Afaliah Tribune
dance
"...we witness herstories in a visceral storytelling that felt familiar. I found myself in a constant call and response between performer and audience, an interchange that felt connected to the Akan tradition of Sankofa, which translates to “go back and fetch it” and has been taught to me as a way of looking to the past to move through the present. The performance conjured deep-seated memories of the legacy of Black women who have made social and political movement through art and beyond."- The Dance Enthusiast
Founded in 2010, Brooklyn-based Afaliah Tribune Dance is a contemporary modern dance company that infuses Hip Hop, House, and West African dance forms. Because of her musical background Afaliah infuses live music, and originally composed Hip Hop production, mixed in real time by professional DJs as integral components to the creative process and in live performances. Afaliah Tribune Dance investigates themes of Social justice and Women’s Empowerment to instigate a dialogue between the audience and the performer about what art is, and also what the role of an artist should be in society.
Tunu Thom in "Pathology" from Bigger Than Hip Hop
Repertory
JDILLATIZED (2009)
Jdillatized is a contemporary dance work dedicated to the music of the late and legendary Hip Hop Producer James "JDilla" Yancey, who emerged from the mid 1990’s Hip Hop scene. He was one of the music industry’s most influential artists working with big name artists including Erykah Badu, Busta Rhymes and Janet Jackson. It is set to music by and inspired by JDilla and features remixed tunes and a live DJ who performs throughout the piece.
Music: Miguel Atwood Ferguson, The Roots, A Tribe Called Quest.
Running Time: 30 Minutes
Latoya Hall and Afaliah Tribune in
"Cognitive Dissonance" from
Bigger Than Hip Hop
BIGGER THAN HIP HOP (2014)
Bigger Than Hip Hop consists of performance suites in which America’s past as it relates to slavery and Jim Crow is compared to current events of police brutality. Inspired by Dr. Joy DeGruy's book Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome and Spike Lee’s “Do The Right Thing, Bigger Than Hip Hop explores the underlining impact of slavery and Jim Crow on modern society and Hip-Hop
Music: Original Musical Score by Hip Hop Producer Jonathan "JSwif" Tribune
Original Songwriting by Anita Purcell
Running Time: 45 Minutes
7 Deadly MC’s (2016)
7 Deadly MC’s is a series of seven solos that celebrate the feminine presence in rap music and highlights the vocabulary and spirit of the female rapper bravado. Music features rappers such as Roxanne Shante, Lauryn Hill, Jean Grae, Bahamadia, Lil Kim and Nicki Minaj. Lyrics and pop culture are examined and the audience participation is encouraged during the “live cypher”. This piece features a live DJ and a live graffiti artist who creates an original piece during each show.
Running Time 40 Minutes
Something Like Freedom (2019)
Something Like Freedom is an exploration of one’s growth into womanhood. Struggling, feeling lost and hopeless, and wanting more are often part of that process. Opening with an excerpt of Nina Simone’s Feeling Good, the piece uses “feeling good” as a show of understanding that there might be more to life than what there is right now. The rest of the piece is a journey through the ups and downs of what it takes to feel good.
Running Time 40 Minutes