West Africa through Movement and Rhythm presented by The Black Transformative Arts Network

This special program will showcase dance techniques and movements from the SeneGambia region of West Africa, along with contemporary and traditional West African rhythms in a series of collaborative videos featuring Pittsburgh’s own Toni Nadiyah Stowers and Thomas Chatman. The presentation will culminate with a West African dance and drum performance. 

Streamed on The Show Must Go On(line) Pittsburgh channel. (run-time 60 minutes)

FEATURED ARTISTS:

TONI NADIYAH STOWERS is one of Pittsburgh’s renowned choreographers and dancers. She is part of Pittsburgh’s woven fabric of African American Choreographers, Contemporary Black Dance Companies and Traditional African Dance. She was the original choreographer for Pittsburgh’s first “Black Nativity,” and has performed for Pittsburgh’s Black Arts Festival, CitiParks “Standing Ovation” Series, Pittsburgh’s “First Night,’ Three Rivers Arts Festival and Homewood’s Harambee Festival. Credits include: Artist Director for The Legacy Arts Project Inc., Dance Africa Pittsburgh 2016-2017, Artistic Director for “TEKERE DUAFE” Dance Company in Durham, NC, CoFounder Camp Artistic Director of “SAFARACE,” and dancer for “UMOJA,” both by African Dance Company in Pittsburgh, PA, “WOSE” African Dance Company in Washington, DC, “RETURN to GOREE” African Dance Company in Baltimore, MD, Ozanma Cultural Center Youth Summer Arts Program and dancer with Pittsburgh’s Black Dance Ensemble under the late Bob Johnson. Stowers has been a recipient of several arts awards such as The Pittsburgh Council Dance Consortium, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, the Heinz Endowment 2016-2017 TAP Grant, and is one of the Pittsburgh’s Foundation Advancing Black Arts 2019 Awardees.

THOMAS CHATMAN is a native of Pittsburgh’s Historic Hill District, and is a performing and teaching artist, cultural arts administrator, and holistic wellness practitioner. He has studied extensively and performed with master dancers, musicians, teachers from the USA, Africa, and the Caribbean. As the co-founder and executive managing director of Pittsburgh Dance Ensemble-Cultural Arts Programs, and as the founder and CEO of the Pittsburgh Cultural Arts Collective, Chatman has provided a broad scope of cultural arts education programs to K-12 Schools, colleges, universities and community based organizations alike.