The Movement of the Choreopoem: Creating and Continuing Tradition

Mirroring life, art is ever-changing.  And with each new art form or movement there is a person or group of people that work towards cultivation.

The choreopoem, an artistic platform introduced in Ntozake Shange's "For Colored Girls…" in 1975, established the groundwork for other and equally thought-provoking pieces of art.  It interweaves poetry and dance (hence the "choreo" in choreopoem) to accomplish a dramatic form of expression.  This type of work is best suited for the theatrical realm and possesses an innate stage presence.

However, unlike a play or a musical, the choreopoem does not always include characters cited by name, specific plot elements or conventional westernized storytelling. The choreopoem is unique by many accounts.  The scope of creativity is wide and deep, allowing artists to emerge into the theatrical world free from the confines of the traditional theater.

Northern Kentucky University's (NKU) Department of Theater and Dance adapted Frank X Walker's book of poetry, When Winter Come, into a choreopoem.  The adaptation includes dramatic monologue and dialogue to bring the audience into York's (the main character) world as a slave.  The piece includes a wonderfully dynamic display of his relationship with his wife and the impact the institution of slavery has on it.  Their relationship imprints the mind.  York is a slave - a piece of property.  Slavery limits his love.  How can property feel love?  Of course, this is only one of the elements embedded within this work.  Watch it in its entirety on YouTube. www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKCSY3VQVuE

Monica Prince created and directed the choreopoem Confessions in Living Color(ed) at the University Oregon.  The work addresses issues related to "self-identity… especially  for people of color."  Prince, too, plays homage to Shange's work but, states in an article that she sought to encompass "more perspectives than that of black women."  The Knox Student does an excellent job of addressing this work in greater detail.  http://www.theknoxstudent.com/newsroom/article/finding-identity-through-choreopoems/

The choreopoem, Goliath, written by Takeo Riveria, introduces its audience to David, a young man as the main character.   He enlists in the armed forces in an attempt to satisfy his father.  One article refers to the central message of the piece as "…simple but profound: war is a perversion of humanity."  Along with its profound nature, the central message is very important to the current social and political climates.  Consider the outbreaks of numerous civil wars over the last twenty years.  Yet, war is still a measure countries resort to for "resolution."  The Show Showdown blog gives the outside world a perfect view into this work.  http://showshowdown.blogspot.com/2011/06/goliath-choreopoem.html?m=1

When Winter Come, Confessions in Living Color(ed) and Goliath are three current examples of the choreopoem and its growth.  All three contain two common threads: the artistic platform introduced by Shange and powerful messages about the human condition.  The choreopoem has the capacity to deliver messages related to slavery, self image and war.  Its capacity is limitless.  However, as the public becomes educated about its existence and its reach, as a contemporary art form, its momentum will become limitless too.