Dub Poetics - Lillian Allen in performance

Dub-poetics: Cultural Movements in Artistic Contexts

Saturday, February 28 & Sunday, March 1st 2009    

The creative and multidimensional Lillian Allen has enlivened the OCAD community since 1992. Allen, whose poetry is used in university curricula across Canada, is internationally acclaimed as an originator of the genre of dub poetry —a form of oral literature charged with rhythm and political ideas. She also writes plays and short fiction, produces films and makes award-winning recordings.

Known for her strategic views on cultural diversity, Allen is a consultant and advisor to governments, organizations and community groups. As an executive member of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, Allen helps to formulate Canada's input into such initiatives as the World Summit on the Information Society. Allen has received many citations and arts awards, including two Junos for her recordings, the Canadian Congress of Black Women award for contributions to "black culture in particular and Canadian culture in general" and the City of Toronto and the Toronto Arts Foundation Margo Bindhardt award for "significantly impacting the arts in Toronto through leadership and vision in creative work and cultural activism."  Allen is a founding member of the Dub Poets Collective.

Saturday, February 28 2009 7 PM

Talk and performance by Lillian Allen -
with performances by The M.A.D Poet and Chet Singh and dub mixing by Jarret Prescott

A major theme of Allen’s talk will be the 3 phases of dub in Canada and the socio-political forces at play in the society during these phases as well as the poets' engagement with the form vis a vis politics and esthetics.

Sunday, March 1st 2009  12PM – 4PM

Dub Poetry Workshop with Lillian Allen

This workshop will be an interactive exploration of voice, rhythm and revolutionary impulse. Lillian Allen and Chet SIngh, with the M.A.D Poet will work with participants to produce a single collaborative piece of poetry that will be rotated in a musical dimension and performed with the music and dub mixing by Jarret Prescott.  
Admission is free.  Everyone is welcome.
 
The M.A.D Poet (AKA Melissa A. Dean) is a Spoken Word Artist, Performance Poet and Writer who got her start in Church. She is a graduate of the International Academy of Design & Technology (Toronto Film School) Entertainment Business Management Program, and one of the founding members of the DPC Youth Initiative.
Past performances include International Dub Poetry Festival 2008, Urban Words' NYC 8th Annual Poetry Slam, The 2nd Annual' Queens of Reggae Showcase, 106&York: Urban Arts Festival, The Anthony Johnson Sickle Cell Bash 4 Cash, and Lyricist Link Up 6: Poetik Justice, in correlation with the 2nd Annual Prisoner's Justice Film Festival.
Featured Spoken Word video entitled 'Open Your Eyes' can be found on Jane-Finch.com
www.myspace.com/madeinmadness

Born in Jamaica, Chet Singh moved with his family every few years, following his economist father’s job postings. He has lived in Guyana, Barbados, St. Kitts, St. Lucia and Fiji. Each time he moved, young Singh was struck by the common trend of disparities between rich and poor everywhere he lived. It was this experience that shaped the man, the poet and the teacher. He wants justice in the world and finds his true voice in activist poetry and music.
Chet has been performing dub poetry since the eighties. In performance, Singh chants passionately in the hypnotic rhythms characteristic of this Caribbean-based poetry.
Chet is a founding member of the Dub Poets Collective. As an educator, Singh has developed and taught courses in human rights in the workplace, dispute resolution, labour relations and employment law. He has worked at the University of Toronto, York University, Sheridan College and Sir Sanford Fleming College. He also has a long history as a human rights advisor to governments, hospitals and public school boards.

Ths presentation is made possible thanks to The Canada Council for the Arts funding.