SINT MARTIN (GREAT BAY) - “Native Choir – The Gathering” is a fusion of dance, song, dramatization, and “silent interpretation” of poetry from Native Choir, said the book’s author, Safiyya Chance.
The concert of at least 12 performers, centered on Safiyya Chance’s recital from her debut collection, will take place in the courtyard of Axum Art Cafe on Frontstreet on Saturday, May 30, 2026, beginning at 8 p.m. Admission is US$30.
Native Choir may be the first St. Martin poetry collection to receive such a diverse range of artistic interpretations in a single production, showcasing the breadth of expression the poet has planned for her audience.
“Chance is exercising a daring artistic approach,” said her publisher House of Nehesi Publishers (HNP).
Her approach may also have been previewed in the book’s introduction by literary critic Fabian Adekunle Badejo who wrote of the range of her work: “Chance weaves all these voices into one harmonious choir, which she conducts with the aplomb of a seasoned choirmaster.”
The poet’s invitation is open, in her own words: “Come, Choir, come home — under the stars, at the foot of the tree” in the courtyard of Axum Art Cafe on Frontstreet.
Copies of Native Choir will be on sale, and Chance will be available to sign books for audience members.
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