Gully spring: Di exhortation
By Shamar Wayne Watt
October 25 - 27, 2018
Bessie-nominated dancer and choreographer Shamar Wayne Watt – celebrated for his work with nora chipaumire – shares a ritual experience at JACK, with members of his family joining him in an interrogation of Christianity, spirituality, family and revolution. Through experimentation with aesthetics of Afro-Jamaican religion and practices such as nyabingi, maroon and kumina, as well as Pentecostal preaching and street dance, Watt creates an immersion into the essence of Jamaican maroonage and the spirit of those who fled and fought off the British colonial rule. With urban language from the African breath, Shamar stretches this essence across the globe -- touching both new and old worlds.
DATES:
Thursday, October 25 at 8 pm
Friday, October 26 at 8 pm
Saturday, October 27 at 8 pm
Shamar Wayne Watt is a Bessie-nominated performer/choreographer born in Kingston, Jamaica and raised in both Jamaica and Miami. He has been involved with sports (mainly basketball/football) for most of his life. He started dancing through freestyle hip hop and various street aesthetics and dancing (mime/pantomime) in his home church during his later years of high school. He started his formal dance training at Miami Dade College under the direction of Michelle Grant-Murray, where he was introduced to West African, modern and ballet. He received his Associates degree in Psychology, and then transferred to Florida State University, where he graduated with a BFA in choreography/performance and a BA in Psychology. Shamar performs extensively with Nora Chipaumire, serving also in the capacity of studio/rehearsal/research/sound assistant. Shamar has been accepted to present work as one of the 2018 fellow artist for Here & Now at Miami Lightbox Project, and presented work at Gibney for double plus, which was curated by Nora Chipaumire. He received the Dancing While Black Fellowship 2015-2016, and the MANCC scholarship to go to Senegal to further his studies/research with chipaumire. Shamar currently travels regularly to Zimbabwe as nora chipaumire's assistant in developing the nhaka studies/research/practice. He has been invited to present his work at BAX, Summer Leadership Institute, directed and coordinated by Jawole Zollar Urban Bush Women and at the National Sawdust in collaboration with cellist Kelsey Lu, As an artist, Shamar is driven to create Art that challenges the mind and souls of every witness through the pursuit, dedication and declaration to the emancipation of the whole self: mind, body and soul for himself, his people and all of mankind.
Valerie Davis, the blood mother of Waldemar, Lamar, Shamar and Omar. Born in Kingston, and raised in Trelawny, Jamaica, she attended Cast College in Papine, St. Andrew. After having Shamar, she moved to Miami, where she continued working as a patient financial specialist. She is passionately active in her local church in Miami at Kingdom Builders Ministry, is a part of the praise and worship team, and sings in the choir. She currently attends Miami Dade College, pursuing a degree in business & management. Valerie devotes her artistry and life to encouraging others in an upstanding way, proclaiming the word of God
Lamar Jerome Watt is the blood brother, after Shamar Watt. Born and raised in Miami, Lamar is on the verge of becoming a senior at FAU Florida Atlantic University majoring in criminal justice. He is vested in the athletic arena -- he plays football most of all then lacrosse off season. Lamar is passionate about krumping (a street movement aesthetic). Through this medium he is able to embody the virtuosity of the raw emotion and expression of his own experiences that permeates through realms beyond the physical. Lamar’s aim as an artist is to send a positive message to those in low places, to those in the streets trying to find their way through using krump as an outlet to gather young passionate people from out of the streets and out of trouble. He seeks to be justice for all.
Photo Credit: Natalie Romero