Jawole willa jo zollar biography template

Jawole willa jo zollar shelter From age seven to seventeen, Zollar received her dance education from Joseph Stevenson, a former student of Katherine Dunham. The musical themes are drawn from a repertory of rural revivalist chants and songs; while at the same time, the action of the play is advanced by musical transitions that are enhanced renditions of soul-stirring gospel music. Four years later, she founded Urban Bush Women UBW in as a performance ensemble dedicated to exploring the use of cultural expression as a catalyst for social change. She is a Black dancer, teacher, and choreographer of modern dance.

Jawole Willa Jo Zollar

American dancer, teacher and choreographer (born )

Not to be confused with Zimbabwe's "zollar" (RTGS Dollar), currency.

Jawole Willa Jo Zollar (born December 21, ) is an American dancer, teacher and choreographer of modern dance. She is the founder of the Urban Bush Women dance company.

Biography

One of six children, she was born Willa Jo Zollar in Kansas City, Missouri, to parents Alfred Zollar Jr. and Dorothy Delores Zollar.[1] From age seven to seventeen, Zollar received her dance education from Joseph Stevenson, former student of Katherine Dunham.[2] Zollar also had early training in Afro-Cuban and other native dance forms which later helped to shape her teaching aesthetic.[3] She received a Bachelor of Arts in dance from the University of Missouri at Kansas City and her Master of Fine Arts from Florida State University.

She has been a professor at Florida State University's School of Dance since at least , when she was named the Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor of Dance.[4] In , Zollar moved to New York City, where she studied under Dianne McIntyre, artistic director for Sounds in Motion Dance Company.[2] In , she left the company and established her own, called the Urban Bush Women, which became the first major dance company consisting of all-female African-American dancers.[2]

Movement style and choreography

Zollar's choreographic style is influenced by the dance traditions of Black Americans—modern dance, African dance, and social dance.[3] Her movement synthesizes influences from modern dance (a combination of Dunham, Graham, Cunningham, and Limón techniques), Afro-Cuban, Haitian, and Congolese dance.[2] She emphasizes the use of weight and fluidity as opposed to creating clean shapes.[5] From her Afro-Cuban dance training she employs a strong sense of dynamic timing, rhythmic patterns, and continuous flow of movement.

She derives many of her movement ideas from African-American culture—allowing the "church testifying, emotional energy shap[e] the form, and the rawness of that form, like you have in jazz," she says.[6]

In her choreography, Zollar creates avant-garde dance-theater productions that speak from the Black female perspective.[3] Her pieces are collaborative performances between dancers, vocalists, artists, actors, composers and musicians, including vocalizations, a cappella singing, storytelling, and social commentary.

Through these mediums, Zollar pushes towards social awareness and change. Zollar also explores African-American folk traditions and the reality of the Black woman's experience, tackling uncomfortable and controversial social topics such as abortion, racism, sexism, and homelessness, in a hard-edged and straightforward way.[7] Many dance critics say that Zollar's company makes a point to show the reality of African-American culture, revealing how Black Americans express themselves when not in the presence of whites.[2]

Zollar was director and choreographer of the Houston, Texas, world premiere Oct.

20, , of "Intelligence," an opera based on the true story of a southern female spy for the Union in the American Civil War.[8][9]

Selected works

  • River Songs; Life Dance…The Fool's Journey
  • Working for Free
  • Anarchy, Wild Women and Dinah; Girlfriends; Madness; LifeDance I…The Magician (The Return of She)
  • Bitter Tongue
  • Heat; Lipstick; Shelter; LifeDance II…The Papess
  • I Don’t Know, But I Been Told, If You Keep on Dancin’ You Never Grow Old
  • Praise House
  • LifeDance III
  • Nyabinghi Dreamtime; Vocal Attack
  • Batty Moves; BONES AND ASH: A Gilda Story
  • Transitions
  • Self Portrait
  • Hand's Singing Song
  • Soul Deep
  • HairStories
  • Shadow's Child
  • Walking with Pearl- Africa Diaries
  • Walking with Pearl…Southern Diaries
  • visible
  • Blood Muscle Bone
  • Hep Hep Sweet Sweet
  • Walking with 'Trane, Chapter 2

Awards

References

  1. ^Great Performances: Free To Dance - Biographies - Jawole Willa Jo Zollar
  2. ^ abcdeHussie-Taylor, J.

