THE “BLACK BLACK BLACK” WEEK
CURATED BY
BEYOND THE BLACK BOX

SEPTEMBER 17-19, 2024
DOORS: 6PM
PERFORMANCE: 7:30PM

BEYOND THE BLACK BOX performs every night!

SEPTEMBER 17
KASHIA KANCEY
CHALVAR MONTEIRO

SEPTEMBER 18
BLACK LAZARUS
JOYBOY

SEPTEMBER 19
DAMONTAE HACK
CLAUDE JOHNSON ,JONIECE “JOJO” BOYKINS , IMANI GAUDIN

SEPTEMBER 17

RIPPIN N RUNNING
Choreographed by Cemiyon Barber, Chanel Stone
Sound by Cleo Reed

(World Premiere) Featuring performances by Cemiyon Barber, Chanel Stone, and Cleo Reed—who also composed the original music score—this work delves into the complexities of a young person's life within a Black family in urban America. It offers an intimate exploration of the often-hidden emotional landscapes and daily struggles that occur behind closed doors. The performance captures the raw moments when no one is watching, portraying authentic lived experiences. At its core, the piece raises a poignant question: "Why are we always on the move?" challenging the constant exertion required to navigate a world marked by both adversity and resilience.

Special thank you to the Triskelion team, who has become our family and biggest support.

-INTERMISSION-

I’m in the Middle of the Ocean, and I Can’t See You
Choreography and Performance by Kashia Kancey
Sound Design and Arrangement by Cristina Moya-Palacios

I’m in the Middle of the Ocean, and I Can’t See You is a series of vignettes delving into themes of mortality and rebirth, the passage of time and its toll, the complexities of grief and familial bonds, the intensity of passion, and the pursuit of freedom. It is is rooted in the idea of sacrifice and what it looks like for different people, and reflects on the lengths one is willing to go for their own liberation.

I adore the work Beyond the Black Box does so it is such an honor to be a part of their program this season. Shout out to the BBB and Trisk team <3

In Your Dreams

Created by Chalvar Monteiro
Choreographed and performed by Chalvar Monteiro (choreographer/performer)
Costumes by Danté Baylor

A solo work exploring the visitation of the Divine, ancestors, premonition, and hopes of things yet formed in our dreamscape. In hearing that “still small voice”, we awake comforted with new information, direction, focus.

Thank you to my family for a strong spiritual upbringing, allowing me to venture beyond what the eyes can see. To have access to a realm of unlimited and unimaginable experiences, forever aware of my spirit’s journey and its contribution to the story of the World.

SEPTEMBER 18

RIPPIN N RUNNING
Choreographed by Cemiyon Barber, Chanel Stone
Sound by Cleo Reed

Special thank you to the Triskelion team, who has become our family and biggest support.

-INTERMISSION-

POV: JOYBOY has an existential crisis

Choreographer, Writer, and Director: Joy-Marie Thompson/JOYBOY
Performed by Joy-Marie Thompson/JOYBOY
Sound /Styling by Joy-Marie Thompson

JOYBOY's audition gets cut short which prompts them into existential and surreal journey.

Thank you to AbunDance Academy of the Arts and Jamal Story for gifting me studio space. Thank you to Jess Smith for the emotional support throughtout the making of this work. Thank you to Chanel and Cemi for inviting me on to present this work. Thank you to Triskelion for your work in making this happen.

*This piece contains some profanity and nudity

Black Lazarus

Created and performed by Kyle Kidd & Braxton Smith Taylor

Costumes: Black Lazarus
Artistic Direction: Kyle Kidd

Come Ye to the Table invites those in attendance to free fall into this portal of power, ancestral veneration and mystical power of gathering . The sacred traditions of storytelling across the diaspora have kept us connected to the roots of who we are as a people.

We welcome all to the kitchen table ,a totem of the black community. The table for members of Black Lazarus represents the sacred moments at kitchen tables of grandmothers, mothers, aunts and other matriachal figures. Many truths and burdens have been laid down at this table. May this gathering provide healing, comfort and leave each spirit fed.

Thank you to Beyond the Black Box team and Trisk team for extending the invitation to join The BBB week. We celebrate you as you observe your 3rd year of this series amplifying the deep connections and shared history within the black community.

SEPTEMBER 19

Tonight’s program contains the use of strobe lighting.

RIPPIN N RUNNING
Choreographed by Cemiyon Barber, Chanel Stone
Sound by Cleo Reed

Special thank you to the Triskelion team, who has become our family and biggest support.

