Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre
founded 1980, Berlin/Germany
Black International Cinema Berlin/Germany & U.S.A. founded 1986, Berlin/Germany
The Collegium Forum & Television Program Berlin Magdeburg/Wolfsburg founded 1995, Berlin/Germany in association with Cultural Zephyr e.V. founded 1990, Berlin/Germany
Prof. Gayle McKinney Griffith
Co-Founder/Director: Fountainhead Tanz Theatre, Black International Cinema,
The Collegium - Forum & Television Program Berlin and Cultural Zephyr e.V.
Prof. Gayle McKinney Griffith
Co-Founder/Director: Fountainhead Tanz Theatre, Black International Cinema,
The Collegium - Forum & Television Program Berlin and Cultural Zephyr e.V.
Prof. Gayle McKinney Griffith Co-Founder/Director: Fountainhead Tanz Theatre, Black International Cinema,
The Collegium - Forum & Television Program Berlin and Cultural Zephyr e.V.
Original Fountainhead Tanz Theatre Logo, ca. 1980
Design by Prof. Gayle McKinney Griffith
...are an international, inter-cultural community of persons engaged in achieving increasing understanding and cooperation between individuals and groups in support of democratic procedures and the elimination of violence, religious, ethnic and gender persecution, youth exploitation, homophobia and racial hatred through the process of art, education, culture and dialogue.
...sind eine internationale, interkulturelle Gemeinschaft von Menschen mit dem Engagement für ein besseres Verständnis und wachsende Kooperation zwischen Individuen und Gruppen, mit Unterstützung des demokratischen Prozesses und der Beseitigung von Gewalt, Verfolgung aufgrund religiöser, ethnischer und geschlechtlicher Zugehörigkeit, Kindes- und Jugendmissbrauch, Homosexuellen-Feindlichkeit und Rassenhass, durch die Mittel der Kunst, der Bildung, der Kultur und des Dialogs.
...sont une communauté internationale et interculturelle de personnes engagées à promouvoir la compréhension et la coopération croissantes entre les individus et les groupes, à l´appui des outils démocratiques et à travers l´élimination de la violence, de la persécution religieuse, ethnique et sexuelle, de l´exploitation de la jeunesse, de l´homophobie et de la haine raciale par le processus de l´art, de l´éducation, de la culture et du dialogue.
...kültürler ve uluslar arasi bir topluluk olarak, bireyler ve gruplar arasinda daha iyi bir anlayis ve is birlikteligi için angaje olmaktayiz, bununla demokratik bir sürecin destegiyle sanat, egitim, kültür ve dialog araciligi ile siddet, antisemitizm, homoseksüel düsmanligi ve irklar arasi kin ve nefret duzgusuna bir çözüm getirmek istiyoruz.
...é uma comunidade international e intercultural de pessoas empenhádas em melhorar a compreensão e aumentar a cooperação entre indivíduos e grupos, apoiando o processo democrãtico e a eliminação da violência, anti-semitismo, discriminação homossexual e racismo, a trave's da arte, educação, cultura e diálogo.
...sono una communità internazionale e interculturale di persone impegnate per una migliore comprensione e cooperazione tra gl'individui e i gruppi, con la meta di dare un impulso al processo democratico, eliminando cosi la violenza, l'antisemitismo, il rassismo e la discriminazione degli omosessuali - per questa realisazione ci sono gl'instrumenti dell'arte dell'educazione, della cultura e dello dialogo.
...son una comunidad internacional e intercultural de personas empenadas para una mejor comprensión y cooperación entre los individuos y grupos, con la meta de dar fuerza al impulso democrático y asi de eliminar también la violencia como el antisemitismo, el racismo y la discriminación de los homosexuales. Por eso se usan los medios del arte, de la educación, de la cultura y del diálogo.
Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre is a production, performance and distribution unit, which was developed by Gayle McKinney Griffith and Donald Muldrow Griffith, both experienced artists from the USA. Since its founding in 1980, Fountainhead® presented productions such as:
"Fountainhead® meets Mombasa", 1980; "The Crazy Horse Suite", 1980; the Cultural Festival "Fountainhead and Friends", 1983; Europe's first "Black Cultural Festival Berlin", 1986; since 1986, Fountainhead® has annually presented the "Black International Cinema", in Berlin and also in the U.S.A. since 1990; the choreographies for "Tucholsky in Rock", Schillertheater Werkstatt, 1983; "Cabaret", director: Günther Krämer, Altes Schauspielhaus Stuttgart, 1984; "Die Letzte Rolle", a film by Egon Günther, ZDF 1985; the films "A Man Without Limits", "I Dream A World", both in cooperation with Polish Television and both awarded "best films" in 1988 by the Polish commission for film arts. For the revision of "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf", a prizewinning piece by N. Shange, Fountainhead® was awarded the "Special Judge's Award," for best choreography 1988 in the "European-wide Tournament of Plays."
