sweat variant—Okwui Okpokwasili and Peter Born: adaku, part 2

“A riveting presence in her own unclassifiable creations, Okpokwasili can leave an audience vibrating, moved by images and incantations that linger long after a performance has ended.” —Dance Magazine

Few conceptual choreographers have crossed over into popular culture like Okwui Okpokwasili. Known for her trenchant explorations of Black womanhood, she has collaborated with celebrated artists across genres, from Carrie Mae Weems to Jay-Z. This exploration continues with sweat variant, her collaborative practice with her partner, the designer Peter Born. Their adaku trilogy spans time and place, centering on a precolonial West African family who becomes entangled in the transatlantic slave trade. Featuring the artist and a small cast of dancers, adaku, part 2 follows a young woman descendant in a near-future United States. Although she is led to believe she has no history worth remembering, a sudden revelation sparks a torrent of questions around ritual and repair. 

Walker Commission. Part of Embodying Lost Histories.