♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Once I ♪ ♪ I sprayed the ocean through the sky ♪ Welcome to "Contemplations."

My name is Paola Prestini, and I'll be your guide through this episode, "Today's Lens."

Activism was laced into the plan and structure of National Sawdust.

It's in its DNA, from focusing on mentorship to rethinking gatekeeping by an ever evolving group of curators.

Them mission is an evolving, breathing entity that responds to changes quickly because of our scrappy and modular reality.

I'm excited because these artists I'm speaking to today represent so much to Sawdust.

Ellen Reid was our Composer-in-Residence in 2016, 2017, and Daniel Bernard Roumain was our Artist-in-Residence in 2017, 2018.

Helga Davis has been on our advisory board and has had series and projects in development since before we even opened.

The three of them represent some of the best music that's been on our stag and the best ideas and souls.

Ellen, really beginning with you, you know, from your upper works to your coral works, they're rich and they often delve into deeply personal issues, at the time, reflect I think the realities of so many different people.

I guess I want to start with, how do you make those choices in terms of the thematics?

How do they come to you?

I write what I have to write, and I found that the more personal, the more universal.

And so with "Prism," we were dealing with sexual assault and that something that happens to so many people that we found by going to this very personal and vulnerable place we were able to reach people in this really raw way and even people who haven't experienced sexual assault themselves.

I saw what I have to say.

I speak my personal joy and my pain, and that is what connects me to the world.

I think another aspect of the work that is so integral to what you're doing for your community but that's also been reflected, I think, in your artistic process is mentoring.

So, I wonder if you can talk a little bit, both about Luna Labs, but also the process that you went through to create so much?

Also, I remember you talking with Francisco about those words really being culled from the Young People's Chorus.

Yeah, working with the Young People's Chorus of New York City was such an incredible experience.

They are so brilliant, and everything that Francisco Nunez is doing with them is so meaningful.

I worked with the choristers of White PC to create the lyrics of "So Much on My Soul," a small group of them who are really interested in writing, got together, and we just wrote about what was interesting to them, and they really wanted to dive into the pressures of being a teenager right now at this moment.

And I pulled the lyrics from their text and I exported.

It was such a meaningful experience.

They were some of the best lyricist I've ever worked with.

They're so incredible talented, and thank you for bringing up Luna Labs.

It's probably the most meaningful thing I do.

Luna Labs is a program that I started five years ago with Missy Mazzoli in partnership with Kaufman Music Center, and we created it to address the gender imbalance in the field of classical music.

It's a mentorship program that provides performance opportunities and mentorship to young composers who are female and non-binary and gender nonconforming, ages 12-18.

They're just pushing my creativity and for, I think, anyone who interacts with them.

Helga, you know, I feel like you've -- every process that you enter, it's a mentoring process.

I've seen you do it.

I've seen you connect with people.

I've seen you connect, not just with people, but with space.

And it's very profound.

You know, your career is so singular.

You're a composer, you're an improviser, you're a performance artists.

You have a radio show.

You bring all these things together.

And I'm curious, you know, how you entered all these different roles and how it's evolving in this very specific moment in time.

You know, sometimes you're just -- you're getting invitation to be in the space, and I think it's a thing that's very important to know about National Sawdust that we're invited to the space to explore all the things, not only that we do, but the thing that we're curious about.

Then the only thing that I think is important about National Sawdust is the spirit of collaboration.

There isn't anything that any one of us must figure out by ourselves or on our own.

We are a community of doers, and the more we do, the more we have, not only to offer the space and to offer our audiences, but the more we have to offer to one another.

And, Daniel, I want to bring you into the conversation.

I feel like all the work that you've done this year, and I want to talk about your music, but I also want to talk about your activism because it's link in such a searing and authentic way with your music, but you have put people on the fire.

And you've said, "No, you have to sit here because I love what I do and I believe that it has a place and I believe in change."

And that takes tremendous courage, my friend, my love.

I mean, I'm realizing that sometimes activism captures you, finds you if you want it to, you know?

I mean, some of the things I've done, and you know me, I've been vocal about things also because I'm 50 years old and my reputational risk is a little less now, right?

Right.

I can say things that I couldn't say 20 years ago and that others certainly can't say now.

