Choreographic Narrative “Initiation – In Love Solidarity”

Imani Deal (Photo ©2021 Glenn Scott Egli)

An original choreographic narrative exploring the embodiment of the Middle Passage, and the transformative resilience and evolving identities of women in the African diaspora was performed to a full audience (masked for Covid era) in collaboration with Artists Building Capacity as World Citizens, at Green Acre, A Bahá’í Center of Learning, in December 2021. The performance was followed by a lively question and answer session with the performers and the audience.

In motion (Photo ©2021 Glenn Scott Egli)

Dancer, choreographer, scholar, and educator Nailah Randall-Bellinger was one of six artists commissioned by the Harvard University Committee for the Arts (HUCA) to create a new work. As a 2021 recipient of HUCA she was an artist in residence at Harvard Dance Center this past fall creating a new work, titled Initiation – In Love Solidarity“. 

Performing Artists (Photo ©2021 Glenn Scott Egli)

This creative work is an invitation to enter a dialogue on the journey of the people of the African Diaspora, as it connects to the whole of humanity, through reflection, reclamation, and regeneration, moving from trauma to resilience in love solidarity.

In addition to the Harvard University Committee for the Arts commission, “Initiation – In Love Solidarity”  was supported and made possible with the support of the Johnson-Kulukundis Family President’s Fund for Arts at Harvard University. Additional support from Harvard Radcliffe Institute and the Presidential Initiative on Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery.

Performing Artists:

  • Imani Deal
  • Patricka James
  • Jenny Oliver
  • Jeryl Pilapil Brown
  • Nailah Randall-Bellinger
  • Toni S. Singleton

Interview with Nailah Randall-Bellinger:

Interview with Nailah Randall-Bellinger