Event

Culture

West Indian Folk Dance Company, Chicago IL
Proudly Presents Dance Season 2010 "Culture!":

Program Description
'Tomato'
This charming folkloric ballet tells the story of a young boy's flirtation, through the double entendre that is so characteristic of people of African descent. In the 'old days', many island ladies referred playfully to certain body parts as their 'tomatoes'. With the playful admonition 'please Mr., don't touch me tomatoes'the flirtation dance unfolds within a market scene, with young boys flirting with young girls in the market on their way home.

'Marley & A Million'
Mr. Alfred Baker premieres his new tribute to Bob Marley during Dance Season 2010. This lyrical piece is set to a medley of the rasta icon's best-loved music, with a fusion of traditional and contemporary choreography designed to spotlight the meaning behind those songs. Featured is a jazzy reggae-type of dance that people from upper-class Jamaica would also partake in, showing the other side of Marley & what his work means to the entire world, underscoring the global relevance of his message.

'Kumina"
This signature piece for WIFDC draws on a traditional W. African dance which was brought to Jamaica and celebrated by the Maroons. Variations of Kumina also surfaced in other communities throughout diaspora wherever Afro-descendants survived and were able to retain some connection to this homegoing, wake, or celebration of life tradition which has two meanings Spiritual and Celebration.