schooltime performance series

teacher resource guide schooltime performance series ronald k. brown / evidence a dance company

about the performance in the spotlight Ronald K. Brown / EVIDENCE, A Dance Company For more than 30 years Ronald K. Brown and his New Yorkbased dance company, EVIDENCE, have endeavored to understand the human experience in the African Diaspora through dance and storytelling. Brown uses the kinetic power of movement, combined with music, multimedia and spoken word, to provide sensory connections to history and tradition. His dance style fuses modern dance tradition with Afrocentric rhythms and cultural influences to create dances that are deeply emotional, vibrant and transformative. Ronald K. Brown has been making dances since he was in the second grade. Growing up in the Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, New York, he took his first classes through the Police Athletic League Dance Program and later performed in his high school s musicals. His passion for dance led him to study with renowned teacher Mary Anthony, whose technique combined that of two 20th century modern dance legends: Martha Graham and Hanya Holm. In fact, Brown s first performance took place at Anthony s studio, paid for by three family members who gave $200 a piece for staging and costumes. In 1985, at the age of 19, Brown founded EVIDENCE, A Dance Company. Not long after, Judith Jamison, of the world-renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, saw the fledgling dancer/choreographer s work and recognized Brown s promise. She invited him to create a piece for the Ailey Company. With that early recognition, Ronald K. Brown/ EVIDENCE was on its way. Brown s dances often focus on personal, historic and spiritual themes. In the work Four Corners, the dancers depict spiritual seekers surrounded by four angels in their corners who offer peace, solace and freedom in the face of human conflict. Brown s 2002 work, Come Ye: Amen, takes inspiration from the music and legacy of jazz singer Nina Simone in a fusion of African and modern dance styles. The dancers movements in this work summon warriors, angels, and activists who are dedicated to the pursuit of liberation and peace. Finally, in March, which is excerpted from Brown s full-length work, Lessons, we witness an extraordinary duet set to a speech by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In a powerful example of kinetic storytelling, the movement embodies the sentiment of the speech which contemplates the value of a man, and illustrates a physical story of perseverance, dignity, collective strength and caretaking. Ronald K. Brown uses movement in his choreography to familiarize audiences with the beauty of traditional African forms and rhythms. Though his early training was rooted in American modern dance, he has travelled the world to teach and explore the unique movement, vocabulary, folklore and cultural traditions of places like Cote d Ivoire in Africa, Cuba and Haiti. In 2010, EVIDENCE set off on a tour of Senegal, Nigeria and South Africa in the inaugural year of DanceMotion USA, a program funded by the U.S. Department of State. The goal of DanceMotion USA is to share work by some of America s finest contemporary dance makers and serve as a gateway for cultural exchange. Brown s choreography reaches even beyond the limits of his own company. He has set dances on numerous American and international dance companies, and choreographed for the theater, including the 2012 Broadway production of George Gershwin s classic musical, Porgy and Bess. Ronald K. Brown has received various awards and fellowships for his contributions to dance, including from the National Endowment for the Arts, New York Foundation for the Arts, a Guggenheim fellowship and many more. In 2015, EVIDENCE celebrated its 30th Anniversary New York Season at The JOYCE Theater. On Ronald K. Brown s blog, he shares two statements that helped to steer him through the creation of his dance company. The first was a question that the late poet, Audre Lorde, would ask her audiences: Are you doing your work? Brown realized that his work would be to create dance as physical storytelling. The second was advice from the influential 20th century dancer/choreographer, Bessie Schonberg, who said, Don t give in to the pressure to always do something new, make sure people know where you have come from. Indeed, Ronald K. Brown and EVIDENCE, A Dance Company have come full circle. Their studio and rehearsal space is located in a building on Fulton Street in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn the very same building where Ronald K. Brown took his first dance class when he was 10 years old. An interview with Ronald K. Brown: dancer, choreographer and founder of EVIDENCE, A Dance Company 1. With so many interesting ideas behind your dances, how do you pick the concepts or subjects for your works? Something in life usually inspires my work. For March, it was how the value of a person s life is sometimes disregarded because of his/her race. I