Interview from Charlottesville, VA

GO BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE OPULENCE OF INTEGRITY WITH CHRISTAL BROWN

January 3, 2018

We were thrilled to talk with Christal Brown, creator and choreographer of The Opulence of Integrity, coming live to The Paramount’s stage on Thursday, January 18. Take a behind-the-scenes look at the production, which is a theatrical, multimedia ensemble work influenced by the public life and inner searching of boxing’s outspoken superstar, Muhammad Ali.  Inspired by Ali’s career as a boxer and life as a social activist, public martyr, and human being, Brown deploys her eclectic movement vernacular that includes elements of boxing, hip-hop, martial arts, modern dance, and theater to illuminate the turmoil of a life infused by divinity, yet misinterpreted by humanity.

What inspired you to fuse Muhammad Ali’s story with the medium of dance?

I was originally introduced to the idea of creating an artistic presentation of Ali’s life by Fred Ho, an iconic jazz musician. Ho was a huge fan of Ali and was drawing strength from Ali’s legacy to fight his own battle against cancer. Ho approached me and asked me to choreograph the last piece of music he wrote before his passing called “The Sweet Science Suite,” an homage to Ali. Ho envisioned the piece as a dance, music, and martial arts collaboration. Having seen my work in 2004, Ho remembered my background as an eclectic mover. We collaborated on the early iteration of the project that premiered at The Guggenheim’s Works & Process series in 2012. After that collaboration, Ho and I went on to pursue the work from different vantage points.

During the research phase of creating the movement language for “The Sweet Science Suite,” I became enamored with the different facets of Ali’s life: his public persona, his humble beginnings, his roles as husband and father, his commitment to his faith, his martyrdom, his masculinity, his activism, and most of all, his humanity. I began to see a complex and beautiful man who reminded me of my father, brother, uncle, and son. I began to see that Ali’s life was a life striving for freedom. He lived out his purpose and passion in front of the world. When those two things aligned, he was a hero, but when they didn’t, he was simply negro.

I am the daughter of a man who lost both his legs in Vietnam because he couldn’t say no. A man whose dreams of playing football and his identity as an athlete changed because of his lack of power. A man who thought going to war was the only way to do better by his family; subsequently his children never knew the man who made that choice, only the man who lived out the consequences.

What does the title of the show, “The Opulence of Integrity,” mean to you?

For me Ali is not one man, he is the archetype of every man and woman who dares to live out their greatness and endure the riches, ridicule, and regret that come along with being human. This is how the title of The Opulence of Integrity came to be. I was looking for a title, a statement, that gave context to the grandiose process of living a life of authenticity and truth. A life that requires one to be divinely inspired to meet every challenge with perseverance, courage, hope, and honesty.

Who can learn from The Opulence of Integrity, and why is Ali’s life and legacy so important to young people today?

Everyone can learn from The Opulence of Integrity. It is built to speak to the masses, not the elite. The work incorporates spoken text from Ali’s life, movements from various dance and martial arts, a historical sound score of the time in which Ali lived, and visual images of The Champ and his contemporaries in their prime.

What is your favorite element of The Opulence of Integrity?

My favorite element of the performance is the journey the dancers take. In each performance I marvel at their willingness to give themselves over to this work in a way that transforms them along with the audience. Watching them take on the physical and mental challenge of being present within the arc of this work for over 55 minutes is a remarkable task that leaves me grateful and humble at the end of each performance.

You use a musical score by a Zimbabwean/American composer. How did you first come across his work, and what made you decide to use it in the show?

Farai Malianga and I are long time collaborators. When Fred and I disbanded and I began to open up the parameters of the work to expose the heart of Ali, I knew I needed a composer who understood struggle, the black male experience in America, and most of all what it means to aspire to become yourself without knowing who that is. Farai is a wanderer whose creativity thrives in process; where most of us find too uncomfortable to dwell. Farai’s ability to create soundscapes out of emotional intelligence is rare. We began collaborating in 2005 and I admire his work and our ability to create meaning together.

How is The Opulence of Integritydifferent from other dance, theater, or musical acts we may have seen?

I believe The Opulence of Integrity is different than other dance, theater, or musical acts you may have seen in that it blends the historical with the personal. Young people may leave the theater with new found knowledge of Ali, older viewers may become nostalgic, but it is our hope that every viewer will be inspired to perform an opulent act of integrity in their own lives.

