My friends all agree that the our favorite swear word when used with the specific intonation is Mother F**ker. Nothing gets your ears percolating or mouth agape when you hear the word delivered; imagine our reaction when we researched the origin of this word. My new 45 min evening-length work, Mutha/Mother reveals the untold fact of America's breeding plantations during slavery. Mutha/Mother captures a story of a breeding plantation's African slave family's silent pain, endurance of this atrocious act of capitalism and power, and how the affect tormented and haunted their family linage. Using inventive contemporary modern that invigorates and fuses the cakewalk /minstrel dances, Mutha/ Mother is an unapologetic physical dance work. Check out an excerpt of My work and let me know your thoughts. Premiering June 7,8,9, 2012 at The Goodson Atlanta. TLANGDANCECOPYRIGHT2011
I'm back in the studio working with my professional dancers as well as my students at Spelman creating new works for my upcoming evening length work Mutha/Mother slated for June 7-9, 2012 at Atlanta's Goat Farm.
I'm investigating the origin of the word M*ther F**ker. I don't know why I was so naive to not think that there was no such thing as breeding plantations during slavery. Yes, BREEDING plantations. I know. Somehow my history class skipped that section... matter of fact, the class barely mentioned slavery, civil rights, women's rights period. Luckily, I had parents who educated me on African American history and if you know me you know I come from strong women stock. But no one in my family or schools ever hipped me to the multi million dollar industry of breeding plantations. In some way, why would they. It is a disgusting fact in our American history.
After 30 some years later, I was discussing with my elder cousin (who is an African American history buff) at a family reunion and somehow after a couple of drinks and several rounds of playing spades we got on the discussion of the word M.F. Majority of us agreed that it's one of our favorite swear words with different meanings depending on the intonation. Finally my cousin hipped me to the origin. During slavery, there were some plantations that solely focused on producing and selling slaves. They would seek out mandingo tribe men because of their sturdy built and have them sleep with slave women. Here's the kicker.... it did not matter if the women were their cousins, aunts, sisters, or mothers. Are you F***ing kidding me?! I mean the act of slavery alone is a nasty part of our American history but now to know this unknown FACT. Needless to say, this information disturbed me... puzzled me... sickened me however, I needed to research more on this. I need to investigate this... this dysfuction. Though, slaves were thought only as property - hell lower than the hogs, and this thought was ingrained in slaves to almost believe that as well. BUT I know there has to be stories out there (maybe not in books but told and passed down through family elders) of slave families that had to deal with this set up.
So now I've been researching, investigating and creating a work that explores a slave family's understanding, dysfunction, tolerance in order to surrive, the set up, the moment, the after... I've been using images and texts from my all time favorite artist Kara Walker to influence my movement vocabulary and influence my lighting design. Check out the video clips of the beginning of my rehearsal process for Mutha/Mother. I'm giving myself 9 months to create! Ahh time!
I have the distinct honor of being apart of the MLK Tribute Gala Concert - A Monumental Life, produced by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. (Dr. King and my Father's Fraternity!). I was given the charge by the Director and my mentor Kenneth Green to create a work that celebrates the lives and essence of the four little girls from the Birmingham 16th Street Baptist Church bombing.
I spent time gathering information on each girl, Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson and Denise McNair. I spent time inside and outside of the church in Birmingham to get a feel of how children and teens would enter the basement, walk, skip or run in the hall, play in the church when adults weren't looking, play outside to the very last minute before it was time to go in. I wanted to get a sense of what there last unexpected moments in life would be and focus solely on that energy. I wanted to create and focus on the innocence and the strength of their spirit for this work. I truly hope and pray that I did this work justice and honor to their memory.
I was fortunate enough to work with dancers who are 14 years old, Jewanda, Zoe, Takia and Briann. They were incredible and gave the work life! And most of all I am truly humbled by the gracious spirit of Sweet Honey in the Rock for allowing me to create a work using their composition We Are. Sweet Honey in the Rock performed LIVE with the dancers and it was Magical!!! copyrighttlangdance2011
I was invited by FERST Center for the Arts Georgia Tech, to observe and review their guest artist Jonah Bokaer. Check out my entry below and go to their link to read further.
The Beginning Stages of FILTER T. Lang, Artistic Director, T. Lang Dance and Assistant Professor, Spelman University Dance Department
Entering a lab that had 12 hung cameras surrounding the center of the room, three Mac computers and a white wall that projects what the cameras captures; this high tech studio space is just another day for choreographer Jonah Bokaer in his motion capturing lab. I'm familiar with Jonah as one the most recognizable male dancers from the legendary Merce Cunningham Dance Company. His lines were always crisp and technically astute. Mr. Cunningham's experimental works with motion capturing in the late 90s such as Biped, surely inspired Jonah in his own choreographic development. As a result, Jonah has evolved this choreographic device to another realm. In his process for his new work Filter, Jonah strapped on a body suit with velcro censors attached to his joints (i.e. shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees). He organized his time wisely to make sure he was able to capture specific movement qualities on film in order to "chop and screw" later in process (I'll explain that shortly!).
T. Lang's SWEAT SHOP SUMMER DANCE INTENSIVE JUNE 6 - JUNE 11, 2011
SWEAT SHOPis a workshop for pre-professionals and professionals in the field of contemporary dance. SWEAT SHOP, created by Atlanta based choreographer T. Lang, provides the opportunity for the dancing professionals to hone their progressive physicality in contemporary modern. SWEAT SHOPexplores the mechanics, journey and process of new experimental movement in urban contemporary modern and contemporary ballet.
Schedule: Monday -... Friday 10:00- 10:50am Ballet Barre with Meredith Moore 11:00-1:00pm Urban Contemporary Modern with T. Lang 1:00-2:00pm LUNCH 2:00-5:00pm Repertory with T. Lang Saturday 12:00-2:00pm Urban Contemporary Modern with T. Lang 3:00pm SWEATY SHOWCASE
Located: READ HALL Studio 3 at Spelman College 350 Spelman Lane S.W. Atlanta, GA 30314
Only $100 for the full week or $20 daily Rate. I always wanted to have my own intensive that was AFFORDABLE for dancers to continue working on their craft.
You may send your check in advance to the following address: Make check payable to T. Lang and in memo input Sweat Shop 1603 Watercress Court Mableton, GA 30126
You may also pay at door.
ALSO, I am looking for dancers for my professional company to perform in my upcoming self produced concert in spring `12.
*** If you have a 9-5 and can not make this intensive but are interested in taking my class, please let me know. I am planning a DONATION based evening class for the summer!
So many wonderful things have been happening for T. Lang Dance. Performance at the Kennedy Center, residency in Italy, development of SWEATSHOP and now my alma mater Tisch has my work being performed at their past/forward concert this coming January as well as University of Illinois U-C inviting me to do a two week residency! I am so honored and excited. It's been a while since I've post, but here's a taste of what I've been working on. Enjoy!
My 6 year old cousin, Preston Lang, introduced me to Wii and I was amazed at how this child could understand this complex technology from the set up, the different games, different rules, and strategy to win. I was inspired.
I created Wiiiiii Play on Spelman Dance Theatre this spring during their dance concert. Take a look at the pictures.
This was the FIRST TIME I WORKED WITH 17 DANCERS!!!!!! It was a new experience for me. Energy was great but overwhelmingly powerful!
T. Lang, Artistic Director, 
