Naima Lowe

Late Bloomer
January 30 at 7:00 PM | February 1 at 7:00 PM | February 3 at 9:00 PM

Late Bloomer is a poetic musical performance about love, longing, and ambition written and performed by Naima Lowe, with a highly improvised punk-jazz musical score co-created with musicians kara lynch and Jordan Wright, and with direction by Asher Hartman. As the Late Bloomer, Naima embodies a heightened version of herself experiencing various stages of a secret, unrequited love affair with an unseen and unknowable figure known as “the old man who has agreed to be the human embodiment of her ambition” or simply “Ambition.” Ambition is charming, elusive, and may or may not be a figment of the Late Bloomer’s imagination. Combining tactics from experimental theater, improvisational music, spoken-word poetry, and physical comedy, Late Bloomer is about a monstrously beautiful body and soul embracing its multiplicity and sexual power by growing ever bigger, badder, and more willing to risk it all in the name of love.

Murakami x Takeuchi

membrane | 虚実皮膜
January 30 at 9:00 PM | February 2 at 7:00 PM | February 4 at 7:00 PM

membrane | 虚実皮膜 is a multidisciplinary collaboration between movement artist Yoko Murakami and audiovisual artist Maria Takeuchi using motion-tracking technology. The work is inspired by the theory of “虚実皮膜 Kyojitsu Himaku,” in which the truth of the art lies in the fine line between artistic fiction and fact. This line or “membrane” will be represented by a translucent screen in the space, the line in which the duality will be explored.

The work is grounded by the elements – water, air, fire, and earth – as representation of birth, life, death, rebirth and the cyclical nature. The audience will be invited to float in between the dreamworlds without the need to define the experience.

The movement performance by Murakami will be captured by a motion tracking sensor and illuminated by bio-inspired generative visuals by Takeuchi. An original score by Takeuchi in collaboration with Alec Fellman, joined by percussionist Nava Dunkelman, accompanies the piece to create a transporting experience.

Jermaine Rowe

Transitions 
January 31 at 7:00 PM | February 2 at 9:00 PM | February 3 at 7:00 PM

Transitions explores a community’s decision to allow a trans spirit access to the land of the dead. The work is inspired by a real life incident of a trans woman in Jamaica. Using dance, music, projection design, storytelling, and a live DJ Transition (DJ Gazatwin), audiences will be invited into a contemporary Jamaican A Ni-night – a folkloric ritual usually performed on the 9th Night after the passing of a family/community member (wake).

Nava Derakhshani

Meet Me Between Tehran and Mbabane
January 31 at 9:00 PM |  February 1 at 9:00 PM | February 4 at 9:00 PM

Inviting you into her global-diaspora experience, artist Nava Derakhshani sets the stage of belonging between these two cities. The first is her mother’s birthplace in Tehran, Iran and the second is her own in Eswatini, Africa.

Shadow play is used for world-building while exploring Iranian-African dance fusion. Expanding on themes of migration and loss, the work speaks to the Woman Life Freedom movement in Iran. It integrates storytelling from the artist’s mother and khaleh (aunt) while using protest chants from the streets of Iran. The performance is animated by live piano and percussion, where dance is conceptualized as a form of spiritual resistance.