From Moving Lines: Fifty Reasons to Dance by Patiricia Vester
Tabanka African and Caribbean Dance Ensemble Saturday 30 April 2022 Sue Townsend Theatre Programme Welcome by Tony Graves
Chair of Serendipity Institute of Black Arts and Heritage
Thomas Talawa Prestø
Artistic Director of Tabanka African and African Caribbean Dance Ensemble
Performances
Siren Calls: To an Illusive Journey Composed by Philip Herbert Second interpretation choreographed by Thomas Talawa Prestø Dancers
Joel Ramirez Lacky Mahamed Shirley Langhelle Wolman Michelle Luciano
String Quartet
Emma Blanco David Kadumukasa Ronald Long Natalie Taylor
Approximate Running Time: 23 Minutes Interval: 10 Minutes
Jazz ain't Nothing but Soul Choreography
Thomas Talawa Prestø
Assisting Choreographer
Joel Ramirez
Singers
Monica Ifejilika Stian Ehiabhi Omole Jensen
Percussion and Ngoni
Sidiki Camara
Dancers
Wolman Michelle Luciano Pearl Tawiah Lacky Mahamed Joel Ramirez Shirley Langhelle Dana Hamburgo
Approximate Running Time: 22 Minutes Interval: 15 Minutes
Limbo Choreography
Thomas Talawa Prestø
Music composed by
Malika Rasmussen
Percussion
Sidiki Camara
Dancers
Wolman Michelle Luciano Pearl Tawiah Lacky Mahamed Joel Ramirez Shirley Langhelle Dana Hamburgo
Approximate Running Time: 22 Minutes
Closing Speech Pawlet Brookes MBE
CEO and Artistic Director of Serendipity Institute of Black Arts and Heritage
Photography by Rob Sloetry Covell
Welcome I am delighted to welcome you to Tabanka African and African Caribbean Dance Ensemble's performance as part of the launch weekend for Let's Dance International Frontiers 2022 LDIF22 returns to Leicester as a predominantly live, in person festival. Sharing physical space is creates something in the moment that cannot be replicated, dancers respond to the stage they are performing on, the audience they are performing to, the city they are performing in. There is something to treasure when you are sharing that space and time together. The theme for LDIF22, In Situ: Responding to Space, Place, People and Time, was really inspired by considering how dance inhabits different spaces. Over the last two years, restrictions have shifted the landscape of performance online, however, dancers themselves have taken to the streets to dance, they have taken classes in their kitchens. I think that dancers have always created site specific works, this has certainly been true for LDIF over the years. I think that restrictions have forced us to consider the performance space in a different way and we have seen this for ourselves as we have collaborated with artists to produce work throughout the pandemic. I hope you enjoy the launch weekend programme and the full festival of performances, discussion, masterclasses and online. This evening we present a the second of two choreographic interpretations set to Philip Herbert’s new score, Siren Calls: To an Illusive Journey which embodies the experiences of the Windrush generation. This choreographic interpretation by Thomas Talawa Prestø and Tabanka African and Afircan Caribbean Dance Ensemble The first interpretation of Siren Calls: To an Illusive Journey by Monique Jonas and Jona Dance was shared yesterday in the Victorian Gallery at Leicester Museum. We hope you enjoy this event and events throughout the festival and take time for gratitude at this opportunity to both reunite with old friends of the festival and meet new faces. Let’s Dance!
Pawlet Brookes MBE CEO and Artistic Director
Photography by Rob Sloetry Covell
Siren Calls: To an Illusive Journey for String Quartet by Philip Herbert Commemorating Windrush Day A description of the movements by Philip Herbert.
