Beacon Dance centers community in ‘Moving Bodies/Moving Hearts/Moving Minds IV’

What is art if not activism expressed? Art is a very real way to illustrate, vocalize and make physical the change we wish to see in society. Beacon Dance has taken this mission to heart with Moving Bodies/Moving Hearts/Moving Minds IV. The performances will feature the work of four extraordinary choreographers: D. Patton White, Lyrric Jackson, Merryn McKeough and Bibby Agbabiaka. In recent conversations with ArtsATL, they shared their creative processes and what they hope audiences will take away from the experience.

D. Patton White

D. Patton White began his dance career as a college student in his freshman year at Emory University. Though he intended to attend law school, his passion for dance grew as he continued training. His journey led him to become the artistic and administrative director of Beacon Dance in 1990. 

White’s piece for this year’s concert is These are a few of my favorite . . . . A nod to the classic ballad from The Sound of Music, this work emphasizes the vitality of finding joy in difficult times. During a recent rehearsal, it was evident that White’s choreography hinges on storytelling and intentional shapes. The movements are pedestrian and subtle but powerful in their ability to communicate a message. There was a moment where the dancers seemed to be mimicking the movements of a puppet string, suggesting that we are often impacted and even controlled by forces outside of ourselves. The piece begins in what feels like a frenzy, but, by the end, the movements slow down and become more deliberate. 

When asked about the inspiration for this work, White shared his mounting concern for what is going on socially and politically in our country. “It feels like we experience a new low point every day, but then there are the rejuvenation moments of tomorrow . . . of being re-invigorated by community,” he said. These moments of sharing joy in community are the very things that he believes will get us through the “hard, scary and tough things.” He said that creating this piece has served as a release.“As dancers, it’s not until we physicalize what we’re feeling that there’s a catharsis,” White explained.

It can be easy to slip into the cycle of tradition with annual programming, but White shared that because of the inclusion of new voices every year, it feels like “a whole new show each time.” He also said that the inclusion of early-career choreographers is what keeps Moving Bodies/Moving Hearts/Moving Minds fresh. 

White said he hopes audiences will be able to “empathize with the need to find joy and silliness.” He also hopes that viewers will walk away with a renewed sense of advocacy for the arts in all sectors. With its impactful storytelling and artistry, this work is sure to be one of the audience’s favorite things. 

Lyrric Jackson

Lyrric Jackson began dancing at the tender age of 4, encouraged by her older brother and grandmother. She took to it so well that she began dancing with a high school dance company in her hometown at just 6 years old. Fueled by the advice of her other brother, she began to pursue dance more seriously during her sophomore year at Spelman College. 

Jackson’s contribution to the performance series is titled The Last Rest Stop Before Jupiter. She shared that this piece is a part of Stories from the Honeysuckle Tree, the series of works she began in 2021 to honor her late mother. When asked about the moments that inspired this work, she said it all began with a question: “What does it mean to come back to myself, to converge with myself and also convene with myself?” She reflected on her life’s journey in increments of 12 years, which is about the time it takes Jupiter to complete one orbit around the sun.

Jackson said the piece interrogates the idea of orbit, stating that “movement away from something doesn’t mean you lose it, but it also doesn’t offer you a way back to change anything.” She said it’s all about the “journey to get to the next point.” When asked what creating this piece has done for her creatively and personally, Jackson cited the collaboration with composer and musician Dr. Nkululeko Zungu as one of the most enriching moments in this process. Dr. Zungu has helped empower her to take creative risks. 

According to Jackson, audiences can expect to get an “original experience” at each of the three shows. She hopes they will take time to “reckon with the parts of themselves that they don’t think about very often that might need a little more care.” She hopes to cultivate a space of safety and introspection for the audience, sharing, “I hope that they come open and leave full.” 

Merryn McKeough

Merryn McKeough started dancing as a young child, participating in various avenues such as musical theater. She began taking her training seriously when she was in high school but did not consider pursuing it professionally until college. 

McKeough describes her creative process for her piece True Middle as grounded in community and says her cast is one of the primary drivers for the work’s direction. What began as a fascination with how bodybuilders create camaraderie has evolved into an exploration of how communities at large cultivate their bonds. McKeough says it was rewarding to witness how the dancers in her cast “have their own language, rituals and ways of doing things.”

A part of those rituals is sharing inside jokes, of sorts. In the context of dance, McKeough shared that these insiders are “shared memories that aren’t just speaking,” but may be based on specific gestures from a piece. She said that the creation of True Middle provided a good exercise in “just trying stuff out” and exploring what feels right.

McKeough hopes that audiences come away from the performance with curiosity about the dancers’ interactions and spark some reflection on how they, too, interact within their respective communities. More broadly, McKeough hopes audiences will want to see more dance, specifically in Atlanta. “There’s something for everyone in the Atlanta dance community,” says McKeough. 

Habibulai Agbabiaka

Habibulai “Bibby” Agbabiaka began his dance journey in 2018. Before this, he said he had mostly recreational involvement with dance through plays and after-school programs. Following a passionate performance in 2023, Agbabiaka started to consider dance as a profession. He said that performance helped him to see dance beyond its performative and physical aspects. 

The inspiration for his piece Nothing More to Say came from an unlikely source — his experience as an asthmatic. Agbabiaka described the sensation of feeling like you need to cough but can’t. “Something needs to escape,” but it cannot because it is trapped. 

Nothing More to Say is Agbabiaka’s exploration of finding and utilizing one’s true voice. In creating this piece, he said he has learned to slow down and “value my own experience and the experience of people around me.” Consequently, he feels like he has found more of his own voice. Agbabiaka also said he has learned the value of preparedness and giving himself grace as he develops as a choreographer. 

When asked what might prevent a person from experiencing his or her true voice, Agbabiaka said that “people themselves can stop their true voice from coming out.” He hopes that audiences will see in the performance a “reflection of humanity” and consider how they will live in the fullness of their truth and their voice.

Moving Bodies/Moving Hearts/Moving Minds IV presents moments of joy, reflection and catharsis through dance. Be sure to join Beacon Dance on April 10, April 11 or April 12 at 8 p.m. in the Main Gallery of The B Complex. 

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Joy Liburd studied dance at the Conservatory of Dance and Fine Arts in Decatur. She was a member of the Zankiliwa African Dance Troupe and the Carolina Tap Ensemble during her undergrad tenure at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Joy taught ballet and tap at Jacksonville Arts and Music School in Florida and recently completed her master’s program in creative business leadership at the Savannah College of Art and Design.