Red brass dream project, 2023 (Work-In-Progress)
“Red Brass Dream” is a 45-minute immersive performance taking place in October/November 2023. The performance will explore liberation in three parts: socially, bodily, and mentally. Using a New Orleans second line (musical parade celebration) as the thread, the audience will be guided by four musicians and eight dancers. Jazz musician Jerrick Matthews will compose seven songs, and I will choreograph three dance sections making this a multidisciplinary performing arts experience.
ReSTART Project, 2022
ReSTART is a site-specific dance piece created for Fort Washington Park featuring 7 performers dancing in vignettes in the northern part of the park. You can watch the full video of the performance here.
Through movement, ReSTART aims to examine the tension of our new social interactions (both humorous and bittersweet), restarting over and over again (like Groundhog Day), and how to rebuild communities from a place of empathy and connection rather than hate or fear.
This project is funded, in part, through a Seed Fund for Dance grant from the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corporation, thanks to the support of the Mertz Gilmore Foundation.
Running Into Joy, 2021
“Work. Rest. Play. Repeat. Where’s the joy in that? I’m not sure, but I’m longing for joy in these moments of languishing.” JB
Running Into Joy (Running Out of Time Project) is made possible in part with public funds from Creative Engagement, supported by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and administered by LMCC.
This project was also made possible by NYC City Artists Corps. City Artist Corps Grants was launched in June 2021 by NYFA and DCLA with support from the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) as well as Queens Theatre.
Reflections//Refractions: The Empathy Project, 2019
An evening-length, immersive dance work that explored themes of empathy, division, and connection
The Empathy Project is made possible in part with funding from the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corporation and administered by LMCC, and with public funds from Creative Engagement, supported by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and administered by LMCC.
UMEZ enhances the economic vitality of all communities in Upper Manhattan through job creation, corporate alliances, strategic investments, and small business assistance.
LMCC serves, connects and makes space for artists and community.
Alone they fall, 2019
Tint Dance Festival Commission, created in collaboration with dancers
“Equal parts beautiful and stressed, the dancers held each other, pulsed, quivered, and twitched, perhaps in support of solidarity in the face of rugged individualism.”
- RISA NAGEL, SeattleDances.com
queen has fallen, 2017 & 2018
Created as a part of Doug Varone’s Devices, further developed during Chen Dance Center’s New Steps Choreographer’s Series
How does the “one” shoulder the burden of power and the future?
Using bees and their behavior as a metaphor for human interaction this piece examines themes such as isolation, intimacy and the failure of intimacy, confrontation, finding home and what it means to be of service to a community that elects and gives power to one.
“The all female quintet had a fresh energy […] One of the strongest sections was the trio, which integrated unconventional lifts and good design creating abstract relationships and symbolism.”
— Walter Rutledge, Out & About NYC Magazine