1. Siren Calls: To an Illusive Journey In a microcosm, this piece strives to crystallise the experience of a generation in the Caribbean, who received a call from the Motherland (United Kingdom) to come and build it up, by filling vacant spaces in various occupations, in the UK. Musical themes symbolise the dialogue from the Motherland with the Windrush generation. The first half of the quartet movement concerns itself with the siren calls from the Motherland; the second half denotes the response from the Windrush generation to those Siren Calls, in musical references. The piece starts with a cheerful, energetic theme, in the first violin, supported by accompanying rhythmic textures up to bar 6.It is symbolic of a people who were content and happy to be in their homeland. The music transitions from bar 7 through a slowing in the tempo in variant of the original theme, onwards to a blur of harmonies in bar 13 over which the first statement of the ‘Westminster Quarters theme (1794)’ which is used to symbolise the siren calls of the Motherland, and played by the first violin in this first statement. This theme is stated in various ways throughout this movement, with varied levels of urgency. The final note in this theme is never stated to complete the theme, just like the reality of the invitation that was extended to the Windrush generation: the fullest implications of responding to an invitation and the experience of being a citizen in another country was never fully quantified. A soulful contemplative chorale follows, symbolic of the experience a generation had to go through when reflecting on what it would mean to have to leave their homeland to embrace life in another country. A slow calypso theme continues this mood almost as if there is an acceptance of the opportunity that life would provide in another country - referred to as The Motherland. The mood is broken by a bar of silence with the return of the Westminster Quarter theme (1749) played with agitated effect, as the strings play it with tremolando bowing which is evocative of the response to an invitation, where the hopes, fears and concerns would surface when contemplating moving to another country to become a citizen. The reflective chorale theme returns which leads us to the water theme where there is a brief quote of the spiritual (Wade in the Water bars in the first violin, which is accompanied by the ‘viola and ‘cello in another reflective and emotional theme (symbolic of the journey on the HMT Empire Windrush). The solo ‘cello theme returns leading to another joyous statement of the calypso.
This symbolises the momentary relief and joy of arriving in the destination Motherland, after so much contemplation, about what a new life in a new country might be. After a bar of silence, the ‘Westminster Quarter theme’ (1749) returns played with tremolando bowing symbolic of digesting the stark reality of the arrival in the Motherland. This movement for string quartet finishes with three statements of tonic to dominant notes, accompanied by minor chords, which is reminiscent of the two notes which start Lord Kitchener’s famous calypso London, is the place for me… Looking back from the vantage point of 2021, the arrival of a new generation from the Caribbean, who came on the HMT Empire Windrush to England, were to learn very quickly, how challenging the Siren Calls: to an Illusive Journey to the UK might be.
2. In search of gold: in the promised land This movement embraces the aspiration of the Windrush Generation in their quest to find a better quality of life. Nevertheless, they were to be surprised by what they found. Here the musical narrative starts out with a blues bass theme, followed by accompanying textures supplied by the first violin and viola, which is overlaid by a melodic solo from the second violin. It strives to capture the challenging process of looking for housing only to meet with rejection, with slogans of “No Blacks, No Dogs and No Irish” posted in the windows of prospective dwellings. The prospect of finding work of the kind and quality that they aspired to was also a challenge. The work song – ‘I be so glad when the sun goes down’: it reflects the hard work that the Windrush Generation had to do to get anywhere. A more positive mood is engendered with the sound world of reggae music - which was reminiscent of happier times with social life, enjoyed with friends and family. Nevertheless, this was to be short-lived as there were other members of the community in the UK, who were not so welcoming. The music breaks off into dissonance, tremolo figures and hard blues riffs and blues bass ostinato figures. This demonstrates how harsh the social conditions were and the clashes with the skin heads. The music becomes more animated and discordant in a triplet theme showing how a fight became more and more animated. A theme for the violin sounding like a police siren evolves. The movement ends with another incomplete statement of the Westminster Quarter theme… reminding us where we are in this narrative.
