In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, the city’s ballet company will premiere Breakin’Bricks by renowned choreographer Jennifer Archibald.
The anticipated multimedia production appears on the next double bill program of Tulsa Ballet’s 2021-2022 Season along with Ma Cong’s Flight of Fancy. Complementary to the world-class dancing, Breakin’Bricks will incorporate footage of Archibald’s conversations with descendants of survivors of one of the United States most significant historical events.
Breakin'Bricks by Jennifer Archibald
Archibald expresses:
“Breakin’Bricks will open the doors for Tulsans to interrogate societal practices that do harm and hinder. It invites them to invest in the future by imagining a Tulsa that does not perpetuate racial divide, inequity or oppression, and rather actively works toward the development of an equitable field for all.
In the research process, I found the conversation with members of the community gave me a deeper understanding of the city and its citizens… There was a significant shift in my creative process while interviewing Tulsans from different cultural backgrounds. Their voices are the spine of the work.
For me, Breakin’Bricks is about breaking down walls between people in a segmented society. The title is about awareness, rebuilding and finding communal support.”
Despite the international and racial diversity present in Oklahoma’s capital city, Tulsa Ballet recognized that they are lacking in black dance artists. A worldwide call ultimately led to the engagement of seven black dance artists – who have performed with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Ballet Memphis, and BalletMet, among others – who collaborated in the creation of Breakin’Bricks.
Featured Photo for Breakin’Bricks of Jared Brunson and Rachael Parini; photo by Jeremy Charles; courtesy of Tulsa Ballet.
