Ashade (2007 - 2008)
Ashade ("bring together") inquires the spiritual economies of possessions and
dispossessions made manifest in imperialism. This choreography was necessitated by
living, working and experiencing in Port-au-Prince before the coup in 2004 and inspired
by RAM's rendition of "Ezili Oy." It is a critique of sorts on the effects of imperialism
as felt and lived in a spiritual economy.
Choreography: Celia Weiss Bambara
Dance: Celia Weiss Bambara
Music: organized by Celia Weiss Bambara, past collaborators have included Daniel Desir and
Donald Dorcilus for drumming in Chicago and Kimmoy Ouattar in Kingston, Jamaica.
Length: 40 minutes
This work has been performed at Links Hall, Silverspace, the African American Historical Museum
in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and the Caribbean Studies Association in Kingston, Jamaica.
Generous travel funding was supported through a fellowship at the University of Illinois
at Chicago for presentation in Kingston, Jamaica. Travel support for presentation in Iowa
was awarded by the Iowa Arts Council.