Skip to main content
Back to search
  • Add to playlist

The Wedding

Pearl Primus produced this piece following her research in what was then Zaire. 'The Wedding' was backed by the New York Times journalist Anna Kisselgoff, who wrote: “[This piece] is not a modernized stylized representation of an African ritual. This is authentic. The authenticity is adapted and translated into an acceptable theatrical language. Miss Primus was able to reproduce this particular form with brilliance worthy of the greatest scenographers.”

Credits

Creation 1960
Choregraphy : Pearl Primus
Transmission : Mary Waithe
Rerun by : James Carlès
Duration : 20 mn
Interpreters :12 dancers, 3 musicians et 1 singer

Carlès, James

James Carles is a choreographer, researcher and lecturer. He received initial training in dance and music of Africa and its Diaspora and then trained with the great names of modern dance in New York and London mainly. Since 1992, he hired an artistic and analytical approach that explores the “places junctions” between the dances, rhythms and philosophies of Africa and its Diaspora with technical and western thoughts frames. To date, his company’s directory contains more than fifty pieces of his own creation and authors like Katherine Dunham, Pearl Primus, Talley Beatty, Asadata Dafora, Geraldine Armstrong, Rick Odums, Wayne Barbaste, Carolyn Carlson, Robyn Orlin, etc.


Dancer soloist and outstanding performer, James Carles was performer and artistic collaborator for not only numerous “all music” ranging from Baroque to contemporary music, through jazz; but also choreographers such as Carolyn Carlson, Robyn Orlin, Rui Horta, Myriam Naisy, etc.

Artist associated with Astrada- Jazz In Marciac 2012-2014, research associate in the laboratory of the University LLA Créatis Jean Jaures Toulouse, James Carles is particularly invests in heritage projects for diversity and diffusion of choreographic culture. He is also founder and artistic director of the festival “Dances and Black Continents”.

Primus, Pearl

(1919-1994)

Pearl Primus was born in Trinidad and grew up in New York. An artist dedicated to African heritage, she combined anthropology and choreography to help break down the terrible racial barriers that were on her path. In 1941, she was granted a scholarship for the New Dance Group’s Interracial Dance School. Two years later, she launched her professional career with her first solo dance recital.

Pearl Primus frequently stigmatized racism in her choreographies. 'Strange Fruit' (1943) dealt with lynching. 'Michael, Row Your Boat Ashore' (1979) was a response to the 1963 racist bomb attack against the Baptist Church on the 16th Street which killed four young Afro-American girls. Among her other notable works, 'The Negro Speaks of Rivers' (1943) and 'African Ceremonial' (1944) are well worth mentioning. Pearl Primus also created choreographies on Broadway, in particular for 'Caribbean Carnival' (1947) and 'The Emperor Jones' (1947).

In 1948, she obtained a grant to make an important research trip to Africa to study the traditional dances of the African continent. Upon her return to New York, she opened the Pearl Primus School of Primal Dance. At the end of the 1950s and the beginning of the 1960s, she lived in Africa. Hand-in-hand with her husband, Percival Borde, she founded the Konoma Kende Centre in Liberia, the first traditional performance arts centre in Africa.

Upon their return to the United States, Pearl Primus and Percival Borde opened the Primus-Borde School of Dance. Pearl Primus graduated with a Doctorate in Philosophy from New York University in 1978 and set up the Pearl Primus Dance Language Institute the same year. She also taught in several post-secondary institutions, in particular Howard University, New York University and the Five College Consortium in Massachusetts.

Source : Arts Alive National Arts Centre

More information

dance-teacher.com

Carlès, James

Since 2016, James Carlès has made the choice to make available to the public a selection of its videos.

The Wedding

Choreography : Création 1960 - Chorégraphe : Pearl Primus - Passeur : Mary Waithe - Reprise James Carlès

Interpretation : 12 danseurs, 3 musiciens et 1 chanteuse

Live music : chants et percussions traditionnels africains

Our videos suggestions
01:46

Grand Finale

Shechter, Hofesh (United Kingdom)

  • Add to playlist
02:59

Eins Zwei Drei

Zimmermann, Martin (France)

  • Add to playlist
02:48

Questcequetudeviens ?