3. The Trap This movement reflects on the way in which various Acts of Parliament changed, forcing citizens to have to prove that they were citizens of the UK, even if they had lived and contributed to the UK way of life for many, many years. This movement starts out with dissonant harmonies, which never seem to really come to a cadence point, over a repeated ostinato bass line. This movement moves on to more seductive, charming and pleasing musical themes. There are national anthems from Germany, Italy and Hungary (countries who fought for Hitler) who were preferred citizens in the UK by Clement Atley, over the Windrush Generation. The bitterness of the harmony surrounding the Jamaican National Anthem relates in musical terms how the Windrush Generation suffered in the process of trying to prove that they were British Citizens. The music from the opening section of the music returns. This movement is concluded by statements of the Westminster Quarter theme, played pizzicato.
4. Unlocking the future: Changing the vision This movement reflects on the fall out of the Windrush scandal. The subtle roll of the triplet theme eventually erupts, explosively as an expression of the outrage that has been felt by the scandal. A plaintive theme for the first violin, with a pulsating accompaniment continues the narrative, moving on to a brief statement of the spiritual ‘Wade in the water’ - a call to embrace the present difficult challenges. The rolling triplet theme returns with the explosive outbursts, leading to a sequence which seems to roll and ramble - a bit like the experience of those who have had to navigate the Windrush scandal, being pushed from pillar to post. At the end of this sequence the siren calls in the Westminster Quarters theme returns briefly - a bit like the powers that be present but not really engaging with the scandal. A passage that has a funereal quality follows, which provides space to reflect on those who have endured this scandal, but in the process have lost their lives - in the process of the fight for citizenship. A reprise of the opening triplet theme with its explosive outbursts returns. This is followed by a brief statement of the spiritual ‘Wade in the Water’, with a lilting accompaniment. After this the mood breaks and lightens with a brief statement of the spiritual ‘We shall overcome’ to conclude this movement in a spirit of hope for the future, despite the challenges. ©️Philip Herbert 2022
Siren Calls: To an Illusive Journey was commissioned by Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage.
Notes on this Interpretation This interpretation of Sirens Calls: To an Illusive Journey is artistically directed by Thomas Talawa Prestø and choreographed in collaboration with Joel Ramirez and creative dancers. This is to capture the generational element of Windrush. Windrush to us is about generations and legacy. It was interesting to investigate what the next generations reaction would be to the material, composition and topic. The company's slogan is 'Ancient Power Modern Use' and the dancers come armed with the dance practices of the ancestors. The result, is a work that pulls strongly on the deconstruction and restructuring of Calypso, Congo, Kumina, Quadrilles, Bele, Contradanse and other social dance structures that are a result of European colonial pursuits in the Caribbean and Africa as well as this meeting of practices from hush harbors (ritual spaces consecrated to Black existence, including Dancehall). The language used to express this and to facilitate the hybridising process has been the Talawa technique and it’s tools a methodology of which Joel Ramirez and the dancers are erudite practitioners. A decolonial practice and process.
Thomas Talawa Prestø
Jazz Ain’t Nothing but Soul The show bases itself on what was once known as the music and dance of the Devil, jazz, while also including elements of "Black noice" – a noise consisting of mostly silence. As is known, jazz has roots in Africa, and the fabulous dancers of Tabanka goes to town exploring the genre’s rich artistic and musical tradition. Bypassing any violent elements in its history, Tabanka rather focuses on the presence of their ancestors, creating an expression of dance and music rooted deeply in the origin of jazz – and yet sprung from all Norwegian-African vibes. Collaborators on Jazz Ain’t Nothing but Soul include Monica Ifejilika, known from the artist collective Queendom, world renowned percussionist and musician, Sidiki Camara, the known African musician, Solo Diarra, and the RnB singer, and recent Spellemann nominee, Stian Ehiabhi Omole Jensen.
Limbo Fresh from thrilling audiences the world over, Britain's turn to experience the Norwegian ensemble’s renown contemporary work. A deconstruction of ancestral dances and historical events engraved in the African Diaspora Body, Limbo is the investigation of rhythm as a mobile institution and that liminal space in which black life exists. A contradiction in and of itself, an impossibility only made possible by the ritual of dance between life and death, existence and negation. A juxtaposition of light and dark, sound and silence, capture and liberation, Limbo is a journey of displacement and triumph. Audiences will leave changed.
