Charlotte Dance Professor Stars In No Tears Project
Assistant Professor of Dance Ashley Tate traveled to her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, this weekend as a key participant in the nationally recognized No Tears Project. This multidisciplinary festival was founded by Oxford American Magazine in 2017 to honor the civil rights history in its home city, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Presented with Jazz St. Louis, No Tears Project-St. Louis culminates in Community Concerts on April 29 at Gateway Arch Park. Tate performed her choreography, commissioned for the 75-minute concerts, which featured the world premieres of new works written by and in collaboration with St. Louis artists, as well as selections previously written by Parker and Hurt in honor of the Little Rock Nine.
“My dance partner and I (provided) movement accompaniment (using a fusion of dance styles) to six powerful poems that capture the emotional depth and haunting imagery associated with the fight against racial injustice,” Tate said.
Tate added that she was pleased to be a part of the No Tears Project, as its purpose and mission directly align with her personal creative and research interests.