[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] I can remember the very first dance that
I can remember the very first dance that
I can remember the very first dance that I choreographed I could not have been
I choreographed I could not have been
I choreographed I could not have been older than 12 years old and it was a
older than 12 years old and it was a
older than 12 years old and it was a prophecy draped in every possible color
prophecy draped in every possible color
prophecy draped in every possible color I could feel the rippled floor beneath
I could feel the rippled floor beneath
I could feel the rippled floor beneath my feet since the shifts of weight
my feet since the shifts of weight
my feet since the shifts of weight between my imagined steps and trace the
between my imagined steps and trace the
between my imagined steps and trace the edges of the six large red round buttons
edges of the six large red round buttons
edges of the six large red round buttons securely attached to the front of a
securely attached to the front of a
securely attached to the front of a custom that didn’t actually exist waking
custom that didn’t actually exist waking
custom that didn’t actually exist waking up from that dream was jarring for me
up from that dream was jarring for me
up from that dream was jarring for me because being awake meant that dance
because being awake meant that dance
because being awake meant that dance wasn’t real it was the first time I
wasn’t real it was the first time I
wasn’t real it was the first time I really understood the difference between
really understood the difference between
really understood the difference between my very active imagination and what was
my very active imagination and what was
my very active imagination and what was happening in the world around me in her
happening in the world around me in her
happening in the world around me in her magic the young version of myself
magic the young version of myself
magic the young version of myself visions something that was both
visions something that was both
visions something that was both wonderful and imaginary and that was
wonderful and imaginary and that was
wonderful and imaginary and that was kind of frightening for a kid I mean
kind of frightening for a kid I mean
kind of frightening for a kid I mean think about it you are barely out of
think about it you are barely out of
think about it you are barely out of pigtails and hula hoops when you get a
pigtails and hula hoops when you get a
pigtails and hula hoops when you get a very large vision for your life and as
very large vision for your life and as
very large vision for your life and as whimsical as it all sounds to know
whimsical as it all sounds to know
whimsical as it all sounds to know exactly what you want to be and do at
exactly what you want to be and do at
exactly what you want to be and do at that very moment my 12 year old self
that very moment my 12 year old self
that very moment my 12 year old self well she was equally full of both magic
well she was equally full of both magic
well she was equally full of both magic and fear I did not wake up from that
and fear I did not wake up from that
and fear I did not wake up from that dream with a booklet on my nightstand
dream with a booklet on my nightstand
dream with a booklet on my nightstand that red crystal Michelle’s guides to
that red crystal Michelle’s guides to
that red crystal Michelle’s guides to making dances and three steps to
making dances and three steps to
making dances and three steps to simultaneously change the world there
simultaneously change the world there
simultaneously change the world there were no meticulous instructions on what
were no meticulous instructions on what
were no meticulous instructions on what to do with all that creativity and
to do with all that creativity and
to do with all that creativity and ingenuity brimming over inside of me so
ingenuity brimming over inside of me so
ingenuity brimming over inside of me so I did not follow the blue
I did not follow the blue
I did not follow the blue of my dreams in that dance with the red
of my dreams in that dance with the red
of my dreams in that dance with the red buttons didn’t become a real thing in
buttons didn’t become a real thing in
buttons didn’t become a real thing in fact when I think about it it’s the
fact when I think about it it’s the
fact when I think about it it’s the first time I remember feeling the
first time I remember feeling the
first time I remember feeling the presence of a void a specific kind of
presence of a void a specific kind of
presence of a void a specific kind of disappointment that sticks with you when
disappointment that sticks with you when
disappointment that sticks with you when you don’t follow through on your biggest
you don’t follow through on your biggest
you don’t follow through on your biggest ideas so in the wake of that prophecy
ideas so in the wake of that prophecy
ideas so in the wake of that prophecy and an unfulfilled directive my young
and an unfulfilled directive my young
and an unfulfilled directive my young self was left with this a very tactile
self was left with this a very tactile
self was left with this a very tactile impression of what life could be like if
impression of what life could be like if
impression of what life could be like if she could just swallow herself in enough
she could just swallow herself in enough
she could just swallow herself in enough courage to bring that kind of vibrant
courage to bring that kind of vibrant
courage to bring that kind of vibrant and magnetic vision for her life into
and magnetic vision for her life into
and magnetic vision for her life into the world to design the kind of dances
the world to design the kind of dances