So that's part of it, but I also think that another part of it is my wanting to have impact and to use opportunity sometimes towards immediate impact.

But I think that's powerful, and I do think that's something to say, you know, with age at a certain point you realize, well, even if I do have something to lose, does it matter in confront what the potential for change is.

And I think timing, well, in our business, is everything.

Right?

Yeah.

So, you know, for me, National Sawdust has from its inception been a place of disruption.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Promise me I'll be alive when I leave my home ♪ ♪ Promise me I'll be alive when I drive alone ♪ ♪ Stoplights could be murder ♪ ♪ Movements could be murder ♪ ♪ Conversations be murder ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ Promise me I'll be alive when I leave my home ♪ ♪ Promise me I'll be alive ♪ When I drive alone ♪ ♪ Stoplights could be murder ♪ ♪ Movements could be murder ♪ ♪ Steel bars and they put a charge on my name ♪ ♪ Now I think they got me back in chains ♪ ♪ If I die before you wake ♪ ♪ I need you to know that ♪ ♪ I was looking forward ♪ ♪ To my new job tomorrow ♪ ♪ But these lights my life they take ♪ ♪ When I'm on the road back ♪ ♪ I can't stand the sirens ♪ ♪ I hear them and I know what follows ♪ ♪ I told myself I won't break ♪ ♪ They shouted a warning ♪ ♪ They made up a story ♪ ♪ They say I resisted and I might go missing ♪ ♪ All my momma does is pray ♪ ♪ She'll wake in the morning ♪ ♪ And not be in mourning ♪ ♪ That's why I just need you to listen ♪ ♪ Promise me I'll be alive when I leave my home ♪ ♪ Promise me I'll be alive when I drive alone ♪ ♪ Stoplights could be murder ♪ ♪ Movements could be murder ♪ ♪ Conversations be murder ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ Promise me I'll be alive when I leave my home ♪ ♪ Promise me I'll be alive when I drive alone ♪ ♪ Stoplights could be murder ♪ ♪ Movements could be murder ♪ ♪ Conversations lead to confrontations ♪ ♪ Can't take it no further ♪ [ Vocalizing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] [ Young woman vocalizing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Choir vocalizing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ God loves me ♪ ♪ In my soul ♪ ♪ In my soul ♪ [ Choir singing indistinctly ] ♪♪ ♪ My soul, my soul ♪ ♪ My soul ♪ ♪ My soul, my soul ♪ ♪ My soul ♪ [ Choir singing indistinctly ] ♪♪ ♪ For my soul ♪ ♪ For my soul ♪ ♪ My soul ♪ [ Choir singing indistinctly ] ♪♪ ♪ My soul, my soul ♪ ♪ My soul ♪ ♪ My soul, my soul ♪ ♪ My soul ♪ ♪ My soul, my soul ♪ ♪ My soul, my soul ♪ ♪ My soul, my soul ♪ ♪ My soul, my soul ♪ ♪ My soul, my soul ♪ ♪ My soul, my soul ♪ ♪ My soul, my soul ♪ [ Choir singing indistinctly ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Singing intensifies ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Singing softens ] ♪♪ [ Singing intensifies ] ♪♪ [ Singing softens ] [ Singing intensifies ] ♪♪ [ Singing softens ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Young woman vocalizing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I am warm ♪ [ Vocalizing ] ♪♪ ♪ I am warm ♪ [ Vocalizing ] ♪♪ ♪ I am warm ♪ ♪ I am warm ♪ [ Vocalizing ] ♪♪ [ Choir vocalizing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Choir singing indistinctly ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Singing fades ] [ Cheers and applause ] So, Sugar, it's great to see you today.

I am always in awe of all the multiple things you balance so beautifully.

You're very active as a second generation Filipinx, and with what's been going on lately, are you comfortable talking a little bit about that activism and, you know, how you see that as part of your role as an artist today?

One thing I'm thinking about right now, and you know, when we're dealing with anti-Asian racism, basically feeling scared every day is how do you deal with it as the artist?

And we always try to make these beautiful works.

And even when we're like, "Oh, it's going to be full of rage," it's, like, ultimately beautiful.

And I'm like, I'm trying to be okay with it just being messy and totally inelegant, because right now the key is that we have to just take up space.

