About these Responses
Juba was an extraordinary figure in early American performance. During the 1840s, he astonished eyewitnesses with an original combination of dance, music and song that mixed precision with wild abandon, humor with wonder, parody with impersonation, grotesque acrobatics with grace. He pioneered the introduction of an African-American performance style into European forms, helped to popularize folk traditions associated with the banjo, and popularized a new form, 'tap' dance.
He was also a performer of colour in a racist minstrel show, surrounded by Euro-American (white) partners in blackface makeup. He was praised for his sophisticated artistry, but scolded for pandering to that 'gallery crowd,' the working class. He danced in morning coat and in drag, in the private homes of aristocrats and in saloons. And when he died, by one report, his skeleton was placed on display in a museum. He was idolized, and lionized--and barely tolerated. An influential, extraordinary, troubled and troubling figure, whose brief life exposes the early Victorian attitude toward race, class, and gender.
All we have left of Juba is a few documents—descriptions, songs, images. He was famous, and then he disappeared.
Artists Respond to Juba is a gallery of work by contemporary artists. We asked them to look at some of the documents, the remnants of Juba and his world, and to tell us how they would interpret them—not to re-create Juba's performance, but to translate the remnants of his art and life back into performance, into a modern idiom.
With their own movement, sound, image or word.
He was also a performer of colour in a racist minstrel show, surrounded by Euro-American (white) partners in blackface makeup. He was praised for his sophisticated artistry, but scolded for pandering to that 'gallery crowd,' the working class. He danced in morning coat and in drag, in the private homes of aristocrats and in saloons. And when he died, by one report, his skeleton was placed on display in a museum. He was idolized, and lionized--and barely tolerated. An influential, extraordinary, troubled and troubling figure, whose brief life exposes the early Victorian attitude toward race, class, and gender.
All we have left of Juba is a few documents—descriptions, songs, images. He was famous, and then he disappeared.
Artists Respond to Juba is a gallery of work by contemporary artists. We asked them to look at some of the documents, the remnants of Juba and his world, and to tell us how they would interpret them—not to re-create Juba's performance, but to translate the remnants of his art and life back into performance, into a modern idiom.
With their own movement, sound, image or word.
Who do we ask?
We ask dancers, percussionists, acrobats, clowns, vocalists, poets, artists of every kind.
Participation might be as simple as taking a look at some documents and offering us an opinion about Juba’s dance, and his world.
But we want more. We want to know how artists would interpret these words, songs, images through their own art. Wherever we can, we help the artist to create a brief performance, observe and record it, and then (with their permission) share it with others through this Gallery.
Participation might be as simple as taking a look at some documents and offering us an opinion about Juba’s dance, and his world.
But we want more. We want to know how artists would interpret these words, songs, images through their own art. Wherever we can, we help the artist to create a brief performance, observe and record it, and then (with their permission) share it with others through this Gallery.
What do we ask them to do?
Give us movement. Juba was a dancer, famous for his speed, his acrobatics, his grace, his ability to imitate and parody, and his use of the whole body in his dance.
Give us sound and word. Juba was a percussionist, and he and his troupe made, from all accounts, an incredible racket. He and his partners were singers, comics, satirists and pioneered audience-participation improvisation.
Give us images. Juba and his contemporary performers are captured in woodcuts and prints, often twisted into abstract knots. Their wardrobe was outrageous, and unsettling.
Use your imagination. Multi-media, animated, digital—we’ll be interested in anything new.
We ask them, using their own art responding to Juba's, to explore and to comment on the world surrounding him.
The eyewitnesses who tried to describe Juba admitted the impossibility of doing his artistry any justice, even as they imitated his rhythms in their speech, clinically described his movements, comparing them with every dance from the highland fling to Romantic ballet. They gave it their best shot. Our project reverses the process–by reading the documents and attempting to translate them back into performance. The goal isn’t to recreate Juba’s dance or the folk performance that surrounded him. It's about transmission. What is left of the original when a translation of a difficult text is translated back again--after the grammar has changed.
Give us sound and word. Juba was a percussionist, and he and his troupe made, from all accounts, an incredible racket. He and his partners were singers, comics, satirists and pioneered audience-participation improvisation.
Give us images. Juba and his contemporary performers are captured in woodcuts and prints, often twisted into abstract knots. Their wardrobe was outrageous, and unsettling.
Use your imagination. Multi-media, animated, digital—we’ll be interested in anything new.
We ask them, using their own art responding to Juba's, to explore and to comment on the world surrounding him.
The eyewitnesses who tried to describe Juba admitted the impossibility of doing his artistry any justice, even as they imitated his rhythms in their speech, clinically described his movements, comparing them with every dance from the highland fling to Romantic ballet. They gave it their best shot. Our project reverses the process–by reading the documents and attempting to translate them back into performance. The goal isn’t to recreate Juba’s dance or the folk performance that surrounded him. It's about transmission. What is left of the original when a translation of a difficult text is translated back again--after the grammar has changed.
