Nature is anything but simple. It’s calm and chaotic, grounding and unpredictable, nurturing and fierce. These dualities are what inspired The Elements, a piece that explores the raw energy of earth, air, fire, and water. These forces don’t just surround us—they move through us, shaping who we are and how we navigate the world.
Inspired by my teacher Charlene Banks, who performed this as a solo in a suite set on myself and my peers during our youth, I reimagined this work with my own students. Drawing from the Horton and Graham techniques, this choreography embodies the interplay of control and surrender, stillness and eruption, creation and destruction.
Not just a dance; it’s a meditation piece on the cycles of life and nature. It reflects the push and pull of existence, the moments of transformation that shape us, and the tension between creation and decay. At its core, my efforts are to channels the archetypal energies: earth as the nurturer and stabilizer, air as the messenger and guide, fire as the transformer and destroyer, and water as the healer and shapeshifter. Each element holds its own personality, yet they are inextricably linked, just as we are. These archetypes remind us of the shared energy between humanity and the natural world—the forces that mold and move us both physically and spiritually.
Set to "Musike" by Zap Mama from the album Adventures in Afropia, this piece bridges past and present. It honors the legacy of those who came before, while inviting new interpretations. Reimagining this work with my students allowed me to connect to my history while expressing my own voice and connection to the Divine.
This work is an interpolation of the natural forces that move us all, both within and beyond.
Thank you for watching.
Performed by original cast. Choreographed with students of Linden Dance Academy, [2019].
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