Fountainhead®
has written several articles for dance magazines and published
five Black International Cinema Anthologies.
Fountainhead®
has written several articles for dance magazines and published
five Black International Cinema Anthologies.
In 1987, Fountainhead® initiated the youth dance ensemble "Space & Times", and presented the production "Crossroads" with invited guest artists, Nana Shineflug and The Chicago Moving Company. In 1989,"Crossroads" was successfully presented at the Hebbel Theater Berlin. Fountainhead® was awarded a special proclamation by the Mayor of Chicago, Richard Daley.
Besides creating for other dance performances, in 1990 the documentary film, "Crossroads," was created in cooperation with Michael Andre in Berlin.
Various activities in the field of cultural work with young people followed and subsequently the organization of an audition for the Walt Disney Film Production "Swing Kids".
FOUNTAINHEAD®
TANZ THEATRE
ORIGINS
from left:
Prof. Donald Muldrow Griffith,
Ricky Powell,
Prof. Gayle McKinney Griffith, Lynnda Curry
In 1992, Gayle McKinney Griffith and Donald Muldrow Griffith received professorships and responsibility for founding the subject area of Dance at Indiana University South Bend (IUSB) U.S.A.. After their "Inaugural Dance Performance" at IUSB, which was sold out, varied activities followed, such as a television production for the local TV-station W.N.D.U., "People, Places, Neighbors & Things", a nomination for membership in the "Indiana Arts Commission" as well as for the "Michiana Arts & Sciences Council" USA. The Black International Cinema Interdisciplinary Film - /Video-Festival was also presented in Chicago in 1994 with the participation of the Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre Company.
The Collegium, in association with Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre, Black International Cinema and Cultural Zephyr e.V., was founded in Berlin, Germany on May 14, 1995 by Prof. Donald Muldrow Griffith, Prof. Gayle McKinney Griffith, Mark Headley and Calvann Cole as an open forum enabling and supporting informational exchange by undertaking projects among The Collegium participants in conjunction with other individuals and groups, where feasible.
In 1996, Fountainhead® became a member of the Black History Month Committee in Berlin. Fountainhead® also began production and direction of a television broadcast entitled "The Collegium", a monthly magazine program presented at the Offener Kanal, Berlin (OKB).
Prof. Donald Muldrow Griffith is appointed Chairman of the club, BAU, (Berlin Americans United e.V.), and in August 1996, project leader (director, choreographer, dance instructor) at the RAA, Berlin (Regionale Arbeitsstellen für Ausländerfragen, Jugendarbeit und Schule e.V.).
He directed and choreographed the intercultural youth musical "Woah Woah", which was presented at the Hackesches Hof-Theater in April 1997; "Paul Robeson - A Portrait of a Giant", a theatre performance including readings, dance and video, which was presented on "The Collegium" television program and also during Black History Month 1997 celebration.
Mark Headley
& Lynnda Curry
The Collegium - Forum & Television Program Berlin/Munich in association with Dr. Themba Kadalie, other individuals and groups, presented a four day interdisciplinary and intercultural program from February 26 - March 1, 1998 at the Werkstatt der Kulturen and SEKIS in Berlin entitled, "An Aspect Of History"; the presentation of the XIII. Black International Cinema Berlin/Cottbus, Germany & U.S.A. 1998 from April 16 - 19 occurred at the Werkstatt der Kulturen, Berlin, with films, videos, dance, theatre presentations, workshops and seminars. On April 27, films and videos were screened at the Obenkino, Cottbus.
The XIV. Black International Cinema Berlin/Cottbus, interdisciplinary, intercultural film/video, dance, theatre, music & seminar presentations, Germany & U.S.A., was presented by Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre, The Collegium - Forum & Television Program Berlin/Munich and Cultural Zephyr e.V., in association with the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and in cooperation with the Hochschule der Künste Berlin, April 30 - May 8, 1999.
