Third-year psychological & brain sciences and dance double major Kennadi Davis organized and performed in her show “Here/Now,” which took on a different approach to a typical dance show. (Courtesy of Stephen Sherrill)
Friends, family, students and strangers cheered excitedly on the night of May 8 in the UC Santa Barbara Studio Theater as third-year psychological & brain sciences and dance double major Kennadi Davis welcomed an adoring crowd to her show “Here/Now.” I sat amidst the full house, watching as audience members flooded the small theater past seating capacity, instead standing in the corners excitedly.
Davis explained that she wanted the audience to cheer during, rather than after, the numbers, which is atypical of dance shows. For the next hour, performers and choreographers stunned with unique and invigorating numbers as the crowd roared with applause.
After the show followed a multi-minute standing ovation, a packed reception gave the audience a chance to congratulate Davis, along with other performers and choreographers, and allowed me to introduce myself to the kind and creative genius that is Kennadi Davis.
After leaving, I, a former dancer myself, called my best friend, and excitedly told her that I had been motivated to dance again after nearly a year away. Newly inspired, I wanted to learn about the creators behind “Here/Now,” and was lucky enough to sit down a week later with Kennadi Davis and two of the show’s choreographers, UCSB alum and Assistant Resident Director Jaz’myne Gates and fourth-year dance major Zorah Chappel. Their smiles and friendly demeanors are just as genuine off stage, and throughout our conversation I could feel the passion and love the three have for dance, each other and their communities.
The performance emerged because of a grant Davis earned from the UCSB Office of Black Student Development. Davis spoke of her passion and self-starting attitude towards dance as her entry into the dance world. She wanted to center the experiences of Black choreographers and dancers, so she invited fellow UCSB dancers Gates, Chappel, fourth-year sociology and dance double major Bijou Douglas and fourth-year dance major Glo Zearett to choreograph.
“Temporality and impermanence in life, and every moment is very different from the past and the future,” Davis said when talking about the theme of the show. Applying this idea, Davis and fellow choreographers worked with dancers from all different backgrounds to create the artistic masterpiece of “Here/Now.”
Courtesy of Stephen Sherrill
The opening number, “We Have A Visitor,” a solo choreographed by Chappel and danced by third-year dance major Charlotte Breier, was focused on the movements of a housefly. Chappel began dancing at age four at the Oakland Ballet School and has been training and performing since. She originally created the piece for a class during her sophomore year at UCSB when she was inspired by the movement of waterskeeters in her hometown in Oakland, California.
“Why not focus on those little things that might sometimes be ignored,” Chappel said on the theme of temporality.
“In our human environments we have other creatures who live there with us,” Chappel said. The set for “Here/Now” resembled a cozy living room and led her to apply the idea of temporality to a humble housefly. The piece served as a perfect introduction to the set, which felt familiar and inviting, and was incorporated creatively into all six pieces in the show.
The fifth piece, “Before the Echo Fades,” an improvised solo by Davis, began by having audience members select theme words and a song out of a hat. The audience members selected the words “heavy” and “gravity,” which Davis centered as her directives. Davis’ artistry and technique were breathtaking, and the audience cheered her on enthusiastically. Having the audience get involved by choosing the themes and song was another way Davis incorporated the audience into the show and made the experience exciting and interactive. Even with one dancer on stage, Davis managed to connect the entire audience through our involvement choosing the themes and collective awe at the performance.
Courtesy of Stephen Sherrill
The final number, “Collective Lucidity,” choreographed by Davis and Gates, was based on a paper Davis wrote about the evolution of nightlife — how it centers capitalism and how social dance doesn’t really exist in the same capacity as it did in say the 70s. The piece featured 13 dancers from different skillsets to evoke the free and unchoreographed nature of social dance.
Gates got started in dance performing an improvised solo to a “Cheetah Girls” CD in her second grade talent show. Upon arriving at UCSB, Gates grew her love for dance by participating in the Black Student Union’s Heart and Soul showcase, and beginning to train in new styles, such as heels, where she found confidence and community.
“Whenever we go [to clubs], we’re not there, hitting 5, 6, 7, 8. We’re just coming with the vibes and with the intention of being in community with each other,” Gates said, speaking of the inspiration behind “Collective Lucidity.” The piece is a culmination of the themes behind “Here/Now,” highlighting the social elements of dance and the joy of connecting with others.
While being interviewed, Gates, Chappel and Davis continuously complimented one another, as well as shouting out friends and family members. In fact, an entire page of the program was dedicated to everyone in their lives who contributed to the show, and Davis dedicated the show to her late mother; a testament to the love and appreciation these three have for their loved ones.
“Here/Now” exemplified the idea of community, valuing the performance, dancers and audience at every step of the way.
“I think it’s very important for Black and brown communities to be super connected. I don’t want our communities to lose sight of all of these things that bring us together. And I think dance has been something that has brought people together, whether you dance or you don’t, even if you watch or if you’re a part of a dance, you are still feeling something,” Gates said.
Through dance, Davis and her fellow choreographers crafted not just a performance, but a collective experience for everyone involved. “Here/Now” allowed the audience to not only admire the incredible dancing, but to be part of the performance, and to take part in the joy and community of dance.
Gates said it best when she proclaimed, “Don’t be a wallflower, go out and dance. Have fun!”
