“Intimate and heartfelt”—Culture Spot LA
Cion: Requiem of Ravel’s Boléro

This season, audiences can experience South African star Gregory Maqoma’s choreographic genius at the Kennedy Center for the first time. His collaborations with top artists have been making waves across the globe—from William Kentridge’s acclaimed production of The Head and the Load, which made its North American premiere in New York in 2018, to Idris Elba and Kwame Kwei-Armah’s new multimedia musical Tree, which will premiere in the UK in June 2019. For his D.C. engagement, Maqoma’s contemporary dance company Vuyani Dance Theatre performs an innovative, visually stunning full-length work that brings literature to life.

In Cion: Requiem of Ravel’s Boléro, Maqoma draws inspiration from creations by two artists: the character Toloki in South African author Zakes Mda’s novel Cion, and music from French composer Maurice Ravel’s Boléro. It’s a universal story encompassing the past and the present that champions our ability to band together to share the burden of grief. Set in a graveyard with the persistent cries of people in mourning and the a cappella music of Isicathamiya singers in the background, the performance vividly elicits emotions associated with the loss of life. Ultimately, Maqoma has created a powerful requiem that seeks to stand against the darkness of death and bring audiences hope for humanity.

Stay in the theater following the Jan. 24 show for a post-performance talk, free with your ticket. 
Dancers, choreographers, composers, creative team members, and/or other artists offer insight into the performance and a chance to ask questions!