This bulk of this work was created on unceded ancestral land of the Dakota and Anishnaabe, land called Mni Sota Makoce, our studios reside in what the Dakota call Bde Ota Othunjwe, in the States known as Minneapolis. The Dakota and Ojibwe people call and name this land in relationship to its many waters, lakes and falls. This land is home to its ancestral stewards still, including plant and animal kin.
These lands were stolen by a government which also enslaved Black Americans and reaps the benefits of exploitative capitalism and genocide. May we not forget the way culture, land and life theft continues to impact Black and Indigienous folks living in the United States, here on Turtle Island today, and yesterday and until we dream new systems to life. This work was living when Fire and Air ancestors nurtured the torching of the MPD third precinct in South Minneapolis, as the city burned with rage, we still burn with a call for abolition.
Lineage of performance and dance making that threads this work together includes more than we can collectively name here and we aim to credit/honor those who have taught, guided and nurture our artistry. Miguel Gutierrez, Ana Mendieta, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna, Patty Berne, Rosalia, Bad Bunny, Diamanda Galas, Tanya Tagaq, Sara Shelton Mann, Keith Hennessy, Faye Driscoll, Jaamil Olawale Kosoko, mayfield brooks, Rosy Simas, Octavia Butler, Adrienne Marie Brown, Xandra Ibarra.