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18. Shut Yo Mouth
"Shut Yo Mouth", takes a comical journey into the world of the unspoken. Dancers use movement, gestures, and text to reflect on the naughty, stereotypical, judgmental, thoughts that one may have when coming into contact with others. The twist begins with the realization that those they are imposing judgement on are people with stories and lives and loved ones. The issue on the table is "Who really deserves to be scrutinized for being based on our pre-conceived notions and societal definitions of perfection?"
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17. Enduring Legacy
Running Time: Evening Length - Choreography: Kendra Kimbrough Barnes Danced By: The Kendra Kimbrough Dance Ensemble
Music: Collaboration between Gamo da Paz, Sekou Gibson, Rhonda Benin & Isaura Oliveira (performed live) Text: Written by – Kendra Kimbrough Barnes
"Enduring Legacy", travels into the last family photograph taken of my mother, father, sister and I. It looks at the relationships within the picture and begins a dialogue of the hidden pain my mother kept from us as she suffered with breast cancer. The piece includes adaptations of earlier works, "Visitors" and "Legacy".
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16. Visitors
Running Time: Currently 35 minutes - Choreography: Kendra Kimbrough Barnes & Rosangela Silvestre Danced By: The Kendra Kimbrough Dance Ensemble Music: Geoffrey Oryema and Live Musicians (Jorge Alabe and Gamo de Paz) Text: Written by – Kendra Kimbrough Barnes
Deciphers 3 dreams and explores messages given in the dream world and after-life, embracing those messages and deciding what to do with them in the here and now.
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15. Rarity of Me
World Premiere June 2003 at the Alice Arts Center Theater- Excerpts performed in 2002–03 season at Blackbox Oakland, ODC & Julia Morgan Theaters
Running Time: 30 minutes – Choreography: Kendra Kimbrough Barnes – Danced By: The Kendra Kimbrough Dance Ensemble & Guest Artist Silfredo La O
Music: Claudia, Issa Bagayogo, Otto – Text: Written By - Kendra Kimbrough Barnes & Dancers; Performed by –Clairemonica Dixon
A dance work presented in 6 vignettes incorporating movement, spoken word, & world music while exploring the meaning of being a woman in today's society. This work deals with various selected aspects of womanhood ranging from courage & strength to moral convictions to stereotypes.
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14. Vision
World Premiere October 2001 at the Alice Arts Center Theater
Running Time: 30 minutes
Choreography: Kendra Kimbrough – Danced By: The Kendra Kimbrough Dance Ensemble
Music By: Baka Beyond, Keith Terry's Crosspulse, Sekou Sundiata, Heritage
Text: Written by Kendra Kimbrough Barnes Performed by Clairemonica Dixon
Combines spoken word and a symbiosis of modern and traditional movement of African and Brazil to show how Spirit defeats fear and doubt by imparting Wisdom upon one woman's quest to fulfill her heart's desire.
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13. Revive to Survive
World Premiere October 2001 at the Alice Arts Center Theater
Running Time: 10 minutes
Choreography: Kendra Kimbrough, Deborah Vaughan, Veronica Combs, Sherreel Washington Danced By: KKDE (reunion of current and past dancers)
Music: Youssou N'Dour, Baka Beyond, Sergio Mendez
A 3-part piece dedicated to the 5th Anniversary of KKDE. Created around the concept of what one must do in order to revive itself in efforts to continue moving forward.
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12. Oya
World Premiere August 11th at the Alice Arts Center Theatre in Oakland, CA; 2001 Alice Arts Center; 2001 Electric Lodge, Venice, CA
Running Time: 15 minutes
Choreography: Rosangela Silvestre Danced By: The Kendra Kimbrough Dance Ensemble (9 female dancers)
Live Accompaniment: Amber Hines, Unity Nguyen, & Kelly Takunda Orphan
An inspired interpretation of the Orixa dance that recognizes Oya as the god of the wind, lightning, and thunder. This powerful interpretive piece transforms Oya as spirit, animal, and death revealing her as a powerful female entity and the transition of that female energy in the body.
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11. Stand Tall. Stand Still. – The Process
World Premiere August 11th at the Alice Arts Center Theater in Oakland, CA
Running Time: 20 minutes
Choreography: Kendra Kimbrough Danced By: The Kendra Kimbrough Dance Ensemble (9 female dancers)
Live Accompaniment: Amber and Unity of Mutama female vocal/percussion ensemble
Stand Tall. Stand Still. addresses the feminine energetic force and the physical, emotional, and spiritual transformation of that energy that explores issues of a group of women who are facing their biggest fears. The women hold a strong cradle of support for one another as they each delve into the depths of the dark side. Combining the elements of sound (drums, percussion, and vocals), with images of tradition (Brazil, Haiti, and India), and spoken word the piece is a spiritual, metaphysical, and cultural journey of sisterhood.
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10. Brazilian Collection
World Premiere August 11th at the Alice Arts Center in Oakland, CA
Running Time: 15 minutes
Choreography: Kendra Kimbrough Danced By: KKDE and youth from Dimensions Rites of Passage Program
Music: Compilation of Brazilian Artists
This is a festive combination of modern-jazz and Brazilian movements with popular Brazilian tunes. Including the professional company and invited youth dancers, the performers display wonderful character as they fill the stage with energy and charisma.
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9. Whose Image?