Yeah, that totally makes sense.

I love that.

I love the idea of if it's really meant to be an artifact of the moment, that it needs to be imperfect because the moment is imperfect.

Last question, just tell me a little bit about the Hildegard piece and what we're about to hear.

That is the first movement of a larger interdisciplinary work called "Antonym: the opposite of nostalgia."

And it's an introductory movement.

There are field recordings in New York City taken during the winter, so it's the winter movement.

I know, for me, it's a context for like memory and, you know, time cycles.

[ Classical music playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Sounds of the city ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Footsteps ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] It's so nice to be with you, Emma.

It's a joy.

I love your music and your spirit, and it's so exciting to have you calling in from Ireland, so thank you.

What I want to ask you is just to kind of tell us a little bit about constellations and if you can, just a word about the Hildegard competition and met you in terms of your trajectory as a composer.

The Hildegard experience was just such a beautiful and joyful one.

And I think at that point, for me, I was looking to push myself a bit more musically, in a way, charting my journey and finding my voice as a composer.

And so I use kind of elements of pop music and rock music that I would have really listened to a lot when I was growing up.

And I just wanted to blend them together in a way that sort of felt right for me.

The title "Constellations" comes from the discovery that these handprints in ancient caves were mostly made by women, and it just felt like it resonated a lot with the sort of message behind the Hildegard.

And yeah, I guess that's just another part of the inspiration.

It's such an incredible piece, and it's brought me great joy, and I can't wait to share it with our listeners.

So thank you, Emma, for being part of the Sawdust family and for really launching the Hildegard competition in such a great way.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Vocalizing ] ♪♪ ♪ Once I ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Once I ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Once I ♪ ♪ I sprayed the ocean through the sky ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Once I ♪ ♪ Once I ♪ ♪ I sprayed the ocean to the sky ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I ♪ ♪ Once I ♪ ♪ I sprayed the ocean to the sky ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Now a stranger here below ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Now a stranger here below ♪ ♪♪ ♪ An empty chair, a morning star ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Now a stranger here below ♪ ♪♪ ♪ An empty chair a morning star ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Only a part, but not a whole ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Now a stranger here below ♪ ♪ Rewritten by the hour ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Growing up ♪ ♪ Is losing your illusions ♪ ♪ Growing up ♪ ♪ Is losing your illusions ♪ ♪ Once I ♪ ♪ Sprayed the ocean to the sky ♪ ♪ Growing up ♪ ♪ Is losing ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ All the pieces have to pull apart ♪ ♪ They don't fit like they should ♪ ♪ They don't fit like they should anymore ♪ ♪ All the pieces have to pull apart ♪ ♪ They don't fit like they should ♪ ♪ They don't fit like they should anymore ♪ ♪ All the pieces have to pull apart ♪ ♪ They don't fit like they should ♪ ♪ They don't fit like they should anymore ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Anymore ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Constellations all around my boat ♪ ♪ And they fly ♪ ♪ And they fly ♪ ♪ Constellations all around my boat ♪ ♪ And they fly ♪ ♪ And they fly at times of change ♪ ♪♪ ♪ And they fly at times of change ♪ ♪♪ ♪ And they fly at times of change ♪ [ Singing indistinctly ] ♪♪ ♪ They fly ♪ ♪♪ ♪ They fly ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Burn ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Caroline, when you sat in on rehearsal, you were fascinated by the shorthand that jugglers have in speaking to each other.

I don't even actually totally understand what you're doing, but I love when you are describing something in words and then you make it manifest in visual terms, whether it's colors or shapes or height or space.

It's incredible.

But you as musicians do that because we are getting there.

We're both in time.

I guess we're more in space.

So much in space, and lift and friction and force.

You're embodying the music in a way that dancers do, but it's different.

You could do very different things.

But I guess what you have in common, and we were talking about this, is you launched something that produces something.

So the sound goes out, whereas our object leaves.

So in that sense, I think we're similar.

We as dancers, it's their self which moves.

[ Harmonizing ] [ Vocalizing ] ♪ In the air are all around ♪ ♪ [ Vocalizing ] ♪ In the air are all around ♪ [ Vocalizing ] ♪ In the air are all around ♪ One, two, three, four.

Change, change.

