Collecting Strand | National Resource Centre for Dance |
Level | Collection |
Ref No | KO |
Title | Kokuma Dance Theatre Archive |
Date | 1984-2000 |
Extent | 75 boxes of papers, 5 boxes of photographs, 47 posters, 36 audio items, 345 videos, 50 theatre programmes, 1 box uncatalogued material. |
Name of Creator | Kokuma Dance Theatre; c1978-2000; dance company |
Description | The archive comprises the records of Kokuma Dance Theatre, Britain's first Afro-Caribbean dance theatre company. The archive includes: material relating to performances including videos, photographs and music, and production files; video recordings of residencies, talks and conferences; publicity material, posters and programmes; books; dance industry periodicals. In addition, the administrative files include correspondence with the Arts Council; tour administration; correspondence with Birmingham City Council; accounts and financial records; marketing material including press releases and press clippings; records relating to staff; records relating to education workshops and education outreach; planning and management papers; executive producer's files; venue files; and lighting designs. |
Arrangement | Materials were arranged at time of cataloguing according to the format-based classification scheme which was then in use by the National Resource Centre for Dance. Files within the papers series were additionally grouped into subject categories during cataloguing. |
Administrative History | Kokuma Dance Theatre was a British Afro-Caribbean dance theatre company based in Birmingham. Its origins can be traced back to 1978, with the formation of an informal drumming and dance group for young people by Bob Ramdhanie, an officer with the Probation Service. The group initially performed under the name 'Mystics and the Israelites', before becoming 'Kokuma Dance Theatre Company' in 1981, the new name being taken from a Yoruba word meaning 'this one will never die'. For much of this earlier period the group operated under the umbrella of the community organisation Unemployed Youth Activities.
In 1982 Ramdhanie left Kokuma, and leadership of the group was taken on by Derrick Anderson. Under Anderson's direction the name of the group was changed to Kokuma Performing Arts, and in collaboration with the dance company Watu Wazari, Kokuma became the first British-based African Caribbean dance company to stage a dance theatre production. During this period the company also merged with the youth dance group Sankufa. In 1985 the company produced its first full-length production 'The Unwanted Prince', followed by 'Nine Nights' in 1986. By 1987 the company had fully professionalised.
Jackie Guy became artistic director of the company in 1988, having been a guest choreographer for Kokuma's production of 'The Trials of Ado' the previous year. Works produced by Kokuma under Guy's direction included 'Soul-Less Game', 'Vibrations', 'Profiles in Black', 'Repercussions', 'Bankra', 'Panache', 'Spirit of Carnival', 'Dido and Aeneas', 'The Awakening', and 'Reflections'. During this period the company, which returned to the name Kokuma Dance Theatre, also consolidated its reputation for education work.
In 1995 Patrick Acogny succeeded Guy as the company's artistic director. Works choreographed by Acogny included 'Guddi', 'Isis', 'Reflections II', 'Masks', 'Passages', 'Bidonvilles', 'One', and 'Pagan Masses'. In 2000 the decision was taken to close the company, with Kokuma's final performance taking place at a celebratory gala in Birmingham on 30 June 2000.
Throughout its existence, Kokuma collaborated with a range of other dance and music companies, including SAMPAD, Adzido, Ex Cathedra, Black Voices, and the Birmingham Royal Ballet. The company received financial support from Birmingham City Council, West Midlands Arts, the National Lottery and variety of other regional and national funding bodies. In addition to performing within the United Kingdom the company was also active internationally, including tours in Zimbabwe and Germany. Kokuma also had a strong reputation for its educational work, and this aspect of the company's activities is well-represented within the archive. |
Language | English |
French |
German |
Accruals | No further accruals expected. |
Copyright | Where copyright in the items was held by Kokuma Performing Arts this has been assigned to the National Resource Centre of Dance, University of Surrey. |
Custodial History | The collection comprises the corporate archive of Kokuma Dance Theatre, generated by the company over the course of its existence. It was deposited with the National Resource Centre for Dance in 2002 following the relatively short-notice closure of the company, and the contents of the archive reflect the circumstances of the company's closure. An additional deposit of financial papers was made by the company accountants in 2004. |