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GROUNDS THAT SHOUT!…and others merely shaking |
directed and produced by Gordon Dee Asaah in conjunction with choreographer and curator Reggie Wilson
|
DR. GORDON DIVINE "DEE" ASAAHGordon Divine "Dee" Asaah, Ph, is a filmmaker, education entrepreneur, writer, and researcher. As Founder and CEO of The Asaah Group, LLC, a corporate training and multimedia publishing company, Dee instructs entrepreneurs around the world how to design, package, market, and teach professional courses. He is also the co-founder and executive director of the Nawee Afrika Education Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit that supports African children, youth, and their families in Africa and the United States with educational programs and resources.
Dee’s interdisciplinary research interests straddle the fields of literacy and international educational development, education entrepreneurship, filmmaking, and neuroscience. For his doctoral dissertation, he partnered with a Philadelphia-based nonprofit to design and operationalize an online tutoring program during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic. The program paired tutors with middle and high school students across the U.S. |
REGGIE WILSON
Reggie Wilson is the curator of Grounds That Shout! (and others merely shaking), a series of performances in several Philadelphia historic sacred spaces. He is also the Executive and Artistic Director, Choreographer, and Performer a performer in Fist & Heel Performance Group. Wilson draws from the cultures of Africans in the Americas and combines them with post-modern elements and his own personal movement style to create what he often calls “post-African/Neo-HooDoo Modern dances.”
His work has been presented nationally and internationally at venues such as Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York Live Arts, and Summerstage (NYC), Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival (Lee, MA), Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (San Francisco), UCLA Live, and Redcat (Los Angeles), VSA NM (New Mexico), Myrna Loy (Helena, MT), The Flynn (Burlington, VT), Contemporary Arts Center (New Orleans), Dance Umbrella (Austin, TX), Linkfest and Festival e'Nkundleni (Zimbabwe), Dance Factory (South Africa), Danças na Cidade (Portugal), Festival Kaay Fecc (Senegal), The Politics of Ecstasy, and Tanzkongress 2013 (Germany). Wilson is a graduate of New York University, Tisch School of the Arts (1988, Larry Rhodes, Chair). He has studied composition and been mentored by Phyllis Lamhut; Performed and toured with Ohad Naharin before forming Fist and Heel. |
Wilson is also a 2002 BESSIE-New York Dance and Performance Award recipient for his work The Tie-tongued Goat and the Lightning Bug Who Tried to Put Her Foot Down and a 2002 John Simon Guggenheim Fellow. He has been an artist advisor for the National Dance Project and Board Member of Dance Theater Workshop. In recognition of his creative contributions to the field, Mr. Wilson was named a 2009 United States Artists Prudential Fellow and is a 2009 recipient of the Herb Alpert Award in Dance. |
FULL CREDITS
Support for Grounds that Shout! (and others merely shaking) film has been provided by the Center for Experimental Ethnography and CAMRA, and by Partners for Sacred Places by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage. The performance was presented by Partners for Sacred Places in collaboration with Philadelphia Contemporary and Danspace Project (NYC), with documentary support provided by CEE and CAMRA.
FILM TEAM
Director: Gordon Divine Assah
Assistant Director: Melisande Brie McLaughlin
Videographers: Gordon DivineAsaah, Juan Castrillón, Leonard Eisen, Alissa Jordan, Greta Lu, Melisande Brie McLaughlin, Farrah Rahaman, Fred Schmidt-Arenales, Melissa Skolnick-Noguera, Sosena Solomon, Leniqueca Welcome
Production Sound Recordist: Juan Castrillón
Producer: Gordon Divine Asaah
Producer: Deborah Thomas
Executive Producer: Deborah Thomas
Executive Producer: The Center for Experimental Ethnography at University of Pennsylvania
Co-Producers: Juan Castrillón and Melisande Brie McLaughli
CURATORIAL CREDITS (PERFORMANCES)
Curator: Reggie Wilson
Dramaturge: Arielle Julia Brown
Curatorial Advisor: Judy Hussie-Taylor
Advisors to the Curator: David Brick and Germaine Ingram
PRODUCTION CREDITS (PERFORMANCES)
Co-Producers: Kerry Bickford and Karen DiLossi
Production Manager: Robin Stamey
Advocate Stage Manager: Glynnis Nadel
Procession Stage Managers: Julia Bryck, Norah Scheinman, Raven Buck, and Christopher Kubat
Costumes: Natalia de la Torre and Jamie Grace-Duff
Sound: Toby Pettit
Advocate Lighting: Jojo Glodek
Procession Wardrobe Supervisor: Jem Rubin
Advocate and Mother Bethel Audio Engineer: Kollin Heyward
PERFORMANCES
Quiet Contemplation introduced by David Brick and led by Zephyr Saffron Matsushima Brick.
