Dimensions Dance Theater presents Premiere of DOWN THE CONGO LINE II, 10/13

Dimensions Dance Theater has announced the premiere of DOWN THE CONGO LINE II featuring two works rooted in Congolese tradition by choreographers Herve (Kayos) Makaya and Jose "Cheo" Rojas, directed by Dimensions Dance Theater Artistic Director Deborah Vaughan. A celebration of dance and music rooted in Congolese traditions, the performance will be accompanied by Cuban and Congolese percussionists, and two of the Bay Area's best-known drummers-Sandy Perez from Cuba, and Kiazi Malonga, son of the late Malonga Casquelourd.

 

DOWN THE CONGO LINE II premieres on Saturday October 13, 2012, at 8pm at the Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts, 1428 Alice Street at 14th Street, Oakland. Tickets are $20 in advance; $25 at the door (children under 18 years $15). Advance tickets are available atbrownpapertickets.com or in person at the Dimensions Dance Theater office (M-F 4pm-7pm) on the 3rd floor of the Malonga Center (1428 Alice St. at 14th St.). Further information is available at (510) 465-3363 or dimensionsdance.org

 

"Join Dimensions Dance Theater for a special evening of this exciting blend of exhilarating music and powerful dance traditions that are present in Cuba and Congo," said Artistic Director Deborah Vaughan. The concept of DOWN THE CONGO LINE came about through a trip Vaughan made to the Congo. Her experiences there inspired her to build a collaboration for the company that would recognize the extraordinary contribution that Congolese culture has made to the music and dance of the Americas. This new work engages traditional artists from the Diaspora to create contemporary work that is both rooted in the local community's traditions and also reflects their Congolese origins.

 

Jose Rojas's choreography OF THE ISLAND brings a view of Cuba from a past time – making the old become the new. The impassioned rhythms and dances of the island will light up the stage. This exciting work highlights Cuba's connection to the Congo with a suite of dances that reflect the enduring and irrepressible spirit of Africa in Cuba.

 

Herve Makaya's choreography VUKANA is a lush creation that will entertain and inspire audiences with the spellbinding sound of the "ngoma" (drum), layered with song, story and widely varied dance styles of Brazzaville, Congo. This work has a rich vocabulary and celebrates living traditions in the Congo.

 

Dimensions Dance Theater presented Part I of DOWN THE CONGO LINE in Spring 2012, featuring works by choreographers LaTanya d. Tigner and Isaura Oliveira, with live percussion accompaniment.