What do Artists Respond to?
We have provided a range of material to examine in this website, which we think will be useful to the artist. You can look at documents describing the performances, images that show minstrels in performance, their costumes and instruments. You can read up on the discography of songs from the early repertory, and listen to other artists sing them (See also: this link). You can read brief biographies, see the venues they played, read longer works attempting to understand what it meant, and how it looked. There are 'hyperdocuments' that allow you to link onto parts of words and images.
You can trace the travels of Juba, the clown G. W. Pell and the great banjoist Tom Briggs. To get you started, here are some excerpts from witnesses of Juba, who are struggling to describe him:
Precision and Control
while his feet still seem upon the ground, he contrives to beat distinctly through all the variations of a popular and fashionable tune
Speed and Wild Abandon
how could he turn, and twine, and twist, and twirl, and hop, and jump, and kick, and throw his feet almost with a velocity that makes one think they are playing hide-and seek with a flash of lightning!
Contortion and Acrobatics
he ties his limbs into double knots, and untwists them as one might a skein of silk
Whole Body Performance
toes and heels, ankles and calves, knees and thighs, elbows and wrists, nay even his eyes and the lobes of his ears all dance
Parody and Imitation
the most wonderful conglomeration of every step that was ever thought of, and reminds the spectator more of one of the 'dancing dervishes,' or fabled 'willis' from the Romantic ballet.
Laughter and Clowning
a laugh distinct, a laugh apart, a laugh by itself--clear, ringing, echoing, resonant, harmonious, full of rejoicing
Race and Authenticity
a genuine Son of the Southern clime, who will introduce the national songs and dances of his country; accompanied on the native Instrument, the Banjo.
Gender and Drag
With a most bewitching bonnet and veil, a very pink dress, beflounced to the waist, lace-fringed trousers of the most spotless purity, and red leather boots.
Rude, Lewd, Crude--Too Fast for the Middle Class:
Juba is jumping very fast. Too fast is worse than too slow, and we advise him to be wise in time. It is easier to jump down than to jump up. The performances of Boz's Juba have created quite a sensation in the gallery, who greeted his marvelous feats of dancing with thunders of applause and a standing encore. In all the rougher and less refined departments of his art, Juba is a perfect master.’
You can trace the travels of Juba, the clown G. W. Pell and the great banjoist Tom Briggs. To get you started, here are some excerpts from witnesses of Juba, who are struggling to describe him:
Precision and Control
while his feet still seem upon the ground, he contrives to beat distinctly through all the variations of a popular and fashionable tune
Speed and Wild Abandon
how could he turn, and twine, and twist, and twirl, and hop, and jump, and kick, and throw his feet almost with a velocity that makes one think they are playing hide-and seek with a flash of lightning!
Contortion and Acrobatics
he ties his limbs into double knots, and untwists them as one might a skein of silk
Whole Body Performance
toes and heels, ankles and calves, knees and thighs, elbows and wrists, nay even his eyes and the lobes of his ears all dance
Parody and Imitation
the most wonderful conglomeration of every step that was ever thought of, and reminds the spectator more of one of the 'dancing dervishes,' or fabled 'willis' from the Romantic ballet.
Laughter and Clowning
a laugh distinct, a laugh apart, a laugh by itself--clear, ringing, echoing, resonant, harmonious, full of rejoicing
Race and Authenticity
a genuine Son of the Southern clime, who will introduce the national songs and dances of his country; accompanied on the native Instrument, the Banjo.
Gender and Drag
With a most bewitching bonnet and veil, a very pink dress, beflounced to the waist, lace-fringed trousers of the most spotless purity, and red leather boots.
Rude, Lewd, Crude--Too Fast for the Middle Class:
Juba is jumping very fast. Too fast is worse than too slow, and we advise him to be wise in time. It is easier to jump down than to jump up. The performances of Boz's Juba have created quite a sensation in the gallery, who greeted his marvelous feats of dancing with thunders of applause and a standing encore. In all the rougher and less refined departments of his art, Juba is a perfect master.’
How does the contribution take place?
We normally assign a curator to work with each contributing artist. The curator discusses the project with the contributor, assists in the exploration of the historical evidence, and prepares a package of materials appropriate to the skills and interests of the artist. The curator normally records an interview with the artist, as well as any artistic exploration. These documents are edited by the curator and/or the artist for exhibition in this gallery. The artist has complete control over the exploration and its distribution at every stage--sample written agreements and letters of invitation will be provided on request.
This first phase of the project has been completed, and an interesting body of evidence has been accumulated for the use of historians and creative artists. Ideally, together.
This first phase of the project has been completed, and an interesting body of evidence has been accumulated for the use of historians and creative artists. Ideally, together.