the world to design the kind of dances that are so powerful they show up in
that are so powerful they show up in
that are so powerful they show up in your dreams and push themselves out into
your dreams and push themselves out into
your dreams and push themselves out into the world through you that young girl in
the world through you that young girl in
the world through you that young girl in that moment of Nan making together they
that moment of Nan making together they
that moment of Nan making together they are my start here moment she’s my power
are my start here moment she’s my power
are my start here moment she’s my power origin story when the mountain of
origin story when the mountain of
origin story when the mountain of becoming for any creative project grows
becoming for any creative project grows
becoming for any creative project grows seemingly impossible to climb I turn to
seemingly impossible to climb I turn to
seemingly impossible to climb I turn to her I carry her and her clarity for art
her I carry her and her clarity for art
her I carry her and her clarity for art making into every new and impossible
making into every new and impossible
making into every new and impossible idea I use her strength to carve out
idea I use her strength to carve out
idea I use her strength to carve out creative spaces that might have some
creative spaces that might have some
creative spaces that might have some meaning to the people who do them and
meaning to the people who do them and
meaning to the people who do them and view them she takes her tiny hands
view them she takes her tiny hands
view them she takes her tiny hands places them on the small of my back and
places them on the small of my back and
places them on the small of my back and pushes me down the path of doing I
pushes me down the path of doing I
pushes me down the path of doing I imagine I make
imagine I make
imagine I make I envisioned I craft I pick behind me to
I envisioned I craft I pick behind me to
I envisioned I craft I pick behind me to see if she is still there she is
see if she is still there she is
see if she is still there she is I make more dances I make more dances I
I make more dances I make more dances I
I make more dances I make more dances I make more dances
make more dances
make more dances [Music]
a few years ago I was a mid step
a few years ago I was a mid step climbing up the creative mountain of
climbing up the creative mountain of
climbing up the creative mountain of dance making when I lost track of that
dance making when I lost track of that
dance making when I lost track of that start here moment I was making a
start here moment I was making a
start here moment I was making a site-specific dance piece that was
site-specific dance piece that was
site-specific dance piece that was supposed to be choreographed on the
supposed to be choreographed on the
supposed to be choreographed on the banks of the Scioto River in Dublin Ohio
banks of the Scioto River in Dublin Ohio
banks of the Scioto River in Dublin Ohio and the Great Miami River in Dayton Ohio
it was my largest Commission today and
it was my largest Commission today and something about the sheer size of it
something about the sheer size of it
something about the sheer size of it just had me nervous I was losing track
just had me nervous I was losing track
just had me nervous I was losing track of myself losing track of my focus
of myself losing track of my focus
of myself losing track of my focus losing track of my power I was
losing track of my power I was
losing track of my power I was desperately trying to figure out what
desperately trying to figure out what
desperately trying to figure out what the work was about so I laid my ear near
the work was about so I laid my ear near
the work was about so I laid my ear near the earth hoping that the earth would
the earth hoping that the earth would
the earth hoping that the earth would whisper back when I remember that the
whisper back when I remember that the
whisper back when I remember that the land we live on has memories and people
land we live on has memories and people
land we live on has memories and people like me got here like that cold song
like me got here like that cold song
like me got here like that cold song says wading in the water to freedom
says wading in the water to freedom
says wading in the water to freedom across boundaries like the Ohio River
across boundaries like the Ohio River
across boundaries like the Ohio River which meanders
which meanders
which meanders along the same space as what people used
along the same space as what people used
along the same space as what people used to call the mason-dixon line an
to call the mason-dixon line an
to call the mason-dixon line an imaginary boundary that separates the
imaginary boundary that separates the
imaginary boundary that separates the air between free and slave states here
air between free and slave states here
air between free and slave states here in Dayton the Great Miami River rushes
in Dayton the Great Miami River rushes
in Dayton the Great Miami River rushes into the Ohio River so I thought as a
into the Ohio River so I thought as a
into the Ohio River so I thought as a site-specific piece this would be the
site-specific piece this would be the
site-specific piece this would be the kind of dance that unearths history and
kind of dance that unearths history and
kind of dance that unearths history and undoes it through the gluing and viewing
undoes it through the gluing and viewing
undoes it through the gluing and viewing of the piece we would gather around the
of the piece we would gather around the
of the piece we would gather around the river like droplets of rain and the
river like droplets of rain and the
