Celebrating Black History Month with shows and events in Austin

AUSTIN, Texas - As we celebrate Black History Month, there are several shows and events honoring the creativity and influence of Black artistry in our community.

FOX 7 Austin's Tierra Neubaum gives us a preview of a few.

Austin West African Dance & Drumming

Jean Claude Lessou gave us a preview of his West African Dance & Drumming class.

He is one of the leading members of the West African dance and drumming community in Austin.

Lessou came to the United States in 1997 as a member of the African Ballet. He's been dancing professionally in companies since the age of 14 and led classes and workshops all over the country.

His instruction includes drums, rhythms and dances from not only his home country of Ivory Coast but from all over West Africa.

He leads West African Dance classes with live drumming at Ballet Austin Butler School of Dance on Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m.

Drumming and dance classes also offered outside of the Long Center at 10 a.m. (drumming) and 11 a.m. (dance) every Saturday adjacent to the back patio of Long Center and Sundays classes at Mandala Hills in Dripping Springs.

For more information, click here.

Austin Playhouse World Premiere of ‘Nightbird’

‘Nightbird’, by R. Eric Thomas, premieres March 3 to 26 at Austin Playhouse.

‘Nightbird’ follows the story of Chelle, an artist, who has recently purchased her childhood home in Baltimore, and her brother Willard, who is working on refurbishing it. The home renovation takes a backseat as Willard prepares for a Juneteenth festival in the adjacent park and Chelle struggles with a recent commission: What should be built in place of a recently removed Confederate monument? An eyesore. And an opportunity.

‘Nightbird’ is directed by Marcus McQuirter and the cast includes Taji Senior as Chelle, Indiia Wilmott as Thalia, and Hollis L. Edwards III as Willard.

Tickets are $34-38 with Pick-Your-Price Thursdays and Half-Price Student Tickets available at austinplayhouse.com.

‘I See You. You’re Seen.' by Oktavea LaToi

The VORTEX is presenting 'i see you, you’re seen', a solo work that tracks Oktavea LaToi’s personal journey towards communal healing, self love, and healthy relationships in a world that is killing us with racial violence, fetishism, climate crisis, rage, and a global pandemic.

Oktavea LaToi is a writer and performer based in Central Texas. She holds a dual degree in Theatre and Dance with a concentration in Performance, and African and African Diaspora Studies with a focus in critical race, gender, and sexuality studies from the University of Texas at Austin. 

The world premiere is February 25 to March 11 at The VORTEX on Manor Rd.

For more information, click here.