Rhythm of Race: A Celebration of Music, Dance and Spoken Word is a free event being held at North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, 11 West Jones Street, Raleigh, on Saturday, June 10th, 2017, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Read on to learn more…(and follow the above link to learn about all the presenters.)
RHYTHM OF RACE: A CELEBRATION OF MUSIC, DANCE AND SPOKEN WORD
Saturday, June 10, 2017
9:00am – 5:00pm
This special event provides the community with a unique opportunity to enjoy a day of multi-cultural poetry, music, and dance that echoes the key messages of the “RACE” exhibition — that we are more alike than different and that artistic expression can build bridges between people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds.
This event is held in conjunction with the featured exhibition RACE: Are We So Different?
This project is made possible by funding from the Paul Green Foundation and from the North Carolina Humanities Council, a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
9:30–10:30am: Sankofa Workshop
NEC, First Floor, WRAL 3D Theater
Led by The Beast, featuring (J) Rowdy, focuses on the relationship between music and African traditions, including elements of performance poetry, verbal expression, music, and artistic and societal representations of race.
11:00am–1:30pm: Poetry Slam
NRC, SECU Daily Planet Theater
Hosted by nationally renowned spoken word artist, writer, and founder of Black Poetry Theater, Dasan Ahanu. Three rounds of amazing poetry by local poets on the issues of race, identity, and cultural celebration will highlight the transformative power of poetry as a means of processing the diverse experiences of race that define our identities and interactions. Spiritual drumming by DJ Damu. Winner of the slam receives a cash prize.
2:00–3:00pm: Local Dance Performances
NRC, First Floor, Atrium
Hosted by local diversity expert and Director of Community Diversity and Instructor in the College of Natural Resources at NC State University, Dr. Thomas Easley. Featured performances include the Raleigh Rockers, Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Incorporated, and a special tribute to the late “Baba” Chuck Davis.
3:00–4:00pm: Featured Poetry Performance
NRC, SECU Daily Planet Theater
Performance by Durham native, poet, emcee and teaching artist, G. Yamazawa.
4:00–5:00pm: Concert
NRC, SECU Daily Planet Theater
Performance by cellist/singer-songwriter Shana Tucker, whose self-defined genre of ChamberSoulTM combines elements of jazz, folk, classical, acoustic pop, and R&B.
