The Zimbabwean Chipaumire updates a vocabulary from ritual dance to beat out pulsing, physical evocations of struggle: she crouches then explodes, turning muscularity into stark grace. In two performances the Urban Bush Women collaborator (11/12) presents a momentous new piece based on Zimbabwean politics, while that nation’s greatest musician, Mapfumo, plays live. Chipaumire’s week-long residency at Duke begins 2/22; Mapfumo and his band also appear 2/25.

Residency runs February 22 – February 27, 2010.

Funded in part by the National Dance Project of the New England Foundation for the Arts, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and additional funding from the Ford Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Community Connections Fund of the MetLife Foundation.

“Strength, power, emotion, history: the words that come to mind while watching contemporary African dance artist Nora Chipaumire.”
–NPR

“Mapfumo […] arrang[es] his songs around muscular, tireless grooves that have their roots in reggae and Chimurenga but grow into something else again.”
—Stylus Magazine

Nora Chipaumire with Thomas Mapfumo & the Blacks Unlimited Residency Schedule

Monday, February 22
Class visit with Nora Chipaumire & Thomas Mapfumo
Dance & Religion
Crowell Studio, 10:05-11:20a

Conversation with Nora Chipaumire
moderated by Roger Lucey
“The Liberation War  & Contemporary Struggles in Zimbabwe: A Musical Rendition”
Franklin Center, Rm. 240, 12-1p
Sponsored by COSA
Tuesday, February 23 
Class visit with Nora Chipaumire & Thomas Mapfumo
African Mbira Music
Bone Hall 019, 10:05-11:20a

Class visit with Nora Chipaumire & Thomas Mapfumo
Intro to African Studies 
Old Chem 116, 1:15-2:30p
Wednesday, February 24
Master class with Nora Chipaumire
the Ark Studio, 6-7:30p.
Thursday, February 25
Girls Club Workshop with Nora Chipaumire
Emily Krzyzewski Center, Durham, 6-7:30p

Performance: Thomas Mapfumo & the Blacks Unlimited
Duke Coffeehouse, Duke’s East Campus
8p & 10:30p
 

Friday, February 26
LUNCHBOX with Nora Chipaumire & Thomas Mapfumo
Brody Theater, Duke’s East Campus, 11:45-1p

Class visit with Nora Chipaumire
Arts and Human Rights 
Allen 103, 1:15-2:30p

Performance: Nora Chipaumire with Thomas Mapfumo & the Blacks Unlimited
lions will roar, swans will fly, angels will wrestle heaven, rains will break: gukurahundi   
Reynolds Theater, 8p
Post-performance conversation
Saturday, February 27 
Performance: Nora Chipaumire with Thomas Mapfumo & the Blacks Unlimited
lions will roar, swans will fly, angels will wrestle heaven, rains will break: gukurahundi   
Reynolds Theater, 8p

Download Residency Schedule (.jpg)