The XIV. Black International Cinema Berlin 1999 produced a 250 page Anthology, featuring original documents from the Humbolt-Universität zu Berlin archives of W.E.B. DuBois, Mildred Harnack Fish and Paul Robeson. The Anthology also includes the complete XIV. Black International Cinema Berlin 1999 program of film, theatre, dance, music and seminars.
For information regarding the acquisition of the XIV. Black International Cinema Berlin 1999 Anthology and additional BIC Anthologies, please contact us through our distribution service, www.black-international-cinema.com/distribution.html.
Marion Kramer and Prof. Donald Muldrow Griffith were elected to the districts of Schöneberg and Tempelhof Cultural Commission, which reviews and offers recommendations for proposals of cultural projects to be presented in the combined districts of Schöneberg and Tempelhof, as part of the Berlin city re-organization.
The year 2000 witnessed production of the XV. Black International Cinema Film-Video Festival in Berlin, Düsseldorf and Cottbus, accompanied by theatre, music, seminars and dance presentations.
The Collegium - Forum & Telelvision Program began production every Sunday 9 - 10 p.m. with film, discussion, arts calendar and in addition, produced three television programs of the venture, entitled "Classic In Black 2001", undertaken by Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre in association with and initiated by Harry Louiserre.
Articles for magazines regarding various subject matter were published throughout the year. The Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre website, http://members.aol.com/bicdance, was presented an award for "A Highly Recommended Cultural Website."
2001 was underpinned by the presentation of the XVI. Black International Cinema in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Cottbus and Munich, accompanied by a regular Sunday presentation of The Collegium Television Program from 9:15 p.m. to 10 p.m. and articles published in English and German.
Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre / Black International Cinema was granted the official status of "Associated Projects to the UNESCO Slave Route Project."
2002 witnessed the presentation of the XVII. Black International Cinema Film-Video Festival in Berlin and Düsseldorf. Filmmakers from Israel, Switzerland and the U.S.A. were guests during the Black International Cinema premiere in Berlin.
The Collegium Television Program is a weekly presence, Sunday 9 - 10 p.m. on the Open Channel Berlin (OKB). The Collegium Television Program is also distributed to the German cities of Magdeburg, Wolfsburg, Trier and Kaiserslautern.
Prof. Donald Muldrow Griffith was an invited panelist, to discuss Distribution & Festival Planning during the Global African Diaspora Cinema Symposium 2002 in Salvador/Bahia, Brazil. The invitation was extended by the City of Los Angeles, U.S.A. Department of Cultural Heritage and the African Marketplace Inc., U.S.A. The Symposium occurred December 6-12, 2002 in conjunction with the Pan African Film Festival as a program within the IV. Mercado Cultural Festival Salvador/Bahia, Brazil.
XVIII. Black International Cinema 2003, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Vienna/Austria, Ljubljana/Slovenia will co-operate with The Pan African Film Festival Salvador/Bahia, Brazil during the annual presentation of Black International Cinema Film/Video Festival Berlin/Germany, May 8-11. - Klick Filmtheater; Düsseldorf, May 22-25. - Black Box Kino, Filmmuseum; Ljubljana, June 11-15. - Cinema Vic.
2003 witnesses a launching of the FOUNTAINHEAD® DISTRIBUTION-Film/Video/Publishing-Sales & Rental Service, with sales, rentals and publishing resources offered to our audience.
Prof. Donald Muldrow Griffith (co–founder/director of Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre) was invited by the Cultural Affairs Department of the city of Los Angeles to participate as a panelist to discuss Distribution and Film Festival Planning during the Global Cinema and Urban Entertainment Conference, sponsored by African Marketplace, Inc. and the Cultural Affairs Department of Los Angeles, California, U.S.A..
A subsequent invitation by the African Marketplace, Inc. and the Cultural Affairs Department of the city of Los Angeles, California, U.S.A., has been extended to Prof. Griffith to attend the 4th Annual Souk Ukaz Festival in Amman, Jordan, September 16 – 18, 2004, as panelist on behalf of the Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre/Black International Cinema. The event is directed towards creating dialog and bringing together Pan-African and Middle Eastern Film and Entertainment professionals.
Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre produced choreographic works entitled “Funky Sweatpearls Present Weight Watchers”, “Hol' mir mal 'ne Flasche Bier”, “The Children Of Abraham” and “Ode To Bahia” for presentation on The Collegium Television Program.
Mark Headley
In addition, Cultural Zephyr e.V., under the direction of Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre, and the institute for cultural diplomacy are combining resources to produce and direct the first phase of a five year project entitled, “Interactive Mirror – Spiegel Interaktiv”. An initiative designed to provide an intercultural and artistic environment for young people 14-17, leading to cooperative co-existence in society, as the project objective. The project is scheduled for initial presentation during the XIX. Black International Cinema Berlin 2004 seminar series, May 7-9, 2004.
The XIX. Black International Cinema Berlin 2004 was presented in cooperation with the Humboldt University of Berlin, in association with Classic In Black and the institute for cultural diplomacy and under the auspices of the Commissioner of the Berlin/Germany Senate for Integration and Migration, Günter Piening. The XIX. Black International Cinema Film Festival occured May 6-9 at the Klick Filmtheater and the XIX. Black International Cinema Seminar Series were presented May 7-9 at the Studiobühne of the Humboldt University of Berlin/Philosophy Faculty III.
A distribution agreement has been established between Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre Distribution and Freunde der Deutschen Kinemathek e.V. (Friends Of The German Film Archive), Berlin/Germany, for selected participating films from the annual Black International Cinema Berlin.
2005 marks the anniversaries of Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre (founded Berlin/Germany 1980 / 25 years), Black International Cinema Berlin (founded Berlin/Germany 1986 / 20. edition), The Collegium - Forum & Television Program Berlin (founded Berlin/Germany 1995 / 10 years) and Cultural Zephyr e.V. (founded Berlin/Germany 1990 / 15 years).
The XX. Black International Cinema Berlin 2005 occurred May 5-8 at the cinema, die kurbel with film/video presentations from the U.S.A., South Africa, Canada, Ghana, Germany, United Kingdom, Cuba, Senegal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Mexico, Austria, Iran, France and Argentina.
"Footprints In the Sand?" 2005, a visual documentation of a people's efforts and success, at constructive cultural contributions in an international arena. Presentations: Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre and Classic In Black.
Fountainhead®
Tanz Theatre & Placement in Concert
In cooperation with Placement professioneller Raum für Tanz-Theater-Kunst
und Körperarbeit, Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre produced, directed and
choreographed an interdisciplinary multi-media production entitled "Literature
+ Photography + Paintings + Choreography + Dance = Performance" which
was presented during THE COLLEGIUM Television Program on September 18,
2005.
Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre also produced, directed and choreographed
a multi-media production entitled "Remembrance" which combined
dance, film and music and was created for THE COLLEGIUM Television Program´s
10th anniversary broadcast, November 20.
In
2006 Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre presented an exhibition entitled "Odyssey
- Photographic Exhibition - Visual Documentation" including "Footprints
in the Sand?" and Classic In Black, which has been on display from February
13 until March 31, 2006 in the gallery of Kiezmeile/bunddesign in Berlin-Prenzlauer
Berg.
Accompanying the exhibition was a presentation February 17/18 at 8.30
p.m., in French, English and German incorporating literature concerning
social-political, artistic thinking and undertakings from Carter G.
Woodson, James Baldwin, Countee Cullen, Claude McKay, Aimé Césaire and
other distinguished writers.
The presentors-readers of this presentation, entitled CULTURAL EXPRESSIONS
OF BLACK WRITERS FROM THE 19th THROUGH THE 21st CENTURY, were Harry
Louiserre, Prof. Donald Muldrow Griffith, Marion Kramer and Khadija
Tarjan McKinney Griffith, interspersed with music from rap, jazz and
documentary recordings.
Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre also published articles entitled "A Berlin Original", an overview of the history and accomplishments of Fountainhead®, "Odyssey", accompanied the exhibition with the same title, and an article regarding a film critic about the film "A Conversation With Oscar Brown Jr. - People, Politics and Art", in the magazine "Kiezmeile".
XXI. Black International Cinema St. Louis, Mo., U.S.A./Berlin, Germany 2006. The XXI. Black International Cinema occurred on invitation of and in cooperation with the University of Missouri, St. Louis, Mo./Center for International Studies, U.S.A. at the Saint Louis Art Museum from April 22-24 and in Berlin/Germany at the cinema filmkunst 66, May 4-10.
"Odyssey
- Berlin/St. Louis/New York City/Berlin 2006", A documentary film production
by Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre
A documentary film entitled "Odyssey" was filmed at the Saint Louis
Art Museum and the Romare Bearden Foundation and presented by Fountainhead®
Tanz Theatre as a part of THE COLLEGIUM - Forum & Television programs
during July and is currently screened internationally.
LADY
SADIE Please, pass it on!
A "Dance Theatre Konstruction" in 3 acts
A "Dance Theatre Konstruction" and international cooperation, designed
to raise awareness intellectually, emotionally and spiritually regarding
the devastating effects of violence - internationally, nationally, domestically
and personally, was created by Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre for presentation
in the U.S.A., 2007.
A documentary film in Berlin/Germany was sponsored by the University of Michigan/Center for European Studies and the Center for International and Comparative Studies, Ann Arbor, U.S.A. regarding the efforts of Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre to utilize art and culture for peaceful purposes and will be presented in 2007.
Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre presented the MusiKal TheaTre TIME KonsTrucTion - ON AIRE², A Moment in "Time"- at the Nickelodeon cinema in Berlin-Mitte on February 9 and 16, 2007. This multi-media presentation connected various artistic elements and the participating artists through their artistic disciplines. The production is a musical theatre depiction of the passage of "Time", as measured by humans whose "Time" is always fleeting, in relationship to the machinations of nature which functions at will, regardless of "Time". A portrayal of the co-existence of life and "Time" as presented through film, song, dance, spoken word and music.
THE XXII. Black International Cinema Berlin 2007 was presented from May 3-6 at the Nickelodeon cinema. In addition to film, this year's festival hosted several seminars. Prof. Akin Euba presented a seminar entitled "Dialogue in Music: Addressing The Challenges to 21st Century Musicians - Africa and Europe in Berlin 2007". Panelists were: Alexis Pope, Lisa Bryce, Cornelia & Reggie Moore, Charles Wynn, Queen Yahna and Lere O. Shakunle.
Further seminars were "Formula 1 in the 21st Century" presented by Darius Leoncavallo, President, CEO and Founder of the Leoncavallo F1 Racing Team, and "Communication via Television, Internet und Film", presenters: Angela Kramer, Cordula Alkert and Marion Kramer.
"The Bosporus-Project in Istanbul 2008" is a growing, peaceful, intercultural art-project by Yutta Saftien in cooperation with Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre/XXII. Black International Cinema Berlin 2007.
Again, the MusiKal TheaTre TIME KonsTrucTion - ON AIRE², A Moment in "Time" - was performed during the XXII. Black International Cinema Berlin 2007 on May 5.
In November 2007 Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre produced and directed in association with Cultural Zephyr e. V. and in cooperation with Offener Kanal Berlin (Open Channel Berlin) the special edition of the television magazine THE COLLEGIUM - Forum & Television Program Berlin under the title "A Complexion Change": Intercultural Dialogue within a Migratory Society. The future is with us, how do we respond to the inevitabilities of population change, clash or cooperation? Partial Portrait / Past, Present, Future? A relationship of Europe to the world and the human contributions to a developing Europe, at the dawn of the 21st century. The broadcast was presented in English, German and Polish via television and internet. Among the presenters were Günter Piening, Commissioner of the Senat of Berlin for Integration and Migration, and Anna Grudzinska, Foundation Diversity Forum/Poland.
2008 witnessed the XXIII. Black International Cinema Berlin/Germany, Warsaw/Poland & USA 2008, with film submissions from the USA, Germany, Mali, Iran, Bahrain, India, Canada, Belgium and Senegal. The festival was presented at the Moviemento Cinema, May 8-12 with accompanying seminars.
In addition, the 2nd edition of “A Complexion Change” was televised May 29th via television, internet and radio in English, German, French and Arabic.
Juanita Nuñez
Origins
from
left:
Prof. Donald Muldrow Griffith, Lynnda Curry,
Prof. Gayle McKinney Griffith, Ricky Powell
MOTTOS:
"I
MAY NOT MAKE IT IF I TRY, BUT I DAMN SURE WON'T IF I DON'T..."
Oscar Brown Jr.
"MANKIND
WILL EITHER FIND A WAY OR MAKE ONE."
C. P. Snow
"WHATEVER
YOU DO..., BE COOL!"
Joseph Louis Turner
"YES,
I CAN...!"
Sammy Davis Jr.
XIV. Black International Cinema 1999
XVI.
Black International Cinema 2001
May / June
Film & Video Selections
XVII.
Black International Cinema 2002
May / June
XVIII. Black International Cinema 2003
XIX. Black International Cinema 2004
XXI. Black International Cinema Berlin 2006
XXII. Black International Cinema Berlin 2007
XXIII.
Black International Cinema Berlin 2008
ENTRY FORM
18
Years of Black International Cinema Film Awards
1991 - 2008
The Collegium - Forum & Television Program
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