Departmental Programs

[Black Dance Workshop] [African Drum and Dance Ensemble]
[Kuntu Repertory Theatre]
[The Kuntu Writers' Workshop]

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The Black Dance Workshop presents, from an African American perspective, the ethnicity of dance styles and techniques such as jazz, African, spiritual, and Dunham. Its educational component consists of workshops, guest lecturers, dance conferences and interaction with other dance companies and college dance groups. Invited professional dancers share their ideas, concepts, techniques, and styles with the students to enhance the dance perspective from year to year. The Black Dance Workshop is open to all University students who are serious about dance.

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The African Drum and Dance Ensemble was founded in 1982 by Willie Anku as a diverse performing arts group. The Ensemble, under the direction of part-time dance instructor, Oronde S. Sharif, promotes educational and creative presentations, performances, and workshops which will inform the community about the culture of Africa and the Diaspora.

Here is a short Quicktime video clip of the African Drum and Dance Ensemble performing "Kassa". Hope you enjoy!

("KASSA" 1.9 MB)

senegal1@pitt.edu

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Kuntu Kuntu Repertory Theatre (KRT) was founded in 1974 by Dr. Vernell A. Lillie, an associate professor, for the purpose of presenting the works of Rob Penny (Playwright-in-Residence) and other African-American writers. Its intent has always been the examination of Black life from a sociopolitical-historical perspective, and to combine the salient features of theatre that educate, entertain, and move both performers and audiences to social action. Kuntu usually stages three major productions a year. In addition, Kuntu produces some ten off-camps shows and collages. After its first year of production, the members of Kuntu Repertory Theatre expanded its purposes to include the following:
  1. to provide an arena for the black writer to develop;
  2. to participate in the educational, social, and political development of peoples of African descent;
  3. to provide opportunities for its membership and for published and unpublished black writers to develop skills in the dramatic arts as both an aesthetic and a social statement;
  4. to enable the Black creative artist to have a supportive, intellectually stimulating environment for its own cultural reflections;
  5. to provide entertainment that is socially relevant, intellectually stimulating, historically accurate, emotionally satisfying, and technically excellent;
  6. to develop artists, actors, writers, directors, technicians, and educators who are knowledgeable in the Black experience; and
  7. to enable its members to work as a group for the cultural and social development of the community. Since 1974 the Kuntu Repertory Theatre has sponsored many outstanding activities to give visibility to the African American presence at the University of Pittsburgh, to recruit and to assist Black students in succeeding in and in feeling comfortable in a majority white setting, and to involve black and white students in examining the Black experience in America and throughout the world.

 

Celebrating 25 years of telling our stories to you. We have your ticket reserved. To Learn more about Kuntu Repertory Theatre (Click here).


vawl@pitt.edu

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The Kuntu Writers' Workshop (KWW)

Kuntu Writers Workshop was founded in 1976 by August Wilson and the late Rob Penny.

Its purpose is:
  • to bring writers together in a meaningful discussion and
  • to assist writers with getting published and/or produced.


    KWW meets the first and third Saturday of each month from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the office of the Department of Africana Studies. There are workshop sessions in poetry, fiction, and playwriting. It is free and open to students, non-students, youth, and senior citizens.

    flwilsonpoet@yahoo.com


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    Copyright © 1996
    Africana Studies
    University of Pittsburgh
    All Rights Reserved