ronald k. brown/evidence with jason moran and the bandwagon: working rehearsal
DESCRIPTION
Kennedy Center Artistic Director for Jazz Jason Moran and celebrated choreographer Ronald K. Brown bring together their respective ensembles—Brown’s Evidence, A Dance Company and Moran’s Bandwangon jazz trio—for a performance of dance and live music. Program pieces include The Subtle One, Why You Follow, March, and an excerpt from One Shot.TRANSCRIPT
WORKING REHEARSAL
BELLOWS, A SOLO FROM ONE SHOT (2007) Music by Ahmad Jamal and Mary Lou Williams
Jason Moran and The Bandwagon perform live during this dance tribute to photographer Charles “Teenie” Harris who documented African American life in Pittsburgh from 1936–1975. During his career, Harris took close to 80,000 photographs. Moved by these images, Brown choreographed this solo dance about one’s dedication to work or calling. The title Bellows was chosen carefully by Brown. A “bellow” (noun) pushes air into a fire. It can either fan the flames making them more intense, or snuff them out. In addition, when a person “bellows” (verb), they speak in a loud voice, perhaps in anger. Think about:
Photo of Ronald K. Brown by Julieta Cervantes.
Brown’s mission is “to promote understanding of the human experience…through music,
movement, and spoken word…into issues of spirituality,
community responsibility, and liberation.”
WHY YOU FOLLOW with Arcell Cabuag and Coral Dolphin. Photo by Ayodele Casel.
• why Brown said Harris’s photos “bellow with beauty.”
• whether the dance could be described the same way.
To hear Jason Moran talk about his work and music, check
out: artsedge.kennedy-center.org/
kc-connections
JASON + RONALD K. BROWN/ EVIDENCE
David M. Rubenstein Chairman
Deborah F. Rutter President
Mario R. Rossero Senior Vice President, Education
Jason Moran Artistic Director for Jazz
Jason + Ronald K. Brown is presented with the support of
Support for this working rehearsal is made possible by Mr. James V. Kimsey; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; and the U.S. Department of Education.
Major support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by David and Alice Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.
Kennedy Center education and related artistic programming is made possible through the generosity of the National Committee for the Performing Arts and the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts.
www.kennedy-center.org/artsedge Cuesheets are produced by ArtsEdgE, an education program of the Kennedy Center.
Learn more about Education at the Kennedy Center at www.kennedy-center.org/education
The contents of this Cuesheet have been developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education but do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education. You should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
© 2015 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
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Ronald K. Brown chose the name EVIDENCE for his dance company for a good reason—to honor those who have impacted his life: family, teachers, friends, and other role models. And even though some of these people have passed on, Brown believes their souls are still present. His work is evidence of their powerful influence as he combines African and contemporary dance with storytelling.
About the Working Rehearsal
A KENNEDY CENTER COMMISSION: THE SUBTLE ONE (2015) Music by Jason Moran and Tarus Mateen When Brown choreographs, he first finds the music he wants to use and then improvises
movements while listening to it. His creative energy flows when he gets in “the zone,” letting movement ideas come from the music. For “The Subtle One,” however, Brown joined forces with Jason Moran and the resulting dance represents their collaborative energy. To complement Jason Moran’s piano-based jazz and experimental sounds for The Subtle One, (a reference to Allah), Brown came up with arm movements that look like fluttering wings. He wondered why this motion felt right for the work until he read a poem from a departed friend about angels. The poem was like a message—helping Brown understand the meaning behind the dance. Moran and his troupe The Bandwagon will perform live on stage with EVIDENCE.
The Bandwagon features Jason Moran on piano (center), Tarus Mateen (right) on bass, and Nasheet Waits (left) on drums. Photo by Clay Patrick McBride
During the working rehearsal, watch and listen for: • these wing-like movements.
• how Brown blends ballet turns with the fluid torso movements seen in African dance.
• the changing moods inspired by live jazz music.
• electronic sounds layered over the piano, bass, and drums.
WHY YOU FOLLOW (2014) Music by Zap Mama, Gordheaven & Juliano, Allenko Brotherhood, and Heavy Quarterz In Why You Follow, Brown explores the relationships we have with our elders and why we choose paths similar to those of our parents and teachers. The dance expresses that in order to lead, we must first learn to follow. Watch and listen for:
• one dancer acting like an usher or shepherd, moving behind the others and guiding them to make good choices.
• movement that accompanies the music’s Afro-Cuban rhythms. This dance consists of four short movements: “Open Heart,” “Commitment,” “The Path,” and “Faithfully Forward.”
MARCH (1995) The Civil Rights Movement is the backdrop for March along with a specific speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. about the value of all human life and an individual’s choice between action and inaction. Dancers portray people who are angry because they do not feel valued. Brown wants them to “take up arms” and fight for what is right, but to use love and compassion as their weapons. Watch for:
• how walking is used to “move” from anger to awareness.
• how two women find support through their partnering.
• a gesture at the end where one dancer waves an imaginary flag of surrender. She is giving up fighting alone against the world, realizing we must work together for change.
THE SUBTLE ONE with Arcell Cabuag, Shayla Cadwell, Annique Roberts. Photo by Ayodele Casel.
