Urban Bush Women Overview

As the paradoxical name suggests, the dance troupe Urban Bush Women combines the spiritual elements of traditional African and Caribbean dance, song, and music with contemporary, Western dance forms. Artistic director Jawole Willa Jo Zollar describes UBW as "an ensemble dedicated... [more]

As the paradoxical name suggests, the dance troupe Urban Bush Women combines the spiritual elements of traditional African and Caribbean dance, song, and music with contemporary, Western dance forms. Artistic director Jawole Willa Jo Zollar describes UBW as "an ensemble dedicated to using cultural expression as a catalyst for social change." Armed with an arsenal of cultural history, Urban Bush Women is not afraid to tackle issues of racism, sexism, or homophobia. Zollar's choreographic approach incorporates improvisation into both the creative process and performance. She views improvisation as a tradition of both African music and African American jazz, and she uses it as a tool to alter group dynamics during creative processes. Every dancer creates movements for a dance, so the traditional hierarchy of choreographer over dancer is disrupted. Zollar borrows the political term "collective individualism" to describe process and finds improvisation a "spiritual philosophy, as well as a movement tool." Content equals form in the work of Urban Bush Women: they make dances about communities as a community. UBW often invites the audience to dance onstage after a performance, breaking the theatrical "fourth wall" that usually separates audiences from performers. Their sense of community extends into a larger arena in UBW's workshops, which teach improvisation as a tool for educational reform and social change. The goal is to empower the disenfranchised through creativity and culture. Just because the work is political doesn't mean it's not fun, however. Some pieces are joyful explosions of dance, poetry, and song. The piece "Batty Moves" is the UBW's version of Sir Mix-a-Lot;'s hip-hop tune "Baby got Back." Referring to the Jamaican slang term for "the butt," the dance showcases serious booty shaking in a tribute to the prominent hip and pelvic movements of Afro-Caribbean dance. "Batty Moves" is a celebration of cultural heritage, femininity, and individual physique. Indeed, Urban Bush Women represent identity politics at their most delicious. [show less]