By Brett Shaw
For many fanatics, sports are much more than a simple game to be played. A performance piece coming to Iowa City takes this enthusiasm another step further by connecting soccer to the triumphs and flaws of humanity.
By using such art forms as dance, music, poetry, and film, /peh-LO-tah/ is a multidisciplinary performance that brings to light various aspects of global life and culture, all through the perspective of soccer. The eclectic show, consisting of five performers, will take the stage at Hancher at 7:30 p.m. today.
Many tend to question the value of sports in discussions of art and culture. Some consider it base and commercialism, while others argue that it possesses significant aesthetic and societal qualities.
“Soccer players on a field to me looks something like bees in a hive, or birds in migration, or dancers on a stage,” said Marc Bamuthi Joseph, a poet and performance artist. “There is already a balletic and choreographed quality to how the game is played, so it’s already very artful to me.”
A significant theme throughout the performance is freedom and what it entails. Joseph describes a type of freedom that stretches beyond politics. There is a freedom to be found spiritually, whether that be the feeling of diving into the ocean for the first time or playing in your grandmother’s yard.
For Joseph, this freedom exists in soccer. His earliest memories involve the beloved sport that he played competitively from the ages of 5 to 20. Now, he shares his passion with the world through performance in effort to spread that sense of freedom.
Soccer may not carry as heavy of a cultural significance in the United States, but it does not take a soccer fanatic to comprehend the uniting force that the sport holds throughout the world. Having an extensive knowledge of soccer is not required to enjoy the piece, although it may enhance the experience.
Joseph, in fact, said the piece isn’t just about soccer itself but also about the relationship between parents and their child. It causes spectators to reflect on places around the world that are affected by urban settings, immigrant narratives, and the love of sport. /peh-LO-tah/ provides something concrete and universal to all viewers.
The performance tackles various serious issues that plague our global culture, all through the lens of a sport that is so central to that culture. When putting the show together, Joseph was consciously aware of his 15-year-old son and the world that he is growing into.
“Looking at the world, I want to keep [my son] safe,” he said. “[I am] thinking about all of the things that might affect him, and [I am] using soccer as the kaleidoscopic lens to look at gender inequalities, economic inequalities, race, justice, and the pursuit of freedom.”
The show greatly focuses on the black community and global injustice, addressing and explaining the Black Lives Matter movement that has created controversy for some. Joseph believes that /peh-LO-tah/ depicts the issue in a way that differs from the typical practice of discussing the movement only after someone has died. The performance instead celebrates black livelihood and culture.
“This is a way to deal with Black Lives Matter without focusing on death,” Joseph said. “It’s a letter to black joy. It’s inspired by the vitality of life in this skin.”