    "Zollar, Jawole Willa Jo", International Dictionary of Modern Dance. Detroit: St. James Press, ,

  3. ^ abcWhite-Dixon, Melanye. "Zollar, Jawole Willa Jo", International Encyclopedia of Dance.

    Jawole willa jo zollar biography template free Explore Themes Essays. Reference: Mac found. Close Reginia A. To Become a Dancer and Choreographer.

    6th ed. 6 vols. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc., ,

  4. ^cizquierdo (). "Jawole Willa Jo Zollar".

    Jawole willa jo zollar biography template pdf As dance historian Veta Goler explains, Zollar states that in the Tarot the fool figure represents both the beginning and the end. Moreover, the contrast between the two can be used as a dynamic choreographic element. The Dunham technique laid a foundation for her continuing exploration of African-diaspora dance, and Stevenson also exposed his young students to different performance experiences that included appearing at nightclubs and in burlesque shows. What ballet dancers sought to conceal—effort—modern dancers revealed.

    School of Dance. Retrieved

  5. ^Office of Research: Research In Review: The Journey of Jawole
  6. ^Zollar as quoted in Hussie-Taylor's "Zollar, Jawole Willa Jo",
  7. ^Hussie-Taylor, "Zollar, Jawole Willa Jo",
  8. ^"Houston Grand Opera debuts Civil War-themed 'Intelligence' this weekend".

    Houston Chronicle. October 7, Retrieved November 4,

  9. ^"In an Opera About Civil War Spies, Dancers Help Drive the Drama". New York Times. October 15, Retrieved November 5,
  10. ^"Founder and Legacy Timeline".

    Jawole willa jo zollar biography template In her choreography, Zollar creates avant-garde dance-theater productions that speak from the Black female perspective. The Dunham technique laid a foundation for her continuing exploration of African-diaspora dance, and Stevenson also exposed his young students to different performance experiences that included appearing at nightclubs and in burlesque shows. Caught in the middle, the mother constantly complains about the bond between the daughter and the grandmother and their banter about the phenomena they see. Lipstick, which was also new to the company repertoire, began with an exploration of rituals of femininity as reflected in adolescent practices like the use of lipstick; but it also incorporated a story of a girl growing up in a harsh environment, so there was a deft interplay between humor and pathos.

    Urban Bush Women. Retrieved

  11. ^Admin, X.-Ray (). "Choreographer Zollar wins Guggenheim". Florida State University News.

    Jawole willa jo zollar biography: After a painfully slow progress in that position, she rises and performs a phrase of flailing, jagged movement, then sinks to the floor again to walk on her knees. Next TriCo Shuttles. Shelter Photo: Cylla von Tiedemann. The Ring Shout that the dancers perform is a black tradition that echoes other African-diaspora ritual dances.

    Retrieved

  12. ^Wingenroth, Lauren (8 December ). "Highlights of the Dance Magazine Awards in Pictures". Dance Magazine. Retrieved 10 December
  13. ^Greene, Melanie ().

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    17. "Shifting Through Adaptability: A Conversation With Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Dance Teacher's Award of Distinction Recipient". Dance Teacher. Retrieved

  17. ^"MacArthur Foundation Announces 'Genius' Grant Winners". The New York Times.

  18. Jawole Willa Jo Zollar | Essay - Jacob’s Pillow Dance ..., carousel
  19. Biographical Description for The HistoryMakers® Video Oral ...
  20. Jawole willa jo zollar biography template1
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    23. September 28, Retrieved September 28,

  23. ^Ulaby, Neda (). "Dancer Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, of Urban Bush Women, wins prestigious Gish Award". NPR. Retrieved

External links