Vuyani Dance Theatre, the dance company led by award-winning choreographer and social justice activist Gregory Maqoma, will present Cion: Requiem of Ravel’s Bolero at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts at Fairfield University on Friday, January 31, 2020 at 8 p.m.

This innovative, visually stunning full-length performance at the Quick Center is part of Vuyani Dance Theatre’s U.S. tour; following its U.S. premiere at the Joyce Theatre in New York City, the show will also travel to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and MASS MoCA in North Adams, Mass. 

Inspired by the novels of South African author Zakes Mda and the music of French composer Maurice Ravel’s Boléro, Cion surveys the harrowing history of Maqoma’s native country through the character of Toloki, a professional mourner at township funerals during South Africa's transition to democracy in the 1990s.

With powerful dance moves accompanied by the a cappella music of Isicathamiya singers – a singing style that began with the South African Zulus, Cion examines the subjects of our human ability to deal with grief and loss, and the impact of history on heritage. Cion also explores human greed and thirst for power as the main causes of brutality against humanity.

In Cion: Requiem of Ravel’s Bolero, Gregory Maqoma has created a powerful work of art that moves past fear, greed, and death to find hope, brightness, and humanity. "The world has changed from what we imagined it to be; we are all victims clouded by fear. This work stands against that dark cloud and brings us light and hope that humanity still exists, even in our darkest times,” Maqoma said.

Based in Johannesburg, South Africa, Maqoma founded the Vuyani Dance Theatre in 1999 with a mission to produce multidisciplinary projects that question and challenge social values while exploring history; it has become one of Africa’s most successful cutting edge performance groups.

In 2017, Maqoma received the French government’s honorific Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Arts & Literature), which recognizes those who have made significant contributions to the arts and/or literature in France and around the world.

Featured this week in a New York Times profile, Maqoma will lead a pre-show discussion with the Quick Center audience at 6:45 p.m. before the 8 p.m. performance of Cion: Requiem of Ravel's Bolero on Jan. 31.

The performance is generously sponsored by the Holiday Inn of Bridgeport and WPKN – 89.5 FM.

Tickets for the Vuyani Dance Theatre’s performance of Cion: Requiem of Ravel’s Bolero are $45 and $40 | Quick Members are $30.  For more information or to reserve your seat, visit www.quickcenter.com or call the box office at 203-254-4010 or toll free at 1-877-ARTS-396.