Pepatián

Sita Frederick

'E-Moves 5, Program A'

Uptown Choreographers Juggle Politics and Pride
at Harlem Showcase
by Monica Levette Clark June 1st, 2004 12:00 PM

This series showcased multiethnic dance makers emerging, evolved, or established in the game. Sita Frederick, who can act, dance, and sing, put on a one-woman show of sorts in her BitterSuite. In 10 minutes she gave us candy, costumes, comedy, props, and commentary with a political edge. Ditching ridiculously high platform boots, a green military uniform way too big for her, a black mustache, and a thick Spanish accent, she revealed her small frame in short shorts and a halter top. Her legs and midriff bare, she appeared less dynamic than the character she'd portrayed earlier, her movements ranging from a chain of traveling turns to grounded contractions and swiveling hips, danced to a recording of traditional Gaga music performed by Boni Raposo. Camille A. Brown's Shelter of Presence set five black male bodies moving to a spirited gospel medley by Take 6. Brown's attention to detail, and the intense pride on the faces and in the posture of these men, made the dance fulfilling to watch.

BIOGRAPHY

Sita Frederick is a choreographer, dancer, actress, singer, and teacher based in New York City. Since graduating from Swarthmore College she has performed with Merian Soto Dance and Performance, La 21 Division, and Urban Bush Women. Sita toured nationally with the musical production of Nickelodeon's Dora the Explorer Live! in which she understudied the lead, Dora, and performed in the ensemble.

Sita's choreography has been presented at the Dancenow/NYC Festival, Lincoln Center Out of Doors, New Orleans Dance Festival, Aaron Davis Hall, the Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance, the American Dance Legacy Institute and Movement Research/Judson Church, to name a few. Since 2000 she has collaborated with choreographer Laura Bennett on Pedigree, a multi-media performance and community project that explores the complexities of legacy and identity. Sita was awarded Aaron Davis Hall's Fund for New Work and a Puffin Foundation grant to develop her current work, BitterSuite, which addresses colonial and contemporary sugar production in the Dominican Republic and ethnicity in the Dominican diaspora. The solo version is featured in Out of La Negrura, an evening of four Latina choreographers produced by Pepatian, which granted the initial support for BitterSuite.

Working to bring dance to broader audiences, Sita founded Mangu Dance Collaborative, which performs regularly at Uncomun –a monthly dance, film, and live music series produced by Nolej Records. She is also a member of Dancing Legacy, a network of dance educators and artists who teach, coach and perform masterworks from the American Dance Legacy Institute's Repertory Etudes. Sita is a founding member of Areytos, an artists' collective that organizes events celebrating the Indigenous and African roots of Dominican arts and culture. In addition, Sita has enjoyed teaching theater, dance, improvisation and choreography to a broad range of ages and in various settings.

ARTIST STATEMENT

As an artist I strive to create work that humors or engages while addressing social-political issues. I believe art should not merely entertain, but inform, empower, inspire, provoke, imagine, and struggle. I make dances to stimulate, reveal, create community and celebrate life. I am invested in creating performance that speaks from my experience, as well as from the various cultural, political, spiritual and artistic communities in which I participate. Research is an important aspect of my process and I typically draw my inspiration from history, story, poetry and the media. I mean to promote progressive social dialogue through arts and education in the Dominican-American community and beyond.

REPERTORY

Ultimately BitterSuite is a group dance theater performance with an installation that addresses the tragic irony of the sugar and slave trades and current production, as well as the construction of Dominican racial and national identity. The piece satirizes a colonized interpretation of Dominican history and the consequent racial self-hatred and denial. The perception that white sugar (which is purified and processed) is superior to the darker sugars (e.g. molasses, which is a byproduct) is paralleled to racism. BitterSuite calls into question the rationale for past and present prejudice against Haitians and vodun, and honors the music and dance of Gaga, an African based, Dominican-Haitian religious practice prominent on the bateyes (sugarcane plantations). In the end, the performer(s) paints herself with the different sugars, physicalizing the imposition of racial identity as a social-political construction.

RESIDENCY ACTIVITY

I am available for residency activities such as teaching
Afro-Caribbean, modern, Latin dance or theater workshops, creating new work, setting choreography based on my repertory, or teaching and coaching masterworks from the American Dance Legacy Institute's Repertory Etudes (e.g. Donald McKayle's Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder Etude, Anna Sokolow's Rooms Etude, see www.adli.us). I am also available to work with teachers interested in incorporating dance in their curriculum, conduct lecture demonstrations and participate on panels or round table discussions concerning arts, education, diversity, culture, socio-economic issues etc.