Colombian dance company Sankofa Danzafro returns to the Celebrity Series for an hour of timely and thought-provoking dance and live music. Accommodating Lie, the latest work by founder Rafael Palacios, utilizes seven dancers and live drums, flute, marimba, and vocals to “reaffirm the need for self-representation of Afro-descendant communities” in a forceful dismantling of stereotypes, clichés, and falsehoods about Black bodies and the meaning of being of African descent.

Throughout the performance, the Sankofa dancers rewrite history from the perspective of subjugated and colonized Colombians—and, in doing so, offer insight not only into Colombia’s racial and class history, but also interrogate issues with more far-reaching implications, including here in the United States. The work fits powerfully with the company’s ethos; “sankofa,” an African philosophy meaning “to return to the root,” suggests that the past is a keyhole through which to view the present and consider the future. After partnering with Palacios to present the phenomenal Black Voices Boston series virtually during 2020–21, we’re especially grateful for the opportunity to share event this with live, in-person audiences—so don’t miss your chance to experience this important, modern re-examination of history from a company whose mission is “to dance to be heard, rather than to be seen.”