Exhilarating modern dance performance that explores Caribbean culture
8:00 p.m. Curator Talk | 8:30 p.m. Performance
The Museum is thrilled to host world-renowned Trinidadian dancer and choreographer, Makeda Thomas, on August 16. During this 40-minute performance in Fusco Grand Hall, Thomas and two dancers from her company will perform a captivating modern dance titled The Light Fantastical, a contemporary exploration of Caribbean culture through dance. This improvisational piece is imbued with metaphor for art and technology that comes out of Afrofuturist culture—or more appropriately, “Caribbean Futurisms.” It considers how Caribbean cultural forms navigate time and space, and innovate new histories, sciences, and aesthetics. As part of the performance, the Museum’s Fusco Grand Hall will be transformed into a space that will pull viewers into The Light!
The Light Fantastical will be preceded by a special 20-minute performance by professional dancers from Wilmington’s own Pieces of a Dream Dance Company. A long time artistic partner with the Museum, Pieces of a Dream is dedicated to exploring contemporary societal issues through the medium of dance.
About Makeda Thomas
“The postmodern African Diasporan dancer-scholar whose work goes beyond stereotype and the market appetite for clichés regarding the black dancing body.” Trinidadian artist Makeda Thomas’ choreography, films and site-specific work has been presented internationally, including at HARLEM Stage/Aaron Davis Hall, The Brooklyn Museum of Art, New York Live Arts, Teatro Africa, the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Queens Hall, and Teatro de la Ciudad. Thomas has received awards and commissions from Creative Capital, Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, and 651 ARTS Black Dance: Tradition & Transformation, among others. She lives and works in Port of Spain and Brooklyn.