Joseph, born in Cameroon and raised in East London, uses true stories and his own experiences to create a lively and gripping storyline. In Born to Protest, four young black British dancers portray the struggle of the street with all its pain, pleasure and brotherhood. Born to Protest and Born to Manifest (which will also be performed during Boulevard) are a part of Joseph Toonga’s hip-hop dance theatre trilogy which invites us to question deeply rooted stereotypes about skin colour and gender and to simultaneously celebrate cultural identities. Toonga brings us these two different performances—one sincere and on the dance floor, the other raw and in the open air—in a compelling, vulnerable and brutally honest way.
6
till
7 August 2021
Born to Protest
Joseph Toonga | GB
Stigmas are made to be challenged, racial inequality to riot against and differences are made to be celebrated and danced. Born to Protest is a raw hip-hop dance performance in the open air, in which hip-hop choreographer and theatre director Joseph Toonga dismantles presumptions about the black male figure based on intimidation, danger and isolation, revealing instead character traits around fragility, vulnerability and a constant battle to prove oneself. A compelling and confronting dance performed in the place where the story begins and plays out: the street.
Joseph Toonga will be a guest in the Talk of the day on 8 August at 4 pm. Theme is brotherhood. Language is English.
Location
Zuiderpark/Tickets & Info
Running time
90 min. (incl. bicycle tour and aftertalk)
Note: we will depart by bicycle from the festival heart to the location of the performance
)
Credits
dancers Malachi lewis, Tanaka Bingwa, Stefano A Addae, Cache Thake, D’jon McTernan, Leroy Kanyowa, Aisha Webber
