Afro Urban Society’s Gbedu Town Radio (Oakland, CA/USA) is currently looking for dancers, musicians, emcees, and performers of all genders for our 2021-2022 Season. Performers with experience in one or more Afro Urban styles including Hip Hop, Afrobeats, Dancehall, Turf, Rumba, Samba Reggae, Kwaito, Amapiano, Soukous/Ndombolo, Afro/House, Spoken word/Rap as well as technical/classical/traditional from African cultures of the continent and Diaspora including Rhythm Tap, Capoeira, Jazz, and more.
Must be comfortable with improv, experimental, collaborative and freestyle-based creative and performance ways.
Our 2021-2022 Season will include development and production of new work created for outdoor locations, residential spaces, community centers, and theaters.
Must be available to take a 57-week commitment beginning March 19, 2022 and be open/available to touring regionally, as well as internationally.
GTR performers will receive compensation including rehearsal stipends, paid performance and other including incentives and resources.
HOW TO AUDITION
Complete the APPLICATION FORM by Monday March 11 2022 (11:59PM)
Attend both In-Person Auditions (dates below)
AUDITION DATES/INFO
Tuesday March 8 | 6-8:00pm | Dance Workshop/Tryouts
Saturday March 12 | 1-5:00pm | All-Performer Audition
Saturday March 19 | 1-5:00pm | Call-Backs
Outdoor Locations: Oakland, CA TBA
ACCESS NEEDS: If you have questions, we're happy to discuss. Please send an email to afrourbansociety.dance@gmail.com if you have access needs that aren't included below.
COVID SAFETY:
We'll maintain COVID safety protocols appropriate to conditions in the community at the time of audition. Bring a well-fitted mask, hand sanitizer, and your own reusable bottle of water.
BATHROOMS:
March 8 Fruitvale Plaza: we'll be outside the entire time, so that means no bathroom access, although there may be public bathrooms around the plaza.
March 12: EastSide Cultural Center has all-gender bathrooms in the building.
ADA & WHEELCHAIRS:
Fruitvale Plaza is centrally located in an ADA accessible space at the Fruitvale Village
EastSide Cultural Center is wheelchair accessible
TRANSIT: Fruitvale Plaza is about one block from the Fruitvale BART station and right next to an AC Transit hub. There is no dedicated parking. Parking available is street parking.
EastSide Cultural Center is on International Blvd. and is accessible by the AC Transit bus lines 1, 40 and 62, and a 20-30minute walk from the Fruitvale BART station. There is no dedicated parking. Parking available is street parking.
SCENT FREE SPACE: To support our community needs for those who have fragrance sensitivities and allergies, we ask all attendees not to wear any scented products on days that you attend workshops/auditions-- lotions, shampoos, essential oils, etc. Natural scents like essential oils and incense can still have these effects. Here's a useful resource from East Bay Meditation Center on what products do and don't contain scents (it includes info around black/POC specific hair/body products): https://eastbaymeditation.org/res.../fragrance-free-at-ebmc/
If you have questions, we're happy to discuss. Please send an email to afrourbansociety.dance@gmail.com if you have access needs that aren't included above.
ABOUT US
Over-articulated and barely translated, Gbedu Town Radio tells dynamic stories for the culture. Led by Artistic Director, Nkeiruka Oruche, and featuring a dynamic group of performers, GTR explores social and political themes through Pan Afro-Urban music and dance including Afrobeats, Dancehall, Coupé-Décalé & varieties of Hip hop.
Gbedu Town Radio is a project of Afro Urban Society, an incubator and presenter of Afro-Urban performing and visual arts, culture, media, and social discourse. A lively group of dancers, musicians and all-around performers representing the diverse African Diaspora, they are your bus ride to an upbeat romping, riveting and rousing time. Check out videos and media of us at