Looking for some creative inspiration? Read on for what Wendy Atkinson has to say about showcasing the power of words, both as an agent of change, and as a means of igniting conversation.
Beyond Words is a special series hosted by the Chan Centre surrounding different art forms portrayed by writers, poets and musicians from all over the word. The series aims to put a spin on traditional showcasing of an artist’s craft through creative collaboration and artistic innovation.
Every year, the Chan Centre runs two shows as a part of the series that aspire to create valuable experiences for both the artists and the audience. In a recent interview with Wendy Atkinson, Programming Manager at the Chan Centre, she told me all about the Beyond Words series and its upcoming show, premiering for the very first time in Canada- Blackbird, Fly!
Blackbird, Fly will take place September 25, 2015 at 7:30pm at the Telus Studio Theatre
This Beyond Words show offers a captivating artistic combination with the Vancouver premiere of this provocative co-creation, from preeminent Haitian American artist/activists Marc Bamuthi Joseph and Daniel Bernard Roumain.
Weaving a tapestry of movement, narrative, music, Haitian folklore, and hip hop, the artists share their stories of self-discovery and invite audiences to examine themes of immigration, tolerance and inclusion while inspiring faith in the potential of art to affect change.
Spoken word poet Marc Bamuthi Joseph began his prolific career on Broadway, and has since flourished in the world of literary performance. For his acclaimed poetry-based works, he’s received the US Artists Rockefeller Fellowship in 2007 and in the same year was named “America’s Top Young Innovators in the Arts and Science” by Smithsonian magazine, gracing the journal’s cover.
Musician/composer Daniel Bernard Roumain, a classically trained violinist is known for bending genres, and incorporates a multitude of electronic and urban music influences into his works. Described as “about as omnivorous as a contemporary artist gets” (The New York Times), DBR has collaborated with artists as diverse as Philip Glass, Bill T. Jones and Lady Gaga
What is Beyond Words and when did the series come to life?
The Chan Centre’s Beyond Words series was launched in 2012 to explore the power of words in performance as an agent of change and means of igniting conversation. Previous events have focused on literature and poetry, including sold-out engagements by John K. Samson, Shane Koyczan, and Ivan Coyote. In 2014, the series paired environmental activist Severn Cullis-Suzuki with Inuit throat singer and 2014 Polaris Prize winner, Tanya Tagaq, for two sold-out shows. In 2015, Steven Galloway, the award winning author of The Confabulist, was joined by magician David Gifford in a sold-out evening of readings complemented by illusion.
Every season has two shows, and Blackbird, Fly will be our first for this season!
Can you tell me a little bit about Blackbird, Fly and the artists involved?They are both great artists in their field and they put this show together because they both discovered that they have Hatian roots. Their families are from Haiti and they address issues such as racism and immigration. Joseph and Roumain are extraordinarily talented artists that defy the boundaries of their respective disciplines, invoking both self-reflection and social change. This is really what the Beyond Words series is all about—dynamic collaborations that demonstrate the potency of the written- word in the context of compelling live performance. For this series we’re often, but not always, seeking artists who focus on current affairs, topical and controversial issues.We’ve seen the artists’ past performances and its not your typical dance performance.  Marc Bamuthi Joseph and Daniel Bernard Roumain interact in a very interesting and energetic fashion that is sure to intrigue the audience!
What can we expect from the second show of the season?The other show will be in March next year and this one is going to be very exciting because its never been done at the Chan centre before. We enjoyed the collaboration between environmental activist Severn Cullis-Suzuki and Inuit throat singer Tanya Tagaq so much that we want to showcase another collaborative piece again. For next spring, we’ve paired three choreographers with three writers and each pair will reveal a 20-minute piece that combine movement and dance with writing. We give the artists a lot of creative freedom so we told them they can get as inventive as they want. The words can be spoken, sung or projected on a screen and we leave it to them to work together. We chose the pair to work together and truly collaborate on how they want to present their talents.Â
From an artist’s’ perspective, do the pairs appreciate the integration between their different art forms to put together a never-seen-before performance?We pair up artists that have never worked together and we encourage them to team up with someone they might have not worked with, if they were choosing on their own. For example, one of the choreographers, whose background is in classical Indian dance, wanted to work with a creative whiz from a different line of work. We paired her up with a writer from a very different tradition so they will work together to come up with a piece that is going to stretch both of them a little bit into areas that they may not have explored before. I think it would be very interesting to see the coming together of both their crafts.
What can the audience expect from future shows in the Beyond Words series?As far as expectations go, have an open mind. Don’t come in expecting a lecture or a music concert. Besides involving words, every show is going to be very different. We want the audience to be pleasantly surprised when they see something they might not have been expecting. Every Beyond Words show has been sold out in the past and we’re very pleased that people continue to take a chance on something they’ve never seen before! Its really gratifying that people are as interested in the show as we are in presenting it.Â