(bright music) - Repertory Dance Theater is presenting the powerful narrative, "I Am," by Natasha Washington.

Our guest today, executive and artistic director Linda C. Smith, will tell us more.

Hi, Linda, always good to have you.

- Thank you.

- And this is an exciting work.

I want you to tell us all about it.

It's a whole evening length work by Natasha.

- It is, and Natasha is a very dear friend, and I will say a Utah treasure, originally from Georgia, but she came here to study at the University of Utah and graduated in dance.

And she's an amazing choreographer and educator, and we've had a relationship with her for many, many years.

This is our Season of Reflection, our 59th year, so we're looking at some of the pieces that were very meaningful to us.

And this premiered last year to wild acclaim, and people were so enthusiastic, so we decided to bring it back.

- [Mary] Ah.

- It's a very moving presentation.

- Ah, I'm glad you did.

And I know it's a poignant story of a black woman, and the actress, a wonderful actress, by the way, Dee-Dee Darbin-Duffy, so, Dee-Dee Darby-Duffin, so tell me what she does in this.

- Well, you know, she was really part of the creation of kind of thread of the narrative, the storytelling.

And she is a charismatic performer, as you know, and also an author and singer, and so she brings a level of real gut, (chuckling) I will say.

And I think she helps to build those bridges of understanding that were so important to Natasha.

She really asked some questions of the audience.

- [Mary] Ah, great.

- Are you part of the solution, et cetera?

- Well, wonderful, I can't wait to go, and thank you so much for doing it and for being here.

- Thank you.

- And if you'd like to know more about that upcoming RDT performance, "I Am," it's November 21st to 23rd at 7:30 at the Rose Wagner Performing Art Center.

Go to rdtutah.org.

(bright music) rdtutah.org.

I'm Mary Dickson.

Thanks for watching "Contact."

(bright music continues)