Matriarch

When do we start to see our Mothers as human?

Making Matriarch Possible

What is Matriarch?

Matriarch is a full-length, two-act concert dance work that centers Black women and the roots they plant within families, lineages, and communities. Grounded in the belief that legacy lives in the body, Matriarch invites audiences to reflect on inheritance, memory, and what it means to be held—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—by those who came before us.

Blending original choreography, spoken word, and the voice of a guest choreographer, Matriarch weaves concert dance and storytelling to create an intimate, community-rooted experience. Movement serves as both archive and offering, revealing how Black women carry wisdom, grief, joy, and resilience across generations.

Act I: Received
The first act explores perception, acceptance, and the ways in which we receive the world and one another. Through layered movement and narrative, Received examines how grief can surface in many forms—quiet, explosive, tender, unresolved—and how it shapes our understanding of self and lineage. This act asks audiences to sit with what has been passed down, both the visible and the unspoken, honoring the complexity of inheritance without rushing toward resolution.

Act II: I Know You
The second act shifts in tone and energy, using the full spectrum of emotion to move toward recognition and celebration. I Know You is rooted in clarity—not as a punishment, but as power. Here, the work embraces joy, release, humor, strength, and connection, affirming the beauty of being seen and known. The act culminates in a collective celebration of Black womanhood, community, and the freedom that comes with understanding one’s place within the lineage.

Together, the two acts create a journey from reflection to affirmation, from receiving to knowing. Matriarch is not only a performance—it is a communal experience that honors the past, acknowledges the present, and gestures toward a future shaped by clarity, care, and connection.

At the heart of our work is The R.E.A.C.H. Method, a movement-based approach that blends technique, creativity, and personal storytelling. Developed to nurture Black and Brown dancers, it emphasizes artistic exploration, collaboration, and community-centered practice. Through this method, every rehearsal and performance becomes an opportunity to connect body, mind, and story — shaping dancers into confident artists and engaged storytellers.
R.E.A.C.H. operates from a belief that meaningful artistic work emerges through authenticity, openness, and collective inquiry. Our creative process is intentionally designed to cultivate trust, honor lived experience, and allow artists to engage the work as whole people rather than interchangeable bodies.
Historically, our work has been built through invitation—cultivating long-standing relationships and shared artistic language. For this production, we expanded that approach by hosting our first open audition, opening the door to new voices and energies while remaining grounded in our core values. This moment of expansion allowed us to grow our artistic family and welcome artists who were aligned in curiosity, intention, and collective practice.
By bringing together both familiar and new collaborators, the studio became a site of exchange, listening, and shared authorship. This approach reflects R.E.A.C.H.’s commitment to evolution—embracing growth while remaining rooted in community, care, and the belief that our strongest work is created together.
- Sophia Addison
- Najah Alridge
- Amira Davis
- Darren Justice
- Tyra Millines
- Brianna Stennett
- Sophia Addison
- Najah Alridge
- Amira Davis
- Adia Edmondson
- Darren Justice
- Tyra Millines
- Brianna Stennett
- Paige Stewart
- Gryffin Tate
- Alyssa Wheeler

Support Matriarch

“It’s the support of our community that turns vision into reality — every contribution helps keep the dream alive and the art moving.”

— AD, Dominique M. Fontenot

Where Does Your Contribution Go?

Your support directly sustains the creation and presentation of Matriarch by covering essential production costs, including:

Venue rental — securing a professional space where our work can be fully realized and shared with the community
Artist compensation — ensuring our performers are paid for their time, labor, and artistry
Lighting design — collaborating with a professional lighting designer to shape the atmosphere, emotion, and storytelling of the work
Costumes & rehearsal attire — providing performers with the necessary wardrobe to rehearse and perform safely, confidently, and cohesively
Documentation & archival media — photography and video to preserve the work, support future opportunities, and expand access beyond the stage
Community access & outreach — keeping ticket prices accessible and ensuring the work reaches the community it is rooted in

Every contribution helps us honor the artists involved and bring a high-quality, intentional dance experience to the stage. All donations to The R.E.A.C.H. Collective are tax-deductible and directly support our artists, production needs, and community-centered programming.