Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 7, 2024)
Page 6 February 07, 2024 BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2024 Black Grace photo by Toaki Okano Black Grace Unveils a Triptych of Resilience A mesmerizing fusion of dance, culture, and history White Bird is thrilled to host the acclaimed New Zealand/ Aotearoa-based dance company, Black Grace. Under the artistic direction of Neil leremia, Black Grace will perform at Port- land’s Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall for ONE NIGHT ONLY on Wednesday, February 21 at 7:30 PM. The captivating perfor- mance will include three distinct pieces: “Handgame,” “Kiona and the Little Bird Suite,” and “Paradise Rumor,” promising an evening of dynamic and cultural- ly rich dance. The runtime is approximately 90 minutes which includes one short pause and one 20-minute in- termission. Black Grace’s perfor- mance showcases a mesmerizing fusion of dance, culture, and his- tory. “Handgame”, a section from one of Ieremia’s earliest works choreographed in 1995, is based on a story of a boy being beaten by his father for going against his wishes and attending a school dance. Performed to an orchestra of body percussion, this piece in- corporates elements of traditional Fa’ataupati (Samoan slap dance). “Kiona and the Little Bird Suite” is a collection of traditionally in- spired works and excerpts from the company’s repertoire over the last three decades. It draws from works including Relentless (1996), Fia Ola (1998), Surface (2003), Pati Pati (2009), Gather- ing Clouds (2009) and E Toa, E Toa (2018). This work utilizes body per- cussion influenced by traditional Samoan Sasa (seated dance) and Fa’ataupati (slap dance), and in- corporates live drumming, singing and chanting. As Dance Tabs says: “Kiona is a moving example of the fusion possible between the tradi- tional and the contemporary and was the first taste of what these dancers can do: fly around the stage with astonishing momentum and stop-on a dime”. The evening concludes with excerpts from lere- mia’s “Paradise Rumour”, which is an extension of his 2009 work Gathering Clouds, a response to an economist’s discussion paper, “Growing Pains: The valuation and cost of human capital and the impact of Pacific migration on the New Zealand economy”. The author’s controversial claims caused significant hurt within the Pacific Island commu- nity in Aotearoa, while embolden- ing those with more xenophobic views. The use of live drumming and a mix of traditional and con- temporary music, including Te Vaka’s “Kaleve,” adds an extra layer of depth to the performance. For tickets, please visit: https:// whitebird.my.salesforce-sites.com
