legends of yemoya

‘r/evolution begins within’

YEMOYA is an international artist residency that combines arts training with wellness practices for the holistic development of people. founded in january 2011 by d’bi.young, YEMOYA is the south africa based evolution of its canadian predecessor,  anitafrika dub theatre.

monthly-long intensive artist-residencies focus on the creative, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual growth of its resident artists. using self-knowledge, orality, rhythm, political content and context, language, urgency, sacredness and integrity – eight principles in d’bi.young’s biomyth sorplusi methodology  – YEMOYA promotes social change through personal change. we firmly believes that r/evolution begins within.


YEMOYA aims to:

  • provide resident artists with the tools to achieve optimal creative, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health
  • use the biomyth sorplusi methodology to assist resident artists in achieving an artistic goal during the course of their residency; such as a monodrama, a novel, a painting, a portfolio, an exhibit, an installation or multi-media piece etc
  • be the custodian of the ongoing archive of resident artistic works that emerge from the residency
  • promote holistic (creative, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual) health in different communities by facilitating collaborative arts-education projects nationally and internationally
  • network with global programs that are similar in scope in order to foster artist/ic exchange

bout di biomyth theatre residency

the residency is the main training program at YEMOYA and the principle medium for the exploration and development of the sorplusi method. students create biomyth monodramasusing self-knowledge, orality, rhythm, political content and context, language, urgency, sacredness, and integrity as creative considerations during their course of study. their plays are workshopped and crafted throughout the training process as they develop a personal system of accountability and responsibility as storytellers today.

the residency is a rigorous one-month-long artist intensive, aimed at holistically developing cross-generational storytellers, through the use of d’bi.young’s sorplusi method; resulting in the creation and performance of new biomyth monodramas.

the program aims to provide resident artists with the tools to achieve optimal creative, nutritional, physical and spiritual health as well as comprehensive training in biomyth theatre storytelling; preparing them for successful integration and leadership in their arts communities.

who

the program is designed to facilitate a diverse group of emerging, midcareer, and established artists and non-artists from afrika and the diaspora who are interested in developing a solo show or other/multi-disciplinary product that is inspired by their own socio-economic-ethno-cultural lived experiences.

why

YEMOYA’s biomyth theatre model and sorplusi principles are unique in their design, curriculum, and artist training approach. YEMOYA provides the artist with a wide artistic skill-set that begins with knowledge of self and culminates in negotiating integrity. the program further more teaches how to achieve creative, nutritional, physical and spiritual health while using one’s lived experience to conceptualize a creative idea; to manifest it; grow it; market it; stage it, and finally to professionally and personally benefit from the entire process.

outcomes

1.holistically healthier people

2. socially conscious people who are accountable and responsible for themselves and their communities

3. people who possess the skills to write and present themselves and their stories

4. people who possess the skills to teach the methodologies of their craft(s)

5. people who possess the skills to mentor other emerging south african artists

6. people who possess the skills to develop their own methodologies and systems of accountability and responsibility in art-making and community sharing

7. over time a comprehensive network of pan afrikan biomythicists, monodramatists, and storytellers will develop who in turn, will help mentor other parts of africa and the world with their resources and skills

8. the sorplusi method represents a radical paradigm shift in artist training and practice. this shift will have wave and ripple effects on the artistic communities where the form is practiced. ultimately a new generation of storytellers who prioritize integrity will be cultivated and from there, anything is possible.

 

all comments and suggestions welcome. 

contact

YEMOYA pan afrikan healing arts

physical address:

304 pan african market

76 long street. cape town

8001.south afrika

postal address:

po box 480.cape town

8000.south afrika

tel: +27(0) 760 889 025

email: solidarity@yemoya.org

website: yemoya.org

twitter/yem_o_ya

facebook/yemoya


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