Witness the ‘Legacy’
Since bursting onto the dance scene in 1984, Brooklyn-based dance company and social activism ensemble Urban Bush Women (UBW) has been a force in the dance world. UBW is known for their energetic performances that are marked by a spirit of boldness, innovation and excitement.
Get to know the creators
Jawole Willa Jo Zollar founded Urban Bush Women in an effort to utilize cultural expression as a tool for social change. She leads UBW's Summer Leadership Institute, while also serving as its director and founding artistic director. Currently a distinguished professor at Florida State University, Zollar has received numerous prestigious awards, including the 2022 Dorothy and Lilian Gish Prize.
Chanon Judson, Co-Artistic Director of Urban Bush Women, boasts a diverse career as a performer, choreographer and educator. With a rich performance background including notable productions like A 24-Decade History of Popular Music and Fela!, Judson also serves as a Visiting Associate Professor at the University at Buffalo, championing jazz embodiment and African Diaspora contributions in the arts curriculum.
Mame Diarra Speis, Co-Artistic Director of Urban Bush Women, is a movement improviser fascinated by play, risk and experimentation. She's collaborated with acclaimed artists like Saul Williams and Liz Lerman, earning recognition such as the Bessie Award for Outstanding Performer in 2017. Speis' teaching practice centers on pelvic mobility as a gateway to personal narratives and has beenshowcased globally from Senegal to Europe.
Join us for the 40th anniversary celebration
On April 19, Urban Bush Women present Legacy + Lineage + Liberation, a dynamic anthology celebrating the power of Black women. This celebration breathes new life into under-told stories, seamlessly weaving together contemporary dance, music and text with the rich tapestry of history, culture and spiritual traditions of the African Diaspora. The performance offers multi-dimensional narratives rooted deeply in this era of reflection on equity and justice, while celebrating the inspiring resilience of Black lives.
Works showcased include "Give Your Hands to Struggle," lyrically honoring leaders of the Civil Rights era, "Women’s Resistance," fusing power and grace in a call to collective action "I Don’t Know but I Been Told...if You Keep on Dancin’ You Never Grow Old," which is a high energy mix of dance forms from Black neighborhoods and more.