When T. Lang, choreographer and founder of T. Lang Dance, went to a family reunion she got a lesson on Black history prompting her to write Mutha/Mother, a ballet challenging the current state of feminism in America. It started when her uncle walked up to Lang and her cousin and asked them their favorite curse word. When it came time for Lang to answer she responded -Muthafucker.
“He told us the origin of the word came from breeding plantations where they would take men, specifically from the Mandingo tribe, for their stature, to mate with female slaves to create more property,” Lang says.
“He told us the origin of the word came from breeding plantations where they would take men, specifically from the Mandingo tribe, for their stature, to mate with female slaves to create more property,” Lang says.
The response spurred a conversation leading to the creation of the ballet “Mutha/Mother”. T. Lang formed T. Lang Dance in 2006 as a means of exploring women’s issues. The ballet draws inspiration from the perspective of enslaved women and the hyper - sexualized exploitation of contemporary women as a result of capitalism. A graduate of Spelman College, with a B.F.A from U of I and a Masters from NYU, Lang studied the history of slavery in the U.S., but she had to dig deeper in order to find out the truth about the origin of the word. While writing the ballet she read the “Willie Lynch Letters” and Harriet Jacobs’ “Incidents in The Life of a Slave Girl.” Unable to find concrete evidence to support the claim of breeding plantations she held on to the fact that enslaved people were revenue generating units or property.
“Mutha/Mother” dissects the slaves transition from innocent girl into sexual submission," Lang says. The graphic, dance moves of women touching themselves and gyrating in nude leotards emphasizes a heightened sexual awareness fed to women by society through repetitious images and music. She manipulates traditional songs embedded in the American psyche, with rap songs that emphasize the overt sexuality projected onto Black women.
“There are Negro spirituals that I am remixing with a song by Lil’ Kim,” Lang says. “The National Anthem is remixed with "My Neck, My Back" by Khia and “Trouble of The World (Imitation of Life)" by Mahalia Jackson. I am exploring how America is built on the power of the dollar.”
Lang makes the connection between dances done at the club and the sexual exploitation women face in everyday life comparing the sexual exploitation - many women willingly participate in - to modern day slavery.
“Twerking is not just twerking. Twerking is a stirring of frustrations and fear,” Lang says. “I am exploring how the learned behavior is affecting you and where it stems from. We are deteriorating our own culture with offensive lyrics. They are making money off it and controlling people. We hear these mesmerizing lyrics, drink the Kool Aid and go right back into bondage.“
The video installation serves as a backdrop to the dancers presenting images of girls in beauty pageants, women learning how to put on make-up, Nicki Minaj videos, and more stereotypical images found in the media. Lang says the pieces explores a segment of American history told through dance.
“The story has never been told in this way, I am looking at the misrepresentation and exploitation as a result of capitalism,” Lang says. “Its about remembering we come from royal stock and to not get bamboozled.”
To find out more about Mutha/Mother or to donate at http://tlangdance.blogspot.com/