On Wednesday, February 8, 2023, Broadway veteran & San Diego native Jeremy McQueen brought his Emmy® award-winning New York City–based ballet collaborative to San Diego for the west coast premiere of two original ballets: WILD and A Mother's Rite.
Sponsored in part by
Community Partners
Press Recap
Director Statement
Since its inception in 2016, The Black Iris Project has been committed to telling Black narratives through ballet, using art as a mirror to reflect the times and consistently intertwining themes of social justice in everything we do. As someone who has worked to break through many doors in the world of dance, particularly ballet, I feel it is our duty as artists to be a catalyst for those that are unheard, unseen, and undervalued. I am committed to, now more than ever, dismantling those barriers through my art. This fervent effort stems from the need to address issues currently plaguing our nation from civil unrest to systemic oppression to the societal ripple effects of COVID-19. In order for us to heal as a society, we have to expose the wounds that have historically been overlooked. With WILD and A Mother’s specifically - which I view as tough works centered around healing - we wanted to continue to uplift diversified voices while breaking down the ivory silos and pillars so that we not only have a seat at the table and our work on the table, but to ensure that the voices of the voiceless are heard and amplified. ~Jeremy McQueen
On Monday, February 6th, The Black Iris Project, in partnership with California Ballet School, hosted a FREE contemporary dance workshop with Emmy® award-winner Jeremy McQueen!
The workshop was open to intermediate and advanced dancers ages 14-18 throughout San Diego. The dancers learned an excerpt from A Mother’s Rite and engaged in an insightful Q&A with McQueen.