New York City
Choreographer Gregory Maqoma returns to REDCAT with the exceptional South African vocal ensemble Complete, blending theater and dance in a new production inspired by Maqoma’s ancestral past. Through his powerful performance, Maqoma reveals the history of a 19th–century Xhosa warrior who fought to maintain cultural traditions in the face of colonial dispossession. Integrating traditional and contemporary dance from both Africa and Europe, Maqoma fuses storytelling with his own dynamic dance vocabulary and spirited live music. As supporting characters in the narrative, the musicians are interwoven in Maqoma’s vibrantly kinetic world, creating rich visual scenes that punctuate his exploration of race and political power, cultural tradition and personal legacy.