African dance-and-drum group parties at its lively fund-raiser.
By Nancy G. Heller, For The Inquirer
These folks know how to throw a party. To celebrate its 40th anniversary, Kulu Mele, Philadelphia’s oldest African dance-and-drum ensemble, held a fund-raising gala Friday at the New Freedom Theatre with a program so rich it could easily have been stretched over two evenings.
Every successful party needs a skillful host, and holding together the disparate elements of this program (three short dance numbers, a poetry recitation, a documentary film, and the ostensible highlight: Mali Sadjo, a traditional West African dance drama that company members learned during a two-week residency in Guinea in December) was Chuck Davis, who established his own African-dance ensemble in New York City in 1968. Davis served as a brilliant MC, his regal bearing enhanced by colorful robes, and his deep, James-Earl-Jonesian voice lending additional authority to everything he said.
At first, it was difficult to understand what the identical-twin brothers identified simply as Al and Ninamdi (the printed program left out a great deal of important information) were doing on the bill. But their riveting performance of poems dealing with the problems facing black youngsters in 21st-century urban America underscored the evening’s overall theme of respect – for oneself, one’s history, and one’s community.
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