Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on June 14, 2022

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Courtesy Amara Arts

Amara Arts dancer Samantha Madison performs choreography by Danny Reise. Amara Arts will perform at the Riverfront Times Art AFair on June 23.

I just came out of grad school, so Im in this very experimental mode, founder Charis Railey says. Weve got a fun interactive segment planned as well that plays with the idea of conversation between audience, dancer and the art experience thats being created by us all.

Like much of the St. Louis dance companys work, its informative and interactive and blurs the divide between performer and audience. True to the roots of Afro-diasporic dances, the wall between spectator and performer is permeable, Railey says. While European performance art traditions encourage passive spectating from audiences, African art traditions empower viewers to connect and contribute to the performance.

The Atlantic slave trade stole more than 12 million people from a dizzying array of cultures across the African continent to live and work in unspeakable conditions up and down the Americas, creating the Afro-American diaspora. Reaching back across the ocean to remember and adapt homeland traditions to their new environment helped Africans survive in the New World.

Afro-descendants emerged from generations of slavery and discrimination in the New World with an expansive collection of dances to promote wellness and resilience. From hip hop and salsa to samba and tap dancing, these art forms reflect community and strength in spite of historical circumstances, Railey says.

Informed by Railey's background in anthropology and the Dunham technique, Amara Arts interweaves this history throughout its performances. Created by Katherine Dunham and inspired by her anthropological work, the Dunham technique heavily incorporates elements of African and Afro-Caribbean dance. Dunham's work broke barriers by blending performance art with cultural understanding, an approach Charis emulates.

Ive got a heavy focus on learning the original context, culture and history of a dance before putting it in my context, she says. This approach allows the audience to understand and connect with the dances. Charis fondly recalls some audience members telling her after a show that we dont speak Portuguese and dont know anything about Samba, but we felt the weight of what you were doing.

Amara Arts tours throughout the St. Louis area and surrounding regions such as Indiana and Illinois, performing in venues from birthday parties to cultural celebrations, inspired by the feedback they receive.

I like the performances where I get to connect and see how its affecting people, Charis says. Hopefully, after the performance theyll find someone to take dance classes with and continue listening to the music and dancing in their living rooms.

Catch Amara Arts at the Riverfront Times Art AFair on Thursday, June 23. Tickets cost $25 online and at the door. Read more about it here.

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St. Louis Company Amara Arts Showcases Dance of the African Diaspora - Riverfront Times

Category: Diaspora
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