May I Enter the Space? Draws in part on Permit, a dance choreographed by David Brick, Andrew Simonet, and Amy Smith of Headlong Dance Theatre in 1993.
Souls a-Stirring performed by Germaine Ingram, Corinne Karon, Victor North, and Robyn Watson.
Music credits: “Jarena's Plea”, composed by Germaine Ingram and “Sit Down Servant”, a traditional gospel.
...they stood shaking while others began to shout performed by Hadar Ahuvia with Fist and Heel Performance Group including Rhetta Aleong, Yeman Brown, Paul Hamilton, Lawrence Harding, Michael Kouakou, Clement Mensah, Gabriela Silva, Annie Wang, Reggie Wilson, Michelle Yard, and Miles Yeung.
Music credits: Étoile de Dakar, El Hadji Faye & Eric M’Backe N’Doye; Sister Rosetta Tharpe; John Davis, Bessie Jones & St. Simon’s Island Singers; The Voices of East Harlem; Gladys Knight & The Pips; Henry Williams with Henry Thomas, Allan Lovelace, and George Roberts; Sidney Bourne with female chorus; Richie Havens; Grace Jones.
Special thanks: Kevin Hoover, Mike Inwood, Khrystyna Makhno, Aram Mouradian, Charlie Santella, and Kyle Yackoski
body ground performed by Meg Foley and Vitche-Bol Ra.
<fidget> Malo performed by Megan Bridge, Cameron Bridgers, Amelia Martinez, Camryn Mentzer, Lauren Mochnal, Rhonda Moore, Dawn Pratson, Mijkalena Smith, Cierra Woods, and Sheila Zagar.
Bell Ringers: Brian Grace Duff and Mike Inwood
...the bottom...up Catching Souls performed by Lela Aisha Jones and Papa Ed Stokes.
Soundscape: Anita Baker, Lalah Hathaway, Lela Aisha Jones, Kamasi Washington’s version of Claude Debussy’s “Clair de Lune”, Alex Shaw, Papa Ed Stokes, and Woodworkers of Old Pine Street Presbyterian Church
Artistic Collaborators: Muthi Reed, Alex Shaw, Papa Ed Stokes
Costume Consultation: Betty Leacraft and Natalia de la Torre
Costume/Set Design Construction: Betty Leacraft, Lela Aisa Jones, and Alex Shaw
Followspot Operator: Colin Sass
People; or What’s Left in the Grain curated & performed by Almanac Dance Circus Theatre Nathan Alford-Tate, Ben Grinberg, Desirée Hall, Adam Kerbel, and Mia Donata Rocchio. Poetry written & Performed by Sabriaya Shipley
sanctuary performed by Tania Isaac and the Mother Bethel Exalt and Praise Dancers led by Rhodesia Green and Kelly Yiadom.
