Queen Nur.
SWAN VALLEY - On March 20 at 3 p.m. Queen Nur takes the stage at Swan Valley School. And I mean, takes the stage! Living in western Montana, we rarely have a chance to see and hear a glimpse of a culture so far removed from our own. In her public concert, accompanied by African instruments, the incomparable storyteller Queen Nur will present a tasty treat of stories, songs and dance celebrating her African-American Heritage.
Alpine Artisans and 2 Valleys Stage are pleased to present Karen "Queen Nur" Abdul-Malik in concert. Along with percussionist Sangue Mbacke, she will take the audience on a musical, story-filled energetic and interactive performance for audiences of all ages. Be prepared to clap your hands, stomp your feet and sing along as Queen Nur presents "Sweet Potato Pie and Such," a highly interactive performance that brings audiences to their feet and presents values that are indelibly remembered through lively folktales and fables.
Storytelling is the oldest art form and nationally-known, award winning storyteller, Queen Nur exuberantly presents the African Oral Tradition. Queen Nur is a highly interactive international storyteller and teaching artist from Willingboro, NJ. Following the griotic (West African storytelling) tradition, her stories capture historical victories, celebrate folkloric traditions and speak profoundly of humanity. She is accompanied by Sangue Mbacke, an international drummer from Senegal, West Africa.
Queen received her Masters in Arts in Cultural Sustainability from Goucher College and a Certificate in Dispute Resolution from Harvard Law School. Her CD, "Sweet Potato Pie and Such," is an IParenting Media Golden Award Winner.
Queen Nur is a nationally renowned storyteller and teaching artist, mother of three and grandmother of four.
For more than 20 years Queen Nur has enthralled hundreds of thousands of people in over 30 states at such venues as the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., NJPAC, Equitable Tower On Broadway, NJN Television, Toronto Street Festival, The National Black Storyteller's Festival And Conference, National Storytelling Festival and many other venues. She is a winner of the Mid Atlantic Artist-As-Catalyst Award; the NSN Brimstone Grant and several leadership awards. She is President of the National Association of Black Storytellers and the Vice President of Keepers of the Culture. She has been the recipient of MidAtlantic Artist as Catalyst Grants for her work with Teens-at-Risk and Women's Shelters and the National Storytelling Brimstone Grant for her innovative community-based programs.
Her performances cover a broad range but always include stories and songs that relate to African American heritage and culture and common threads among all cultures. Her performances include a rich blend of tales, songs and rhymes celebrating African-American heritage and the art of storytelling, accompanied by African percussion instruments. Queen Nur also creates dynamic portraits of brave pioneering women: Sojourner Truth, Maria Stewart, Frances Harper, Cathy Williams, Ida B. Wells, Mary Church Terrell and Mary McLeod Bethune.
Queen Nur's outreach programs are designed to encompass diversity, culture and storytelling. The themes are broad and enrich the common core standards by promoting literacy skills. Students learn to read, write, speak, listen and use language effectively in a variety of content areas. Visual and Performing arts standards are elevated as students re-write and perform fairytale, folktales, myths, historical tales and legends based on a selected residency theme. They also celebrate diversity and the similarities of cultures.
For musical programs, she teaches how percussion instruments are played, how they were used in different cultural societies and how they enhance storytelling. Hands on activities involve the method of play and performance for various instruments while exploring dynamics, pitch, rhythm and tempo. Interest is stimulated in how the earth's elements and atmosphere assist in the construction and sound of percussive instruments.
Queen's stories teach universal values and weave a connective thread. We all have stories to share and Queen doles out a basket full of tales toted on a band of vibrant rhythms. An edge-of-your seat performance will engage the audience from beginning to end.
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