created the work over 20 years ago based on speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King that are over 50 years old, and yet these issues are still very present today. For Come Ye: Amen, I was responding to seeing countless young people going to Afghanistan to fight for our lives in the U.S. I wondered what had happened to the idea that, in a time of war, the destination is still peace. Similarly, Four Corners takes its title from Carl Hancock Rux s poem, Lamentations. It refers to the many scriptures that speak about angels stationed at the four corners of the earth who are praying and will not rest until there is peace on earth. I set out to express the idea of men in pain, women mourning the loss of men, and then the ultimate healing that is needed to form a united focus on strength. 2. Do all your works have a story or are some of them more abstract? How can audiences best appreciate dances that don t have a story? The work that EVIDENCE offers I consider physical storytelling. Dance is already abstract, so I direct the dancers to be specific and clear with their intention so that the audience feels and witnesses what the dancer is going through and feeling. The audience is a witness to this testimony through movement and then appreciates what has been given. Most works I choreograph have a story. In the early evolution of the company s aesthetic, there were works that focused on virtuosity. But that emphasis started to change around 1992. I can t think of anything that is abstract in the current repertory. 3. Are you inspired by any of the great choreographers of earlier generations? How are your dances different from those who came before you? I created my first dance after seeing Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater on a school trip when I was in the second grade. [Mr. Ailey] was a great inspiration because he created work that reflected the African-American experience. Dance anthropologist Katherine Dunham was also a powerful influence on me, as was Belgian dancer/choreographer Maguy Marin because of her response to societal and political conditions in her country. These three choreographers showed me what was possible when a person understands purpose in their work. 4. What did you learn from traveling and studying dance and culture in Africa, Cuba, Haiti and other countries? How do you incorporate those experiences into your dances? I have found that in Africa, Cuba and Haiti, the traditional dances and steps each have a specific purpose. In each of these traditions, the movement affects the social dance, but not necessarily the contemporary choreography. As a person of African descent and a contemporary choreographer who is driven to create work with intention, I have a predilection to include these traditions through a contemporary lens. 5. Are all your dancers classically trained or do they come from other backgrounds? What do you look for in a dancer who will perform in your company? All of the dancers have varied backgrounds. They have studied ballet, modern, jazz, hip hop, tap and Afro Cuban, Afro Haitian and various styles of West African Dance. I look for someone who is well versed in different dance styles or at least open to learning. I also look for generous performers who are open and eager to share their talents. 6. What do you see as your role in contemporary dance? How is your voice as a choreographer relevant to life in America today? As an artist, I have assumed the responsibility to respond to what s going on in the world, locally and globally. I think my voice is relevant in America today because the work is about the value of man s life from the perspective of a man of African descent, without apology. 7. What do you do to encourage young dancers, especially in African-American communities? What advice do you have for a young dancer, or any artist, who is interested in developing a professional career? I encourage young dancers to fall in love with working. I teach an open level intergenerational class in Brooklyn every week when the company is not on the road and offer classes when we are on the road as well. I make sure to identify communities where I can provide access to dance for African American young people so that they can understand what is possible. My advice to young dancers is to work for the sake of the work and not for the sake of the goal. I ask them to dedicate themselves to studying as many dance styles as possible and to see as much dance as they can. In doing this, they will see where they might want to develop further as an artist. I urge them to discover the right fit for themselves, rather than looking for overnight success or the easy road. The reward is beyond measure when you are a committed student who understands that effort and dedication are required. 2 Ronald K. Brown / EVIDENCE, A Dance Company njpac.org/education 3

