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COURIER LIFE, J 24-7 AN. 18-24, 2019 55
HBy Julianne McShane air! Flow it, show it — long as
God can grow it!
A troupe of artists will comb
through the hairy subjects of beauty,
race, and identity, as expressed through
hairdos and hair don’ts. The interactive
dance and theater performance “Hair
and Other Stories,” opening at Bric Arts
Media on Jan. 31, will examine beauty
norms and their connection to racism,
classism, and other social scourges,
according to one of the show’s choreographers.
“We’re looking at the standards of
beauty, who defines the standard of
beauty, what is considered good hair,
what is considered bad hair, and why,”
said Samantha Spies. “We’re looking at
systems and institutions that are upholding
this oppression.”
Spies and other members of the Urban
Bush Women were inspired by “Hair
Stories,” a 2001 production by the group
that focused on black women’s hair. The
new production features the manes of
people of all genders and backgrounds,
but — like the 2001 show — will weave
together personal stories, movement, and
multimedia elements, Spies said.
The show will start with local artists
and hairdressers sharing their own
hair-focused stories and leading conversations
with audience members, according
to Spies. The hour-long pre-show
elements are meant to mimic the intimate
conversations that happen in black
homes and hair parlors, she said.
“In Black American culture, we have
this thing that’s ‘kitchen talk’ — there
are things that you talk about in the
kitchen with your people, with your
folks, that you’re not talking about in
the living room, or with invited guests.
We’re inviting the guests to be a part of
this kitchen talk with us,” she said.
The performers will lead audience
members through call-and-response
activities, and prompt visitors to share
their own ideas about what is beautiful
and their impressions of race in
America, Spies said.
“It is participatory — we are asking
the audience to go on the journey with
us, not to think that they’re coming in as
spectators, but that they’re coming in as
co-conspirators,” she said.
Discussing ideas of beauty can lead
audience members into a broader conversation
about topics that they might
not discuss or consider in their daily
lives, said the choreographer.
“The root of it is, if we look at beauty,
then we have to look at all of the other
things that are connected and in relationship
to beauty,” Spies said. “It hopefully
will open up a discussion that may not
be happening otherwise and that gives
someone experiencing it a little bit of a
curiosity.”
“Hair and Other Stories” at Bric
House Ballroom (647 Fulton St. at
Ashland Place in Fort Greene, www.
bricartsmedia.org). Jan. 31–Feb. 2
and Feb. 7–9 at 8 pm. $25 ($20 in
advance).
They whip their hair back and
forth: The Urban Bush Women will
examine beauty, race, and identity
through the lens of hair at “Hair
and Other Stories,” opening at Bric
Arts Media on Jan. 31. Hayim Heron
Mane
event
Dance-theater show looks at race, identity, and hair
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