Soursop Stories—Ancestral Transitions / Modern Acquisitions
These are the dances of Caribbean mothers, fathers, grammies and pappies. These steps which have typically been done under the Caribbean sun have now been transported to the shores of Lake Eerie. How does one preserve the sanctity of these movements while adjusting to a new reality? This work is an ode to the process of self-discovery and what it means to be Caribbean women in the Midwest.
To belong and stand out. To value the old and the new. To create new steps within the context of new surroundings , while not forsaking the beautiful roots from which they stem. This is the journey. This is soursop.
This project will ideally create a far reaching impact for both artists and non artists in the Greater Cleveland Community. For the task of completing this piece, all collaborators will be local Cleveland talent. A primary goal of the production is to highlight some of these lesser known, yet greatly talented artists. Musical composition will be provided by Daniel Shipley as well as Dr. Munirah Bomani and Gabrielle Shipley. Fabrics and costume building will be provided by Vernita Miller, Berkys Sosa and Zeina Najjar. Videography and technical support will be captured by Cleveland artist Rudy Duran. Some sites featured in the work will be landmarks familiar to Clevelanders such as the willow tree at Edgewater State Park, the Free Stamp and the Flats.
Ultimately, the vision of this work is to shed a light onto Caribbean Culture for Clevelanders that may not have had exposure to it previously. Due to COVID, virtual presentations are now becoming more popular and widely accessible. This piece will be debuted online, which greatly increases the number of patrons that can potentially view it. The work will be visible at no cost to the public for one month's time. Local schools will also be contacted about the project to increase the impact the art may have on students and Cleveland youth as a whole.
