Tribal to hip-hop

Many performing artists see themselves as educators as well as entertainers. To those who have a historical perspective as well, connecting the dots in the chronological progression of cultural history can become a life’s mission. The satisfaction of unfolding the artistic tapestry and showing the evolution of style and structure can equal the gratification of giving a good performance.
As artistic director and performer of Total Dance/Dancical Productions Inc., dancer/singer Terrie Ajile Axam has pursued such a course for the past 17 years. Axam, who has performed with groups as diverse as the Carl Radcliffe Dance Theatre, Arrested Development and Peabo Bryson, now uses her music history background from Princeton University to create an ongoing performance piece she has taken all over the world.
Called Fusion, the work connects the evolution of music and dance from African drum to contemporary hip-hop, utilizing instrumentalists, vocalists and dancers from a variety of stylistic disciplines. Fusion was originally conceived by Axam and lead performer Speech of the group Arrested Development.
“He wanted to do it, but he was busy with studio work and touring. He had seen my work and asked me to take it over,” says Axam. “The evolution of Fusion dates from this, but I only had the theme. I had to put the program together myself.”
That original program ended up being performed more than 200 times on college campuses. Axam saw the potential for future mainstream audiences and decided to go independent, creating the show on her own by demand.
Performed by Axam’s group Total Dance Company, Fusion has become an annual part of Atlanta’s Kwanzaa celebrations for the past four years. And according to Axam, it sells out every year.
“We talk about the impact of the African drum and how it’s made a difference in the lives of African-Americans, world music and our music in North America,” says Axam. “We use an African drummer, Oginga, who goes from doing traditional African rhythms to drumming jazz. It’s a combination of dancing, drumming and vocalizing interspersed with the spoken word. And it’s totally well-rounded with modern, African, ballet, jazz, hip-hop — we go from African to hoedown.” Other performers include vocalists Ricky and Kenisha, rap artists Mount-Up and members of Total Dance Company.
Dances incorporated into Fusion include the West African dances Kplango and Kaka Lambe, the cake walk from turn-of-the-century vaudeville, the Charleston from the ’20s, the Lindy Hop from the ’30s, the blues from the ’40s and the Twist from the ’60s. Singers range from Louis Armstrong to Motown, the Temptations, the Supremes and Chubby Checker.
The show constantly evolves, as Axam and her colleagues add different music and choreography, as well as different ideas. “The framework stays the same, with variations,” says Axam. “But it always has a strong emphasis on African-American culture.”
Axam and her group recently toured West Africa and performed the work in Senegal. “It was wonderful beyond words for me,” she says. “I was there for two weeks and it seemed that I became a star there. They told me I made them very happy. And they were singing our music in the streets.”
Axam has plans to continue touring with Fusion as well as doing some solo work on the side. She has adopted a motto for herself and members of her Total Dance Company: “Thought becomes habit, habit becomes character, and character becomes destiny.”
“I have a mission to use performance art to entertain and to promote positive uplifting,” she says. “I made a choice to do something that has a message and can inspire. All the productions I do incorporate this mission.”
But in spite of her serious attitude towards her work, the sheer joy of singing and dancing never leaves her, as she is quick to point out. “Everything in Fusion,” she says, “is a celebration.”
Total Dance/Dancical Productions Inc. Presents Fusion Dec. 28 at 8 p.m. at Variety Playhouse, 1099 Euclid Ave. $15. 404-249-6400.