LIVE @651ARTS Presents Black Dance Stories

Curated by Charmaine Warren

Featuring Tiffany Rea-Fisher and Jamar Roberts.

Conceived and co-created by Charmaine Warren, the Black Dance Stories series launched in June 2020 in response to Black dance artists’ need to talk about life during COVID-19 and support the Black Lives Matter movement. The series is consistent with Black artists’ tradition of finding a way to amplify their voices during turbulent times. When civil, moral, and social freedoms are challenged and stifled, Black artists find ways to use their talents as activism.

Black Dance Stories showcases and initiates discussions with Black creatives. Alive and ever-vibrant from the everyday and iconic, the conversations explore social, historical, and personal issues and highlight the African Diaspora’s humanity in the mysterious and celebrated dance world.

Since its launch, Black Dance Stories has produced more than 45 episodes featuring over 80 of the most decorated Black dancers, choreographers, movement artists, and others who use their work to raise societal issues and strengthen their community. Founder and co-creator Charmaine Warren reminds weekly viewers: Black dance artists have not been quiet since. Black dance artists have been doing the work. Black dance artists continue to make work. To stay involved, we will hold weekly impromptu discussions and tell stories—Black Dance Stories. This is one action—we will stay involved.

651 ARTS will present the first in-person gathering for Black Dance Stories as part of its new LIVE @651ARTS series. LIVE @651ARTS is a performance series premiering virtual, digital or print presentations LIVE for the first time. Inspired from 651 ARTS legacy programming like, Salon 651 and Live & Outspoken, LIVE @651ARTS invites audiences to join us as we cross-over from virtual to live gathering, from process to presentation, from idea to reality.

Black Dance Stories will feature Rena Butler, Reggie Wilson, Tiffany Rea-Fisher, and Jamar Roberts. The artists will present solo work, engage in movement together, and take part in a lively discussion. The combination of discussion and dance will speak to these movement-based artists’ experimental and investigatory practices.