Episode 35

SPICE! Dances of the African and Arab Diaspora

00:00:00
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00:40:53

October 1st, 2018

40 mins 53 secs

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About this Episode

This time the guys talk with Denetta Uzzell(who dances under the name Nafiah) and Carol The Belly Dancer, about the Tacoma event SPICE! Carol created SPICE! in 2017. SPICE! is a powerful, exciting showcase of dance styles from around the world with origins in the African and Arab diaspora, including North African and Middle Eastern folkloric, Afro-Latin, African-American, and Afro-Caribbean genres. Sometimes it’s glitzy, sometimes abrasive. Sometimes it’s brooding, sometimes ecstatic. Sometimes it’s sexy, always passionate. Sometimes political, but always powerful. Proceeds from the event will go to the SPICE world class artists and Tacoma Urban Performing Arts Center (T.U.P.A.C), a 501(c)3 that offers classical ballet and multicultural dance instruction for children and teens ages 6-18. The T.U.P.A.C mission is to provide their most deserving racially and socioeconomically diverse youth with world class opportunities to achieve Artistic Excellence in the performing arts. The all age’s event is on Saturday, October 6, 2018, at the Landmark Convention Center in Tacoma. Doors open at 6:30 pm with a cocktail hour and a 7:30 pm show. General Admission is $30 in advance or $35 at the door. There is also balcony and VIP seating available. You can purchase tickets at spicetacoma.bpt.me.

2:16 – The show kicks off with discussion on the GCP guys recording at the Union Club, info on how fans that are wanting to download older episodes can do so, and Carol explains what Spice is and the 15+ different styles of dance that will be showcased at the event. Carol explains that the benefit show is to raise funds for the nonprofit T.U.P.A.C, how T.U.P.A.C is modeled off the Dance Theater of Harlem, and Denetta talks about the two different types of dance she’ll be performing at the event.

9:43 – Carol explains the performance piece she’ll be doing, when she got started, and how hip-hop is pulling some of it’s current styles from classic styles of the past. Carol explains how SPICE celebrates the roots of each of the dances, it’s past corruption from western culture, and Scott talks about how one of his favorite parts of Tacoma is the diversity in the area.

20:08 – Justin touches on how the event is an all ages event, Carol talks on the history of twerking, the different styles of dance it came from, and the new ‘flossing’ dance style. They talk on how new dances spread quickly with globalization, if it’s good to have information spread so quickly with technology today, how important it is for people to get involved with the community, and the need for kids to get involved in things like dance.

33:37 – Carol talks about the type of dance classes T.U.P.A.C offer to adults, dabke dance style, rhythmic tap that is offered at Northwest Tap connection in Seattle, how cross cultures in the past created different types of dance throughout history, and how they came up with the idea of the show. Justin shares info on where people can find more info and buy tickets online.

Thanks Denetta and Carol for joining the guys to talk about SPICE! and for the amazing work you do to raise money for T.U.P.A.C!

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