Olympus Fuses Greek Myth with Afro-Centered Histories

ARTS & CULTURE

February 25, 2022 Established 1874 Volume 151, Number 12

Olympus Fuses Greek Myth with Afro-Centered Histories

In College fourth-year Cyril Amanfo’s original musical Olympus, young people of color grapple with immortality and claim their power. Courtesy of John Seyfried

Erika Scharf

College fourth-year Cyril Amanfo’s original musical Olympus premiered at the Irene and Alan Wurtzel Theater this Thursday. The plot takes place in a world that exists outside of white supremacy and aims to center Black joy and expression. Amanfo, who studies neuroscience and theater, originally conceived of the idea while feeling overwhelmed by news stories centering on Black trauma in recent years.

“Olympus is creating this world where Black people are immortal, not under the gaze of white supremacy,” Amanfo said. “The cast is entirely people of color. The biggest theme for me is that we are here, and we exist. Olympus is a celebration. Not all Black art is Black trauma.”

Caroline Jackson-Smith, professor of Africana Studies and chair of Theater at the College, serves as the director of Olympus. She echoed Amanfo’s belief in centering Black stories in an uplifting way.

“Cyril and I both felt strongly that healing is important, Black joy is important, and the notion of communities and how they negotiate conflict and come together is important,” Jackson-Smith samid. “Ultimately, Cyril’s goal for this piece is to provide joy for the community.”

Olympus follows the story of young Black immortals navigating their power in a mythological world inspired by concepts from Greek mythology. The plot is multi-layered with its main strand focusing on the power struggle between the brothers Hephaestus and Ares, sons of Zeus.

“The story is about how these characters grapple with this change in power, and what it means to step into their own power and their glory, and to find the power within themselves,” Amanfo said.

As a whole, Olympus is nothing short of remarkable. The entire cast and crew prove this through compelling acting, powerful vocals, infectious music, strong creative direction, and captivating set design. Most impressive is Amanfo’s own detailed work on the show. As the writer, he presents an original, creative take on Greek mythology by weaving themes of family and hierarchy into the script and lyrics. As an actor, he lights up the stage by taking on the character of Apollo, the god of music. He also serves as the show’s choreographer, with each of his dances more enthralling than the last.

“Cyril is enormously creative, entrepreneurial, and visionary,” Jackson-Smith said. “I’ve been reading Olympus and seeing its workshops for the past two years and have been excited by how Greek mythologies can be transitioned into Afro-centered histories and cultural practices. The idea of younger people of color negotiating some of the kinds of conflict that is part of Greek mythology is really enlightening.”

Family, Amanfo said, is at the heart of the show.

“I wanted to create space for actors of color,” Amanfo See Olympus, page 13

CI@50 Celebrates 50 Years of Contact Improv at Oberlin

Adrienne Sato

Senior Staff Writer

Oberlin’s contact improvisation group, Critical Mass, will host a series of events this year, culminating in a five-day festival in July to celebrate the 50th anniversary of contact improvisation. Contact improv is a style of experimental dance that was developed at Oberlin in 1972 and later expanded into a globally renowned art form.

“Critical Mass: CI@50,” aims to honor the history and values of contact improvisation by encouraging students to explore the art form through events like an exhibit in the Allen Memorial Art Museum, a historical exhibit in the Mary Church Terrell Main Library, and a collection of essays about contact improv. Through these events, Critical Mass hopes to draw people from around the world to come and exchange experiences and ideas about contact improv.

Contact improv was first taught in Oberlin in 1972 by choreographer Steve Paxton. During Winter Term, Paxton created a piece called Magnesium, which showcased 12 Oberlin students as they experimented with the concepts of standing, falling, and contact through dance. This performance is widely credited as the first instance of a contact improv performance, and it sparked a movement that spread across the globe.

Contact improv combines aspects of dance, gymnastics, and aikido and experiments with the concepts of gravity, physics, and intentional falling throughout each performance. Although there are some elements that remain the same across performances, it is an art form that, for most of its existence, has escaped formal rules and definitions.

Rebecca Janovic, OC ’18, is the project coordinator for “Critical Mass: CI@50” and teaching assistant in Oberlin’s contact improvisation courses; she is passionate about introducing audiences to the abstract art form.

“[Contact improv is] kind of undefinable in some senses,” Janovic said. “It’s a space to research into your own exSee Honoring, page 13