Urban Bush Women (UBW) kicks off their 40th Anniversary

Urban Bush Women (UBW) kicks off their 40th Anniversary with a week-long series at Lincoln Center! Founded in 1984 by choreographer Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, and now led by co-artistic directors Chanon Judson and Mame Diarra Spies, this Brooklyn-based performance ensemble and dance company brings untold and under-told stories to light from a woman-centered perspective. As members of the African Diaspora community, they use dance as a message and medium to bring together diverse audiences through innovative choreography, community collaboration, and artistic leadership development.

As part of Summer for the City, the Urban Bush Women company will offer participatory workshops, a discussion series led by BIPOC Women+ producers, and site-reflective performances of their newest work, Haint Blu! All events are free, first-come, first-served.

The full schedule of events can be found at https://www.lincolncenter.org/series/summer-for-the-city/s/Urban%20Bush%20Women%E2%80%99s%2040th%20Anniversary.

Some highlights of the week include:

•          Dance for Every Body, an empowering movement jam/dance class for all bodies, abilities, and levels.

•          A performative workshop led by Urban Bush Women's Founder Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, How We Got To The Funk, a fun, fully participatory examination of history through the lens of African American social dances from 1955 through the ’70s.

•          The Lincoln Center premiere of the site-responsive ensemble dance-theater work Haint Blu, a migratory/participatory journey seeped in memory and magic.

•          Mindful Bodies & Reflective Practices, a workshop focusing on self-care, rejuvenation, and (re-)constructing healthful images of ourselves and our communities — no dance or fitness experience necessary!

•          As an extension of UBW’s Choreographic Center Initiative Producing Program for Women+ of Color (CCI 2.0), When Black Women+ Speak is a talk series that will convene women+ of color leaders to explore the nuances of identity, community, values, support, and success among BIPOC women+ producers.

Urban Bush Women’s 40th Anniversary Performance Schedule:

(subject to change)

Dance For Every Body

Friday, July 26, 2024 at 5:00 pm

The Garden at Damrosch Park

The Brooklyn-based performance ensemble and dance company Urban Bush Women kicks off their 40th Anniversary in style with a series of events and performances at Lincoln Center! This movement jam/dance class embraces the idea that each individual has a unique and powerful contribution to make, and that our bodies are a powerful source of agency. UBW uses dance as both message and medium to bring together diverse audiences through innovative choreography, community collaboration and artistic leadership development, working to create a more equitable balance of power in the dance world and beyond. This event is FREE and General Admission, first-come, first-served. 

How We Got To The Funk by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar

Friday, July 26, 2024 at 6:00 pm

The Dance Floor

Celebrating Urban Bush Women’s 40th Anniversary, this performative workshop led by Urban Bush Women's Founder Jawole Willa Jo Zollar is a fun, fully participatory examination of history through the lens of African American social dances from 1955 through the ’70s. UBW uses dance as both message and medium to bring together diverse audiences through innovative choreography, community collaboration, and artistic leadership development, working to create a more equitable balance of power in the dance world and beyond. No experience is needed. Come ready to boogie!

This event is FREE and General Admission, first-come, first-served. 

Dance For Every Body

Sunday, July 28, 2024 at 5:00 pm

The Garden at Damrosch Park

The Brooklyn-based performance ensemble and dance company Urban Bush Women kicks off their 40th Anniversary in style with a series of events and performances at Lincoln Center! This movement jam/dance class embraces the idea that each individual has a unique and powerful contribution to make, and that our bodies are a powerful source of agency. UBW uses dance as both message and medium to bring together diverse audiences through innovative choreography, community collaboration and artistic leadership development, working to create a more equitable balance of power in the dance world and beyond. This event is FREE and General Admission, first-come, first-served. 

Haint Blu | Episodic Chapters

Sunday, July 28, 2024 at 6:00 pm

Hearst Plaza

The Brooklyn-based collective Urban Bush Women celebrates their 40th Anniversary with their site-responsive ensemble dance-theater work Haint Blu, seeped in memory and magic. Known as the color that Southern families paint their front porches to ward off bad spirits, Haint Blu explores the movements, histories, and stories of our elders and ancestors and reflects on what has been lost across generations and what can be recovered. Haint Blu takes us to the magical place where spirits share their legacies, journey onward, and leave the thick residue of their knowing behind. Haint Blu | Episodic Chapters is a migratory/participatory journey where folks will travel throughout the Lincoln Center campus. This event is FREE and General Admission, first-come, first-served. 

Mindful Bodies & Reflective Practices

Wednesday, July 31, 2024 at 6:00 pm

Griffin Sidewalk Studio, David Geffen Hall

Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Urban Bush Women in this participatory workshop focusing on self-care, rejuvenation, and (re-)constructing healthful images of ourselves and our communities to inhabit our bodies and reinforce holism from inside out to bring ourselves, families, schools, and communities to balance. No dance or fitness experience is necessary, just a body and a willingness to exhale! We kindly ask you to stay present for the full duration—an evening of mindfulness for all!

This event is FREE and General Admission, first-come, first-served. 

When Black Women+ Speak

Wednesday, July 31, 2024 at 7:00 pm

David Rubenstein Atrium

As part of their 40th Anniversary and as an extension of UBW’s Choreographic Center Initiative (CCI) and CCI 2.0 Producing Program for Women+ of Color, When Black Women+ Speak is a landmark talk series that will convene women+ of color leaders from partner organizations to explore the nuances of identity, community, values, support, and success among BIPOC women+ producers.

This event is FREE and General Admission, first-come, first-served. 

Mindful Bodies & Reflective Practices

Sunday, August 04, 2024 at 5:00 pm

Griffin Sidewalk Studio, David Geffen Hall

Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Urban Bush Women in this participatory workshop focusing on self-care, rejuvenation, and (re-)constructing healthful images of ourselves and our communities to inhabit our bodies and reinforce holism from inside out to bring ourselves, families, schools, and communities to balance. No dance or fitness experience is necessary, just a body and a willingness to exhale! We kindly ask you to stay present for the full duration—an evening of mindfulness for all!

This event is FREE and General Admission, first-come, first-served. 

Haint Blu | Episodic Chapters

Sunday, August 04, 2024 at 6:00 pm

Hearst Plaza

The Brooklyn-based collective Urban Bush Women celebrates their 40th Anniversary with their site-responsive ensemble dance-theater work Haint Blu, seeped in memory and magic. Known as the color that Southern families paint their front porches to ward off bad spirits, Haint Blu explores the movements, histories, and stories of our elders and ancestors and reflects on what has been lost across generations and what can be recovered. Haint Blu takes us to the magical place where spirits share their legacies, journey onward, and leave the thick residue of their knowing behind. Haint Blu | Episodic Chapters is a migratory/participatory journey where folks will travel throughout the Lincoln Center campus. This event is FREE and General Admission, first-come, first-served.