Change.

Change, change.

Change.

Change, change.

Change.

Change, change.

Change.

The pattern.

Change.

Change, change.

Change.

The pattern.

Four, five, six.

Change, change.

The pattern of the detail.

The pattern of the detail.

The pattern of the detail of the detail of the detail of the detail.

The detail of the pattern of the pattern of the detail.

Three, four, five, six.

The pattern of the detail, the detail.

The pattern of the pattern of the pattern, a pattern, the detail, the detailed, the detail, the pattern, the pattern, the movement of the detail, the pattern.

The detail of the pattern is movement.

Two, three, four, five, six.

♪♪ ♪ Where do I go?

♪ ♪ What do I seek?

♪ ♪ How do I find?

♪ ♪ How do I love?

♪ ♪ Do I pretend ♪ ♪ To know the truth?

♪ ♪ Do I know the truth ♪ ♪ That slight return ♪ ♪ For the love of a butterfly ♪ ♪ Always changing ♪ ♪ From crawling to confinement ♪ ♪ To fluttering ♪ ♪ To flying ♪ ♪ I am human ♪ ♪ Who dreamt of being a butterfly ♪ ♪ And I walk ♪ ♪ As a butterfly ♪ ♪ Who dreams of being ♪ ♪ Human ♪ ♪ I go ♪ ♪ I seek ♪ ♪ I find ♪ ♪ I love ♪ ♪ I pretend to know ♪ ♪ Pretend to know the truth ♪ ♪ I know the truth ♪ ♪ And so I pretend ♪ ♪♪ ♪ For the love of a butterfly ♪ ♪ Always changing ♪ ♪ From crawling ♪ ♪ To confinement ♪ ♪ To fluttering ♪ ♪ Then to flying ♪ ♪ I walk ♪ ♪ As a butterfly ♪ ♪ Who dreams of being ♪ And I am human Who dreams of being ♪ A butterfly ♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ On the day I went away ♪ ♪ Was all I had to say ♪ ♪ I want to come again and stay ♪ ♪ Smile and it will mean I may ♪ ♪♪ ♪ 'Cause I've seen, oh, blue skies ♪ ♪ Through the tears in my eyes ♪ ♪ And I realize I'm going home ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Everyday it's been the same ♪ ♪ Like I'm outside in the rain ♪ ♪ Free to try and find a game ♪ ♪ Cards for sorrow and cards for pain ♪ ♪ 'Cause I've seen blue skies ♪ ♪ Through the tears in my eyes ♪ ♪ And I realize ♪ ♪ I'm going home ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I'm going home ♪ ♪ I'm going home ♪ ♪ I'm going ♪ ♪ Home ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Okay, can we talk about the two pop culture moments -- the "Moulin" and the "Rocky Horror," which, you know, that's sort of more where I live generally, even though I dabble in this other world.

So both of those songs are very specifically about gender and about a relationship to the body.

How does that play out for you guys?

How does gender inform the choices that you make or try to make in your work?

I really like "I'm Going Home" as a closing piece because it can sum up a lot of different emotions, but also Rocky for me was was one of the first outlets where I could be in public and present how I wanted to present without it being a weird thing.

It's like, oh, we're going to Rocky.

Oh, okay.

It's okay.

It's sad, right?

Yeah, it's Halloween or it's Rocky or it's like some sort of thing and that makes it okay.

Even though it's still -- it still feels great, even though they think that it's only about that, it still feels great for you to present how you would like to present.

Playing a different gender is a means -- is a mean to achieve her objective.

It's not necessarily like she wants to do that, but she has to do it.

And a lot of the times when I'm on an operatic stage and playing trouser roles like Mozartian trousered roles and especially Caravino, people ask me questions like, "Oh, so how do you deal with playing a male character that is supposed to be played by a woman but is dressed as a woman?

So, like, how does like -- so many layers, how does that work?"

And I say, "Well, in Caravino's mind he's only thinking about not going to the war.

He wants to save his own life.

So that's why he's playing the gender.

And that's what Mulan does, too.

And I really love that kind of mirror image.

I mean, she looks at the mirror while singing, too.

So full circle.

Yeah.

