Hip-hop music and dance are not often appreciated in a concert dance setting. My hope as a choreographer is to change that, and offer this form of expression in a way that inspires members of the audience to question what they believe they know about themselves, their respective environments and their perception of others. Through the genius of rapper Kendrick Lamar, this work, Crown, invites the audience to experience a visceral expression of the hero's journey. How do we navigate the pressures of our darkest depths, and rise to achieve our highest potential as beings of love and light? This form of music and movement allows for this experience to come alive in a very real and raw way, tearing through the polite masks we wear to hide the scarier, uglier experiences of awakening to our true selves. As you go on this journey of self realization, pay attention to what you hear. The story is not only in the words, but it is also in the way they are said and the cultural lens through which they are delivered. Can you see and feel the thread that connects our humanity? What does it feel like to you?

– Katherine Lopes Zukeri