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(First performed in 1994.)
Conceived and choreographed by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar in association with Junior "Gabu" Wedderburn
Percussion score composed by Junior "Gabu" Wedderburn
Vocal score composed and developed through improvisation by the Company; based on and including traditional songs from the Revival, Kumina, and Rastafarian cultures
Performed by the Company
Costume design by Stefani Mar
Lighting design by Kristabelle Munson
| Nyabinghi | is a ceremony of dancing, drumming, and singing from the Rastafarian tradition that lasts from three to 21 days. |
| Rastafari | is a way of life and a political movement based on protest and resistance. The Rastafari movement incorporates teachings from the Old Testament into its traditions. |
| Dreamtime | is our place of visioning where the world is sung into existence and the different spiritual traditions of the African diaspora merge. |
| Babylon | is the force that has colonized and enslaved people for 400 years and counting. |
| Zion | is that place in our hearts and minds where we remember freedom and liberation. The dream of its existence will never die. |
A heartfelt shout out to Junior "Gabu" Wedderburn for directing the Urban Bush Women's trip to Jamaica. Thanks to Ancient Vibrations and all the people in Jamaica who shared their culture with us. We are grateful to the ancestors for helping us see the connections.
Special thanks to THE SUITCASE FUND: A Project of Ideas and Means in Cross-Cultural Artist Relations, an initiative created by Dance Theater Workshop with major funding provided by the Rockefeller Foundation, and to the Travel Grants Pilot, a joint project of the National Endowment for the Arts and Arts International.
Nyabinghi Dreamtime is made possible in part with the support of the Live Music for Dance Program of the Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust.
