In conjunction with community arts programming, Kuumba Lynx developed the Kuumba Lynx Performance Ensemble; a traveling intergenerational performance ensemble dedicated to creating “Edutainment”. The performance company is comprised of children as young as eight years old. The idea behind the performance company is to nurture the apprentices and equip them with the artistic skills necessary for performing and educating nationwide, while staying rooted and connected to their respective communities.

KLPE has performed at venues including UCLA, Pine Ridge-South Dakota, Atlanta University AUC Campus, University of Wisconsin, NY Hip Hop Theatre Fest, and Brave Voices, various other institutions throughout the United States. As an organization, and as of 2008 are the winners of the “Louder Than A Bomb Poetry Festival”; which will take the winning team to Nationals to be held during Summer 08’ in Washington D.C.

Kuumba Lynx Performance Ensemble (KLPE) produces original ‘Edutainment” (education and entertainment). These established and emerging artists combine their love of Hip-Hop and dedication to social justice with urban narratives that explore culture, spirituality, social responsibility, and cross cultural understandings. Kuumba Lynx Urban Performance Ensemble’s touring shows seek to bring a variety of people together to discover the complexity of their differences, as well as the power of their unity as it relates to social justice and the Hip-Hop Arts movement. The touring shows allow the audience and performers to interact in order to initiate meaningful dialogue. KLPE productions explore America's politics, spirituality, cultural influences, and history, making every individual and community story important and valuable. These stories presented, be they painful, bittersweet, sad or happy, are performed within the context of a unified multi-race group of artists and their communities working toward a more just world. Kuumba Lynx Urban Performance Ensemble has been presenting to youth and their communities since 1996. KLPE has presented in Havana Cuba, Mexico City, Montreal, Pine Ridge South Dakota, San Francisco, LA, New York, Atlanta, and throughout Chicago

Kuumba Lynx Performance Ensemble (KLPE) touring shows provide an outreach component through the touring show series, spring production and the Q & A post discussion after every show. KLPE brings together diverse groups of people to create interwoven interdisciplinary and literary performances that empower us to understand the complexity of societal issues through working as an ensemble on the production process. KLPE participant’s research, write, and perform their original works for audiences of all ages and backgrounds. The ensemble consists of an intergenerational cast from various racial, cultural, ethnic, religious, socio-economic, immigrant and native backgrounds.
KLPE aims to address the complexity of America’s politics and history noting that every individual and community story is important and valuable. KLPE serves as a model community, one that has been reinvented; filling the gaps that so many of us find ourselves falling into within our respective poverty stricken communities of America. KLPE creates several touring shows per year that are presented both locally and internationally. KLPE also provides curriculum support containing Rubrics and ISB State Learning Goals, in order to better equip organizers and educators for further exploration.

Membership-For the most part KLPE maintains its membership with little to none turn around. Because we are inter-generational youth often graduate from KLPE Apprentice artist and go off to college, but stay connected and active in the ensemble as they come home for winter and summer break. Eventually youth become adult members whom may enter our Teaching Artist Roster and continue the cycle. The ensemble opens its door to new members each fall when they begin writing and technique instruction for the Spring Production. There is no fee to join By participating and showing commitment in the Drop In Arts programs, youth from various Residencies and Drop In Arts programs are invited to join KLPE. Once you are in KLPE you play an active roll in developing pieces to be considered for the Spring Production and then you will tour excerpts of the production throughout the summer.

Timeline for the Creative Process- KLPE participants work on a 20-30 week creative development process. The first ten to 15 weeks are dedicated to artistic technique and concept development. Teaching Artist and Apprentice will train in dance, theater, creative writing, and theatrical concept building for the first ten weeks. This allows for material accumulation that is then reviewed by the Creative Directors at the end of the first phase and developed into a script. The following 10-15 weeks is dedicated to scene development, rehearsals, and production. The play is presented each spring at a local venue. Following the spring show, KLPE then tours both locally and internationally.

Spring Productions:

1. “Educatin Energy” written by KLPE 2008
2. “Word” written by KLPE 2007
3. “El Barrio Clocks Our Beatz and Rhymes” written by KLPE 2005
4. “ A Day In The Life of Baby Boo” written by KLPE 2003