-INTERMISSION-

Lovely, A Way To Wynn

Created by Claude Johnson

Performed by
Joniece "Jojo" Boykins -Dancer
Imani Guadin- Dancer
Philip Hamilton -Accompanist

Sound
Dancer for Harp and Orchestra, L. 103: 2. danse Profane by Lavinia Meijer, Amsterdam Sinfonietta
Original composition by Philip Hamilton

A work to emulate and pay homage to the energy of the late great Kevin Wynn

Special thanks to God, my parents, and family. Because of what you've blessed me with I forever know to live by faith and not fear.
Special thanks to my dancers Imani and Jojo for agreeing to be apart of this work, that honors the energy of a favorite teacher of ours from our time at Purchase College. You two are one of my biggest inspirations and I feel so blessed to have y'all apart of this. Special Thanks to India Hobbs, Elizabeth Shuppe, and Judy Cheng for being apart of the movement creation process of this work. Your talent, compassion, and trust helped me believe this work could definitely happen. Thank you Philip for joining us in this performance. Ive been a huge fan of yours since having you play for my class and our mutual love for Kevin Wynn. You are so iconic and I feel so blessed to have you apart this creation.
Thank you Beyonce & Quincy Jones for being my biggest inspiration ever in life.

Here( For now)

Created and performed by Damontae Hack
Sound Design by Matt Q, Damontae Hack

*Here (For Now)* is an exploration of Black Queer identity through the lens of patience, physicality, and self-reflection, highlighting the tension between moments of stability and disruptive tower moments. It delves into the discomfort of confronting rage and vulnerability, navigating the complexities of time and personal growth. This work challenges the audience to sit with the uncomfortable truths of Blackness and Queerness in an ever-shifting world.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

BEYOND THE BLACK BOX

Beyond the Black Box (BBB) is an arts and cultural organization focused on amplifying the voices of Black artists and promoting education through immersive experiences. Our mission is to support and uplift the Black dance community by creating spaces where artists can grow and succeed. With a commitment to inclusivity, fairness, and visibility in the dance world, BBB produces live performances, leads community engagement initiatives, and provides mentorship and educational programs. Through these efforts, we highlight the significant contributions of Black artists to the broader cultural landscape.

KASHIA KANCEY
Kashia Kancey is a Miami-born performer and choreographer, who earned her BFA in Dance from New World School of the Arts. Some of her choreographic history includes having work presented at Movement Research at Judson Church, CreateART Performance, and Triskelion Arts. Kashia has performed in spaces like South-Miami Dade Cultural Arts Center, Dance Place DC, the American Dance Festival, The Yard, and New York Live Arts. She has danced with Rosie Herrera Dance Theatre, Adele Myers and Dancers, and Abby Z and the New Utility. Kashia has also worked with artists like Marcella Lewis, Annie-B Parson, Tendayi Kuumba, and Donna Uchizono. Kashia was most recently a performing apprentice with Urban Bush Women and is a company member with David Dorfman Dance. She was a Gallim Moving Artist in Residence in 2023, and is a 2024 Baryshnikov Arts Center residency recipient. Kashia is elated to be the 2025 Triskelion Arts Fellow!

CHALVAR MONTEIRO
Chalvar Monteiro began his formal training at Sharron Miller’s Academy for the Performing Arts and went on to study at The Ailey School before receiving his BFA in Dance from SUNY Purchase. He has worked with Sidra Bell Dance New York, Elisa Monte Dance, Keigwin+Company, BODYTRAFFIC, GALLIM, A.I.M by Kyle Abraham, Ailey II, and is currently a performing artist with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Chalvar joined the faculty at Tisch School of the Arts in 2020 and his choreography has been presented as part of Fire Island Dance Festival, Ailey’s 2021 Virtual Spirit Gala, Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City, as well as other festivals and institutions across the U.S. Chalvar has been featured in Vogue Beauty, Document Journal for Moncler, and fashion campaigns for Uniqlo and Lululemon.

JOYBOY/JOY-MARIE THOMPSON
Joy-Marie Thompson is a performing artist, writer, and educator from Pittsburgh, PA. As a performer, they have worked with choreographers such as Sudra Bell, Staycee Pearl, Shamel Pitts, Stephanie Batten Bland, Maxine Doyle, and Damani Pompey. They have appeared in The Mckittrick Hotel’s Sleep No More, The Public Theater for Erika Dickerson-Despenza’s shadow/land and a.k. payne’s TIA PRAY A SOUND, The Metropolitan Opera’s El Niño, and Geoff Sobelle’s HOME. Their commercial credits include performing in music videos for Chloe Flower, The Kills, and HBO’s Acts of Flyness. As an educator, Joy-Marie teaches improvisation and contemporary dance as an adjunct lecturer at SUNY Purchase’s Conservatory of Dance as well as pilates mat classes in studios across Manhattan and Brooklyn, NY.

BLACK LAZARUS
Black Lazarus is the latest project formed by Kyle Kidd & Braxtino (Smith Taylor).

The mission this Black Lazarus is to conjure sonic altars that center communal healing, forge pathways for restorative fellowship, and foster liberation in each of us.

