March 2022
Special Student Engagement with the Artist – TBD
Black Like Me
An exploration of the word Nigger
A poignant and pointed look at historic and ongoing oppression, Black Like Me demands that we confront our own privileges, prejudices, and deeply-ingrained wounds. Is it possible to redefine a blood-soaked term that was intended to dehumanize a people? How can a word so connected to racialized violence take on such subjectivity both within and outside of Black communities?
Black Like Me: An Exploration of the Word Nigger is a multidisciplinary work that explores the reverb of a single word in a global community. It considers the effects of the word, all its permutations, its history, and its casual use in Hip Hop culture. In collaboration with two of America’s leading Black media-design technologists and local activists, it asks if it is possible to redefine a word that was intended to belittle a people. Black Like Me combines physical, verbal, visual and sonic language to tell five narratives and perspectives in a unique way.
Seattle-based dance artist and choreographer Jade Solomon Curtis has been praised for her “silky lyricism and internal calm that is marvelous to watch” (NYC Dance). Featuring “distinct, developed characters, exquisite technique, and soulful presence” (SeattleDances), Curtis uses African, jazz, tap, ballet, musical theatre, and club dance vocabularies with emotion and razor-sharp purpose. This solo performance was built with collaborations from a team of activist-artists whose forward-thinking music, video, and lighting contributions create a layered, immersive experience.
Black Like Me raises important questions about language, history, and power through the lens of a singularly charged word.
Public Performance March 2021 Ticket Info:
All Students: $5.00
MC Faculty & Staff: $10.00
General Public: $15.00
Student Free Performance:
RSVP – FREE General Admission
Student Engagement with the Artist – TBD
RSVP – FREE