Photography by Rob Sloetry Covell
Biographies Philip Herbert Composer Philip Herbert was born in London (UK) and is an award-winning British Composer with eclectic musical interests. He has written choral music, chamber music, music for film, dance and for the concert hall. Herbert has developed a portfolio career, combining teaching, performance, curation, writing for publication, developing and devising workshops and projects, Assessing Music projects for the Arts Council of England, Broadcasting and Composing. Herbert has taught at secondary and university levels, as well as collaborated with some of Britain’s finest musicians in the creation of workshops, projects and residencies for young people and people of all ages and abilities. He has a keen interest in the historical contributions which Black Composers have contributed to classical music and has conducted research trips to University Departments and archives in the USA in search of books, documentation, scores and recordings, along with key information from archivists, which explains the significance of the works which have been found in the archives. This experience has informed his contributions to interview segments he has been invited to contribute to Classics Unwrapped for BBC Radio Scotland presented by Jamie Mc Dougall, The Trumpet Shall Sound for BBC Radio 4 presented by Julian Joseph OBE British jazz pianist, bandleader, composer, arranger, and broadcaster, In Tune with Suzy Klein talking about his London 2012 Project ‘Ballare: To Dance’ that featured musical influences from around the world and also Sean Rafferty, talking about the project ‘Lost Chords: Unsung Songs’ featuring music from the Harlem Renaissance - which was toured across the UK, finishing in the Purcell Room at the Southbank Centre. Herbert was invited to write music for the film ‘The Future’ by the Italian Film Director, Enrico Poli. The film was awarded first prize in the film festival Visione Italiane, in the category, Visione Acquatische. Herbert’s music has been performed by a variety of ensembles including the BBC Singers, Alasdair Malloy (Principal Percussionist of the BBC Concert Orchestra), London Mozart Players, Sinfonia ViVA, the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, the Philharmonia, Orchestra of the Swan, Detroit, Houston, American Youth Philharmonic, Colorado University Philharmonia, Capital Philharmonic new Jersey, Minnesota, Nashville Orchestras and a String Quartet at the LSO. Currently, Herbert is working on a commission from Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage which celebrates the Windrush Generation. He has written a string quartet as a dance score in four movements, entitled ‘Siren Calls: to an Illusive Journey,’ which is to be choreographed by Monique Jonas and Thomas Prestø. In addition, he has been commissioned by the BBC Concert Orchestra to write a piece for the PRS New Music Biennial 2022. Additionally, the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra in North Carolina USA, will be performing ‘Elegy’ in April 2022.
Emma Blanco Violin Emma Blanco studied at the Royal College of Music with Yossi Zivoni and later with Rodney Friend and has enjoyed a varied career since, with a busy schedule in London, the UK and around the world. Blanco was First Violin with touring comedy string group, Graffiti Classics from 2010 - 2014. She has recorded and performed live with many prolific artists including Tito Jackson, Beverley Knight, Sister Sledge, Will Young, Muse, McFly, Katie Melua, Olly Murs, Imogen Heap, Jools Holland, Ray la Montaigne and Peter Gabriel. She has toured the UK with the Heritage Orchestra and world-renowned DJ, Pete Tong and led the London String Group supporting Jimmy Somerville on his most recent UK and Europe dates. Blanco is the violinist in the renowned Tango Siempre band with bandoneon maestro, Julian Rowlands and appears regularly in the West End and at the National Theatre and has played on productions including West Side Story, Sinatra, Funny Girl, Follies, Pinocchio and, since 2022, Cinderella. Blanco was leader of the Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra and the London Soloists Chamber Orchestra. Blanco makes guest appearances with many London orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and London Concert Orchestra. Blanco has been leader of the Docklands Sinfonia since 2013. Blanco has been collaborating since 2008 with Cuban virtuoso guitarist, Ahmed Dickinson Cardenas, as Duo and Trio Mestizo, and until 2013 with the Santiago Quartet. Blanco has been Head of Strings at Tonbridge School since 2019. Last year, Blanco was invited to write all the Performance Notes at Grades Debut-8 for a brand-new violin syllabus, published by RSL, that incorporates classical, jazz, pop and classical crossover genres.
