The National Jazz Museum in Harlem in partnership with Jean Appolon Expressions, presents an afternoon of community, dance, and music with a company performance of TRAKA featuring music by Val Jeanty.

1:30 – Haitian Folkloric Class
3:00- Opening Circle
3:25 – Company Performance of TRAKA
3:50 – Q&A

Traka, meaning “Troubles” in Haitian Kreyòl, will be an exploration into how dance, culture, and community are pathways to healing for victims of traumatic events. Following a traumatic event, individuals may use coping strategies such as emotionally processing with family, finding distraction through play or work, or seeking meaning and understanding through religion and community. Traka highlights ways that dance and culture can support healing on both individual and community levels.

Jean Appolon has overcome deep loss by focusing intently on his art and through teaching others. Preserving Haiti’s cultural legacy through dance and celebrating Haitian dance and culture as a pathway to healing has defined Appolon’s artistic mission. Through Traka, Appolon will explore these values and the use of dance and community as a coping resource for trauma survivors. During a time of such division and discord, especially around immigrant communities, Traka is exceedingly timely. JAE is committed to elevating immigrants’ voices and stories.

Val Jeanty is a Haitian electronic music composer, drummer/turntablist, and professor at Berklee College of Music. Jeanty is a pioneer of the electronic music sub-genre called Afro- Electronica (also called “Vodou-Electro”) incorporating Haitian Vodou rhythms with digital instrumentations and synergistically combining acoustics with electronics, the archaic with the postmodern. Jeanty’s installations have been showcased in New York City at the Whitney Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, the Brooklyn Academy of Music and internationally at Saalfelden Music Festival in Austria, Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin, and the Biennale Di Venezia in Italy. Jeanty has worked with a diverse array of artists including Geri Allen, Anthony Braxton and Francisco Mora Catlett. She’s a 2017 Van Lier fellow and was commissioned by NYSCA for Roulette’s Intermedium Residency in 2019.

This program is made possible with the support of the National Endowment for the Arts.