Urban Bush Women

Founded in 1984 by choreographer Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Urban Bush Women (UBW) seeks to bring the untold and under-told histories and stories of disenfranchised people to light through dance. UBW does this from a woman-centered perspective and as members of the African Diaspora community in order to create a more equitable balance of power in the dance world and beyond. It facilitates the use of art as a means of addressing issues of social justice and encouraging civic engagement. UBW engages in extensive community-based programming, encouraging cultural activity as an inherent part of community life. The Company weaves contemporary dance, music, and text with the history, culture, and spiritual traditions of African Americans and the African Diaspora, exploring the transformation of struggle and suffering into the bittersweet joy of survival. It engages in extensive community-based programming, encouraging cultural activity as an inherent part of community life. Based in Brooklyn, Urban Bush Women aspires to ensure continuity by strengthening and expanding its international community via ongoing professional education, development of new audiences, nurturing young talent, and presenting bold, life-affirming dance works in a variety of settings.