Fela...Celebrating (a) Movement

I can't really explain the impact of African music in and on my life, but this whole Fela rejuvenation is over the top! I have been in love with many aspects of African Arts and Culture for many years. I am happy to see so many people sharing in that love nowadays. I guess I have gone through different phases of loving African Music. For a long time I thought I was a part of an exclusive group of music lovers. I am so glad and excited to know that folks are feeling what I been feeling!

As a movement artist I think its a part of my job to know music; so I try to listen to all kinds of music. I mean ALL kinds, from super traditional music from all over the world to some of the latest contemporary music. The music and rhythm are important, it has to move me. My movement work is spirit-led. In order for me to connect to the song I have to be able to close my eyes and see movement and color and get all tingly. Since I've gotten older and  my body is changing, my dance has changed too. I am more in tune with what my body wants and needs spiritually, so the analysis of the type of music I am exposed to has heightened. I don't listen to mainstream radio. My eight year-old knows more of that stuff than I do and she is only allowed to listen to the radio for about an hour a week. She loves African music and is hooked. So I have no problem there.

It seems recently that, the revival of folks loving Fela's music, has grown at a feverish pace. DJ's are expanding their repetroires, with the Afro-beat upsurge. Contemporary dancer's are tuning their bodies to the rhythm of the continent. Artist's are paying homage to the beauty of the hues, colors and shapes of everything that's Africa. Singer's are challenging themselves by changing the lyrical play of vocal standards. Fashion is influenced, in every aspect. Of course none of this is new. Now Average folk are being exposed to the energy and movement of Africa thanks to FELA! the broadway show thats getting rave reviews and winning awards and touring the world. I won't be surprised if it ends up being a permenent show on the Las Vegas strip.

This show has gotten under so many peoples skin, I never expected it to come close to Atlanta. So when I heard it was playing live in HD just up the road in Macon, I flipped! I called my folks and we hopped on the road. To our surprise it was not well attended and showed in a small obscure theater. We loved it! The energy surrounding it and the reception it has gotten from audiences everywhere is phenomenal. My little one enjoyed the London cast, she was becoming a Fela fan. I didn't know how much until the tickets went on sale for a run in Atlanta. A girlfriend, sent an email blast that she could get a group rate and we could pay her later for our tickets. I was all over that! Not to mention, I'd been asked to bring my group, Guerilla Dance Project to perform for the annual Spreadlove Felabration party with DJ Kemit. Of course this is during the same weekend, err day that we were going to see the show! It was confirmed later that members of the cast and the band Antibalas were going to come through also and perform. This was way too much.

I wasn't prepared for the impact that weekend would have on my child. So she sat through rehearsals and me creating and jamming to Fela. She celebrated her love for the music and food of Nigeria, in a pre-show with a Nigerian artist. She ate fufu and listened to Afro-beat, she was in heaven. All at the same time she was getting excited to go to the production. She accompanied me to the event venue for the soundcheck and the introduction of Fela Anikulapo Kuti's spirit to the space before the show. She helped me to decide the outfit for Guerilla Dance Project. And I am sure she felt my anxiety with such a full night ahead of me. We got packed, put on our dots and headed for FELA! at the Atlanta Civic Center. She even had me put dots on her doll who accompanied her to the show.


The show was awesome, just the boost I needed to continue the celebration of one of the most prolific artists of our time. It was perfect that this was the same cast that we saw in HD. My kid was mesmerized. She had decided on the best parts, her most favorite part and the saddest part. We agreed that we had to go back and see it again! I went to Spreadlove pumped. Our night was electric as we entered the stage alongside Darryl Reeves band. We exited and the Queens from FELA! came on with Sahr, who plays Fela. The crowd went bananas! Not sure how we ended up on stage with them albeit briefly, they had to usher us off. Watching them and meetng them gave us the added momentum to go back and close the show. It was amazing, Sandra Isadore came on stage and danced with me and my sister during our duet! I was so suped up I forgot to get a autograph for my baby. I picked her up and we prayed for a ticket to the Sunday show. I even posted it on Facebook. We were blessed with fourth row seats for the final show on Sunday. After the show, she decided that Sahr was her crush and went about the theatre lookng for him.

Since then my daughter has been singing,dancing and reciting the show. Can you imagine an eight year-old saying, in her best Nigerian accent "what iz dis?" and "it was an Egungun, talking to me."  Of course her favorite dancing part, "one o'clock. two o'clock...six and nine!" She wants to follow the show (every city, if she could), she has to see it again. So I have to make it happen before the tour ends. Quietly, I want to see it again too.