Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, the artistic director of Urban Bush Women, will join two members of her troupe of dancers, singers and musicians in presenting the 1998 Abramowitz Memorial Lecture on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 8pm in Kresge Auditorium as part of a three-day artist residency at the Institute. The event is free and open to the public.
"Survival Through Cultural Traditions" will focus on the creative process and the use of materials from African-American culture and folklore in performance. The lecture-demonstration will be led by Ms. Zollar, with dancer Ganelle Sherrod and dancer/percussionist Kwame Ross, all of whom will be working with MIT theater and dance students during the November 5-7 residency. Some of these students will also participate on stage in the November 7 program.
Founded by Ms. Zollar in 1984, Urban Bush Women uses its interdisciplinary style to explore the struggles and survival of the human spirit. The company considers social issues through dance/theater works, collaborating on choreography and vocal treatments to build a powerful sense of community that speaks to a broad audience.
The Urban Bush Women group has performed throughout the United States and Europe, winning several honors and awards, including the 1994 Capezio Award.
The Abramowitz Lecture Series was established at MIT through the generosity of William L. Abramowitz (SB 1935) as a memorial to his father. Since 1961, the series has brought renowned performing artists and writers to MIT to present free public performances and lectures and collaborate with MIT students.
For more information, call x3-4003.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on October 28, 1998.