river like droplets of rain and the dancers would become this healing
dancers would become this healing
dancers would become this healing flowing rushing source reminder of
flowing rushing source reminder of
flowing rushing source reminder of community so I imagined but I couldn’t
community so I imagined but I couldn’t
community so I imagined but I couldn’t make I envisioned but I couldn’t craft I
make I envisioned but I couldn’t craft I
make I envisioned but I couldn’t craft I looked behind myself to see if she was
looked behind myself to see if she was
looked behind myself to see if she was still there and she wasn’t in my young
still there and she wasn’t in my young
still there and she wasn’t in my young choreographic life the dances I create
choreographic life the dances I create
choreographic life the dances I create it felt like honey lay soliloquies of
it felt like honey lay soliloquies of
it felt like honey lay soliloquies of being and doing where the history of a
being and doing where the history of a
being and doing where the history of a place and the narratives of our body
place and the narratives of our body
place and the narratives of our body collided in vibrant color so imagine how
collided in vibrant color so imagine how
collided in vibrant color so imagine how tangled in confusion I felt when on my
tangled in confusion I felt when on my
tangled in confusion I felt when on my climb up that mountain to choreograph
climb up that mountain to choreograph
climb up that mountain to choreograph the descent of this water rain I was
the descent of this water rain I was
the descent of this water rain I was stuck I lost track
stuck I lost track
stuck I lost track of my power there were things going on
of my power there were things going on
of my power there were things going on in my life taking up her space a
in my life taking up her space a
in my life taking up her space a combination of fear anxiety and much
combination of fear anxiety and much
combination of fear anxiety and much less magic there was my fear that people
less magic there was my fear that people
less magic there was my fear that people wouldn’t understand why I wanted to talk
wouldn’t understand why I wanted to talk
wouldn’t understand why I wanted to talk about race with my work why history was
about race with my work why history was
about race with my work why history was so important or by making dances from
so important or by making dances from
so important or by making dances from the vantage point of marginalized bodies
the vantage point of marginalized bodies
the vantage point of marginalized bodies is a viable artistic practice I was
is a viable artistic practice I was
is a viable artistic practice I was doubting that this kind of social
doubting that this kind of social
doubting that this kind of social justice art-making
justice art-making
justice art-making would work that it even had the capacity
would work that it even had the capacity
would work that it even had the capacity to leave us changed the book art and
to leave us changed the book art and
to leave us changed the book art and fear says when the work goes well we
fear says when the work goes well we
fear says when the work goes well we keep such inner distractions at bay but
keep such inner distractions at bay but
keep such inner distractions at bay but in times of uncertainty and need we
in times of uncertainty and need we
in times of uncertainty and need we begin listening looking back I was
begin listening looking back I was
begin listening looking back I was raised in one of those homes where love
raised in one of those homes where love
raised in one of those homes where love spirituality and art held much more
spirituality and art held much more
spirituality and art held much more weight than money where my mother alone
weight than money where my mother alone
weight than money where my mother alone taught us about goodness she did her own
taught us about goodness she did her own
taught us about goodness she did her own kind of sparkly magic tricks to sow in
kind of sparkly magic tricks to sow in
kind of sparkly magic tricks to sow in us all the things she thought would be
us all the things she thought would be
us all the things she thought would be important about the world so we learned
important about the world so we learned
important about the world so we learned to dance to make music to paint to
to dance to make music to paint to
to dance to make music to paint to imagine the world for ourselves she
imagine the world for ourselves she
imagine the world for ourselves she knelt down dreams like take me to the
knelt down dreams like take me to the
knelt down dreams like take me to the wall
take me to take me to to be whispering
take me to take me to to be whispering in our ears the value of friendship and
in our ears the value of friendship and
in our ears the value of friendship and community she taught us through her work
community she taught us through her work
community she taught us through her work of building that our life’s work should
of building that our life’s work should
of building that our life’s work should change the world that we could and
change the world that we could and
change the world that we could and should make things that are half feel
should make things that are half feel
should make things that are half feel whole again
whole again
whole again cueing in our lives a kind of alternate
cueing in our lives a kind of alternate
cueing in our lives a kind of alternate reality and cueing in my work a
reality and cueing in my work a
reality and cueing in my work a foundation of spirituality healing
foundation of spirituality healing
foundation of spirituality healing culture history as I continue to
culture history as I continue to