CLICK HERE to learn more about The Opulence of Integrity and purchase your tickets today!

Life and Legacy

Last night Blondell Cumming died, and some people won't recognize the name or know the impact she had on the field of dance.  Blondell was an extraordinary woman, artist, and mentor. Her multimedia work was at the forefront of its time and although her white counterparts and collaborators received accolades and awards throughout their career for much of the work she pioneered, she will always be known by me.  Her life, talent and legacy have always prompted me to develop my own sense of value.  Blondell created work and influenced artists around the world yet, there are dancers and students of dance who do not know her name.  The life of an artists is often spent toiling away at the completion of a vision and working tirelessly to make ends meet.  Our efforts are not often understood or in some aspects even seen by patrons, family, friends, or colleagues.  Therefore, the work has to be fulfilling to its creator.  As artists we must define our own worth and make the work we are called to wether our names are ascribed to history or not.  We must create for the sake of living an authentic life; Blondell taught me that.  She taught me not to compare myself to the masses or judge my success by what the world seemed to patronize.  I am grateful for her mentorship and the life she lived.  She will always be an example of life, legacy, and love.

Rest in Peace Blondell Cummings       

the necessity of discomfort

Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.

We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.

attributed - sir francis drake -1577

Dance Family

A Part of the Dance Exchange Family Tree

Every so often, Dance Exchange gets the opportunity to reconnect with an artist who is, in some way, part of the Dance Exchange family tree. This month, we’ve had the pleasure of being in conversation with Christal Brown. Among many other things, Christal is the founder of INSPIRIT, the Chair of Dance at Middlebury College, and a former Dance Exchange apprentice.

On March 8 and 9, Christal is presenting The Opulence of Integrity, “a multimedia ensemble work inspired by the public life and inner searching of boxing’s outspoken superstar, Muhammad Ali. Inspired by Ali’s career as a boxer and life as a social activist, public martyr, and human being, Christal deploys her eclectic movement vernacular to illustrate the turmoil of a life infused by divinity yet misinterpreted by humanity. By using Ali as an archetype, The Opulence of Integrity explores the homogeneous inner struggle for identity as it pertains to men of color in the United States. The Opulence of Integrity is an evening length work divided into four movements. Each movement is introduced by DC’s own Patrick Washington who use quotes from Ali to set the scene for each movement experience that follows. There is also an element of projection that lays the backdrop for the cultural and social energy of each time period. The musical score for the work was created by Zimbabwean composer Farai Malianga, whose contemporary take on the subject matter supports the choreography every step of the way. Lighting design by Nick Hung provides the audience with the feeling of watching history through the frames of old tattered photos while Aya Shibahara’s costuming infuses vibrancy and individualism into each character. The performance is 1 hour in length with no intermission and a brief Q and A with the cast and choreographer will occur immediately following each performance.”

Photo by Sophie Bufton

As this incredible team of collaborators is gearing up for this performance, DX had the opportunity to connect with Christal about her career, her work, and what she has carried with her from her time at Dance Exchange. 

DX: Can you talk a little bit about your history as a mover and maker?

Christal Brown: As a mover I was fashioned like most. I grew up taking tap, jazz, ballet, and acrobatics from the age of 9.  After graduating high school, I attended The University of North Carolina at Greensboro where I was introduced seriously to modern and contemporary forms.  After graduating from UNCG I had the honor of joining Chuck Davis’ African- American Dance Ensemble (AADE). AADE taught me about the African Diaspora through movement, culture, and community. Upon my departure from AADE I was invited to apprentice with Dance Exchange, along with Cassie Meador.  My time at Dance Exchange taught me about movement as a language. I then continued my professional career with The Bill T. Jones/ Arnie Zane Dance Company as an apprentice before finding a permanent home with Urban Bush Women. As a mover and a maker I have been able to integrate the information I gathered from each of these dance pioneers as well as the colleagues I shared in each of these experiences.  My movement vocabulary continues to change as I grow in my artistry.  Each piece requires its own language, therefore I’m always learning and trying to use my past as prologue.

DX: Can you talk more about your experience at Dance Exchange? What was your role in the company?

