The project is a result of years of extensive fieldwork in Ghana and Cuba by Jill Flanders Crosby, Professor of Theatre and Dance at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Her research focuses on dance within religious ceremonies, uncovering the connections between rituals, dances, and rhythms that span continents due to the Trans-Atlantic slave trade.
Flanders Crosby’s vision for Secrets Under the Skin is to translate her fieldwork experiences and the stories of those she danced alongside into a contemporary, multi-disciplinary installation that honors cultural context while reimagining it for today’s audience.
The exhibition brings together the work of several artists: Jill Flanders Crosby, Susan Matthews, Brian Jeffery, Marianne Kim, Brandon McElroy, Melba Núñez Isalbe, and Roberto Pedroso García.
The opening reception will take place on Saturday, July 6, at 4:00 p.m. Sunday’s program will begin with traditional drummers from Ablorme, Dzodze, at 3:00 p.m., followed by an artists’ talk at 4:00 p.m.
This installation has previously been exhibited at Fundación Ludwig in Havana, Cuba, in December 2010, and has since traveled to Alaska and San Francisco. Its appearance in Ghana is supported by a University of Alaska Anchorage Innovate Grant, as well as assistance from ArchiAfrika, the U.S. Embassy, and the University of Cape Coast.