THICK WAKE
Leslie Cuyjet
June 20-22, 8-10:30pm
Black Gotham Experience
FREE, Drop-In
Leslie Cuyjet examines systemic barriers for Black access to swimming amidst her own upbringing with swim lessons and competitions, in a new video installation. Layered projections of a silhouetted swimmer mimic the comfort of being submerged and ask audiences to reflect, witness and consider place, history and privilege.
Performer: Leslie Cuyjet
Video Design: Matthew Deinhart
Videographer: Richard Martin
Administration: Leslie Cuyjet, Inc.
Leslie Cuyjet is part of LMCC's Extended Life Dance Development Program supported, in part, by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Leslie Cuyjet is presented as part of the 2024 River to River Festival, with the support of Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels.
THICK WAVE is supported by Black Gotham Experience.
Leslie Cuyjet is an award-winning performer and choreographer in Brooklyn, NY. Her dances integrate text, video, and live performance while interrogating the performing body, personal legacy and dance history. Her tenure is decorated with performances and collaborations with Jane Comfort, Cynthia Oliver, Niall Jones, Yanira Castro, Will Rawls, David Gordon, NARCISSISTER, and Kim Brandt among others. Cuyjet’s work has been presented at The Kitchen, The Shed, MoMA PS1, and CPR – Center for Performance Research. Recent honors include Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants for Artists, Princeton University Hodder Fellowship, and an Outstanding Choreographer/Creator New York Dance and Performance (“Bessie”) Award for her 2021 work Blur.
Leslie Cuyjet is presented as part of the 2024 River to River Festival, with the support of Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels. Profoundly attached to the world of dance since its origins, the High Jewelry Maison strengthens its commitment with Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels.
Guided by the values of creation, transmission and education, this initiative aims to support artists and institutions in presenting choreographic heritage, while also promoting new productions.
Since its launch in 2020, it has promoted numerous dance companies for their creations as well as the presentation of multiple performances around the world.
The program is complemented each year by major events, including the Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels Festival, whose first edition took place in London in March 2022.
This support further extends to awareness-raising actions focused on dance culture for the broadest possible audience, professionals and amateurs alike.