Reviews

A man dances, hunched over with one arm punching downwards. He wears a headdress and decorative costume elements that highlight traditional artistry.
Photo: Lauren Berlin
  • Reviews

Welcome to the Circle

Lauren Berlin

Over 40 Tribal Nations Gather at the 6th Annual WE ARE THE SEEDS Philly, Part of the PECO Multicultural Series

A white woman with dark brown hair, wearing a blue outfit, sparkly shoes, and a bright red lip that matches her red hoop earrings, lies back on a small gray table. Her mouth is wide open as if singing, one arm reaching emphatically above her head while the other grips the table tightly for balance. Her legs float in the air, parallel to one another at a slightly awkward angle. She is a rockstar in an empty room.
Photo: Jen Kertis
  • Reviews

This is a white piece, and that’s okay

ankita

Bucking nice, white conventions in favor of complexity

A warm, slightly grainy, tinted photo of an in-the-round white-walled performance space. At the center of the room a performer in polka-dot pants lies on the ground. Above her, three performers gather, one wearing a shirt that says “Join the Hike.” To their left, Corinne Jones – wearing a white button-up and brown tights – gestures out to the audience with an open arm.
Photo: Cole Knight
  • Reviews

Doe-Eyed Wonder

ankita

Deep thoughts about deer friends.

Two Black performers stand side-by-side, wearing pedestrian clothing – lacy, patterned white tops layered over shades of beige and brown. Their gaze extends out to their right, converging on an unknown entity in the distance. Surrounding them, a park with green grass and trees foregrounding urbanity.
Photo: Shoshana Isaacs
  • Reviews

Secrets shared, Innocence lost

ankita

How do you perform secrecy?

A red humanoid figure squats to one side with its dark mouth open in a disturbing smile. The figure holds a human shaped fabric which it appears to have peeled off its own body.
Photo: Ishmael Walker
  • Reviews

Possession for the Dispossessed

Zoe Farnsworth

A Boo Hag possession dramatized for the stage.

Photo: Terence O’Donnell
  • Reviews

Clasp, Unravel, Let go

Megan Mizanty
On the deck of a boat, three glamorous performers strike confident, dramatic poses. At the front, Raven Nightingale wears a black rhinestoned corset with cascading ruffled sleeves and fishnets, leaning toward the camera with playful bravado. Behind them, Miss Angie tilts her head back with effortless poise, hair cascading freely over her deep blue, velvet gown. To the side, AshantiDoll dazzles in a hot pink sequined gown and gloves, paired with bold jewelry and a blonde wig that evokes vintage Hollywood. With the river and Benjamin Franklin bridge faintly visible in the background, the image blends nautical calm with bold theatrical energy.
Photo: Stephanie Griffiths
  • Reviews

Shiver Me Tassels!

Emily “Lady Em” Culbreath

Bawdy games, cheeky acts, seaworthy chaos, and a boatload of fun.

A bride and groom sit on white concrete barefoot with knives and lemons in front of them, feeding each other lemon wedges with a fig tree in a pot and wood fencing in the background.
Photo: Rose Luardo & Emmett Wilson
  • Reviews

American Marriage Exploded

Zoe Farnsworth

A menagerie of vignettes spoof and split open the sanctity of marriage and weddings.

An unseen person holds a colorful event flyer over a wooden surface alongside a DJ turntable an a pair of black sneakers. Vibrant and dynamic, the flyer depicts a sunset city skyline in the background and a breaker, wearing a teal patterned shirt and cargo pants, frozen in mid-air performing an impressive freeze. The title “End of Summer Jam” is boldly displayed in graffiti-style red lettering with the subtitle “1 vs 1 Breaking Battles” below it in black on yellow. The left side of the flyer is red and contains event details, including the date (08•17•25), time (Doors 3PM), and entry fee ($10). It also lists the venue — Philly Movements Dance Company in Philadelphia, PA — and mentions a $200 grand prize. Additional info includes the DJ (Jey Prime), the judges (Fierce One, B-Girl Gloh, and Mikey), and the host (Wrath of Khan). The overall design is energetic and urban, capturing the spirit of a Philadelphia breakin' competition.
Image: Jey Prime
  • Reviews

End of Summer Jam: Honoring Tradition Through Breakin’ in Philadelphia

Emily “Lady Em” Culbreath

End of Summer Jam preserves long-standing Hip Hop tradition with local flair.

Cassandra gazes up at the dagger she holds up to the heavens. Her face is bathed in light as she lunges towards the dagger, one arm and leg extending away. Behind her is a large framed classical portrait, Ajax and Cassandra by Solomon Joseph Solomon. Ajax, naked and muscled carries Cassandra away from the Temple of Athena while she reaches back to it.
Photo: Andrea C. Mecchi
  • Reviews

This is WOAR: a Dance of Survival, a Call to Action

Lauren Berlin

From God to Predator: CASS by Humble Materials Reframes the Apollo Narrative