Deborah Ahmed and her husband Malik set out to make a difference in the St. Louis community 25 years ago by way of Better Family Life. Inc. In 2008, Deborah Ahmed is taking another risk through the genre of black dance.
Just as BFL raised eyebrows when it worked to create opportunities for the community, the 23rd Black Dance USA is opening new doors with its progressive presentation of humanity’s relationship with Mother Nature in Forces of Nature Dance Company’s Earthrites: Movement to Heal Our Planet.
“It’s groundbreaking and it shows the director’s commitment to being innovative and challenging,” Ahmed said of Saturday night’s leg of a two-day dance extravaganza at the Touhill Performing Arts Center next weekend (May 30-31).
A professional dancer with credits that stretch across the coasts, she will be presenting the latest Black Dance USA celebration with a new platform – creating awareness for the environment.
“Abdel, Danny and I all come out of a tradition that says we need to use our art to teach,” Ahmed said of dance troupe artistic directors Abdel R. Salaam (Forces of Nature) and Danny “Diallo” Hinds (Sankofa).
“We need to use our art to educate, to liberate – to tell stories about where we are and where we came from.”
Year after year Black Dance USA has presented its audience with messages through movement. It also offers classes and workshops that teach knowledge and love of self, history and culture through dances that reflect Diaspora traditions.
But this time around, Ahmed has recruited a team that has created groundbreaking choreography based on a tradition that has dissipated among many people of African descent – honoring the riches that lie within the earth.
“You and I both know that being green is in as a fad,” Ahmed said. “And it shouldn’t be – it should be a dedication.”
People who haven’t looked deeper into the connection between Mother Africa and Mother Nature might be scratching their heads when considering the connection between black dance and the environment. But the close relationship between the land and the people has been obvious since the beginning of time.
Ahmed’s prayer is that by Watching Forces of Nature’s presentation of Earthrites: Movement to Heal Our Planet, guests will take responsibility for their actions and their planet.
“The whole evening is going to be dedicated to what we as human beings have done to Earth, why we need to change that and what we need to do to change that,” Ahmed said.
She pointed out the natural disasters and severe weather patterns of hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes and cyclones as evidence of the Earth’s anger.
“We need her more than she needs us. And if we don’t take care of her, she is not going to take care of us,” Ahmed said.
“The bottom line is not green cash – it’s green, our land, It’s blue, our water and our sky. It’s brown, our trees.”
Forces of Nature will take place Saturday night, May 31 as a part of Black Dance USA at the Anheuser-Busch Performance Hall of the Touhill Performing Arts Center. Call (314) 367-3440 or visit www.betterfamilylife.org.
Sankofa
The meaning of Sankofa is “looking back to go forward,” and as Black Dance USA enters a new terrain, the bright colors and lively multi-media presentation of the traditional Afro-Caribbean Dance traditions will return via Sankofa Productions.
The dance troupe from Barbados, Virgin Islands (under the direction of Danny “Diallo” Hinds) is sure to serve as the perfect prequel to Saturday night’s production.
“He’s driven to use his art as a means of communications,” Ahmed said of Hinds, whom she met as a fellow company member with international dance icon Katherine Dunham.
“He uses it as a tool of empowerment in his community, as a tool of education to everybody about the culture and the art from.”
According to Ahmed, Sankofa will transport audience members to the islands – from the colors, to the dancers and the music.
Hinds is bringing nearly 20 dancers and musicians for a truly authentic island experience.
They fall perfectly in line with the tradition of Black Dance USA and its annual presentation of the various sights and sounds from African descendants – while the people from the Diaspora were scattered about the planet, they left an indelible impression that spans the Earth.
Sankofa Productions Tropical Spectacular will take place at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 30 in the Desmond E. Lee Theatre of the Touhill Performing Arts Center. Call (314) 367-3440 or visit www.betterfamilylife.org.
For more information about Black Dance USA and the classes and workshops available through the event at COCA, call (314) 367-3440 or visit www.betterfamilylife.org.
