Meet the Artists Behind UZIMA!’s “JUBILEE”

This June, UZIMA! Drum and Dance brings JUBILEE: Songs and Spirituals to the stage as part of the University’s Juneteenth commemorations—a performance rooted in the enduring power of liberation, restoration, and renewal. 

Through movement, music, and spoken word, JUBILEE traces the journey of the African diaspora with unflinching honesty and vibrant celebration. Members of UZIMA!’s creative team explore the inspiration behind the performance, the personal and collective meaning it carries, and the role the arts play in shaping understanding and healing within our communities in our latest Meet the Artist feature.

“JUBILEE” explores powerful themes of liberation, restoration, and renewal. How did you approach translating these themes into movement, music, and spoken word?

Musically, it began with a lot of prayerful searching and actual translation. Bringing together music from across two continents meant finding a unifying message among diverse regions, all with their own profound stories of oppression, persecution, and erasure. And all of those journeys were marching us toward the same liberation, restoration, and renewal. So we begin with songs that remind us that We are built on a strong foundation and also that what God has created cannot be erased, because hope is the beginning of restoration. Hope and prayer continue to resonate throughout all of the music in the journey.

— Laurisa LeSure, Director of UZIMA! Choir

How does UZIMA! Drum and Dance weave together the history of the African diaspora through the different elements of this performance?

We are excited by the way the format of this concert has been conceptualized because it allows our audience to experience the journey that African people took as a result of the slave trade. The entire first act of JUBILEE will focus on the continent of Africa and the traditional dances and songs of the African people. It will allow the audience to envision the lives lived by Africans in their communities of origin—to see the joy, spirit, and exuberance of their lives and the connection to one another and the environment. The second act will bring us into America and the experience and journey of the enslaved. We will depict the struggle and oppression of Africans brought to this country against their will and the enduring resilience and strength necessary to fight for freedom and forge meaningful, fruitful lives for themselves and their ancestors.

— Michelle Jewell, Director of Communications

What has it meant to you personally—and to UZIMA! as a collective—to bring this story to the stage in collaboration with the University’s Juneteenth commemorations?

To me, it’s a joy to bring Jubilation to this stage. Dancing to me is such a wonder, and it only gains value when it’s shared. The community is always so receptive to the message we give, and it’s a blessing to perform at the University. UZIMA! as a whole is honored to be able to add to the Juneteenth celebration, given how there’s nothing quite like it around here. We get to add to the appreciation and understanding people have of this holiday, and we couldn’t be more grateful. UZIMA! thanks the University once again for this opportunity.

— Eileena Davidson, Assistant Director

What role do you see the arts playing in fostering reconciliation, understanding, and inclusion in spaces like Notre Dame and the broader South Bend community?

Art has been, and continues to be, a tremendously equalizing force within our society—here in our community and in the world as a whole. The arts provide people an opportunity to leave their societal expectations, perceptions, and norms at the door and allow their consciousness to be expanded, their vision to be sharpened, and their spirit to be lifted in ways that are not easily accessible in the grind of daily life. Whether it be visual art, dance, music, song, poetry, prose, or film, the arts offer us mirrors into ourselves and windows into the lives of others with whom we share our world. Without those opportunities, we become more isolated, more insular, and more segregated. We find ourselves more angry, more divided, and less willing to see others’ points of view. Notre Dame has done a tremendous job of developing programs specifically around the arts that bring those mirrors and windows to our community, and UZIMA! is so grateful to have the opportunity to partner with Notre Dame to reach even more people each year.

— Michelle Jewell, Director of Communications

If there’s one feeling or message you hope audience members carry with them after experiencing “JUBILEE,” what would it be?

Wholeness… Jubilee is a word in Hebrew that represents debt forgiveness, return of land, or spiritual renewal. It’s an indication that something was lost or taken. I think that’s something that a lot of people, especially those of the African diaspora, have experienced in their lives. Maybe even a lot of people who will see the concert on June 21st. During a year of Jubilee, declared by the late Pope Francis, and in honor of a moment meant to represent freedom, I would hope that those individuals would carry with them a spirit of wholeness.

— Pierre Cooks, Company Director/Choreographer

JUBILEE: Songs and Spirituals is more than a performance—it’s a call to remember, to feel, and to be made whole. Through its powerful storytelling and artistry, UZIMA! Drum and Dance invites audiences to reflect on the histories we carry and the hope we share. 

As the rhythm of drums and the strength of voices fill the space, so too does a spirit of resilience and joy. We are honored to welcome UZIMA! Drum and Dance to DPAC again, and we’re grateful for the light they bring to this year’s Juneteenth celebration.

*Photo credit: Skylar Dungy.