‘Portrait of Myself as My Father’

Peak Performances is proud to announce their newest performance, ‘Portrait of Myself as My Father.’

Montclair State University is bringing the world premiere of famous choreographer Nora Chipaumire’s Portrait of Myself as My Father and the debut of her short film, Afro Promo #1: Kinglady to the Alexander Kasser Theater. These two showings represent the struggles and pressures that African men face, along with the relationship that she herself has experienced with her own father.

This piece revolves around the exploration of masculinity in African men. It expresses its messages through dance movements, rituals and dialogue. The training and rehearsing that went into putting the show together involved ethnomusicology, religion and even boxing classes. The performance is portrayed on stage through visuals including different angles of light and shadows.

“There’s a physical experience of doing field research and an intellectual experience of being in an academic institution and having access to people with specialized information,” said Chipaumire. “And the student body, being in an environment where it’s a dance department, there are thinking bodies and forces that force me to be in constant conversation with the thinking bodies and that’s an incredible experience.”

On Thursday, April 14 following the premiere of the show, contemporary African music will be played by DJ Rupture at 8:30 p.m. for an opening night party in the Alexander Kasser Theater lobby – free of charge and open to all ticketholders. On Saturday, April 16, a community conversation with Chipaumire in discussion with Charmaine Warren will be held. This event will also be in the Kasser theater at 9:00 p.m. – free of charge and open to the public.

Warren is a choreographer who teaches and practices dance movements internationally. She performed with New York dance companies and later joined the David Rousseve/REALITY Dance and Theater Company where she has been performing with them for over 10 years.

The premiere of this blood-pumping performance of a Portrait of Myself as My Father will be on Thursday, April 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the Alexander Kasser Theater located at Montclair State University – 1 Normal Avenue in Montclair. Following performances will be Friday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 16 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, April 17 at 3:00 p.m.

Tickets to the show are available at peakperfs.org or at the Alexander Kasser Theater Box Office located on the left side entrance of the theater. Tickets are $20 for the general public and free for all Montclair State University undergraduate students with their ID present. Guest parking will be accessible in the Red Hawk Parking Deck also located at the left side of the Alexander Kasser Theater.

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