[ Laughter ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Jack of all trades ♪ ♪ Is what they call me ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Destruction of shame ♪ ♪ Is what they are to me ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Lost in my heart ♪ ♪ Is what I understand ♪ ♪ So many questions and thoughts ♪ ♪ Lead me down ♪ ♪ The road of transformation ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Until confirmation ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Be the master of you business ♪ ♪ Be a monster to your demons ♪ ♪ Demons ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ One, two, three.

♪ You gotta rule one thing before you conquer another ♪ ♪ Gotta know your role 'cause it ain't up to others ♪ ♪ You gotta rule one thing before you conquer another ♪ ♪ Gotta be at peace all alone on the rudder ♪ ♪ You gotta rule one thing before you conquer another ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Before you conquer another ♪ ♪ Rule one thing before you conquer another ♪ ♪ Before you conquer another ♪ ♪ Rule one thing before you conquer another ♪ ♪ Before you conquer another ♪ ♪ Rule one thing before you conquer another ♪ ♪ Before you conquer another ♪ ♪ Be the master of your business ♪ ♪ Be a monster to your demons ♪ ♪ Demons ♪ ♪ Be the master of your business ♪ ♪ Be a monster to your demons ♪ We all get 'em.

♪ Demons ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Contemplate me ♪ ♪ Who I am ♪ ♪ And undress me ♪ ♪ Just go ahead ♪ ♪ Reinvent me ♪ ♪ Go ahead ♪ ♪ Make me right ♪ ♪ Go ahead ♪ ♪ Stitch me ♪ ♪ A new smile ♪ ♪ Upgrade me for you ♪ ♪ Correct me ♪ ♪ Fix my hair ♪ ♪ And change my name ♪ ♪ Slim my waist ♪ ♪ And make my nails ♪ ♪ Go ♪ ♪ Go ♪ ♪ Just go ahead ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Move my space ♪ ♪ Sculpt my legs ♪ ♪ Improve me for you ♪ ♪ Go ahead ♪ Play your game ♪ Break my core ♪ ♪ Just go ♪ ♪ Ahead ♪ ♪ Go ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] The piece that we are going to be showing is from your opera, "We Shall Not Be Moved" with Marc Bamuthi Joseph and Bill T. Jones.

Can you tell us a little bit about it?

The MOVE organization in the '70s and the '80s, founded by John Africa, was a multicultural, multiracial organization.

They adopted the last name of Africa.

They had natural hair.

They home-schooled and home-birthed their children.

They were largely vegetarian.

They composted in the back yard.

They were proud and unified, and I think they made their neighbors angry.

And as oftentimes happens in the country, instead of neighbors being neighborly, especially when you're dealing with people of color with natural hair and birthing your children at home instead of being neighborly, they call the police.

Law enforcement got involved and they bombed their home.

Five children died in that fire.

Our opera picks up with five runaway children who are no longer wanting to learn within the Philadelphia public school system and instead have taken up in this house together as a family and are I'm learning from the ghost of this home.

And it's a very interesting chamber opera that involves spoken word, and four wonderful hip hop dancers, and of course, the great Bill T. Jones.

As in many roles, it was a wonderful, meaningful project that spoke towards something that is still, I would say, an open wound in Philadelphia for sure.

It's not resolved.

And kudos to Opera Philadelphia and the Apollo for commissioning the work and being brave enough to put it.

