NYC encore.

While back in town for the Thanksgiving holiday, I topped off my eating frenzy with viewing a frenzy of dance performed in the new Broadway hit Fela!  Choreographed by Bill T. Jones, it is truly a feast for dance lovers.  Fela Kuti was a charismatic, highly politicized, groundbreaking Nigerian musician of the 60’s –the early 90’s. 

 The show, while biographical, is not heavy on substance, told mainly through the afro-beat music of the wonderful on-stage band, the lyrics of Kuti’s music and the dance.  The dance is joyous, booty- shaking, and raucous. I couldn’t help thinking that if I engaged in some booty shaking of my own it might atone for my multiple trips to the pecan pie plate over the Thanksgiving weekend.  The enormous energy generated by the community of on-stage dancers created community for the audience as well.

It was almost like being at a rock concert, as everyone (well, almost!) was swept up in the swirling energy of the performances.  At live performances which I find irresistible, how does the person next to me remain completely unmoved?  Do they not have ears?  Do they not have eyes?  No pulse?

 I have always envied cultures where dancing seems as natural a part of everyday life as walking and breathing.  I’ve been told that in Cuba there is impromptu dance everywhere…a few musicians gather at a street corner and the dancing begins.  I have fantasized that if I visited such a culture, I’d probably remain there for life, dancing from street corner to street corner.

 A brief look at Fela! on YouTube