David Kadumukasa Cello Kadumukasa is a London based freelance cellist and teacher. Since graduating from the University of Manchester and Royal College of Music he has played with orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, RTE National Orchestra of Ireland and with the Chineke! Orchestra, since it’s inception in 2015. As soloist he has performed Dvorak, Elgar and Panufnik cello concertos. In addition to his orchestral work Kadumukasa has performed extensively in theatre productions including the (UK) National Theatre production of Hadestown and the West End run of the musical-ballet Inala. His varied portfolio also encompasses recordings and performance work with leading figures from the world of jazz including Guy Barker and Denys Baptiste, and legendary artists from the pop music arena such as Annie Lennox and Jerry Dammers of The Specials.
Ronald Long Violin American violinist Ronald Long spends most of the year performing with major UK ensembles including the Aurora Orchestra, Welsh National Opera, Chineke! Orchestra and Southbank Sinfonia to name a few. When he’s not performing on the stage, he has a love for working with Hollywood actors on how to play the violin, conduct and write music on the screen. Ronald has been heard in festivals throughout the world from the Ghent Festival, Edinburgh International Festival, Eastern Music Festival, Cambridge Music Festival, Wimbledon Music Festival, and London’s BBC Proms. Long graduated from the Manhattan School of Music studying with Pinchas Zukerman’s assistant Patinka Kopec and spent a year of Masters at the Paris Conservatoire studying with Boris and Daniel Garlitsky. Long hopes to continue his career in chamber music, teaching and inspiring other young musicians.
Natalie Taylor Viola Natalie Taylor was born and raised in Tottenham, London, her parents having emigrated from Montserrat, W.I. She started the violin aged 8 but was encouraged to switch to the viola 4 years later. At 14 she went to study at the Junior Department of the Royal College of Music and later continued her studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama under Amanda Denley, developing skills as both a chamber musician and orchestral player. After graduating, Taylor gained the position of Tutti Viola with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, where she has been a member for over 25 years. With them she has toured extensively across Europe, Asia, the US and Australia as well as performing regularly in London at the Barbican Centre and at the Royal Albert Hall during the BBC Proms season. She has also performed regularly with Rambert Dance Company, Guy Barker’s Big Band, the London Symphony Orchestra and the Chineke! Orchestra since it’s inaugural concert in 2015. For twenty years Taylor has coached and led the Viola section of Forest Philharmonic Orchestra based in North East London, with whom she has also appeared as soloist in a performance of Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante.
Thomas Talawa Prestø Thomas Talawa Prestø has codified a system of body movement, which is rooted in the traditional African and Caribbean movement aesthetic, yet relevant in the contemporary. Thomas has been adopted into Yoruba and Ewe people by elders and has received names respectively. Some examples of these are the Yoruba name Ajamu (he who fights for what he believes in) and the Ewe name Adamdoba (whose power is of better quality). By his elders in the Caribbean his style was described as Talawa (strong, resilient, rooted). Talawa has stuck with Thomas as a nickname, and is also what he chose to call his dance technique, respecting the roots and that the technique is systemised by him, but created by a people! Since 1998, Prestø has spent his time actively carving a place for the Black dancing body in Scandinavia. He has performed Caribbean and African dance for more than a quarter of Norway’s population and reached the semi-finals of Norway’s Got Talent, being the first time a full Black company advanced on a Norwegian TV Show and performed traditional dance live. His technique is taught on five continents and is continuing to strive to show the relevance of ancient power with a modern use.
