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PASS US NOT: Holy Ghosted (2024)

Choreographed by Aquilah Ohemeng

Performed by Aquilah Ohemeng, Bianca Yen, Iyonna Bridges, Lily Stockton, Robbie Button, Joyce Li, Myles Mawa, Aubrey, Jae

Reimagining Revelations, PASS US NOT: Holy Ghosted, an evening-length group performance reinterprets Alvin Ailey's 1960 work Revelations through the lens of frustrations and aspirations that Generation Z members navigate in a “post-pandemic” United States. Ohemeng uses archival research (written and embodied) to converse with the use of traditional African-American spirituals in Revelations’ soundscore and their original meanings and connotations. Ohemeng states, “Despite the historical and continued oppression of Black bodies, these songs’ composition foregrounds themes of struggle and endurance that we still experience today. As we all navigate this thing called “life,” such lyrics have the potential to become inclusive with recognition of the context and circumstances that caused them to arise.” She adds, “With a young and racially diverse cast, I am interested in how my generation is dealing with struggle, depleted hope, and communal healing. In this work, the performers share their experiences and grievances in order to be in conversation with these iconic songs, identifying what’s real for them.” PASS US NOT: Holy Ghosted reenvisions Revelations’ movement aesthetics through a unique blend of African diasporic dance forms including hip-hop/street dance with Ailey’s notable fusion of ballet and modern movement.

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