Chicago’s Muntu Dance Theatre celebrates 50 years

CHICAGO — Chicago’s Muntu Dance Theatre is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Regina Perry-Carr has been connected to Muntu Dance Theatre due to the fact childhood. Now, she’s the theater’s inventive director.

“Muntu Dance Theatre inside the metropolis of Chicago has a 50-year track document of preserving and symbolizing the African diaspora and keeping and holding traditions of West African dance,” Perry-Carr stated.

Muntu started out in Chicago in 1972 and the artists keep on to attract from their schooling and journey, sharing the spirit and joy of West African dance. 

“That’s what is so overjoying about the Muntu practical experience because there is generally room for that self-expression even though there are years and years of coaching and you never quit instruction, there is always that instant for that inventive expression and that creative sharing,” Perry-Carr explained.

This yr, Muntu is celebrating its 50th anniversary season, which involves the return of DanceAfrica Chicago functions. Later on this yr, the corporation will embark on its 1st global tour since the start out of the pandemic. 

“Muntu resides in the spirit of humanity, so celebrating the human activities,” Perry-Carr said.

Sekou Conde’s encounter with Muntu also dates again to childhood. His father executed with the team in the early decades.

“I was generally all around all of the rehearsals as a kid and started to perform with them at the younger age of 4,” mentioned Conde, who exposed his passion is the drum. “It is the foundation for which their motion moves.”

Conde also serves as Muntu’s executive director.

“To be in this placement I’m in now is a quite honoring and humbling experience because I realize I am basically standing on the shoulders of those people who arrived ahead of me,” Conde mentioned.

Conde and some others are carrying the torch and sharing Muntu’s rich cultural legacy for several years to appear. 

“For about 50 several years, Muntu has been a beacon of mild in the metropolis and my goal is to keep that beacon of light-weight just as shiny and make it brighter,” Conde mentioned.

Upcoming Efficiency: Saturday, June 25th for “DanceAfrica Chicago: Roots” at the Harris Theater.