JIT Exchange Detroit-Zimbabwe: A Cross Cultural Collaboration September 10-14, 2018
The Center for World Performance Studies and Department of Afroamerican and African Studies, in collaboration with Zimbabwe Cultural Centre of Detroit, present JIT Exchange Detroit-Zimbabwe: A Cross Cultural Collaboration Featuring Dance and Music from Harare and Detroit.
JIT Dance Workshop with Haleem “Stringz” Rasul Monday, September 10, 7:30pm Haven Hall Posting Wall, 505 S. State Street
This workshop will introduce participants to basic footwork of both Detroit and Zimbabwean Jit / Jiti dance forms. Wear comfortable clothing. RSVP here.
Panel Discussion: Zimbabwe-Detroit Cultural Collaborations and Exchanges Tuesday, September 11, 6:00pm East Quad Room 1405, 701 E. University Ave.
Featuring Chido Johnson (ZCCD), Mono Mukundu (guitarist & recording engineer), and Haleem "Stringz" Rasul, and moderated by Stamps School of Art & Design MFA student and ZCCD agent Masimba Hwati, this panel explores the ongoing work of the Zimbabwe Cultural Centre of Detroit, building bridges between Zimbabwe and Detroit through cross-cultural projects and artist residencies.
Dance Workshop & Dialogue with Haleem "Stringz" Rasul Wednesday, September 12, 4:30pm Neutral Zone, 310 E. Washington
King•Chavéz•Parks Visiting Professor Haleem Rasul conducts a JIT workshop and facilitates a discussion about community-building through dance at local Ann Arbor teen center the Neutral Zone.
Exhibit Opening: “I Wish You Were Here: Postcards as Cross Cultural Communication” Thursday, September 13, 4:30pm GalleryDAAS | Haven Hall G648, 505 S. State Street
The Department of Afroamerican and African Studies’ GalleryDAAS hosts Zimbabwe Cultural Centre of Detroit's postcard project, a collaboration with the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Mutare. The exhibit will run September 13 – December 14, 2018, with a break from October 15-25. The fall exhibit for GalleryDAAS has been designed to coincide with the University of Michigan Museum of Art’s exhibit “Beyond Borders: Global Africa.”
JIT Exchange SMTD@UMMA Performance Thursday, September 13, 7:00pm University of Michigan Museum of Art, 525 S. State
featuring Haleem Rasul (dance / choreography) & Hardcore Detroit Mono Mukundu (guitar) E.Reid JIT Coalition (live music / production)
A synthesis of Zimbabwean jiti, Detroit ghetto tech, jit dance, jazz and funk, this performance features dancer/choreographer Haleem “Stringz” Rasul of Detroit with musical support from Zimbabwean guitarist Mono Mukundu and SMTD students and alumni. The uncanny parallel in historical narrative and the similarity in dance styles, researched in depth by Rasul during a 6-week residency in Harare, exemplify the theme of interconnectedness in UMMA’s exhibition Beyond Borders: Global Africa, while the artists’ exchange engages the exhibition’s theme of hybridity and its dialogic approach to African and African diasporic arts. RSVP here.
All events are free and open to the public.
The Jit Exchange is a ZCCD project made possible through John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, presented in collaboration with U-M Center for World Performance Studies and Department of Afroamerican and African Studies. Co-sponsored by the African Studies Center, Institute for Humanities, Residential College, School of Music, Theatre & Dance, and the University of Michigan Museum of Art, with support from the King•Chavéz•Parks Visiting Professors Program and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.