culture history as I continue to continue to meditate on my life as an
continue to meditate on my life as an
continue to meditate on my life as an artist as a human cuz it isn’t all about
artist as a human cuz it isn’t all about
artist as a human cuz it isn’t all about being human the memories of my mother
being human the memories of my mother
being human the memories of my mother reminded me of my young self and the
reminded me of my young self and the
reminded me of my young self and the capacity of her imagination so I reached
capacity of her imagination so I reached
capacity of her imagination so I reached down and pulled her near me and we
down and pulled her near me and we
down and pulled her near me and we readied ourselves on the start here
readied ourselves on the start here
readied ourselves on the start here square gathered our power remembered
square gathered our power remembered
square gathered our power remembered what it was like to have life’s work and
what it was like to have life’s work and
what it was like to have life’s work and we began to make a new dance we talked
we began to make a new dance we talked
we began to make a new dance we talked about the Ohio River as a provider a
about the Ohio River as a provider a
about the Ohio River as a provider a connector and a divider of race class in
connector and a divider of race class in
connector and a divider of race class in culture you know the way some folks come
culture you know the way some folks come
culture you know the way some folks come on y’all you know the way some folks use
on y’all you know the way some folks use
on y’all you know the way some folks use natural boundaries to separate people
natural boundaries to separate people
natural boundaries to separate people from neighborhoods and resources we came
from neighborhoods and resources we came
from neighborhoods and resources we came to terms with the history of this place
to terms with the history of this place
to terms with the history of this place as a methodology to free our
as a methodology to free our
as a methodology to free our Souls we dug up our joy memories and our
Souls we dug up our joy memories and our
Souls we dug up our joy memories and our nightmares all in an effort to restore
nightmares all in an effort to restore
nightmares all in an effort to restore ourselves and bring back our sense of
ourselves and bring back our sense of
ourselves and bring back our sense of connection and our responsibility to
connection and our responsibility to
connection and our responsibility to community
community
community [Music]
[Music]
[Music] together we crafted a kind of physical
together we crafted a kind of physical
together we crafted a kind of physical artistic space with the energy from our
artistic space with the energy from our
artistic space with the energy from our bodies that allowed us to tell the truth
bodies that allowed us to tell the truth
bodies that allowed us to tell the truth about our experiences with water
about our experiences with water
about our experiences with water we made dance is about socializing on
we made dance is about socializing on
we made dance is about socializing on its banks floating in its safety
its banks floating in its safety
its banks floating in its safety drowning in its chaos and being baptized
drowning in its chaos and being baptized
drowning in its chaos and being baptized by its spirit those dances became simple
by its spirit those dances became simple
by its spirit those dances became simple physical gesture those gestures became a
physical gesture those gestures became a
physical gesture those gestures became a shared language amongst the community of
shared language amongst the community of
shared language amongst the community of performers and the end result was a call
performers and the end result was a call
performers and the end result was a call for community to the doer and the viewer
for community to the doer and the viewer
for community to the doer and the viewer of the piece it took me two years to
of the piece it took me two years to
of the piece it took me two years to choreograph the descent of this water
choreograph the descent of this water
choreograph the descent of this water rain to years to remember that the work
rain to years to remember that the work
rain to years to remember that the work matters even if you can’t see the end
matters even if you can’t see the end
matters even if you can’t see the end two years to find her my power origin
two years to find her my power origin
two years to find her my power origin again we all have a kind of start here
again we all have a kind of start here
again we all have a kind of start here moment a thing someone a time in our
moment a thing someone a time in our
moment a thing someone a time in our lives that reminds us we have a
lives that reminds us we have a
lives that reminds us we have a responsibility to create to imagine to
responsibility to create to imagine to
responsibility to create to imagine to imagine the world for ourselves to peek
imagine the world for ourselves to peek
imagine the world for ourselves to peek behind ourselves and make sure that she
behind ourselves and make sure that she
behind ourselves and make sure that she and her magic is still there so we craft
we envision we create say this misery we
we envision we create say this misery we make more dances come on make some
make more dances come on make some
make more dances come on make some energy with me we make more dances last
energy with me we make more dances last
energy with me we make more dances last time together now we make more dances
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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