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STREET MOVES
BLACKER CONTEH "an astoundingly charismatic, physical
and professional cultural performer… and what’s more |
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Blacker Conteh has been dancing professionally for over twenty years. He began his career in Sierra Leone and the Gambia on the West Coast of Africa. He dances and teaches traditional dance from Sierra Leone, the Gambia, Conga, Senegal, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, including West African traditional firebody work. He is also a charismatic and skilled performer choreographer and teacher of Break, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Freestyle, Funk, Reggae, Fire and Contemporary dance. He also performs and teaches Djembe and Congo drumming. He has worked in dance television in Guinea and Gambia and worked as a choreographer, DJ and MC for concerts, large clubs, 5 Star hotels and touring companies. Blacker has toured internationally, selected by touring companies to perform solo, partner and group work in venues of up to 3000 people. In 1988 Blacker was one of the first choreographers in Sierra Leone to combine traditional and West African dance work for television and in 1997-98 was selected on performance contract as a cultural ambassador for Sierra Leone in the Hong Kong Exposition "Windows of World". Due to continuing internal strife in Sierra Leone, Blacker has not returned to his country. In August 2000 he moved to Sydney where he has been teaching funk for the Sydney Dance Company, performing and teaching African Dance with the University of NSW, Carnivale and Ausdance, performing in group and solo shows and guest performing dancework for film and television. He aims to remain in Australia teaching and performing and is particularly interested in cultural intersections between dancers of different backgrounds. Recently Blacker was described at the Carnivale "Streets of Dance " performance, in September 2000, in Sydney as: "an astoundingly charismatic, physical and professional cultural performer… and what’s more an excellent role model for young artists working in multicultural Australia" |
