For BOOKING an EL WAH performance, CONTACT [email protected]
EL WAH Movement Dance Theater is a “pick up” based company with a mission of connecting community through dance; seeing culture as a cure and dance as culture. EL WAH Movement uplifts, excites, and educates. Under the direction of Colette Eloi, founded in 2005. The name means movement of spirit, or movement of the soul. Both traditional and contemporary, the work is rooted in African Diaspora folkloric dance culture yet engages the now, and is creating the future.
History
EL WAH Movement Dance Theatre means Movement of the Lwa, (Lwa are different principles personifed by Haitian spirits, often connected to familial ancestors). Colette Eloi, director of EL WAH Movement, further defines EL WAH Movement to mean "Movement or Dance of the Soul." The company was founded in 2005 by Artistic Director Colette Eloi, PhD candidate in Critical Dance Studies.
EL WAH Movement was born out of a commemoration dance choreographed by Colette Eloi in collaboration with the legendary Ruth Beckford and Oakland’s own, Laila Jenkins, for the world renowned Katherine Dunham. The piece was entitled, "A Living Birthday Card - 98 Dunham Dancers". (The concept was conceived by Caroline Himes.) Katherine Dunham students from all over the nation as well as internationally came together at the Odell Johnson Theater in Oakland, Ca on the Laney College campus to remember this Beautiful Warrior, Anthropologist, Artist, Activist, Educator and Priestess. Colette was so inspired by what she experienced in the event that housed this dance, which included workshops, lectures and performances, Colette, who was at the time secretary for the the dance scholars who created the event, The Northern California Katherine Dunham Legacy Group, that she decided to create EL WAH Movement Dance Theater. Named after her EL WAH is Colette’s phonetic spelling of her paternal last name Eloi. Because of Colette’s love of her family, and desire to represent well for her Haitian immigrant parents who excelled in life, Colette created El WAH Movement, where she strives to maintain the level of excellence she observed in her family. EL WAH is also a product of the creative energies and mission of Project Reconnect, an artist collective, Colette was coordinator and performer of, whose mission was to reconnect people of the African Diaspora. These young artist traveled together to Haiti, Cuba and Puerto Rico to research and celebrate the connections between their different cultural art forms. El Wah Movement Dance Theater’s mission is to continue passionately in support of oral traditions, culture as medicine and the preservation of African rooted musical, and dance traditions.
Available to perform at festivals, arts openings, community events, ceremonies, and schools. We can customize performances for your rites of passage ceremonies, birthdays, weddings and corporate events.
For booking with EL WAH, please go to the CONTACT page.
History
EL WAH Movement Dance Theatre means Movement of the Lwa, (Lwa are different principles personifed by Haitian spirits, often connected to familial ancestors). Colette Eloi, director of EL WAH Movement, further defines EL WAH Movement to mean "Movement or Dance of the Soul." The company was founded in 2005 by Artistic Director Colette Eloi, PhD candidate in Critical Dance Studies.
EL WAH Movement was born out of a commemoration dance choreographed by Colette Eloi in collaboration with the legendary Ruth Beckford and Oakland’s own, Laila Jenkins, for the world renowned Katherine Dunham. The piece was entitled, "A Living Birthday Card - 98 Dunham Dancers". (The concept was conceived by Caroline Himes.) Katherine Dunham students from all over the nation as well as internationally came together at the Odell Johnson Theater in Oakland, Ca on the Laney College campus to remember this Beautiful Warrior, Anthropologist, Artist, Activist, Educator and Priestess. Colette was so inspired by what she experienced in the event that housed this dance, which included workshops, lectures and performances, Colette, who was at the time secretary for the the dance scholars who created the event, The Northern California Katherine Dunham Legacy Group, that she decided to create EL WAH Movement Dance Theater. Named after her EL WAH is Colette’s phonetic spelling of her paternal last name Eloi. Because of Colette’s love of her family, and desire to represent well for her Haitian immigrant parents who excelled in life, Colette created El WAH Movement, where she strives to maintain the level of excellence she observed in her family. EL WAH is also a product of the creative energies and mission of Project Reconnect, an artist collective, Colette was coordinator and performer of, whose mission was to reconnect people of the African Diaspora. These young artist traveled together to Haiti, Cuba and Puerto Rico to research and celebrate the connections between their different cultural art forms. El Wah Movement Dance Theater’s mission is to continue passionately in support of oral traditions, culture as medicine and the preservation of African rooted musical, and dance traditions.
Available to perform at festivals, arts openings, community events, ceremonies, and schools. We can customize performances for your rites of passage ceremonies, birthdays, weddings and corporate events.
For booking with EL WAH, please go to the CONTACT page.
EL WAH Movement Projects
Alkebulan’s Awakening
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Root Culture Clinic
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The Black Woman is God Exhibit
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