Carnival of the Animals | Wendy Whelan + BAMUTHI

Carnival of the Animals: a whimsical story of our shifting societal values told through the lens of the classic work, is a new evening length piece by spoken word artist & activist BAMUTHI, legendary dancer Wendy Whelan, and acclaimed choreographer Francesca Harper.

Rooted in the iconic Saint-Saëns composition dating back to 1886, this contemporary vision comes to life with poignant spoken word and transcendent movement, creating a multidisciplinary mixtape sampled with the creators' own personal journeys to reframe their relationships to gender, race, and a perpetually evolving understanding of the world. Carnival of the Animals reaches across genres and generations to unite and energize audiences with a breathtaking performance of body, voice, and sound.

BAMUTHI | Spoken Word
Wendy Whelan | Dance
Francesca Harper | Choreographer
Booking + worldwide representation: Sozo Artists

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MARC BAMUTHI JOSEPH is a curator of words, ideas and protagonists. His bold poetically-driven work investigates social issues and cultural identity. He is a steadfast believer in empathy as the most valuable currency in building community, and seeks to spark curiosity and dialogue about freedom, compassion, and fearlessness through pioneering arts stewardship and education. A TEDGlobal Fellow, BAMUTHI graced the cover of Smithsonian Magazine as one of America’s Top Young lnnovators in the Arts and Sciences; artistically directed HBO’s “Russell Simmons presents Brave New Voices” and is an inaugural recipient of the United States Artists Rockefeller Fellowship, which annually recognizes 50 of the country’s greatest living artists. Dance Magazine named him a Top Influencer in 2017.

BAMUTHI’s evening length work red black and GREEN: a blues was nominated for a 2013 Bessie Award for Outstanding Production and he has won numerous grants including from the NEA and Creative Capital. His latest touring work /peh-LO-tah/ is inspired by soccer and his first generation American experience, intersecting global economics, fan culture, and the politics of joy. He collaborated with composer DBR on a new opera co-commissioned and produced by Opera Philadelphia, New York’s Apollo Theater and London’s Hackney Empire, which premiered under the direction of Bill T. Jones in 2017. He currently serves as Chief of Program and Pedagogy at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco and frequently lectures at universities across the nation, publishes essays, and sits at the helm of community- and youth-focused nonprofits.

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WENDY WHELAN is widely considered one of the world’s leading dancers. She spent 30 years at New York City Ballet, performing virtually all the major Balanchine roles, working closely with Jerome Robbins, and appearing internationally as a guest artist with The Royal Ballet and the Kirov Ballet among others.

Whelan has been nominated for an Olivier Award and a Critics Circle Award, and has received the Jerome Robbins Award, a Bessie for Sustained Achievement in Performance, the Dance Magazine Award, and a Doctorate of Arts, honoris causa, from Bellarmine University.

Since departure from NYCB, Whelan has been teaching young female dancers and developing her own projects. Restless Creature: Wendy Whelan recently won the Chita Rivera Award for Best Dance Documentary, and speaks to her commitment to nullifying the stigma of aging and to focus instead on empowering women. The film is available on Netflix.

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Francesca Harper is an internationally acclaimed artist committed to works rooted in artistic expression, empowerment, and social awareness. After being named Presidential Scholar in the Arts and performing at the White House in high school, she performed soloist roles with The Dance Theater of Harlem and later as a Principal Dancer in William Forsythe’s Ballet Frankfurt.

Harper has choreographed works for Alvin Ailey, Ailey II, Tanz Graz, Hubbard Street II, Dallas Black Dance Theater, and her own company, The Francesca Harper Project, founded in 2005. She served as ballet consultant for Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan. Harper is an adjunct professor at NYU, an Associate Professor at Barnard College, and continues to teach and choreograph for The Ailey School, Fordham University, and the Susan Batson Studio. She is Artistic Director for the Movement Invention Project and received a 2 year choreographic fellowship with Urban Bush Women, providing support toward her dance theater work “An Unapologetic Body,” currently in development.

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Learn more: www.sozoartists.com