Inspired by the hot brown granules in both desert dirt and beach sand, terrestrial is a performance and visual examination of humans as earth and Black humans as having a long, continuing terrestrial history that far precedes—and will outlive—the past five centuries of white supremacy’s specific oppressions. The movement patterns are pathways, appearing and dissolving into geometric returns, similar to traces of dust on the desert horizon or footprints embedded in the surface of the soil, skin. A type of court dance referencing an embodied time capsule, the work assembles fragments of history, existing in a subterranean world.
The work is directed by jumatatu m. poe, with video design by Tayarisha Poe and performance by dancers jumatatu and Samantha Speis. An early showing of this in-progress work was featured in Gibney’s Gathering Place: Black Queer Land(ing), curated by Marýa Wethers. The work was initiated through a residency at School for Contemporary Dance and Thought organized through Movement Research.
From April 12 to 27, Black.Art.Empowerment: I see, I speak, I am movement, curated by Rhodnie Désir, will feature gatherings and socio-artistic laboratories by Afrodescendant artists from Montreal and the diaspora. The focus will be on issues and experiences of civil rights social engagement. This three-week event is organized in conjunction with performances by five international artists