“Dealing With It”
Tabanka African and Caribbean Peoples Dance Ensemble
ADAD/Bloom Festival 2013,
Bernie Grant Arts Centre, London

Words and Photographs Rob Covell aka Sloetry

Let me start this review by qualifying my position… I’m not a dancer, a dance expert, a knowing dance fan, nor a dance punter. I’m a photographer, there to photograph a Norwegian based dance group during rehearsals in London. The things is, Tabanka pulled my heart out through my eyes, back out the lens, and stole me out of my seat. And that was just the rehearsal. I thought it wise to stay and watch the show, to understand the grip this was having on me.

Tabanka Crew are choreographed by Thomas Prestø, and yes I did say in Norway. The first thing you have to do is break your stereotyping, because it’s easy to think that purely based on where life and history shows us how the African Diaspora has spread or been spread around the globe, one expects centres of excellence in African and Caribbean art forms from certain areas of the world. Africa and the Caribbean apart, one might think of America, UK or France. I even find myself explaining to people that I saw an amazing dance ensemble…. from Norway….but it was African and Caribbean dance…. And they are revered wherever they go.

And that’s the first thing I love. Myth busters. That’s not by design from Tabanka, and nor meant to be patronising to them. Here is a collective from many areas of the world that’s as if a magnet pulled all the genius and talent needed for dance excellence, and into Norway. I just hope the rest of Norway knows what it’s got.

After I’d photographed the rehearsal, I spoke with one of the dancers and said how I could see every dancer had left everything of themselves on the floor. As applause from tech and camera crews died down, sweat was wiped, breath was re-caught… and I was told, “we always hold back a little to save that something more for the performance”. And that’s why I stayed to watch the show. When you’re wiping your eye to clear the emotion of watching a performance through a lens (which may explain some blurred photographs), you have to sit back and appreciate genius when it comes into your life.

Tabanka’s show, Dealing With It, is a work in seven parts, reflecting how members of the ensemble have dealt with racism, sexism, oppression and prejudice as African and Caribbean (young) people in what they describe as a “village” in Norway. That answers my question about whether Norway knows what it’s got here. And that’s a shame. But it would be wrong to think of this as being about victims. What comes out of the performance is pride, fight and defiance, and no small measure of love… for self… for those dealing with similar issues as minorities in other countries, and for those willing to have their myths busted.

Opening with 'Libation', Pearl Tawiah pays homage to the ancestors and beautifully touches on the varied stories of struggle and joy. There is a swing in Pearl’s step as she caries a vessel on her head and puts it down to attend to life itself. A common thread through Dealing With It is to have an opposite stanza within the flow of a piece, quite often a change of pace or intensity. Pearl starts off as the picture of serenity, but there is much vigour throughout as life gets in the way. A beautiful start to the show, which won over the audience from the start, and the dancer’s flow is enchanting throughout.

In 'Spirit', Wolman Michelle Luciano and Joel Ramirez join with Amie Mbye. This is an outstanding piece, warrior like, as music churns out an honour role of African and African descended heroes. Almost a call to arms of great lineage. One is drawn to the synchronisation of the dancers, but that doesn’t mean robotic. The flow and strength for this piece comes from the fire within and each dancer is so on their game. With Pearl in the previous dance, it was easy to watch one dancer’s sheer ability, here, I was stuck because I wanted to see all three at the same time. If there had been three performances, I could have chosen to watch them one at a time. An inspiring piece that had the audience on fire, like a poem that swallowed you up and challenged everything you thought you knew and spat you out again, but you were stronger for it.

'Unyielding', an inspired piece, performed by Thomas Prestø himself. This was a very sensitive piece, which showed his unique performance ability. Described as the love that makes most sense as a black person, I was reminded of the expression, “Don’t take my kindness for weakness”. Seeing the maestro at work, one could see how his techniques coarse through all the Tabanka dancers. All I can say is, I was left wanting more.

In 'Sensitively Male', Joel and Luciano returned as a duo to show what I’ve only ever seen dance get right… the beauty of male tenderness and love. Two mates catch up and bond through video games, booze, food, companionship and play fighting, in a sensitive portrayal of what society overlooks as beauty. An outstanding piece with brilliant co-ordination between the two dancers.

Amie returned for a solo piece, 'Addiction'. Let me start at the end of the piece first… I realised when it finished, my mouth had been open throughout on account of my jaw being on the floor. When I’d been photographing the rehearsal earlier, Amie had filled my lens with a raft of frenetic energies, that it was simply mesmerising to watch sat now leaning forward in my seat without my camera. Amie’s portrayal of the stereotypes poured over black women was like a multi-personality of anger and sexuality bursting forth. A stunning performance, where facial expression and raw emotion tore into the audience.

'Ovahstanding', saw Joel return to solo on how life has to be lived, dealing with what is thrown at you. Fighting and overcoming. A piece in which Tabanka made a dedication to the dancer himself on his journey. Joel showed tremendous skill in this piece, and like Pearl, Thomas and Amie in earlier solos, he really stamped himself on the performance. There’s a real ownership from these dancers which seems born from personal experience. They are telling their story, not someone else’s.

The final piece, 'Pleasant Conversation', was with all the previous dancers (with the exception of Thomas,) joined by Mercy Akadimah and Lacky Mahamed. Once more great synchronicity was shown as the two male and four female dancers, vocally at times, “conversed” with the audience about the issues facing them as African and Caribbean people living in Norway. There was a strength as a group as they had a ferocious bond and companionship to call on, but it made me wonder at the inner solitary strength required when dealing with prejudice, perhaps simply on the bus home from dance class. Strength not of choice, but being forced to have it to survive and get through… no doubt why Pearl honoured the ancestors at the beginning. The struggle continues.

As a layman to dance, but still a student when others choose to teach, Tabanka offered something of themselves for those willing to listen. Let me check that. Tabanka, hurled themselves right at the audience and forced them to listen to their story and their legacy. I didn’t need to know anything about dance to hear. Any artist, of any art form, who knows how to reach people and communicate their story, knows that the message of what is being said is more important than the form or vessel chosen to tell. It just so happens that Tabanka excel at this method, and the medium of dance means, unlike a poet or a song lyric, you do not need to understand English or Norwegian to get it.

Superbly choreographed by Thomas Prestø, the musical selection is also totally appropriate to what is being conveyed. In all the stories being told, the relevance and interpretation of what is being heard by the dancers and audience, is never taken for granted by Prestø. Costumes too are also attended to in detail. There is a traditional mix of African and Caribbean attire, but it is also made to measure for dance, and this allows the beauty and physicality of male and female expression to be fully appreciated.

The only shortcoming of the whole performance. It was only on once.