Shared Evening: B.S. Movement & Jumatatu Poe
MACHINE AFFECT
by: BS Movement (Shaina Branfman & Bryan Strimpel)
Our instinctual nature tends to be concerned less with compassion and more with connection…” Machine Affect brings its viewer to the point of intersection between abstract physical design and the range of human response.
B.S. Movement is a body of people researching the function of physical design and its relationship to the human empathetic response. Through ongoing class and performance, the collective shares and probes further into their philosophy: No matter our differences; we all move, so we are all the same.
LET ‘IM MOVE YOU
by: Jumatatu Poe
Let ‘im Move You: This is a Success is a continuation of Jumatatu’s work with and around J-Sette movement vocabulary and performance aesthetics. Jumatatu and Jermone Donte Beacham, collaborators since 2011, explored notions of African-American exceptionalism as expressed through middle class, Black American values reiterated in the J-Sette form. This duet explored the artists’ respective relationships to Blackness, gender and queerness through movement and living experiences. In Let ‘im Move You, Jumatatu uses the duet with Donte as a launchpad into a new work with William Robinson, with whom Jumatatu has worked since 2010. The two respective duets will inform a larger group work to come, in which Jumatatu and three performers from Philadelphia & NYC will come together with Donte and three of his squad members from Dallas and Jackson (MS).
Jumatatu Poe is a choreographer and performer based between Philadelphia and New York City.
I grew up dancing around the living room and at parties with my siblings and cousins. My early exposure to concert dance was through African dance and capoeira performances on California college campuses where my parents studied and worked, but I did not start formal dance training until college with Umfundalai, Kariamu Welsh’s contemporary African dance technique. My work continues to be influenced by various sources, including my foundations in those living rooms and parties, my early technical training in contemporary African dance, my continued study of contemporary dance and performance, and my recent sociological research of and technical training in J-setting with Donte Beacham. I produce dance and performance work with idiosynCrazy productions, a company I founded in 2008 and now co-direct with Shannon Murphy. Since 2012, I have been engaged in a shared, multi-tiered performance practice with NYC-based dance artist Jesse Zaritt. Previously, I have danced with Marianela Boán, Silvana Cardell, Emmanuelle Hunyh, Tania Isaac, Kun- Yang Lin, C. Kemal Nance, Marissa Perel, Leah Stein, Keith Thompson, Kate Watson-Wallace, and Kariamu Welsh (as a member of Kariamu & Company). As a performer, I also collaborate with Merián Soto. I am an Assistant Professor of Dance at Swarthmore College.
Jermone Donte Beacham – Dancing has been in my blood since I can remember. It started off with hip hop dancing for my high school when I began to notice my skill. After doing that for 4 years, I was introduced to the world of J-Setting, but by women. J-Sette historically refers to Jackson State’s University’s female drill team that began in the 1970s. They “created” the dance style, and thus far have made it a distinctive form of dance. I was interested in this type of dance, but not entirely until I saw a group of males performing it. At that point, I claimed the style for myself and perfected it on my body. I began solo and eventually joined and initiated different groups. Currently, I have my own J-Sette line, Mystic Force (initiated in Jackson, MS, currently in Dallas, TX), and plan to increase our renown in this style of dance in our community, and eventually internationally. Previously, I served as co-captain of Dallas’ Texas Teasers. I have participated and competed in several events and competitions, including 2 SetteItOff video challenges, Atlanta Pride 2010, Tennessee Classics 2009, and Memphis Pride 2008. In 2015, I was named New Legendary by the Meet Me On the Dance Floor J-Sette council. Since 2011, I have been involved as an artistic collaborator with contemporary choreographer, Jumatatu Poe, through Philadelphia’s idiosynCrazy productions.