organisation that is independent of the Arts Council and other organisations which do not always seem to have our best interests at heart.’ She continues ‘That we have our own space so we can hold regular platforms for our choreographers, and have room for our people to come and develop their ideas. That we are able to raise funds so we can pay to have enough full-time members of staff and develop a major central resource centre for the development of the artist and the forms the organisation advocates for.’ What have been the major influences on your work from your cultural and ethic foundations? A major influence on my work has been my experience of growing up in both Britain and Africa,’ says Funmi. ‘Traditional compounds and urban barracks, in black families and white families –I think this gave me an interest in the role of performance in society.’ ‘My major influences have been the experiences that have led me to work/travel abroad (in Europe, Africa and America), thus being exposed to different forms of dance, and having the chance to learn from dance practitioners who are at the top of their game.’ Ukachi offers. But for Francis ‘The major influences on my work are people, culture, the environment, history and current affairs.’ I must also say that it was invaluable to have resources such as Badejo Arts’ Bami Jo Summer School, which for myself and many other dancers, was the one opportunity per year to train in the UK in African dance intensively with internationally renowned professionals.’ continues Ukachi. ‘This and many other experiences (unfortunately all too short) have allowed me to expand my knowledge and skills which has impacted upon my abilities as a dancer, upon my teaching, and upon my understanding of the roots of the many dance forms that are practised here in the UK. In five years time what would you hope to see in the dance sector of dance of the African Diaspora? I would like to see a new crop of British dance practitioners making their mark in the theatre and the community in Britain and abroad. With lots being written about them…of course. Francis says… Ukachi says… a) I hope to see a framework for the a) That we finally have our own building development of dance of the African where we can congregate, discuss, Diaspora. practise, and share (congratulations to Irie! b) At least 3 place where an individual Dance Theatre who have managed to can undertake a course of study that secure a building for their organisation. It’s leads to a professional qualification. been a long time coming. However, for the c) A substantial increase in the numbers whole sector, we need something on a of professional practicing performance much larger scale). based companies. b) That we have a system of training or a fully developed module that can coherently fit into dance/performing arts courses at recognised institutions. c) That we manage to develop a full-time two year course in African dance and music (a module is a positive step, but we do need to aspire to have a course that can truly investigate and teach the full range of d) Increase in the number of trained information under that massive umbrella qualified tutors teaching dance forms of term ‘African dance’ –NOT African the African Diaspora in Britain. peoples’ dance, as that is too wide, and e) At lease 3 major high profile dance disciplines such as Jazz can be choreographers working within dance of studied to a high level already in this the African Diaspora. country). f) ADAD as the recognized body for the d) That our artists receive a consistent level development of Black dance in Britain. of sensitive and long-term support to a point where we can start to have Wazzzup Snapshot functioning African dance companies once Does a group of similar and sympathetic aesthetics in dance unite a group of artists more. under the banner of Black Dance or dance e) That the wider dance industry (venues, from the African Diaspora? programmers, festival organisers, writers, Arguably. APD was never a very happy funders, teachers of other dance forms, term to embrace Western “Black Dance” forms (tap, jazz, ballet, contemporary, etc), begin to develop a respect and street, hip hop etc) and it’s in the wider understanding for the work that we do and Diaspora area that “APD” or “Black Dance” (or what you will) has its highest consequently change their practises which profile and greatest public impact. It’s the currently marginalise, stereotype, ghettoise, “uniting under a banner” bit that APD failed so dismally to deliver, despite active and tokenise us. Although these are strong support and encouragement (and a lot of words, the process of developing the points empty talking) in the 1990s. Maybe this will change as the younger generation of a - d will work together to forge a depth of practitioners come through, and understanding from the wider dance meanwhile there is lots of good work going on within APD or Black Dance. industry. (Anon) Review… Resolution 2007 The Place, London Reviewed by Laura Griffiths Avant Garde Dance Karensa Louis Adesola Akinleye iPod and I Flicker Climbing with Bare Feet 31st January 2007 9th February 2007 9th February 2007 iPod and I, Choreography: Tony Adigun and Company Tony Adigun and his cast of dancers transport the audience through a multifaceted urban journey in ‘iPod and I’.