Chimurenga (Strrugle, Cry, Revolution)
“I’m a child of violence, I’m a child of trauma, I’m a child of resistance…” says Nora Chipaumire in her award-winning piece Chimurenga,
in which she embodies personal and collective memories of the second
war of liberation – Chimurenga Chechipiri (1965-1980) – in her native
Zimbabwe. Floating between feelings of anger (throwing stones at the
oppressor, or repeating offensive terms which her people are called,
such as kaffirs, blackies, and monkeys, to mention just a few) and
profoundness (evoking the colour of the red African soil, silently
laying her head on the ground in a gesture of prayer), she whispers,
smiles, cries, shouts, and chants, alternating between English and the
Shona language. Full of sensuality and intensity, the piece celebrates
dance and its healing powers. Milijana Babić
Choreography, performance, costumes: Nora Chipaumire; Music, sound
installation: Alex Potts; Additional music: Shumba by Thomas Mapfumo
and The Blacks Unlimited; Light design: David
Robertson, Nora Chipaumire; Film: Chantal Buard, Kristin Tieche;
Technical director: Olivier Clausse; Supported by: Doris Duke
Charitable Foundation, National Dance Project of the New England
Foundation for the Arts, Ford Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation,
JP Morgan Chase Foundation, MetLife Foundation; Organization: City of
Women; In collaboration with: Old Power Station;
Nora Chipaumire will give a master class on Thursday, 15th
October from noon until 1.30 p.m. in the Old Power Station – SMEEL. Participation free of charge. For professional dancers only. Application at: info@emanat.si until 14th October.
Organization: Emanat Institute; In collaboration with: City of Women and the Old Power Station.
After the performance City of Women invites you to the party
with DJ BRAT & SESTRA (Slovenia), at 10.30 p.m. in Menza pri koritu, AKC Metelkova City.