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A sharing of Ms. Norma Miller’s simultaneously illustrious and little known 87 year career in entertainment and the aeffective* impact of her mentorship upon Black women tradition-bearers in Jazz and Lindy Hop.
*Aeffective is being moved by affective experiences to do physical actions that result in concrete effects. Like being moved by the story, guiding words and artistry of a 94 yr young woman ( Ms. Norma) to stand in the gap for other Black dancers/educators who may be unaware of the power, beauty and majesty that is Black dance - namely Swing.
Read more about Ms. Norma Miller in our monthly reading list!
Cumbe Café is a gathering of creative, artistic and culturally forward thinking minds seeking a deeper understanding and appreciation for African and African Diaspora culture. This monthly interactive lecture series will explore a variety of topics that affect African Diaspora culture and its people from a historic, political and philosophical perspective.
Meant as a compliment to our ongoing dance and music classes and programming, Cumbe Café offers our community a conversational way to be introduced to, or learn more about, the styles and cultures we represent. Ranging from intimate dialogues and panel discussions to artistic presentations and sing alongs, Cumbe Café creates an environment of learning, community and joy through the championing of African Diaspora culture.
LaTasha “Tasha” Barnes is an internationally recognized and awarded dancer, choreographer, educator, performer, cultural ambassador and Tradition-bearer of Black American Social Dance from Richmond, VA. Currently based in New York, Barnes is globally celebrated for her musicality, athleticism, and joyful presence throughout the cultural traditions she bears: House, Hip-Hop, Waacking, Vernacular Jazz, and Lindy Hop. Her expansive artistic, competitive and performative skills have made her a frequent collaborator to Dorrance Dance, Singapore based Timbre Arts Group, Ephrat Asherie Dance and many more. Her leadership and business skills have placed her in positions of service as Chair of the Board of Trustees for Ladies of Hip-Hop FestivalⓇ, Vice President of Marketing & Outreach for the International Lindy Hop ChampionshipⓇ, Board Member of the Black Lindy Hoppers Fund, the Frankie Manning Foundation and a contributing member to the NEFER Global Movement Collective.
Expanding the scope of impact for the communities she serves, Barnes completed her self-designed Master's in Ethnochoreology, Black Studies and Performance Studies thru New York University Gallatin School (2019). Her thesis and continuing research are working to bridge the gap between communities of practice and academic cultural dance research, performance, preservation and pedagogy. In concert with these efforts she is honored to be a part of the Brain Trust developing the ground-breaking stage production Swing Out, bringing the passion and power of Lindy Hop and it’s community to the concert stage. She is also honored to be a developing partner of several intergenerational and intercommunal cultural arts exchanges and performances that will be presented in the near future. Additionally in support of this dialogue, Barnes is a contributing author to the forthcoming text 21st Century Jazz Dance: Africanist Aesthetics and Equity in Teaching and Choreography - Univ. FL Press (2021).
Through all her efforts Barnes' forever purpose is to inspire fellow artists and arts enthusiasts to champion artivism through cultivating an authentic sense of self and intention in their creative expressions and daily lives.