inspired ideas in the classroom Teacher Focus Student Activity NJ Student Learning Standards P Prepare for the performance Prepare your students for the performance by watching samples of traditional dances of Africa and the Diaspora, as well as examples of dances that tell stories. Both are listed in the Resources section of this guide. Invite your students to observe what is different or similar in each movement style. Discuss the unique ways that each dance expresses emotion and tells a story. Watch several dance videos online, from traditional African dances to modern dance and more. Discuss the differences you observe in the styles how the dancers move, the way they relate to the music, and how each type of dance expresses emotions or thoughts. Do you like one dance style better than another? Is one easier to understand? Are any just abstract and meaningless? Are some more fun to watch (or do) than others? SL.6-12.2 Interpret and analyze information presented in diverse media and formats and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study. E Experience the performance As you bring your students to the performance, encourage them to let the excitement of the presentation sink in. They should pay close attention to how the performers move as a group, or ensemble, break into solo parts, or dance in pairs, called a duet. Encourage them to notice moments when the choreography is influenced by African dance, ballet or contemporary movement, and when social dance styles are used. As you watch the performance, see if you can feel the dancers energy and emotions. Can you tell whether the dancers are playing characters in the dances? And if there s a story or not? Do the movements change, depending on the music or the emotion going on at the time? What emotions do you sense? Notice when movements are inspired by African dance or rhythms, social dances or classical ballet. Standard 1.4 Aesthetic Response & Critique R Reflect, respond and read Encourage your students to discuss the performance. Ask which selections they liked best and why. See if they sensed the story within the dances. Discuss what feelings or emotions were expressed. Did the dancers play roles or characters in some of the dances? Or were they just bodies in motion? Ask whether your students could relate to the story or emotions that the dances portrayed. How did the performance make you feel? What pieces did you like the best? Why? Did you notice African influences in the choreography? Or dance moves you d do when you re out with your friends? Did any of the dancers portray characters, or were they just bodies moving to music? What emotions or ideas did you sense in the dances? Were there any moments you could really relate to? Social Studies 6-12.1.4. D.13 Describe how culture is expressed through and influenced by the behavior of people. F Focus Ask your students to focus on their favorite work in the performance. Why was it memorable? What story did the dance have to tell? Have your students start thinking about how movements can portray emotions and ideas and how they might create their own movements to tell a story of their own. What was the story of each of the dance pieces? Name or demonstrate one particular movement or moment that really spoke to you. How did the dancers use their bodies to portray thoughts or emotions without words? Students can work in pairs to come up with their own unique movements that express one specific idea. RL.6-12.3 Analyze how particular elements of a story interact. O Originate Ask your students to think up a concept or personal experience that can be expressed through movement. Working in small groups, have them discuss their ideas and select a favorite to transform into a kinetic story. Encourage them to come up with their own movement language using dance moves, familiar gestures, pantomime or facial expressions. Each group should come up with their own movement vocabulary. Students can even choose music to accompany their kinetic stories. Start thinking about an idea or experience that you could tell through movement. Get together with a small group of classmates to share your ideas and pick one to work on together to make a kinetic story. Start experimenting with ways to use movement to express the story. You don t have to know how to dance to do this. Raising your right hand might mean stop! And turning away from the other person with arms crossed can express anger or disagreement. Each group should come up with its own vocabulary for kinetic expression. You can even pick music to accompany your kinetic story; however don t rely on lyrics to express what you mean. Instrumental music works best because it lets the movements speak for themselves. SL.6-12.