Performance

Muntu

Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago : West African Dance Performance

ABOUT 

  • ABOUT Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago

    Founded in 1972 Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago celebrates the human spirit through traditional and social African and African American dance. Currently under the artistic direction of Amaniyea Payne, Muntu has brought audiences members all over the world into the aisles with its unique synthesis of dance, rhythm, and song from the African world. The Company has received enthusiastic and critical acclaim locally, nationally, and internationally for the high artistic quality of its work.

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You know the feeling: it starts with a nod, then a smile, and pretty soon you feel it to the ends of your fingers. That’s the joy that comes from the celebration of the human spirit in motion. Nationally recognized Muntu Dance Theatre has been bringing that joy to audiences in Chicago since 1972. Known for high-energy dancing and drumming, Muntu presents dances that honor African and African-American traditions. The Festival is pleased to present Muntu in several works from its extensive repertoire, including Eveningtime, a playful gem from Muntu’s past, and Mujuboo Rock, a synthesis of authentic West African dance with the contemporary, conceived by artistic director Amaniyea Payne. You might just find yourself dancing—and laughing—in the aisles.

Pictured: Muntu Dance Troupe

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Broader Investigation

Lecture

Elizabeth Zimmer: Foot is a Funny Word The Comedic Spirit of Dance

Zimmer uses video to peer back to the Renaissance and scan forward through Romantic ballet and the 20th century to the present, tracking instances of the funny, the giddy, and the absurd within the Western concert dance tradition.

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