“…So subtle are the wings of angels, you may not realize they’ve come and gone,” from Alan Harris’s poem that inspired The Subtle One.
• moments when dancers walk alone. Brown believes none of us are alone; we walk surrounded by the spirits and energy of passed loved ones.
Ronald K. Brown chose the name EVIDENCE for his dance company for a good reason—to honor those who have impacted his life: family, teachers, friends, and other role models. And even though some of these people have passed on, Brown believes their souls are still present. His work is evidence of their powerful influence as he combines African and contemporary dance with storytelling.
About the Working Rehearsal
A KENNEDY CENTER COMMISSION: THE SUBTLE ONE (2015) Music by Jason Moran and Tarus Mateen When Brown choreographs, he first finds the music he wants to use and then improvises
movements while listening to it. His creative energy flows when he gets in “the zone,” letting movement ideas come from the music. For “The Subtle One,” however, Brown joined forces with Jason Moran and the resulting dance represents their collaborative energy. To complement Jason Moran’s piano-based jazz and experimental sounds for The Subtle One, (a reference to Allah), Brown came up with arm movements that look like fluttering wings. He wondered why this motion felt right for the work until he read a poem from a departed friend about angels. The poem was like a message—helping Brown understand the meaning behind the dance. Moran and his troupe The Bandwagon will perform live on stage with EVIDENCE.
The Bandwagon features Jason Moran on piano (center), Tarus Mateen (right) on bass, and Nasheet Waits (left) on drums. Photo by Clay Patrick McBride
During the working rehearsal, watch and listen for: • these wing-like movements.
• how Brown blends ballet turns with the fluid torso movements seen in African dance.
• the changing moods inspired by live jazz music.
• electronic sounds layered over the piano, bass, and drums.
WHY YOU FOLLOW (2014) Music by Zap Mama, Gordheaven & Juliano, Allenko Brotherhood, and Heavy Quarterz In Why You Follow, Brown explores the relationships we have with our elders and why we choose paths similar to those of our parents and teachers. The dance expresses that in order to lead, we must first learn to follow. Watch and listen for:
• one dancer acting like an usher or shepherd, moving behind the others and guiding them to make good choices.
• movement that accompanies the music’s Afro-Cuban rhythms. This dance consists of four short movements: “Open Heart,” “Commitment,” “The Path,” and “Faithfully Forward.”
MARCH (1995) The Civil Rights Movement is the backdrop for March along with a specific speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. about the value of all human life and an individual’s choice between action and inaction. Dancers portray people who are angry because they do not feel valued. Brown wants them to “take up arms” and fight for what is right, but to use love and compassion as their weapons. Watch for:
• how walking is used to “move” from anger to awareness.
• how two women find support through their partnering.
• a gesture at the end where one dancer waves an imaginary flag of surrender. She is giving up fighting alone against the world, realizing we must work together for change.
THE SUBTLE ONE with Arcell Cabuag, Shayla Cadwell, Annique Roberts. Photo by Ayodele Casel.
“…So subtle are the wings of angels, you may not realize they’ve come and gone,” from Alan Harris’s poem that inspired The Subtle One.
• moments when dancers walk alone. Brown believes none of us are alone; we walk surrounded by the spirits and energy of passed loved ones.
WORKING REHEARSAL
BELLOWS, A SOLO FROM ONE SHOT (2007) Music by Ahmad Jamal and Mary Lou Williams
Jason Moran and The Bandwagon perform live during this dance tribute to photographer Charles “Teenie” Harris who documented African American life in Pittsburgh from 1936–1975. During his career, Harris took close to 80,000 photographs. Moved by these images, Brown choreographed this solo dance about one’s dedication to work or calling. The title Bellows was chosen carefully by Brown. A “bellow” (noun) pushes air into a fire. It can either fan the flames making them more intense, or snuff them out. In addition, when a person “bellows” (verb), they speak in a loud voice, perhaps in anger. Think about:
Photo of Ronald K. Brown by Julieta Cervantes.
Brown’s mission is “to promote understanding of the human experience…through music,
movement, and spoken word…into issues of spirituality,
community responsibility, and liberation.”
WHY YOU FOLLOW with Arcell Cabuag and Coral Dolphin. Photo by Ayodele Casel.
• why Brown said Harris’s photos “bellow with beauty.”
• whether the dance could be described the same way.
To hear Jason Moran talk about his work and music, check
out: artsedge.kennedy-center.org/
kc-connections
JASON + RONALD K. BROWN/ EVIDENCE
David M. Rubenstein Chairman
Deborah F. Rutter President
Mario R. Rossero Senior Vice President, Education
Jason Moran Artistic Director for Jazz
Jason + Ronald K. Brown is presented with the support of
Support for this working rehearsal is made possible by Mr. James V. Kimsey; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; and the U.S. Department of Education.
Major support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by David and Alice Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.
Kennedy Center education and related artistic programming is made possible through the generosity of the National Committee for the Performing Arts and the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts.
www.kennedy-center.org/artsedge Cuesheets are produced by ArtsEdgE, an education program of the Kennedy Center.
Learn more about Education at the Kennedy Center at www.kennedy-center.org/education
The contents of this Cuesheet have been developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education but do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education. You should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
© 2015 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Cuesheet P
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RM
AN
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UID
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