BEAUTY AND THE BEAT: A WARRIOR REBORN
Bayo Beauty continues her journey of connection, empowerment, and self-discovery. Guided by the Zaouli Princess, Papa Legba, the Water Goddesses, Our Ancestors, The Beat, and YOU, she ascends…A Warrior Reborn.
Realm #1 THE ARRIVAL & THE CALL
Beauty awakens from her Masked voyage at the Crossroads. The 4-faced Legba Arrives and Calls to Beauty with her mission.
Legba
Choreography: Zakiya Cornish
Music: Frank Malloy from Wontonara Percussion
Realm #2 DEJA VU: BEAUTY REMEMBERS ZAOULI
Legba leads Beauty to the Ivory Coast Princess Zaouli, one of her Masked voyage Spirit Guides. Zaouli reveals Beauty’s memories, showing her the women of her ancestral lineage and younger versions of herself.
Zaouli...Footwork
Choreography: T. Ayo Alston, Imania Fatima Detry and Donnetta "LilBit" Jackson inspired by Diadie Bathily and Atiti Gohi
Dancers: Ayodele Queens
Guest Artists: Diadie Bathily, Caph Guei and Eric “BliBli” Gore
Music:
Realm #3 THE QUEENS BEAT
Beauty recalls the Queendom’s Djembe Orchestra. This time, the Queens dance for her too.
Sewourba
Choreography: T. Ayo Alston inspired by their training with Bountou Kouyate, daughter of griot family and original senior dancer with ballet “Merveilles de Guinee” in Conakry, Guinea West Africa
Dancers: Ayodele Queens
Music: Sekou Samounka, Lead Djembe of Les Merveilles de Guinée
Realm #4 BEAUTY RETURNS
The “Mini Mes” celebrate Beauty’s return
Carnival
Choreography: Eboney Tolliver
Dancers: Ayodele Youth Company
Music: Allison Hinds, DJ Swisha, Los, and Kush Jones
Realm #5 READINESS
Beauty Finds Djali Juga
After recalling her Masked voyage, Beauty finds Djali Juga, a representation of Beauty’s ancestral Matriarchy and the silliness of the Korejuga. Djali Juga prepare Beauty for ther mission of ascension.
Gbegbe
Choreography: T. Ayo Alston inspired by Barakissa Coulibaly and Atito Gohi
Music: Traditional Ivory Coast rhythm that transports Beauty to her next destination as she sleeps.
“Mama Say”
The “Mini Mes” call out to “The Mamas”. Although the Minis may mock us, they are paying attention. In this humorous moment, Beauty and the queendom remember the importance and power of a mother’s love!
Poem and Music: Jon Pierce. Scene created in collaboration with T. Ayo Alston
Dancers: Ayodele Youth Company
Realm #6 SELF REFLECTION
Kuku
Beauty voyages to the shore where she is greeted by Heiresses of the Malian women from her bloodline who bond with her while teaching her about fishing culture. She learns to sit in her truth, self reflection to prepare to heal the world.
Choreography: T. Ayo Alston and Imania Fatima Detry for Ayodele Queens; Barakissa Coulibaly for Ayodele Youth Company;
Dancers: Ayodele Queens & Ayodele Youth Company
INTERMISSION
Realm #7 BIRTHED INTO POWER
Baptism and Blessing
Kalûnga is a Kikongo word representing the liminal threshold between the physical world of the living and the spiritual realm of ancestors. Beauty bears witness to her matriarchal ancestry as she is baptized by the Water Goddesses and blessed by the grande Mami Wata.
Choreography: T. Ayo Alston
Music: T. Ayo Alston with Joyce Lindsey and Jessica Sanders
Masquerade: Mami Wata by Harry Detry
Dancers: Candice Igeleke, Ifetayo Kitwana, Saidia Murphy, Maanami Phillips, Augusta Scescke and Brittany Walker
This piece contains nudity.
Realm #8 HARVEST
Kassa/Konkoba
Beauty explores the preparation for a good harvest season with the Maninka Matriarch and the young Princesses. She is nourished and her crown starts to appear.
Choreography: T. Ayo Alston
Dancers: Ayodele Queens and Ayodele Youth Company
Realm #9 REFUEL
Sweet Suite Mali: Didadi, Dansa, and Tissamba
Malian Djeli speaks life into Beauty’s reborn vessel with words and songs from the Origin Empire. The Queendom celebrates the birth of Beauty, The Warrior Reborn!
Choreography, Song, and Music: Souleymane Solo Sana and Ayinde Von Hendricks
Choreography Spacial Design: T. Ayo Alston
Realm #10 THE OPENING
Open
Beauty passes Djali Juga’s readiness test and reunites with the Legbas as they open the final realm.
Choreography: Zakiya Cornish
Music: Frank Malloy of Wontanara Percussion
Final Realm THE ASCENSION TO A WARRIOR REBORN
Yamama
Done by the Temine and Mandinye people of Guinea and Sierra Leone, the Red YabonDo mask dance is said to remove negativity and bring good energy to a space. Beauty ascends in her spiritual dance body as the Yamama removes darkness from her path.
Choreography: T. Ayo Alston
Dancers: Ayodele Queens
Ayodele Youth Company
Lania Billingslea, Nia Cotman, Indigo Herring, Arianka Jackson, Subira Zinhle Johnson, Yara Zen Johnson, Nala Newman, Noah Newman, Jenyh O'Neal, Zaahirah O'Neal, Laila Stewart, Malia Williams