Dianne McIntyre "dancing" a story with Ntozake Shange
Performing Shange – Thursday, February 14. The Worlds of Ntozake Shange was celebrated in a performance by students and a conference at her alumni Barnard College for the 20th anniversary of the Africana Studies Program and the Consortium for Critical Interdisciplinary Studies. Fittingly, “Zake,” as she is affectionately called, was joined by longtime collaborator and friend Dianne McIntyre. The stories of their time together were many, but we were reminded by Zake that dance was the impetus for many of her works. “We sometimes call it magic, but Dianne McIntyre calls it dance,” she said. As many stories as there were, there were some bone-chilling quotes from“Zake” about her connection to dance, here are some:
Zake studied with and danced for Dianne McIntyre’s company, Sounds In Motion. “After dance class lots of endorphins were going and I could write. If I didn’t dance I wouldn’t be able to write.”
“I wanted something that flowed, reached out…”
“My writing is propelled by the breath.”
Today, after two strokes and a debilitating disease (she is now in a wheelchair), she says “In my dreams, I can dance...I dance in my dreams and every night I can fly.”
Zake studied with and danced for Dianne McIntyre’s company, Sounds In Motion. “After dance class lots of endorphins were going and I could write. If I didn’t dance I wouldn’t be able to write.”
“I wanted something that flowed, reached out…”
“My writing is propelled by the breath.”
Today, after two strokes and a debilitating disease (she is now in a wheelchair), she says “In my dreams, I can dance...I dance in my dreams and every night I can fly.”
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