Baltimore’s Full Circle Dance Company is well-known for combining passion and virtuosity to tell stories that matter. On November 13 and 14, Full Circle will present BRAVE: Art in Times of Crisis at Baltimore Theatre Project. Deeply moved by real-world examples of courage and resilience, Full Circle’s multi-racial and multi-age ensemble of artists has created a performance aimed at both the mind and soul.

BRAVE uses movement, music, and words to explore issues that matter right now in Baltimore and beyond⸺the role of protest in democracy, the challenge of the pandemic to individuals and communities, the history behind persistent inequality, and the courage of citizens who stand up against injustice.

Some of the works in this show engage directly with the world around us, exploring experiences of bravery that are both personal and universal. Ancestors who stood for civil rights and broke new paths for women fill the stage. Ideas and body language inspired by very young protesters from the 1960s through 2021 energize the choreography. Visions of emergence from dark times reflect the resilience and potential for healing within and across our diverse communities. Throughout, BRAVE honors the qualities that underlie courage—honesty, fortitude, conviction, integrity, and compassion.

BRAVE includes:

• The world premiere of We Stand with Those Who Stood, by choreographer Travis Gatling. This work captures the courage of social justice protesters—in Baltimore and around the world, past and present. Gatling draws inspiration especially from very young people who have stood up publicly, at risk to themselves, to push us toward a better world.
• The first stage adaptation of Full Circle’s 2020 film The Healing Project.This collaborative work choreographed by Donna L. Jacobs and Shaela Davis features an original score by Baltimore recording artist Jasmin “Jazzo” Walters. The Healing Projectfilm reflected attempts at healing, both as individuals and as members of diverse communities, under the enormous weight of the COVID-19 pandemic and the killing of George Floyd. The new stage adaptation will stand as a testament to the courage and resilience of our communities.

• The premiere of Ireby veteran Full Circle choreographer Hope B. Byers. Byers’s engagement with history, racism, and social justice across 15 years informs this work about reframing the angry Black woman narrative.

• On Our Shoulders, by Nicole Tucker Smith, celebrates the courage of our female ancestorsin laying a path of progress for their daughters and granddaughters. This work honors the particular experiences of specific women in different times and places, while also conveying ways cross-generational bonds are universal.

• Angels Unawares, a Full Circle signature work and audience favorite

by choreographer Travis Gatling. This technically stunning work reminds us that fear, awe, courage, and power are interconnected.

Performance Details

Full Circle Dance Company Presents

BRAVE: Art in Times of Crisis

Saturday, November 13 at 7:30 pm

Sunday, November 14 at 2:30 pm

Baltimore Theatre Project

45 W. Preston St, Baltimore, MD 21201

Tickets: $22 general, $15 students

Fullcircledancecompany.org

Theatreproject.org

The BRAVE project is supported by a Creativity Grant from the Maryland State Arts Council.

BRAVE is presented in partnership with the Urban Health Institute of Johns Hopkins University.

Parts of the BRAVE project have been supported by the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts through the Free Fall grants program.