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners. Standard 1.1 The Creative Process R Rehearse Allow your students to practice their kinetic stories in an open environment like the gym, outside on the school blacktop, or in the classroom with chairs and desks moved out of the way. Then have them rehearse in front of the other students in your class. Invite the practice audience to discuss what they see and give constructive feedback to help make each kinetic story clearer and stronger. Have students adjust their movements and stories and share them again to build confidence and clarity in their presentation. With your teacher s permission, find an open space to practice your kinetic stories. When you re ready, perform them for your classmates and ask for feedback. Make sure that they have understood your story even without words. If they didn t quite get it, think of ways to adjust the movements so that the story becomes clear. Then practice and polish to build confidence in your work and presentation. Standard 1.1 The Creative Process M Make magic Set up your classroom with a performance space in the front or center where students can present their kinetic stories. Invite family, friends or other classes to attend and enjoy. After each kinetic work, encourage the audience to share their thoughts about the story, emotion or concept it expressed. Allow the discussion to continue after all the works are presented, encouraging performers and audience alike to share their thoughts about the ways the movements expressed ideas or experiences of their own. After all your hard work, it s time to share your kinetic stories! Present them for other classes, friends and family. Then ask your audience about their reactions. Did they understand the story your bodies were telling? Were they moved by the emotions you portrayed? Had they ever had experiences that reflected those in your kinetic work? Were they inspired or moved by your creations? Standard 1.3 Performance Standard 1.4 Aesthetic Response & Critique

curriculum standards NJ 1.1 The Creative Process All students will demonstrate an understanding of the elements and principles that govern the creation of works of art in dance, music, theatre and visual art. 1.2 History of Arts & Culture All students will understand the role, development and influence of the arts throughout history and across cultures. 1.3 Performance All students will synthesize skills, media, methods and technologies that are appropriate to creating, performing and/or presenting works of art in dance, music, theatre and visual art. 1.4 Aesthetic Response & Critique All students will demonstrate and apply an understanding of arts philosophies, judgment and analysis to works of art in dance, music, theatre and visual art. National Arts Standards 1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work. 5: Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation. 6: Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work. 7: Perceive and analyze artistic work. 8: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work. 11: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding. 6 Ronald K. Brown / EVIDENCE, A Dance Company njpac.org/education 7

curriculum standards new jersey student learning standards RL.6-12.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide an objective summary of the text. RL.6-12.3 Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g. how setting shapes the characters or plot). RL.6-12.7 Compare and contrast a written story, drama, or poem to its audio, filmed, staged, or multimedia version. SL.6-12.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (oneon-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly. SL.6-12.2 Interpret and analyze information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study SL.6-12.5 Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, images, music, and sound) and visual displays in presentations to clarify information. Social Studies 6-12.1.4. D.13 Describe how culture is expressed through and influenced by the behavior of people. 6.1.12. D.14.f Determine the influence of multicultural beliefs, products, and practices in shaping contemporary American Culture 6-12.1.4. D.20 Describe why it is important to understand the perspectives of other cultures in an interconnected world. Find the Standards For more detailed information on the standards, visit these websites: NJ www.state.nj.us/education/cccs/2016/ela/ NJ Social Studies Standards www.state.nj.us/education/cccs/2014/ss/ NJ Arts Standards www.state.nj.us/education/cccs/2009/1.pdf National Arts Standards www.nationalartsstandards.org 8 Ronald K. Brown / EVIDENCE, A Dance Company cultural connections NJ Arts Standard: 1.2 History of Arts & Culture Out of difficult challenges, humans have always found ways to survive adapt and thrive. The African Diaspora is just one powerful example of how communities and cultures have evolved from sadness and tragedy to strength, beauty and resilience. The phrase African Diaspora refers to the many communities and unique cultures that have developed out from the movement of peoples from Africa across the globe. The trans-atlantic slave trade during the 17th through 19th centuries isn t the only time when people moved out of Africa. According to the Museum of the African Diaspora, a Smithsonian affiliate, the African Diaspora also includes when our earliest human ancestors walked from Africa to populate the entire world, all the way through the emigration of contemporary people from