Violin: Naomi Hyman
Voice: Jessica Davie of the Mother Bethel Choir
Text: Tania Isaac
Costumes: Natalia de la Torre
Selected Music:
“Beautiful African Music” by Farafi
“Fur Elise Reharmonization” by Dr. Certifiable
“Veronica” by Virgina Rodriguez
“Had I never known thee” (1858) by Thomas J. Martin (New Orleans)
Arranged and Edited by Rachel Barton Pine
Director: Gordon Divine Assah
Assistant Director: Melisande Brie McLaughlin
Videographers: Gordon DivineAsaah, Juan Castrillón, Leonard Eisen, Alissa Jordan, Greta Lu, Melisande Brie McLaughlin, Farrah Rahaman, Fred Schmidt-Arenales, Melissa Skolnick-Noguera, Sosena Solomon, Leniqueca Welcome
Production Sound Recordist: Juan Castrillón
Producer: Gordon Divine Asaah
Producer: Deborah Thomas
Executive Producer: Deborah Thomas
Executive Producer: The Center for Experimental Ethnography at University of Pennsylvania
Co-Producers: Juan Castrillón and Melisande Brie McLaughli
CURATORIAL CREDITS (PERFORMANCES)
Curator: Reggie Wilson
Dramaturge: Arielle Julia Brown
Curatorial Advisor: Judy Hussie-Taylor
Advisors to the Curator: David Brick and Germaine Ingram
PRODUCTION CREDITS (PERFORMANCES)
Co-Producers: Kerry Bickford and Karen DiLossi
Production Manager: Robin Stamey
Advocate Stage Manager: Glynnis Nadel
Procession Stage Managers: Julia Bryck, Norah Scheinman, Raven Buck, and Christopher Kubat
Costumes: Natalia de la Torre and Jamie Grace-Duff
Sound: Toby Pettit
Advocate Lighting: Jojo Glodek
Procession Wardrobe Supervisor: Jem Rubin
Advocate and Mother Bethel Audio Engineer: Kollin Heyward
PERFORMANCES
Quiet Contemplation introduced by David Brick and led by Zephyr Saffron Matsushima Brick.
May I Enter the Space? Draws in part on Permit, a dance choreographed by David Brick, Andrew Simonet, and Amy Smith of Headlong Dance Theatre in 1993.
Souls a-Stirring performed by Germaine Ingram, Corinne Karon, Victor North, and Robyn Watson.
Music credits: “Jarena's Plea”, composed by Germaine Ingram and “Sit Down Servant”, a traditional gospel.
...they stood shaking while others began to shout performed by Hadar Ahuvia with Fist and Heel Performance Group including Rhetta Aleong, Yeman Brown, Paul Hamilton, Lawrence Harding, Michael Kouakou, Clement Mensah, Gabriela Silva, Annie Wang, Reggie Wilson, Michelle Yard, and Miles Yeung.
Music credits: Étoile de Dakar, El Hadji Faye & Eric M’Backe N’Doye; Sister Rosetta Tharpe; John Davis, Bessie Jones & St. Simon’s Island Singers; The Voices of East Harlem; Gladys Knight & The Pips; Henry Williams with Henry Thomas, Allan Lovelace, and George Roberts; Sidney Bourne with female chorus; Richie Havens; Grace Jones.
Special thanks: Kevin Hoover, Mike Inwood, Khrystyna Makhno, Aram Mouradian, Charlie Santella, and Kyle Yackoski
body ground performed by Meg Foley and Vitche-Bol Ra.
<fidget> Malo performed by Megan Bridge, Cameron Bridgers, Amelia Martinez, Camryn Mentzer, Lauren Mochnal, Rhonda Moore, Dawn Pratson, Mijkalena Smith, Cierra Woods, and Sheila Zagar.
Bell Ringers: Brian Grace Duff and Mike Inwood
...the bottom...up Catching Souls performed by Lela Aisha Jones and Papa Ed Stokes.
Soundscape: Anita Baker, Lalah Hathaway, Lela Aisha Jones, Kamasi Washington’s version of Claude Debussy’s “Clair de Lune”, Alex Shaw, Papa Ed Stokes, and Woodworkers of Old Pine Street Presbyterian Church
Artistic Collaborators: Muthi Reed, Alex Shaw, Papa Ed Stokes
Costume Consultation: Betty Leacraft and Natalia de la Torre
Costume/Set Design Construction: Betty Leacraft, Lela Aisa Jones, and Alex Shaw
Followspot Operator: Colin Sass
People; or What’s Left in the Grain curated & performed by Almanac Dance Circus Theatre Nathan Alford-Tate, Ben Grinberg, Desirée Hall, Adam Kerbel, and Mia Donata Rocchio. Poetry written & Performed by Sabriaya Shipley
sanctuary performed by Tania Isaac and the Mother Bethel Exalt and Praise Dancers led by Rhodesia Green and Kelly Yiadom.
Violin: Naomi Hyman
Voice: Jessica Davie of the Mother Bethel Choir
Text: Tania Isaac
Costumes: Natalia de la Torre
Selected Music:
“Beautiful African Music” by Farafi
“Fur Elise Reharmonization” by Dr. Certifiable
“Veronica” by Virgina Rodriguez
“Had I never known thee” (1858) by Thomas J. Martin (New Orleans)
Arranged and Edited by Rachel Barton Pine
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