Kevin Locke - More than a Performance

Kevin Locke did much more than perform on Nov. 10, 2009 at Sangamon Auditorium. He spoke. He taught. And he communicated culture. With his Native Dance Ensemble, Locke contributed to this area’s cultural understanding.

In honor of Veteran’s Day, which was the day after the evening performance, they sang the “Flag Song” and spoke about The “Code Talkers,” who were crucial to American communication and intelligence during WWII.

In honoring his own culture, Locke explained hoop dancing and gave a wonderful demonstration of his technique and the meaning behind each display of the hoops. Locke displayed metaphorical hoop dancing forming globes and wings and other meaningful manipulations of the hoops.

He asked volunteers to stand up on stage and learn hoop dancing. Mainly children went on stage and learned the basics of hoop dancing and the meaning behind the simple poses. This was all in the post-show discussion, after the performance of “Drum is the Thunder, Flute is the Wind.”

In an interview before the performance, Locke described his vision and dream for the future.

NH: What are the important aspects of your performance that you wish to communicate to young and old?

KL: Well, the main thing is to extenuate or highlight the universal human values or the core values- you have what you call core values-and to bring them, because it’s very important I think to keep this in front of people’s consciousness- the reality of the oneness of humankind and the fact that now is the day when we have to really consciously create unity in the world. And the art is a part way to propel this into people’s consciousness. And hopefully it results in action.

NH: Cool. I know dreams are important in this show. What important dreams do you have for the world: daydreams or night dreams?

KL: It’s just an overarching vision or dream of a place that I personally can find useful, going out in the world in the process of advancing this new civilization.

- by Nathan Harmon