As an apprentice at Dance Exchange, I had the opportunity serve as the assistant to Liz Lerman.  This relationship was extremely instrumental in shaping my work as an artist, entrepreneur, director, and educator.  Because of my degree in business I was asked to be logistically responsible for Liz’s schedule and personal tasks.  In turn she agreed to consult my artistic work.  Having her eye on my work and the gift of being in her presence changed my perspective on what it means to have a life in dance.

DX: What values, questions, or practices did you carry with you from your time with DX?

From Dance Exchange, I carried the artist/executive structure that helped me build my company INSPIRIT, a pedagogy for entering community, a value of for personal narratives, and an understanding that relationships are what make the work work.

Photo by Sophie Bufton

DX: Tell me about The Opulence of Integrity. What narrative(s) are you and the dancers exploring? What questions is the work asking?

The Opulence of Integrity is a work that looks at the life of Muhammad Ali as an archetype for men of color who strive towards greatness.  The narratives are historical and contemporary, acute and obtuse, global and personal.  The questions are about freedom.  What is it? Who has it? At what cost? And, what happens when a divine purpose is interrupted by humanity.

DX: What’s on the horizon for you and this work after the showing at Joe’s Movement Emporium?

We are currently partnering with TAON magazine to create a national tour for the work.  In the meantime, we will continue to perform the work in as many communities as possible so that the perception of men of color in this country becomes more accurate.

Dx: Thanks so much Christal! We’re looking forward to seeing The Opulence of Integrity at Joe’s Movement Emporium (3309 Bunker Hill Rd, Mt. Rainier, MD 20712). Sunday, March 8 and Monday, March 9 at 7:00pm. Tickets: $18-$25. More information HERE. 

Middlebury Magazine essay

Dancing is the magic with which I conjure meaning out of thin air.  When I move I am all at once emptied of the shortcomings and trappings of my human existence and transformed into a vessel of the divine.  I know transcendence, I know strength, I know truth; through dance all these have become my modalities of existence.  Dance has taught me humility, discipline, acceptance, innovation, and perseverance.  My body speaks in spite of language barriers and cultural access; I find dialect through dancing. Every gesture and nuance of time, space, and energy that I conduct correspond to the colloquial nature of the places I inhabit.  Dance is my language, my medicine, my practice and my pedagogy; my proof of life.

With Photography by Brett Simonson

Moving Questions

I was fortunate to be asked to participate in the 2014 Tedx Middlebury event: Living in the Question.

Enjoy!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yvv5RTXXrBE

Story Power

On Friday October 24th, I was asked to participate in a storytelling event called Cocoon at Middlebury College.  Cocoon is a spin-off of the highly acclaimed radio series The Moth.  The rules are that the story has to be true and told without note cards or visual aids.  I told a story about a boy that I didn't know much about, my father.  During the story I spoke of the few facts I knew about him like where he was born and that he loved to play football.  And most vividly about how he lost his legs in Vietnam before my brother and I were born, how I became a professional dancer and how we only danced together once.

Weeks have past since I told the story and cried in front of a concert hall filled with 372 people but to my surprise one of them came into my office today and told me a story in return.  As I was sitting in my office this morning an older white gentleman in his late 60's or early 70's walked into my office and took off his hat.  He began to introduce himself and I stood up and came in front of my desk to shake his hand and say hello.  He told me his name was Conrad and proceeded to tell me that I didn't know him but he heard me tell my story at the Cocoon and that he was also a Vietnam veteran.  He sat down and told me that my father was a real hero and that the reason that I didn't know much about him was because the war was hard to talk about.  He then went on to tell me that I was also brave for telling my story at Cocoon and I asked him if he would tell me a story.

He told me about his return home from Vietnam and how he was met by protestors at the airport, how a flight attendant put him in first class, and how when the pilot announced they would be landing in 15 minutes he burst into tears.  He told me he buried everything else and that I and 1 other person were the only two people he has ever told about his service in Vietnam.  He never told either of his 2 wives or his children. And the reason he came to see me was that he had recently relocated to the area and had to find a new Veterans day ritual, so he came to see me.

I was honored, I wept, and I thanked God for my story. I hope he comes back by to take me up on my offer of coffee at some point and I hope he has more stories to share.  This experience has taught me that my practice of saying yes has the power to do so much more than I imagine.


I may possibly share the audio from this story on my website at some point.