InfiniteBody: Getting "Got Zulu!"

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Getting "Got Zulu!"

It's too bad that reviews can now be considered one of the barriers to attendance, comprehension and enjoyment of dance in New York City. Sometimes you just have to take the initiative and navigate your way around them, as I did, last evening, when I went to Dance New Amsterdam.

Watching Got Zulu!, I found myself considerably less offended than one of my Times-ward colleagues about a travel video that popped up in the middle of the production, the South African version of Riverdance. (Yes, there is one of these--a South African equivalent of Riverdance--and it's brought to us by the righteously talented Sduduzo Ka-Mbili/JUXTAPOWER, a dance-and music troupe based in New York.) Amid all of the hearty gumboot dancing, outrageous pantsula street dances, out-of-this-world hoofing by tap master Omar Edwards, heavenly choral call-and-response, and mindblowing drumming by Joshua Endlich, there comes a moment when the live proceedings pause for what could be read as a commercial break--except that the expected hard sell never actually arrives.

Yes, we're treated to tempting video images and captions that make South Africa look like the planet's most colorful, resourceful and rewarding place for visitors--neatly gliding over some of the lingering social problems to which the concert itself briefly alludes--but, unless I missed something, we're never hit with the travel firm's name, URL or phone number. And, after reading the Times review, I was kind of bracing myself for that hit.

In JUXTAPOWER's program notes and promotional materials, RA Travel--along with other supporters--is credited and thanked. But this does not seem to me terribly different than most credit and thank you notes (and is considerably less jarring than most New York Times ads, for that matter). And, frankly, if founder Sduduzo Ka-Mbili has secured a reliable source of funding to uplift his crew and keep their bodies and souls together, then good on him. The show gives a lot back, and most people will find that the short video break neither distracts from nor compromises that achievement.

I'm writing and posting this less than a half-hour away from the troupe's last performance at DNA (3pm). So, it's too late to urge you to get there. But keep eyes peeled for your next opportunity.

2 comments:

Unknown said...: Eva, thank you for taking the time to see the performance and to Blog. DNA and the Juxtapower artists thank you.

Today's final show of Got Zulu! at DNA was sold out, with a line of wait listed people - we held the performance to seat most of our audience before lights out. Friday - Sunday were full houses. The audiences loved it. The South Africans were reminded of home; the young people recognized their own voices through the Pantsula dancing (South African b-boying); most everyone got involved in the rhythms of the dancing by the end of the evening - I could go on.

The performance was interactive - opening with Sduduzo recognizing his guests and invited them on a cultural journey through South Africa. As you said, Got Zulu! was full of dance, song, music, and down to earth amazing performing. They broke down the theater's 4th wall South African style.

We need more support for artists who are true to their cultural visions and also committed to offering their audience "an experience" of their culture. Sduduzo and the other artists reached into their soul to give their guests an image of their country, their people and their community. They were able to give me and from what I experienced each performance, a familiar feeling of community, They showed me their culture and how it has been shaped by not only their traditions but contemporary elements including Apartheid’s oppression. The performance was energetic and with a structure that might not be what we expect of or believe is “contemporary dance” but we must invite risk and exploration in a professional setting - it develops the artform and our own mixed culture.

Widening the picture, in response to recent performance critiques from a number of our reviewers who are of great import - thus have a great responsibility:

The anthropologist in me asks the critic to break art down from the artists cultural perspective - ask more questions, explain the work, and help the reader understand the artist's choices and their inspiration (constructive criticism is important - and I'm not suggesting coddling);

The presenter and artist in me supports and applauds the risk that Sduduzo took and all artists take by creating a performance that doesn't fit the American Euro-centric mold. I applaud taking that chance to give the audience an experience that tries to get closer to authentic than choreographed or obviously produced performance;

The audience member in me thanks Juxtapower for creating an amazing mix of performing elements, and inviting me into the performance and connecting me to my fellow audience members;

The activist in me cheers Sduduzo for inviting all of us to think about cultural roots; offering us insight into his culture and how this art is inspired and informed by his cultures daily life and also for addressing South African issues including oppression (albeit gently) - I've always thought that, “what seems missing or whispered speaks much louder than things that are shouted,” but then that can be countered by “the squeaky wheel gets the oil.”

This last weekend at DNA was a pretty darn amazing weekend with the Got Zulu! and Late Nite @ DNA: Roots of Hip-Hop. We were lucky that the scheduling fell during Black History month because we can spotlight some of these conversations. The pioneers of Hip-Hop got together at DNA and had a deep conversation regarding the topic of main stream, asking the questions: Do we change format, subject matter and delivery styles to make the people in important places happy? or Do we stay committed to our own vision which stems from our cultures and communities. I think some of these questions are the foundation of critical review in today's cultural environment. It's a good month to be talking about it.; February 7, 2010 at 8:46 PM
Unknown said...: Well said Catherine, that is a nice defense for people who are out there to do the best they can, such as Sduduzo Ka-Mbili, in spite of all odds. I also had an opportunity to see JUXTAPOWER's Got Zulu!, and it was very inspiring to see such work on the NY stage. As a South African, I am very proud of what Sduduz Ka-Mbili has achieved, and we, South Africans abroad will always support him.

I can assure you that Sduduzo did not get sponsorships from either the South African Tourism Board or RA Travel as the New York Times mentioned. I wish CLAUDIA LA ROCCO could also have spoken to Sduduzo Ka-Mbili about his goals, and achievements, and so called sponsorships before she wrote that scathing article.

It turns out Sduduzo only had $2500.00 from DNA which produced Got Zulu!, and the rest of the money came from his pocket. He used up everything he had to put that wonderful production together, to show the world a piece of his culture and country.

Neither RA Travel nor South African Tourism came through for him, and it does not surprise me since SA Tourism is only always concerned with making sure to spend millions entertaining on rich White New Yorkers. Hardly do you ever even see Black Americans at their events. It is sad, truly sad.

Lastly, it would please me to see JUXTAPOWER get the support it deserves, and people like Sduduzo Ka-Mbili need to be recognized for their selfless courage and attitude to making South Africa a world brand. I hope Zuma is watching; July 6, 2010 at 6:45 PM