Bory, Aurélien (France)

  • Add to playlist
09:30

L'après-midi d'un faune (1912)

Nijinsky, Vaslav (France)

  • Add to playlist
03:00

Correction

Havelka, Jiří (France)

  • Add to playlist
02:13

ETM : Double Down

Dorrance, Michelle (France)

  • Add to playlist
02:59

El Callejón de los pecados

Guerrero, Eduardo (France)

  • Add to playlist
05:30

Folias & Jacaras

Yepes, Ana (France)

  • Add to playlist
00:00:54

Teaser de "Grito de Pelao" Rocío Molina et Sílvia Pérez Cruz

Molina, Rocío (France)

  • Add to playlist
10:54

Carolyn Carlson et Michel Portal

Carlson, Carolyn (France)

  • Add to playlist
02:11

Improvisation Carolyn Carlson et Michel Portal

Carlson, Carolyn (France)

  • Add to playlist
02:43

bal.exe

Nguyen, Anne (France)

  • Add to playlist
02:45

Miscelania onírica

Pericet, Olga (France)

  • Add to playlist
06:51

Square

Benne, Bruno (France)

  • Add to playlist
10:34

Variations africaines

Variations africaines (Senegal)

  • Add to playlist
04:27

Samia forever

Samia forever (Samia forever)

  • Add to playlist
06:39

Dans les plis du paysage : Création à la Maison

Création à la Maison : Dans les plis du paysage (France)

  • Add to playlist
06:49

Mitsaka Festival - focus

Focus - Mitsaka Festival (Madagascar)

  • Add to playlist
00:00:30

Didier Labbé Quartet - DCN 2013

Didier Labbé Quartet - DCN 2013 (France)

  • Add to playlist
08:32

Je ne sais plus qui a fait quoi

Je ne sais plus qui a fait quoi (Benin)

  • Add to playlist
Our themas suggestions

les ballets C de la B et l'esthétique du réel

Exposition virtuelle

Numeridanse.tv
Université Lyon 2 - Arts de la scène et du spectacle vivant

les ballets C de la B et l'esthétique du réel

Exposition virtuelle

Découvrez les ballets C de la B à travers cette exposition, réalisée par un groupe d'étudiants de l'Université de Lyon 2 issus du Master Arts de la scène et du spectacle vivant (théâtre et danse), en collaboration avec la Biennale de la danse - édition 2021 et Numeridanse. 

Discover
Know more

COLLECTION BAGOUET

Exposition virtuelle

Montpellier Danse

COLLECTION BAGOUET

Exposition virtuelle

La collection Dominique Bagouet sur Numeridanse présente les œuvres les plus emblématiques de son répertoire et s’enrichit au fur et à mesure de films liés à la transmission de son répertoire grâce au travail mené par l’association Les Carnets Bagouet.

Discover
Know more

Black Dance

Webdoc

Julie Charrier

Black Dance

Webdoc

James Carlès, dancer and choreographer and specialist of Afro-American dance, evokes the origin of current-day urban dances. From Africa to the United States via Europe, he emphasizes their hybrid style and puts their social and political dimension into perspective. A myriad of videos, photos, illustrations and additional resources complement this interview.
Discover
Know more

Why do I dance ?

Webdoc

Julie Charrier

Why do I dance ?

Webdoc

Social dances, anti-establishment, protest dances, rhythms or identities, rituals or pleasures... There are a myriad of reasons for dancing and a myriad of points of view. A webdoc to discover, enhanced with extracts from performances and accounts from amateurs... all the right reasons for dancing!
Discover
Know more

40 ans de rock et danse

Exposition virtuelle

Maison de la Danse de Lyon

40 ans de rock et danse

Exposition virtuelle

Chic planète, dansons dessus, oh oh oh

Chic planète, dansons dessus, oh oh oh

Chic planète, dansons dessus...

