An interactive dance event at Akron’s Joy Park Community Center was all about building bridges Wednesday as Inlet Dance Theatre and the West African dance company from Djapo Cultural Arts Institute got kids involved with dance.
Twelve children watched performances by the dance companies, some shouting out in wonder as two male contemporary dancers from Inlet performed “Equals,” a superhuman balancing act reminiscent of Cirque du Soleil. The program ranged from the upbeat USO-themed “War Effort Eves” dance by Inlet to a fierce war dance performed by Christian Mintah and El-drick Aboagye, who hail from Ghana. Holding drumsticks as “weapons,” the men performed to the exciting rhythms of African drummers Durotimi Troy and Momar Mbaye.
The program, performed from the city of Akron’s showmobile in the parking lot, was the first of three new outreach events for the Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival. The free, three-week festival, which started this week with free beginner dance classes and Wednesday’s interactive event, will be capped with performances this weekend by Verb Ballets at Goodyear Metro Park.
The festival’s new interactive showmobile outreach component, presented in three Akron neighborhoods, is supported by a $10,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan stopped by before the show to welcome artistic directors Bill Wade of Inlet and Talise Campbell of Djapo to Akron and to say hi to the kids.
“You guys enjoy yourselves. Enjoy the dances,” he told a group of children from the Boys & Girls Club and the city’s Joy Park summer camp.
Campbell led the audience through some movement from their seats, including clapping their hands three times, crossing their arms to their shoulders, rocking their bodies and putting their hands in the air.
She yelled out the word “Ago!” from the Twi language in Ghana, meaning “are you listening?” and the kids yelled back “Ame!” — she had their attention. She talked about how the Atlantic Ocean separates the United States from Africa, and then introduced the “Mane” dance from Guinea, West Africa, which honors women.
“Epic! That was epic,” a boy yelled out when the high-energy dance, created by the Susu people, was over.
Inlet and Djapo, new to the Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival, also are teaching free children’s beginner dance classes at community centers each week, with upcoming classes 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday at Firestone Park Community Center and Aug. 10-12 at Forest Lodge Community Center.
The final number Wednesday was “The Root of it All,” a dance about racial identity that Inlet and Djapo created together through conversations about things they heard about race when they were growing up.
The dance, which depicts Black and white children coming together on a playground, includes recorded, spoken text by the dancers. Dancers ages 15 to 30 played frolicking kid characters full of joy, fun, curiosity and, at times, a little trepidation.
When the performance was over, kids were invited to come up and dance with the Inlet and Djapo professionals, with five youths dancing in a circle with them and also showing off some moves in the middle as the drumming went on.
Ending the hourlong program, Campbell intoned these words to the kids, which they repeated back: “Peace. Love. Respect. For everybody.”
Arts writer Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or kclawson@thebeaconjournal.com.
Details
Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival interactive events: 2 p.m. Wednesday at Patterson Park Community Center, 2 p.m. Aug. 11 at Summit Lake Community Center
Dance festival kickoff: Verb Ballets 8:45 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Goodyear Metro Park
More performances: GroundWorks Dance Theater 8:45 p.m. Aug. 6-7, Firestone Park; Dayton Contemporary Dance Company 8:45 p.m. Aug. 13-14, Forest Lodge Park
Cost: All events free
Information: akrondancefestival.org
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