WORKS
Tokoliana (2021)
We are devouring each other. (Lingala)
12 mins/ Dance + Art Installation
“Tokoliana” is a contemporary African dance work inspired by the Congolese experimental music group KOKOKO!'s song "Tokoliana" meaning "we are devouring each other" in Lingala. This song is a reference to the daily struggle and greed that has engulfed the country. Their powerful message is met with an upbeat track that also captures the hope and optimism of the people. Taking the lead from KOKOKO!, this dance work uses upbeat tracks combined with vigorous African-inspired dancing to juxtapose the bluntly spoken text concerning the harsh truths of America. This work aims to capture the hope and ancestral connection infused in the Black community.
Art Installation
This art installation aims to grasp the spiritual energy connected to Black people. Each structure is made from gold rings- gold being a prestigious metal signifying wealth and luxury. There are three different-sized rings to represent the divine trinity. The rings, adorned with green, yellow, and red flowers along with black African masks, represent the colors of the Pan-African or Black Liberation flag. The selected colors truly capture the make-up of the Black community: red for the violence/ sacrifice, yellow for the optimism/ rebirth, green for the spiritual growth, and black for our skin. These colors are represented through flowers as a way to give homage to our ancestors.
Choreography and Art Installation by Indya Childs
Dancers:
Dia Adams
Danni Clark
Malia Craft
Charray Helton
Dom Kinsey
Kaela Lawrence
Adrienne Abdus- Salaam
Jordan Steve
Support for the development of Tokoliana was provided by Dance Canvas and Atlanta Contemporary.
Photography by Alan Kimara Dixon
Peace, Love, and Dance (2021)
25 mins/ Film/Dance
Peace, Love, and Dance is a dance on film work influenced by self-described Black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet - Audre Lorde and her writings on creatively using our differences to bring change. The work explores her idea of there not being a hierarchy of oppression and asks the question of "How do we find equity, justice, and liberation on race and gender issues that have been plaguing our world for centuries?" Through research and collaboration, Peace, Love, and Dance explores the possibilities to the posed question through acknowledgment of the past, understanding the depth of one's identity, and more. This work is an ongoing conversation and process.
Dancers: Ball State University Theatre & Dance Department
Photography by Joshua Cleveland
Loaded (2020)
4mins/ Film/Dance
Directed by Indya Childs
Choreography by Indya Childs in collaboration with Joshua Schadl
Videographer: Alan Kimara Dixon
Editing: Alan Kimara Dixon and Joshua Cleveland
Loaded is a short dance film that commemorates some of the many Black American lives lost due to police brutality.