The Preservatory Project presents The Artist’s Role, highlights musicians that span a range of genres and eras, from acoustic country blues to swing to soul. These musicians all share a commitment to elevating the artists and communities who inspired and taught them. Featured performers include three generations of tradition-bearers and innovators: NEA National Heritage Fellows John Dee Holeman and Phil Wiggins, Shana Tucker, Laura Windley, Joe Seamons and Ben Hunter. Visual art by Darius Quarles and hosted by Greg Adams of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.
MEMPHIS, TN (and Washington DC), 2009 – Present
2009-Present, Popping/Boogaloo and Memphis Jookin’ Exchange: Ryan “Future” Webb of the DC metropolitan area (Assassins Crew/Urban Artistry) and Dr. Rico of Memphis, TN, (Assassins Crew) discuss the evolution of their mutual mentorship in popping/boogaloo and Memphis jookin’, and the power of understanding culture to understand specific styles of dance.
Europe
DENMARK, 2011 – 2015
2011: Performance by Pink Army/Big City Brains in Copenhagen, Denmark “Invasion of Copenhagen”
2012: Trailer for the theatre production by Steen Koerner that toured in Europe “Julemanden” during the winter of 2012
2013: Performance by Assassins in Copenhagen, Denmark “100,000 Light Years Across”, trailer for a theatre production by Steen Koerner “Carmen” that toured in Europe for 3 months, article (in Danish) about “Carmen”
2011: Video on Big City Brains Crew performing “Human Robot” at Breakin’ Convention in London
BULGARIA, 2009
September 2009: US Embassy of Bulgaria Press release on Urban Artistry’s Black History Month in Smolyan, Bulgaria; video on Urban Artistry’s performance at Bulgaria’s Jam On It hip hop dance festival.
Africa & Middle East
SENEGAL, 2015
January 2015: Video and article (written by the U.S. Embassy in Dakar, Senegal) on the work of Urban Artistry’s Executive Director, Junious “House” Brickhouse in Dakar, Senegal, with the State Department’s Next Level Cultural Exchange Program.
IRAQ, 2013
October 2013: Video on cultural exchange with First Step Iraq in the “From Iraq with Hip Hop” cultural exchange; “From Iraq with Hip Hop” press release
ALGERIA, 2012
December 2012: Video 1 and Video 2 of Kamikaz Crew from Algeria exchanging with Urban Artistry in Washington, DC
ANGOLA, 2012
December 21, 2012: Event page and Video of dance battle between Urban Artistry, Lionz of Zion and Os Kuduristas from Angola
SOUTH AFRICA, 2010-2011
2010: Mini documentary and extended documentary on Capetown 2 DC exchange with Black Noise Crew from South Africa. This exchange was organized by Nomadic Wax (with funding from the DC Commission for the Arts & Humanities); View video of the Q&A session with Black Noise,
March 2011: Trailer video on Junious “House” Brickhouse, Executive Director of Urban Artistry, teaching workshops in South Africa.
The Caribbean
BARBADOS & THE EAST CARIBBEAN, 2011
October 2011: Video of Urban Artistry teaching hip hop and urban dance workshops on 3 different islands in the East Caribbean. The trip was sponsored by the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown.