Friday, February 7, 1997
THEATER:
Founder Julio Leitao aims to build children’s self-esteem
through African song and dance By Kathleen Rhames
Daily Bruin Contributor
Children’s group Batoto Yetu has performed African music and
dance on stages everywhere from the United Nations to "Good Morning
America." But they started out on a much smaller stage.
It was a sandy little Harlem playground where founder/director
Julio Leitao began visiting local children on Saturdays, teaching
them the native songs and dances of Africa.
"They weren’t allowed to take classes at the theater (where I
taught)," Leitao recalls. "When I would teach adults, there would
always be kids peeking in through the door, so I finally decided I
would go down to their neighborhoods and teach them the dances
myself."
This weekend Batoto Yetu, which means "our children" in Swahili,
will feature 25 children ranging from ages 7 to 17 at the Veterans
Wadsworth Theater. In addition to those from Harlem, Brooklyn and
Manhattan, Batoto Yetu will also include eight Afro-Portuguese
children from Portugal in the show.
Leitao hopes to create a cultural bridge as well as introduce
the children to different areas of their heritage. The performance
promises a dynamic blend of twisting, jumping and spinning in
elaborate costumes of grass skirts, body paint and multicolored
beads.
In working with the children, Leitao uses music and dance as a
platform for learning and the foundation for building
self-esteem.
"The stage itself is a bridge for self-esteem," Leitao says. "In
everyone’s life, there’s always someone who has said ‘Hey, you can
do it.’ I think being on that stage and knowing that people
appreciate what you do is a way of saying to the children ‘You are
excellent in what you do, you’ve accomplished something.’ I think
we all need that to live."
Leitao places a great emphasis on learning. This past April, he
flew the children to Portugal to meet and work with other
Afro-Portuguese children. Living and traveling together exposed
them to the rich African-American culture. His unique curriculum of
song and dance comes from a belief in motivating young people
rather than teaching them in a classroom setting.
"I come from a culture in which books and writing did not exist
for many centuries and the culture itself was a means of educating
people," he says. "I’ve always believed that in order to speak to
somebody, you must speak their language. When you use something
that is enjoyable, naturally they will have fun and while they have
fun they are educating themselves."
Leitao’s parental concern over the well-being of the children
stems perhaps from the loss of his own childhood to the Angolan
civil war of 1975. Born and raised there, he lived his youth in
constant fear and admits that many of the stories expressed by
Batoto Yetu relate to memories he has of that time.
One dance number in particular is a story about the beginning of
time. People did not live in harmony with nature and appreciate
what the world had given them. As a result, nature turned against
them. It is through the birth of a child, however, that joy is
returned and Africa is reborn.
"The show is really a safari through Africa in terms of
storytelling, music, language and singing," Leitao says. "It’s
interconnected with the African- American life here."
Leitao admits he has learned much from the children himself,
stating that he senses a deeper quality of performance from
children as opposed to adults. While adults tend to master
intricate footwork and dance combinations, the true feeling and
emotion of a piece are best expressed by a child. He describes this
quality as a "simplicity of life" that comes from personalities not
yet fully developed and which still have room for growth.
The children of Batoto Yetu have come a long way since their
days at the Harlem playground. Next week, they are scheduled to
perform for a benefit at Radio City Music Hall with the likes of
B.B. King, James Brown and the Fugees. They have also been featured
in Time magazine and the Wall Street Journal for their outstanding
achievements in music and dance. The group cannot forget their
purpose, however, which Leitao defines simply as making a
difference.
"I want the children to think for themselves, to find the key in
their lives to really make a difference and as they grow up,
continue to invest in childhood so that they can help others have a
good childhood," he says.
DANCE: Harlem Children’s Group Batoto Yetu opens at the Veterans
Wadsworth Theater Saturday, Feb. 8. Tickets are $25, $9 for
students. For more information, call 825-2101.
UCLA Center for the Performing Arts
Batoto Yetu celebrates African heritage this weekend at the
Veterans Wadsworth Theater.