3 RITES: Liberty begins as an installation comprised of 1,865 paper and twine roots, representing the year legalized slavery ended in America
The roots hang from ceiling to floor. The audience moves through the maze of roots to eventually meet the Liberty character (Weeks), whose hair is braided to resemble the Statue of Liberty’s crown. Each spoke of the hair crown is connected via tie-lines and pulleys to specific objects (Bible, black dick, blonde wig, gun, lightbulb, sneakers, watermelon) that represent the Black experience in America. In the rite Weeks alternates between Black face, White face, storytelling and visceral dance to dig into the pathologizing of African-Americans and the foundations of liberty in America.
3 rites: Liberty in residence at the maggie Allesee National center for choreography
