By Shoshi Mabina
The genius of Alvin Ailey forever changed the perception of American dance; today the legacy continues with Artistic Director Judith Jamison’s remarkable vision and the extraordinary artistry of the Company’s dancers. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT), recently recognized by U.S. Congressional resolution as a vital “American Cultural Ambassador to the World,” marks its 50th anniversary of showcasing African American cultural expression and American modern dance.
“I am honored to be a part of his legacy,” said Chicago native Vernard Gilmore, 12-year dance troop member. Ailey passed away at the age of 58 in 1989. “Two weeks ago we went on a group outing in Los Angeles to Ailey’s grave site and I was quiet the entire time feeling I’m responsible to carrying on his vision.” Ailey led a group of young African American modern dancers that forever changed the perception of American dance in 1958. “I was exposed to dance as a child when my mother, a trained dancer, would put me in [our neighborhood] Englewood Back-to-School Parade.” He continued to say, “[Even though] I attended Curie Performing and Creative Arts High School with a TV studio major, at 17 I was mesmerized to take training at the Joseph Holmes Chicago Dance Theater with Randy Dunkin, Marquita Levy, Harriet Ross and Emily Stein.” Gilmore is set to perform all of the Ailey Classics during the anniversary celebration running April 1-5.
The opening night show on Wednesday, April 1 will have a performance by Grammy Award-winning female vocal ensemble Sweet Honey In The Rock. The program for AAADT’s exclusive Chicago engagement at the Auditorium Theatre, features an exciting mix of classic and new works by Alvin Ailey, Robert Battle, Hope Boykin, Mauro Bigonzetti, George Faison and Elisa Monte. The finale of each program is “Revelations,” Alvin Ailey’s most significant cultural masterpiece. Since its premiere in 1960, more people around the world have seen “Revelations”, a modern dance classic, than any other work.
By Shoshi Mabina
Travel to Botswana and stay for twelve days while relaxing in the comfort of your house watching the new HBO drama series The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency that was filmed entirely on location. For the first time Africans are featured on a television show series aired in America. The comedy/drama/mystery show offers a more positive perspective on life issues that are not normally shown. Gone are the stories about ship pirates stealing oil on the coast of Africa, gone are the stories about poverty stricken children with diseases, gone are the stories about indigenous, naked tribal cattle herders, gone are the stories that only talks about lions and elephants and everything stereo-typical we are accustomed to seeing on television about Africa. Finally a light hearted, upbeat show that sheds light on everyday, common people showing their “issues are universal”.
The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency is based on the best-selling novels by Alexander McCall Smith. As with McCall’s novels, the series follows the many adventures of Detective Mma Precious Ramotswe (Jill Scott), as she investigates a variety of cases, helping townspeople solve personal mysteries along with Mma Grace Makutsi (Anika Noni Rose), her quarky, yet funny, uptight assistant.
Rose traveled to Africa for the first time in her life to play the role she was “drawn to because it was completely away from Dreamgirls,” said Rose at the Chicago premier viewing at the The DuSable Museum hosted by HBO.
“I worked with a dialect coach for two to three months to train my vocal chords and mouth how to speak certain words”, she continued, “I was there for two months and taped for twelve days.” Rose does a wonderful job incorporating local gestures and accent used by women from Botswana. Mma Makutsi is amusing as she comically reminds Mma Ramotswe on her job interview that she graduated top of her secretarial college, with a “97 percent—the highest score in the history of my school” not a 96 percent.
Mma Makutsi may come of shy and timid at the beginning, watching the series, you later discover she is intelligent, thoughtful and courageous as she does her own investigations when she assists her boss on assignments.
