During IDFB 2010, we were all mesmerised by Vocab Dance Company’s Kwenda – Kwenda and their performance during Utopia. In May, the company unleashed Episodes of Blackness: a powerful evening of dynamic interdisciplinary work inspired by aspects of black culture and heritage.

Using dance theatre, music and spoken word, Episodes of Blackness is Vocab’s first triple bill. Programmed by East London Dance, the show premiered brand new work ‘Word!’, a choreographic response to headlines around the negative aspects of youth culture which asked “is it in our power to do anything about it?”. The triple bill also featured ‘Temps Mort’, a powerful quintet that explored the theme of polygamy. It was a fierce combination of dance and percussive rhythms of drums.

And there was also a revival of the highly acclaimed ‘Kwenda – Kwenda’, a compelling exploration of a group of women wishing to step away from their roots but are worried about its consequences.

Vocab’s choreographer Alesandra Seutin combines traditional African dance with Contemporary and Hip Hop dynamics resulting in a distinctly fast paced, athletic evening of Afro-Eclectic Contemporary Dance.

Renowned dance critic Donald Hutera said: “Seutin’s work puts me in touch with a feisty inner black/mixed race female self I never even knew I had.”

And Vocab Dance will be performing Episodes of Blackness at DanceXchange, Birmingham Hippodrome on Friday 4 November 2011. Tickets on sale soon – visit www.dancexchange.org.uk.