Join the Distorted Rap Choir
Deadline
Wed 27 Sep 2023As part of international festival Transform 23, renowned performance artist Cherish Menzo is looking for Leeds-based participants to join the Distorted Rap Choir.
Cherish invites African and Afrodescendent people of diverse backgrounds and ages (16+) to participate in an ongoing dialogue about representation of the Black body in the performing arts.
About Cherish Menzo
Cherish Menzo creates universes in which the Black body stands central. She floats between the nostalgia of the 90s and 2000s (hip-hop, rap lyrics, sci-fi, manga) and speculative futures to give shape and materialise uncanny, enigmatic forms and realities.
In DARKMATTER, she uses the Chopped and Screwed-methodology to shape a movement language.
A remixing technique, Chopped and Screwed originated in hip hop music, slowing down the tempo considerably and creating rhythm changes, as well as using scratch effects, pauses, repeats, remixes and skipping beats.
Cherish applies these tools to movement, voice and the body. Well-recognised sounds, images and movements are sampled and shaken up, slowed down, and alienated on stage.
DARKMATTER, performed by Cherish and her on-stage partner Camilo Mejía Cortés, has already toured several countries and will now be presented in Leeds as part of Transform 23 international festival. The performance will be on Saturday 14 October at 7.30pm, at Leeds School of Arts, Leeds Beckett University.
About the opportunity and the Distorted Rap Choir
In tandem to the performance of DARKMATTER, we are recruiting for a number of individuals to be part of the Distorted Rap Choir.
During two workshops, you’ll get to know the Chopped & Screwed methodology and learn a rap anthem with Cherish and vocal coach Daniel Bonsu. At the end of two days the rap anthem will be audio recorded.
The recorded anthem will then be part of the audio used in the performance of DARKMATTER, part of Transform 23 international performance festival.
In each city a new locally formed Distorted Rap Choir of non-professionals is formed. Each new recording of the rap joins the previous ones. By layering the different local recordings, the choir grows in number of voices during the tour. You’ll be documented as part of the ever-growing choir online, with your name and an optionally distorted photograph.
Workshop dates
- Wednesday 11 October, evening (3–4 hours)
- Thursday 12 October, evening (2.5 hours)
You must be available to join both sessions.
Participants will receive a £100 stipend (paid via bank transfer or in vouchers) and two free tickets to DARKMATTER on Saturday 14 October, 7.30–8.55pm.
Light catering will be provided for the workshop sessions.
No performance experience is required.
Access
The workshops will take place in an accessible venue in Leeds. You are welcome to bring a carer. We are happy to support access needs and also receive access riders in advance.
Alternative Formats
How to apply
To express your interest in participating, please fill out this form.
Please contact Sophie on producing@transformfestival.org if you have any questions or would like to find out more, or if you would like this call out in a different format or any support in completing the form.
Deadline
The deadline for expression of interest is Wednesday 27 September at 10am. Due to a maximum of 10 participants, Cherish Menzo will mainly make a selection for the workshop by the chronological order of incoming applications while also striving to create a group with a diverse mix of people and age ranges, who will then be contacted by Transform.