The Ritual of Breath is the Rite to Resist

Responding to the murder of Eric Garner, this meditative and immersive work is a creative act of resistance. Centering the voice and plea of an activist / daughter / soprano, The Ritual of Breath Is the Rite to Resist interweaves music, text, visuals and movement, gathering us together as co-conspirers—to breathe and keep breathing any way we can.

Commissioned and produced by Hopkins Center for the Arts
Co-commissioned by Stanford Live

Reverberating against the ongoing theft of Black breath by the police, the work was born from a collaboration between Enrico Riley '95, a painter and Dartmouth professor of Studio Arts, and Jonathan Berger, a composer and professor of Music at Stanford. The two engaged Vievee Francis, a poet and member of the Dartmouth English department, to craft the powerful libretto. As the project has evolved to include other artist-activists, pioneering theater artist Niegel Smith '02 joined as director.

Throughout its journey, the creative team has been inspired by the healing practices of survivor mothers who have lost their children to state-sanctioned violence. Guided by Dr. Shamell Bell and in concert with Eric Garner's mother, Gwen Carr, the work reflects the experiences and conversations held among the artists, these mothers, Dartmouth students and our local community affected by the crisis.

Sept. 16 & 17, 7:30 PM. Please visit the HOP website for tickets and more information.

The Ritual of Breath Is the Rite to Resist