Calgary performers 'celebrate our differences' in Black History Month show – Calgary

Some talented Calgarians are celebrating something special this weekend. They are coming together to present black history from a global perspective.

Performers are presenting a show Presented by Wakefield Brewster, p. 2.

Featuring dance, music and spoken word, the event celebrates Black History Month.

“It's about Black History honoring this month,” said poet Wakefield Brewster.

Towards the end of his two-year tenure as Calgary's Poet Laureate, Brewster has organized his eponymous show and will also take to the stage.

The local performers involved have roots in several different places, including Africa, the Caribbean and South America.

“We have representatives from several countries,” Brewster said. “And that's a wonderful thing.”

One of the performers, hip-hop musician Dizzy Walka, moved from Botswana to Calgary in 2020.

“Because we have different countries and different backgrounds, we show people that yes, we're all black, but we have different cultures and geodiversity,” Walka said.

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M'Kayla Kongnetiman, who will perform her tap dancing skills at the event, has parents who came to Canada from Suriname.

“The history of touch and black history are intertwined,” Kongnetiman said. “So being able to connect with my ancestral roots is something that is very important to me and I'm grateful for that.”

Performers involved Presented by Wakefield Brewster, Pt. 2 Take the stage Friday and Saturday at the Engineered Air Theater in the Arts Commons, more information is available on the Arts Commons website.

“We're here to celebrate with others, to educate, to incorporate them into our songs, our dances, our stories,” Brewster said. “It's great to celebrate our similarities and celebrate our differences.”

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