WE ARTS – COBA (Collective of Black Artists) celebrates 15 years with YEBO!

COBA, Collective of Black Artists leaps boldly into its 15th year with YEBO! – a season program that pays homage to African traditions and blazes an exciting trail for the future of contemporary dance.

Following a two-year creative hiatus, COBA’s artistic co-founders BaKari E. Lindsay and Charmaine Headley are gearing up a rejuvenated company to satisfy faithful COBA followers and new audiences alike with the Toronto premiere of two new dance creations: Cross Currents, a highly anticipated African contemporary piece by Lindsay; and Doundoun dance (Hibbert), a recreation of a women’s traditional drumming dance from Guinea.

Both pieces will be unveiled February 29 to March 2 at the Premiere Dance Theatre when COBA takes YEBO! to the stage during Black History Month as part of the Harbourfront Centre’s NextSteps series of globally-inspired dance from Canada’s best.

Also on the program is the return of acclaimed South African dance master Mantsoe’s Bodika / Sessions, an avant-garde fusion of traditional African physicality with Balinese dance and martial arts.

COBA will make its first UK appearance in May with the international premiere of a new co-creation (commissioned by dance Immersion) between the Collective and the London UK-based Tavaziva Dance Company.

An exclusive YEBO! sneak preview concert is set for February 12 at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre in the prestigious Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. (www.coc.ca/performances/concerts.html)

COBA presents YEBO! at Premiere Dance Theatre, 235 Queens Quay West, Feb 29-Mar 1 at 8pm; Mar 2 at 3pm Tickets: $25-$30 ($20-$25 students & seniors) Box Office: 416-973-4000 or http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/.

Founded in 1993, COBA’s mission is to promote the finest traditions of African, Caribbean and contemporary dance through research, education and performance. The company’s critically-acclaimed repertoire of over 25 pieces includes traditional African, Caribbean and contemporary works – some commissioned by renowned Senegalese, Haitian and South African choreographers. Visit http://www.cobainc.com/ to learn more.

WE ART - Get Body Designed

By Natasha G. Samuels



Brothers Ian and Robert Williams, known as Eon and Robby, are talented young artists
who are redefining Jamaica’s entertainment scene by bringing the art of body painting into the dancehall.

As promoters continue to seek creative ways to enhance and attract patrons to their events, it is not un-common to find the brothers at Jamaica’s party venues dressing the face, hands, thighs and torso of their live canvases, most of whom are females, with elaborate acrylic paint designs.
Over the last six-years, the brothers have carved their niche into the entertainment scene on the island by working at events hosted by the Hedonism and Beaches resorts, Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest beach party, Appleton, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, WATA, Digicel, Cable and Wireless, and Renaissance parties, just to name a few.

The brother’s art is not, however, limited to their live canvasses. Their mural “Hells Kitchen,” was featured in Baby Cham’s and Alicia Keys 2006 “True Ghetto Story” video
The two also recently collaborated with Jamaica’s Scorpio 21 video production company for videos featuring singer/songwriter Tina Nunezz and singer/songwriter/actor and comedian Iceman.

“Eon and Robby were very great to work with. They are extremely talented and I hope to work with them on other future projects,” Nunezz said.

Iceman, whose “Make Sweet Love to Me” video features two Eon and Robby BodyDesigned models is climbing the charts in Jamaica. “They made my joint look real poppin and the response has been tremendous to say the least,” he said.

The brothers say they were inspired by their mother who suggested that they paint young children’s faces during the Christmas holidays, six years ago, as a means of making extra money. The interest was overwhelming they said.

The brothers, Robby who was a Culinary Arts and Design major at Jamaica’s University of Technology, and Ian who after completing a two-year course at the Edna Manley School of Visual Arts before transferring to SUNY Brockport in New York where he completed a major in Theater Arts and Design, saw body painting as a viable means for generating income in job strapped Jamaica.

Body painting is one of the oldest art forms in the world. Unlike tattooing which involves the insertion of pigment into the skin, body painting is temporary, painted on the human skin, and lasts for several hours.

Body painting is very much part of the culture of the Carnival celebrations of the Caribbean and is used to enhance the display of the elaborate costumes worn by participants.
Body painting is also part of the tradition of J’ouvert where bodies are smeared with paint, mud or oil.

In order to separate themselves from the splashing of paint typically seen during J’ouvert, the brothers coined and trademarked the term BodyDesign™ which they still use today.
Depending on how elaborate the designs are, it takes anywhere from 5-15 minutes or even longer for a full design which is applied using a combination of skin paint, combined with different types of skin based materials.

In addition to their BodyDesigns, Eon and Robby also have a clothing line called FreeSpiritz, which they say is taking off on the local market.

The brothers are also planning on establishing themselves in the market as promoters whereby they would host theme based parties for “free spirited” outgoing people. .

http://www.myspace.com/eonandrobby