The middle finger was gracefully and literally raised against the attempt to homogenise dance into a strictly European form. While the choreographer, Brooklyn based Nora Chipaumire, paid her dues to classic European dance in her show Dark Swan on Friday, February 26, she melded the euro roots with African “twerks” and gyrations to showcase the beauty that is inherent in both styles of dance.
The performance was executed by Tumbukua Dance Trust in an in-your-face attitude that caused sweat beads to pour out of their frenetic bodies. The choreography was bold, fun and provocative and included many dancers taking up a huge space of the Meikles department store head office.
The open space allowed the dancers to frolic freely with multiple move variations at any given moment. One had to look at different locations on the stage to capture the whole picture and the nuance in the choreography.
Chipaurime chose the name Dark Swan to pay homage to the Russian masters while adding a contemporary twist. She deliberately went to her African roots to celebrate her culture and background and showcase its beauty by upending a classical trope of a white/black swan.
The show was well attended as dance aficionados scrambled to the Meikles venue to watch the Tumbuka dancers shake what their “mammas gave ‘em.” The audience chortled as the middle finger was raised by the swans in rebellion to the norm, or oppression of expression.
The costumes were well chosen with the lead wearing a black tutu which unashamedly displayed his incredible strength, poise and muscles. The outfits had an androgynous quality with some males sporting dresses which brought out the theme of the swan effectively.
At the curtain call Chipaumire gave the crowd a moment of sass as she danced her way to center stage to accept her round of applause in union with Tumbuka. Well done.