Work in Progress
1999 Premiere at the Center for African and African-American Art and Culture
2000 Dance Mission and Oakland Arts Festival, Running Time: 20 minutes
Choreography: Kendra Kimbrough Danced By: The Kendra Kimbrough Dance Ensemble - 6 female dancers
Live Accompaniment: Mutama - female vocal and percussionist group
Whose Image is a work exploring the concept of self-esteem. The journey of accepting ones self is distracted by attacks of subconscious beliefs built upon the self-ideal and ones self-concept versus building ones self-esteem. The entire dance is comprised of three sections: Subconscious Attack, Egocentric, and Acknowledgment.
Movements taken from the Brazilian traditional Dances of the Orixas created interesting rhythmic concepts. Dancers randomly selected various written phrases, both negative and positive statements about ones self, and were asked to create movement phrases to parallel or interpret the written ones. In the making of the piece I began to shape ideas by telling a story of how the central character, representing the self, encountered issues regarding self-esteem, self-ideal and self- concept.
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8. Addiction
1996 Original Version - Nu Upper Room, Open Arts Circle
1998 Premiere of adapted version - Open Arts Circle, Brady Street, Santa Cruz Dance Gallery
1999 - Dance Mission, Running Time: 13:46
Choreography: Kendra Kimbrough Danced By: The Kendra Kimbrough Dance Ensemble (6 female dancers)
Music: Stephen Kent
Addiction was first created in October of 1996 and was recently re-created in January 1998. The piece, focusing on the many addictions of the world, was drawn from the addictions of crack users. As the choreography was being created, the dancers went through many different processes. I was careful and very conscious not to have the piece be a cliché of the idea of addiction, so we did many character studies, researched specific drugs, and I did not influence the types of addictions chosen. Through this process the dancers were able to challenge themselves by having to deepen their reality and understanding of what it feels like to be addicted to something. We all have addictions, but the first step, which is a very complicated one, is admitting it to ourselves. So upon acknowledging our addiction(s), we were able to further make the piece come alive.
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7. Legacy I: Soul Quest
1996 Original Version - San Francisco State University
1997 & 1998 Adapted Version - Open Arts Circle and Brady Street, Running Time: 19:45
Choreography: Kendra Kimbrough ~ Danced By: The Kendra Kimbrough Dance Ensemble
Part I- “Shadow” Music- “Orchestra Marrabenta Star De Mocambique” Trance Planet; Part II- “Mourning” Music - “Guzophela” Zap Mama; Part III- “Soul Quest” Music- “Mupepe” Zap Mama; Part IV- “Celebration” Music- “Daylight Shines” Artist Unknown
Legacy is a four part choreographic work. It was done in honor and remembrance of my mother who passed away July 2, 1991. Although it’s roots are very personal, it is also a universal piece, as it relates and touches everyone in a very special place. The piece includes dialogue, group and solo choreography.
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6. Giro O Mundo
1999 Premiere - The Center for African and African-American Art and Culture, Contra Costa College
2000 Dance Mosaic, Palo Alto, CA, Running Time: 6:02
Choreography: Kendra Kimbrough Danced By: The Kendra Kimbrough Dance Ensemble ~ Music: Timbalada
Modern Jazz piece created with Afro-Bloco movements from Brazilian Culture. This piece was created in celebration of dance as pure movement.
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5. Spirit
1999 Premiere - The Center for African and African-American Art and Culture, Running Time: 10 minutes
Choreography: Kendra Kimbrough Danced By: The Kendra Kimbrough Dance Ensemble ~ Music: Sally Nyolo and Leon Parker
In honor of the enduring spirit of single mothers, this piece was created specifically for our production, "Progressing Single Mothers". Choreography was inspired by dancer's personal experiences with single moms. Stories and various accounts were used to create phrases.
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4. Breaths
1999 Premiere - The Center for African and African-American Art and Culture, Running Time: 5:36
Choreography: Kendra Kimbrough and Paula Plessas Danced By: Kendra Kimbrough ~ Music: Sweet Honey in the Rock, performed by Mutama
This solo work inspired by the "Progressing Single Mothers" production in February 1999. The piece was created in honor of the strength and legacy of our ancestors.
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3. Heritage, My Tribute to Katherine Dunham
1998 Premiere - Ethnic Dance Festival Auditions and Open Arts Circle, Running Time: 10 minutes
Choreography: Kendra Kimbrough Danced By: The Kendra Kimbrough Dance Ensemble ~ Music: Live Musicians (various artists)
Heritage is a piece dedicated to Katherine Dunham and inspired by Dr. Albirda Rose. The choreography uses Dunham-Technique and is fused with other Modern-Jazz concepts. The piece is performed with live musicians and focuses on a theme of community and celebration.
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2. Dolls In Playland
1997 Premiere - Open Arts Circle, Alice Arts Center, Various Community Events and Schools, 1998 - Community Events and Open Arts Circle
Running Time: 6:36
Choreography: Kendra Kimbrough ~ Danced By: The Kendra Kimbrough Dance Ensemble ~ Music: Examination of What, Digable Planets
Created to show the usage of rhythm through modern jazz and hip-hop. It has a very playful theme, while the dancers demonstrate a clear use of theatrical improvisation as they portray characters of dolls.
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1. Animal Instincts
1997 Premiere - San Francisco State University, EMBAJE Dance Company (guest choreographer) 1997 - Open Arts Circle
Running Time: 6:42
Choreography: Kendra Kimbrough ~ Danced By: The Kendra Kimbrough Dance Ensemble ~ Music: Kronos Quartet
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