Tabanka African and African Caribbean Dance Ensemble Tabanka African and African Caribbean Dance Ensemble provides audiences with an exclusive experience of expertly produced high-quality, contemporary dance work, which makes full use of the rhythm, vitality, culture and audience engagement practices of Africa and the Diaspora. Tabanka is firmly planted in the intersection between ground-breaking performance, artist development, education, community and youth engagement. Tabanka is internationally known as the seat of the Talawa Technique™, one of few fully codified African and Caribbean dance techniques. Spearheaded by the professional dance ensemble, Tabanka amplifies the voice of the unheard masses. The ensemble provides platforms that pioneers, promotes and centres an artistic legacy for Black Nordic Personhood. The company has reached more than 786 000 audiences, have an average of 97% ticket coverage and produces two main stage production per year. The company’s youth work reaches a yearly average of 16000 teens and young adults. Tabanka is visible across multiple platforms with videos seen more than 16 million times on Youtube and a Facebook following of 72 000. Tabanka used Snapchat, Instagram and other digital platforms both to engage with audience and community and to release the potential of these platforms as artistic stages in their own right. Tabanka designs unique experiences for any audience, high art, business event or community activity. African and Caribbean dance permeates all of society, and we firmly believe dance should not be limited in its application and value. Tabanka consults for and collaborates with a range of organizations to motivate, train and support institutions in their creative thinking, health, and audience development work. As one of the leading institutions of African Diaspora Dance in Europe and the Nordics, Tabanka seeks to advance the sector through sharing knowledge, practices, and advocating for equity within the European and Nordic art sectors as well as society at large.
Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage, Leicester. Serendipity’s mission is to centre perspectives from the African and African Caribbean Diaspora, embedded as part of cultural experiences for all. Serendipity’s programmes include the flagship dance festival, Let’s Dance International Frontiers, Black History Month Leicester and the Annual Windrush Day Lecture. Serendipity have established a legacy; hosting a growing living archive documenting Black arts, heritage and culture, publishing the voices of Black arts practitioners and community activists, nurturing artists to create high quality new work and mentoring young people.
Let's Dance International Frontiers Launching each year on 29 April, to celebrate International Dance Day, LDIF brings diversity to the forefront in dance with a two week festival showcasing new work from local emerging talent to internationally acclaimed companies. Showcasing high quality dance that celebrates diversity and intersectional identities, to date has supported the work of 280 artists from over 46 countries The theme for LDIF22 is In Situ: Responding to to Space, Place, People and Time.
Unearthed: Forgotten Histories Unearthed: Forgotten Histories, seeks to make a structural difference to the recording, documentation and sharing of Black history and heritage in the UK, and to give back hidden histories for everyone to share. Serendipity will create a digital living archive that encompasses the history of the African and African Caribbean communities across this region, amplify the historical picture and tell stories from a different perspective. Alongside this, Serendipity will lead on Young Archivists, an accredited training programme aimed at young people from diverse communities who are currently under-represented in the heritage sector, to learn from heritage experts. Educational resources, events and exhibitions are also planned with volunteers given training to develop skills and support the collection and preservation of oral histories and archival material.
Black Digital Dance Revolution Black Dance Digital Revolution is a nationally significant project working with regional partners; Serendipity (Leicester), Northern School of Contemporary Dance (Leeds), Dance City (Newcastle), Dance Umbrella (London) and beyond. Drawing on the dance heritage of these four cities to develop a touring exhibition and online interface, alongside the creation of a short dance films, accompanied by CPD opportunities, workshops and artist led residencies, commitment to access and underserved communities.
21 Bowling Green Street Leicester LE1 6AS
CL00.14, Clephan Building De Montfort University, The Gateway Leicester LE1 9BH
+44(0)116 482 1394 info@serendipity-uk.com www.serendipity-uk.com
@SerendipityLeicester @serendipity.ltd @serendipityinfo Serendipity Artists Movement Ltd. is incorporated under the Companies Act. Company number 07248813 and its governing document is its Memorandum and Articles of Association. Serendipity Artists Movement Ltd. is a registered charity, number 1160035.