Africa to other countries in the 21st century. The word diaspora comes from the ancient Greek word meaning a dispersian or scattering originally found in Greek translations of the Hebrew Bible, the word was used to refer when ancient Jews were conquered by the Babylonians and exiled from Israel in the 5th century BCE. Today, the ongoing migration of refugees from the war-torn Middle East is a modern form of diaspora, as is the Muslim Rohingya minority who are fleeing the Southeast Asian country of Myanmar. Diaspora continues at every corner of the earth, wherever political, economic, religious, or environmental crises force a large group of people out of their homelands. But the cultures that have evolved from diaspora, whether voluntary or forced, have significantly enhanced our human experience. When immigrants and exiles settle in new lands, they blend their home cultures and traditions with those of their new country. Along the way, they create unique new forms of music, art, food, language, literature and dance that spread their influence to the communities and cultures around them. Popular musical forms like reggae, jazz, blues and even hip hop owe their existence to the influences of the African Diaspora. For choreographer Ronald K. Brown, the African Diaspora is a source of inspiration. He spent many years, both with his company and on his own, traveling to the African continent to understand the origins of African- American culture, and to Cuba and Haiti where truly unique diaspora cultures have evolved. His aim in each place was to learn from their music, art and dance to help develop and express his own unique understanding of the African Diaspora experience. Connecting the many communities of Africans around the globe with their origins is a critical way that people honor their roots while celebrating the new cultures that have grown out of diaspora. The Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco, CA and the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts in Brooklyn, NY are just two institutions that celebrate the art and culture of African Americans and other Africans from around the world. The African Union, an international organization dedicated to development, peace and prosperity on the African continent, includes people of the African Diaspora as part of its mission.

vocabulary resources Websites Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE, a Dance Company: www.evidencedance.com African Diaspora Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/african_diaspora Museum of the African Diaspora, San Francisco, CA www.moadsf.org/ MoCADA: Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts, Brooklyn, NY www.mocada.org/ Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute, New York, NY www.cccadi.org/ To The Diaspora a poem by Gwendolyn Brooks www.poemhunter.com/poem/to-the-diaspora/ African Union: au.int/en African Union Diaspora Division: au.int/diaspora-division Videos/Audio RONALD K. BROWN Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE: Open Door www.youtube.com/watch?v=suvhqdzx-mo Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE performance at the Joyce Theater www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0i-i9dorro Behind the scenes with Ronald K. Brown and EVIDENCE: A Dance company www.youtube.com/watch?v=nr5n3p60w70 Interview with Ronald K. Brown www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijqhw7_-p1o TRADITIONAL DANCE of Africa and the Diaspora African Traditional Zaouli Dance from Cote d Ivoire Ivory Coast) www.youtube.com/watch?v=i051_c51yvs Sabar Dance Mix from Senegal www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkgfy0u2ecu Haitian Traditional Dance www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzf2p3tbj5c DANCE THAT TELLS A STORY The Green Table (Kurt Jooss) - Joffrey Ballet Chicago www.youtube.com/watch?v=fazqszusytc Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Wade in the Water from Revelations www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9ueq9sjefg Romeo and Juliet retold through hip hop dance and roller skating www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdxzqwriqk8 Merrick Hanna: 12-Year-Old Tells Emotional Story Through Dance (America s Got Talent 2017) www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m6he77atjk Abstract Existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence. African Diaspora The involuntary dispersion of the African people from their original homeland Afrocentric Emphasizing or promoting the prominence of African culture and the contributions of Africans to the development of Western civilization. Choreographer A person who decides what movements a dancer will make, and in what order, to match the music, story, and mood desired. Cultural Identity The identity or feeling of belonging to a group: nationality, ethnicity, religion, locality, or any social group that has its own distinct culture. Diaspora Any dispersion or displacement of people from their land of origin. Duet A composition (in dance, music