Special guests highlight African American Dance Company's spring concert April 10

Students selected the theme "Environmental Justice (Injustice?)"

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University's African American Arts Institute Dance Company will feature guest dance and musical performers as part of its 36th annual spring concert on April 10.

The concert will begin at 8 p.m. at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 E. Kirkwood Ave., in downtown Bloomington.

"The concert will demonstrate and illustrate the passion that dance company students have for the dance discipline," said Iris Rosa, director of the African American Dance Company and a professor in IU's Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies.

Bernard Woma will be one of the special guest performers. African American Dance Company. Photo by Mark McCullough.

"The students have had the opportunity to explore dance techniques, forms and styles of performance in the Black dance aesthetic from Africa to Argentina." The students selected the theme "Environmental Justice (Injustice?)" for their Collaboration 2010 pieces. They will discuss and interpret through dance, the many ways to address the industrial waste and environmental pollution driven by political and economic decisions which adversely affect our communities. The concert will feature performances by guest artists Evelyn Yaa Bekyore and Bernard Woma. Bekyore is an internationally known dancer and teacher who has toured with the Saakumu Dance Troupe for more than 10 years as a senior performer and artist. She is principle teacher at the Dagara Music Center and has collaborated with many choreographers in Ghana, Burkina Faso and the United States. She frequently tours to perform and teach traditional dance and songs of Ghana at universities and colleges across the country. She has been in residency with the African American Dance Company since September. Woma has toured the world as xylophonist and lead drummer of the National Dance Company of Ghana.

He has appeared with the New York Philharmonic at the Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, and has been in residency with national and international performing groups. He is the director of Saakumu Dance Troup and the Dagara Music Center in Ghana, West Africa, where he is celebrating his 10th anniversary year. He currently is pursuing a Master of Arts degree in the African Studies Program at IU.

Ticket prices are $20 for adults and $10 for children and students with ID (limit 2 per student).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 31, 2010

Media Contacts: Olivia Hairston African American Arts Institute 812-855-5427 George Vlahakis University Communications gvlahaki@indiana.edu 812-855-0846