ndemeh

An autobiographical solo performance portraying memories of strong, beautiful and Black women. Colleen explores her personal diasporic identity by revisiting tidbits passed on to her from her grandmother, mother, sister, and other influential women. Tidbits of their cultures, stories, foods, dances, clothes, hair, songs and words. 

The family recipe she is desperate to learn, the dances she watched her sister do her whole life, or simply the way these women carry themselves. Colleen carves a space for us to celebrate black women in a world that hates them, through its intersecting racism and sexism. In this world, acts of self-love are revolutionary; they are forms of resistance. Putting the body on stage is an act of protest. The work serves as an urgent declaration that black women are important, beautiful and magical. 

Movement-based performance, with audience interaction. Run time of 40 min. 

Residencies

Brote Residencia Creativa : Buenos Aires, Argentina; Aug-Nov 2016 

Denmark Arts Center : Denmark, Maine, USA; March 2017 (1 week)

Casa Muñecas : Buenos Aires, Argentina; Sept-Nov 2017 

Showings

Real Art Ways (US), Feb 2018; Performática Festival (MEX), March 2018; Casa Muñecas (ARG), April 2018; Club Cultural Matienzo (ARG), July 2018; Tierra Violeta-Feminist Cultural Center (ARG), August 2018; Theater Festival “Mujeres a las Tablas” (ARG), September 2018

Work in Progress: Centro Cultural Paco Urondo (ARG), Dec 2016; Franco-American Center (US), March 2017; Denmark Arts Center (US) March 2017; Studio 408 (US), March 2017; Espacio 22 (ARG), March 2017; Temporal Festival de Arte (Paraguay), March 2017; 32 Encuentro Nacional de Mujeres (ARG), October 2017; Centro Cultural de la Memoria Haroldo Conti (ARG), November 2017.

Credits

Assistant : Maria Esther Mejia

Collaborators : Kukily Colectivo (Jasmin Sánchez, Lina Lasso Beltrán, Julia Cohen) 

Thanks to OiHoy for their support of this work through subsidized rehearsal space. Fabiana Castro for the space and support to make this work grow.

[Fee support for Colleen Ndemeh Fitzgerald may be available to nonprofit organizations through the New England States Touring (NEST) program of the New England Foundation for the Arts. Visit www.nefa.org for more information.]