or other art form) made for two performers. Ensemble The united performance of an entire group of singers, dancers, musicians, etc. Evidence That which tends to prove or disprove something; ground for belief; proof. Intention An act of determining mentally upon some action or result; the end or object intended; purpose. Kinetic Relating to or resulting from motion. Regarding a work of art, it is where the intended effect of the art is dependent on movement. Multimedia The combined use of several media, as such sound, video, photography, music and movement, used together to form a single product. Myanmar A country is southeast Asia, formerly called Burma. Repertory A type of theatrical company or performing group that presents several works regularly or in alternating sequence. Also, a list of works that such a company is prepared to perform. Social Dancing Dancing performed by couples or by groups, usually as a form of recreation. Books Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Heinemann. 1958. Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. Americanah. Alfred A. Knopf. 2013. Davies, Carole Elizabeth Boyce, Editor. Encyclopedia of the African Diaspora: Origins, Experiences, and Culture. ABC-CLIO. 2008. Johnson, Charles R. Middle Passage. Atheneum Books. 1990. 10 Ronald K. Brown / EVIDENCE, A Dance Company njpac.org/education 11

njpac staff (partial lsiting) John R. Strangfeld, Chair, NJPAC Board of Directors John Schreiber, President & CEO Alison Scott-Williams, Vice President, Arts Education Jennifer Tsukayama, Assistant Vice President, Arts Education Operations Betsy True, Senior Director, Artistic Faculty & Curriculum Development Cathleen Plazas, Senior Director, Curriculum and Program Evaluation Mark Gross, Director, Jazz Instruction Jamie M. Mayer, Director, Curriculum & Professional Development Rosa Hyde, Senior Manager, SchoolTime & Assemblies Roneasha Bell, Manager, On-site and Community Programs Kyle Conner, Manager, Sales & Partnerships Victoria Revesz, Senior Manager, School and Community Programs Danielle Vauters, Manager, School and Summer Programs Ashley Miskoff, Coordinator, Faculty Evaluation and Training Raven Oppong-Boateng, Coordinator, Program Registration and Operations Daniel Silverstein, Coordinator, On-site and Community Programs Patricia Sweeting, Coordinator, Performances & Engagement Tara Baker, Administrative Assistant/Office Manager, Arts Education Denise Jackson, Administrative Assistant to the VP and AVP, Arts Education teacher resource guides The Writer s Circle, LLC: Judith Lindbergh, Michelle Cameron, Scott Caffrey, Chris Knapp the arts in your school Lia DiStefano, Graphic Design liadidadesign.com In-School Residencies: Drama + Social Studies. Dance + Math. It all adds up in NJPAC s In-School Residencies in which professional teaching artists partner with educators to bring the arts into the classroom. Each 7- to 10-week program culminates in a student performance or an interactive family workshop. All programs address state and national standards. NJPAC is the regional provider in New Jersey for international arts programs like the Wolf Trap Institute s Early Learning Through the Arts Program and Dancing Classrooms Global. Assemblies: NJPAC presents engaging school assembly programs that are presented by professional artists that invite students into the enchanting world of live performance. NJPAC s assembly series promotes cultural awareness and invigorates learning by presenting works that are connected to your s school s curriculum. study the arts at njpac Saturday Programs: NJPAC s Saturday programs are geared towards students at every level from those who dream of starring on Broadway to those who are still learning their scales. Students work with professional artists to build technique and develop their own creative style in film, contemporary modern dance, hip hop, jazz, musical theater and symphonic band. Summer Programs: Want to begin to explore the arts? Or immerse yourself in the study of one genre? Then join us at NJPAC next summer in one of seven programs that spark the creativity in every child through the study of music, dance and theater. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call our education sales team at 973.353.7058 or email artseducation@njpac.org. Visit www.njpac.org/education Generous support for Schooltime provided, in part, by NJPAC Arts Education programs are made possible through the generosity of our endowment donors: The Arts Education Endowment Fund in honor of Raymond C. Chambers, The Joan and Allen Bildner Family Fund, Albert and Katherine Merck, and The Sagner Family Foundation Generous annual support for NJPAC Arts Education Programs is provided by: NJ Advance Media/The Star-Ledger, McCrane Foundation, Inc., care of Margrit McCrane, John and Suzanne Willian/Goldman Sachs Gives, MCJ Amelior Foundation, Amy Liss, Jennifer A. Chalsty, Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies, Panasonic Corporation of America, and Atlantic, Tomorrow s Office, Stewart and Judy Colton