COBA: Collective of Black Artists - Public Energy Performing Arts (2024)

COBA (Collective of Black Artists)is Canada’s leading dance company blending traditional Afro-Caribbean dance and music with contemporary themes and dance styles. With a full company of 12 dancers and musicians on stage, their show serves as a vibrant window on black culture. Since its founding in 1993, COBA has dedicated itself to presenting the Black experience through African and Afro-Caribbean traditions, rituals and folklore, as well as new choreography inspired by themes from the African Diaspora.

The featured work on the program will beGriot’s Jive – Stillchoreographed by Eddison Lindsay.“Lindsay’s piece is a sucker punch, starting with lighter fare before dealing a deadly blow. The work begins with an amusing sequence involving a monolithic bouncer frisking patrons as they enter a dance club. Some lively social dancing follows, including an eye-catching break-dance … The sudden sounds of gun fire brings hysteria and chaos, and an abrupt end to Bob Marley’s toe- tapping party music.”Paula Citron, Globe & Mail.

A vibrant meeting of old and new… Canada’s leading performers of dance and music from the African Diaspora.

COBA
Friday, November 28, 8pm
Showplace Performance Centre
290 George Street North
tickets $18/$12
to reserve call 705 742-7469

phone 745-1788 oremailfor more information

ILLUSTRATED TALK & DISCUSSION
with
COBA
Collective of Black Artists

featuring performers from the company and
Eddison B. Lindsay, choreographer, dancer, co-founder

FRI, NOV. 21, 3-5 PM
WENJACK THEATRE, TRENT U.

An introduction to the music, dance, cultural history and choreographic process of Toronto-based COBA, one of Canada’s leading companies devoted to making new work and preserving the traditions of African and Caribbean dance and music.

The talk will focus on COBA’s multi-media dance work Griot’s Jive, a work that looks at the rise of violence in our society, specifically among black youth. Created in collaboration with the mothers of UMOVE (United Mothers Opposing Violence Everywhere), it features both traditional and contemporary dance and music, as well as videotaped testimonies from the mothers. Griot’s Jive is an emotionally charged work which critic Paula Citron (Globe & Mail) called “a sucker punch”. Audience members will see Griot’s Jive on video, hear the choreographer talk about its making and engage in discussion with the choreographer and some of the performers about the artistic and social issues the work raises.

CLASS IN AFRICAN & CARIBBEAN DANCE TO FOLLOW ON THE WENJACK STAGE. ALL LEVELS WELCOME

Company

Public Energy gratefully acknowledges the generous support of our 2023-24 Season Funders and Sponsors.

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