This offering is deeply rooted and inspired by the many facets of Black music throughout time.

Black Lazarus breathes in the promise of new life, while honoring our past.

DAMONTAE HACK
Damontae Hack (He/him)is 26 years old originally from Baltimore, MD. He graduated from California institute of the Arts, majoring in dance (2020). Now residing full time in New York City. Damontae is a choreographer, dancer, director, and model looking to create and explore the boundaries of Black art; dealing with the physicality of bodies, intimacy, shape, and the overall development of the human consciousness over “time” through cinema, choreography, photography, and voice work. Damontae has been involved in a wide range of work. Ballet, contemporary, hip hop, site-specific work, etc…Including work by artists Garret Ammon, Pina Bausch, Marissa Brown, Dimitri Chamblas, Nina Flagg, James Gregg, Gerard & Kelly, Solange Knowles, Ralph Lemon, rubberlegz, etc. He is always excited and curious to transform the eyes of what people perceive art to be.

CLAUDE JOHNSON
A Chicago native, Claude is a dancer, choreographer, and movement director. After finishing his studies at The Chicago Academy for the Arts and Suny Purchase College, where he was awarded the Adopt-A-Dancer Scholarship, Claude then became a full-time company dancer with A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham from 2017-2022 where he became a Princess Grace 2021 nominee. Claude has gotten the opportunity to perform works by Kyle Abraham, Merce Cunningham, Trisha Brown, Twyla Tharp, Aszure Barton, Johannes Weiland, Doug Varone, Kevin Wynn, Nicole Von Arx, Keerati Jinakunwiphat, Princess Madoki , and many more. As a performer and black queer artist, Claude dances to translate the human experience to audiences to recognize the art form of dance as the best catalyst to motivate self-expression and social change. In any artistic space he believes his responsibility is to increase the knowledge and perspective of hi community’s vast experience.

Sabrina Canas (PRODUCTION ASSISTANT)
Sabrina Canas (she/her) is a first generation Argentine American artist based in Brooklyn, NY. She holds her BFA in Dance from the University of the Arts (UArts), where she performed works by Jesse Zaritt, Netta Yerushalmy, Helen Simoneau, Marguerite Hemmings, Beth Gill, Sidra Bell, and others. In January 2018, she performed and attended the International Association for Blacks in Dance Conference in Los Angeles, California, under the direction of Tommie-Waheed Evans and Kim Bears-Bailey, and in November 2018, Sabrina produced and presented an immersive installation performance in Solmssen Court, under the direction of Niall Jones. Since moving to Brooklyn, Sabrina has presented a collaborative duet at The Craft, performed at BAM Fisher, 92nd Street NY, Triskelion Arts, Flushing Town Hall, and NOD Theater (SEA). She has been featured in music videos for jazz musician Tony Glausi, When It All Comes Crashing Down in 2021, and Raia Was, Playing God Again in 2023. Sabrina is currently collaborating and performing with Kinesis Project, SAXYN Dance Works and HB² PROJECTS among other independent project based artists in New York. She has shown work at The 14th St. Y, La Mama for EstroGenuis Expand, 28th Street Theatre (TADA!), SAA, and MOtiVE with tidbit collective as the co-director.

Sabrina is a Production Assistant at Triskelion Arts and served as stage manager for NVA & Guests at the Dance Managers Collective 2024 APAP Showcases at Ailey Citigroup Theater. She was the lighting designer and board operator for Yak Milk at Arts On Site in May 2024.

Anna Wotring (LIGHTING DESIGNER & DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTIONS)
Anna Wotring, a Pittsburgh native, is a community-minded dance artist, designer, and production stage manager committed to the practice of collaborative leadership. She currently works with Annie Heath, Lauren Horn, Jennifer Nugent, and slowdanger as a technical design consultant, dancer, and production stage manager. Wotring obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance at the Five College Dance Department in Western Massachusetts. She has had the privilege of working with a multitude of dance organizations, including Alvin Ailey Studios, Attack Theater, Ballet Des Ameriques, BalletNext, Bill T Jones/Arnie Zane Company, the Dance Conservatory of Pittsburgh, Dance Place, H2O Contemporary Dance, Monica Bill Barnes and Company, New York Live Arts, the Pillow Project, Prayers of the People, RoseAnne Spradlin, Scapegoat Garden, Time Lapse Dance, and many others. Wotring is beyond excited to be working and imagining with the Trisk team.

We respectfully acknowledge that the work of Triskelion Arts is situated on the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of Lenapehoking, the homeland of the Lenape peoples. We pay our respects to their land, water, and ancestors, past, present, and future. This acknowledgment demonstrates a commitment to the process of working to dismantle the ongoing legacies of settler colonialism and to learning to be better stewards of this land.