Et mettons-nous tous nus 

> Chanson de l’Affaire Louis Trio (1987)

Discover
Know more

James Carlès

Exposition virtuelle

Numeridanse.tv

James Carlès

Exposition virtuelle

© Emmanuel Tussore

Discover
Know more

Artistic Collaborations

Parcours

Centre national de la Danse

Artistic Collaborations

Parcours

Panorama of different artistic collaborations, from « couples » of choreographers to creations involving musicians or plasticians

Discover
Know more

Dance and music

Parcours

Anne Décoret-Ahiha

Dance and music

Parcours

The relationship between music and choreographic works varies throught dance history.

Discover
Know more

Dance and percussion

Parcours

Camille Rocailleux

Dance and percussion

Parcours

Découvrez de quelles manières ont collaboré chorégraphes et éléments percussifs.

Discover
Know more

La Maison de la Danse de Lyon

Exposition virtuelle

Maison de la Danse de Lyon

La Maison de la Danse de Lyon

Exposition virtuelle

Créée à Lyon en 1980, la Maison de la Danse fut le premier théâtre en Europe dédié exclusivement la danse. Avec plus de 150 000 spectateurs par saison et près de 200 levers de rideaux, la Maison de la Danse rassemble aujourd’hui un large public de spectacles très fédérateurs mais aussi d’œuvres innovantes et de recherche. Théâtre de diffusion mais aussi pôle européen de création et d’innovations numériques, la Maison de la Danse vous ouvre ses portes et vous dévoile ses projets.

Discover
Know more

Les racines de la diversité en danse contemporaine

Exposition virtuelle

Centre chorégraphique James Carlès

Les racines de la diversité en danse contemporaine

Exposition virtuelle

La danse contemporaine désigne des courants artistiques succédant à la danse moderne. Mais il est difficile de cerner précisément cette expression, tant elle inclus différentes pratiques et esthétiques. Aujourd’hui, le mot « contemporain » intègre des danses actuelles, urbaines, théâtrales, de différentes origines géographiques ou «culturelles». Une exposition virtuelle signée par la Compagnie James Carlès Danse &Co.

Discover
Know more

Genres and styles

Parcours

Anne Décoret-Ahiha

Genres and styles

Parcours

Dance is a rather vast term, which covers a myriad of specificities. These depend on the culture of a country, on a period, on a place. This Journey proposes a visit through dance genres and styles.

Discover
Know more

Female / male

Parcours

Anne Décoret-Ahiha

Female / male

Parcours

A walk between different conceptions and receptions of genres in different styles and eras of dance.

Discover
Know more

Do you mean Folklores?

Parcours

Sarah Nouveau

Do you mean Folklores?

Parcours

Presentation of how choreographers are revisiting Folklore in contemporary creations.

Discover
Know more

Genesis of work

Parcours

Centre national de la danse

Genesis of work

Parcours

A dance show is created in multiples steps between the enunciation of an initial desire which launch the project and the first representation. This parcours presents diff

Discover
Know more

Hip hop / Influences

Parcours

Anne Décoret-Ahiha

Hip hop / Influences

Parcours

This Course introduce to what seems to be Hip Hop’s roots.

Discover
Know more

The contemporary Belgian dance

Parcours

Philippe Guisgand

The contemporary Belgian dance

Parcours

This Parcours presents different Belgian choreographers who have marked history and participated in the creation of a "Belgian" style.

Discover
Know more

Round dance

Parcours

Olivier Lefebvre

Round dance

Parcours

 Presentation of the Round’s figure in choreography.

Discover
Know more

Improvisation

Parcours

Philippe Guisgand

Improvisation

Parcours

 Discovery of improvisation’s specificities in dance. 

Discover
Know more

Dance in Quebec: Collectivities in motion

Parcours

Geneviève Dussault

Dance in Quebec: Collectivities in motion

Parcours

This Parcours introduces several extracts of works by contemporary Quebecois choreographers, situating them in an anthropological perspective.

Discover
Know more
By accessing the website, you acknowledge and accept the use of cookies to assist you in your browsing.
You can block these cookies by modifying the security parameters of your browser or by clicking onthis link.
I accept Learn more