♪ One nine, one nine ♪ ♪ One nine, one nine ♪ ♪ One nine, one nine ♪ ♪ One nine, one nine ♪ ♪ 1972 ♪ ♪ 1972, yeah ♪ ♪ John Africa advocates for radical green politics ♪ ♪ Founds a collective commune ♪ ♪ John Africa advocates for radical green politics ♪ ♪ Founds a collective commune ♪ ♪ God Bless the dead ♪ ♪ God bless the families ♪ ♪ God bless the dead ♪ ♪ God bless the families ♪ ♪ Philadelphia cops ♪ ♪ God bless the dead ♪ ♪ God bless the families of the MOVE 9 ♪ ♪ Locked up and left for dead ♪ ♪ The MOON 9 convicted of failing a Philly cop ♪ ♪ And was shot in the back of the head ♪ ♪ But he was facing our home they said ♪ ♪ He was facing us ♪ ♪ Police in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Police in Philadelphia, police ♪ ♪ Police in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Police in Philadelphia, police ♪ ♪ Police in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Police in Philadelphia, police ♪ ♪ Police in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Police in Philadelphia, police ♪ ♪ One nine, one nine ♪ ♪ One nine, one nine ♪ ♪ 1981, 1981 ♪ ♪ 1981, 1981 ♪ ♪ MOVE relocates to West Philly ♪ ♪ Their Osage Avenue home ♪ ♪ MOVE relocates to West Philly ♪ ♪ Their Osage Avenue home ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Niggas in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Niggas in Philadelphia, nigga ♪ ♪ Niggas in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Niggas in Philadelphia, nigga ♪ ♪ Niggas in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Niggas in Philadelphia, nigga ♪ ♪ Niggas in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Niggas in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Neighbors complained that MOVE members ♪ ♪ Were broadcasting messages by bullhorn ♪ ♪ At all hours of the day and night ♪ ♪ At all hours of the day and night ♪ ♪ At all hours of the day and night ♪ ♪ At all hours of the day and night ♪ ♪ In addition to concern their home was becoming ♪ ♪ A health hazard ♪ ♪ Philly cops drop two one-pound bombs ♪ ♪ Two one-pound bombs ♪ ♪ Philly cops drop two one-pounds bombs ♪ ♪ Two one-pound bombs ♪ ♪♪ Killing in Philadelphia ♪ Killing in Philadelphia, killing ♪ ♪ Killing a Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Killing in Philadelphia, killing ♪ ♪ Stand off in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Stand off in Philadelphia, stand off ♪ Stand off in Philadelphia ♪ Stand off in Philadelphia, stand off ♪ ♪ No justice in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Not just Philadelphia, justice ♪ ♪ No justice in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Not just in Philadelphia, Philly ♪ ♪ Children of Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Children of Philadelphia, children ♪ ♪ ♪ Children of Philadelphia ♪ ♪ ♪ Children of Philadelphia, children ♪ ♪ No justice in Philadelphia, ♪ ♪ Not just in Philadelphia, justice ♪ ♪ No justice in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Not just in Philadelphia, Philly.

♪ ♪ No justice in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Not just in Philadelphia, justice.

♪ ♪ No justice in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Not just Philadelphia, Philly.

♪ ♪ More justice in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Not just in Philadelphia, justice ♪ ♪ More justice in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Not just in Philadelphia, Philly ♪ ♪ More justice in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Not in Philadelphia, justice ♪ ♪ More justice in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Not just in Philadelphia, Philly ♪ ♪ More justice in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Not just in Philadelphia, justice ♪ ♪ More justice in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Not just in Philadelphia, Philly ♪ ♪ More justice in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Not just in Philadelphia, justice ♪ ♪ More justice in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Not just in Philadelphia, Philly ♪ ♪ More justice in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Not just in Philadelphia, Philly ♪ ♪ More justice in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Not just in Philadelphia ♪ ♪ Wake up, it's time to move ♪ ♪ Listen, it's time to move ♪ ♪ Listen, it's time to move ♪ ♪ Listen, it's time to move ♪ ♪ Listen, it's time to move ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Helga, that takes me to your piece that we're going to hear in this series called "Hold Me."

I'll never forget the night that we were here.

Helga designed the space in a very different way which the entire audience was surrounding a square.

And on that square, you collaborated with Reggie Regg Roc Gray and his dancers in the FLEXN dancers, Devon Times.

Davis: It was Marc Cary, There was the music of Caroline Shaw and the arrangement from Sharon Nova.

And talk a little bit about the collaborative process of building that piece and a little bit about its theme.

That was done in our second season, but it could have been written yesterday.

"Hold Me" is one of the most proud moments of my composing career.

It has exactly one lyric, "When you hold me like this, I can't breathe."

What was important about setting up the space the way that we did was that you had to look, you had to see.

You had to not only see the performers on stage, but you had to see the other people in the audience.

So everyone was in communication with one another.

"Hold Me" is a piece that I wrote in response to the murder of Eric Garner.

You take the skills that you have and you try and make something that answers a particular moment in time.

So what we did was not only have people see one another and see the dancers, we set the dancers up so that there was this portrayal of this murder of Eric Garner.

But there was also this moment, a very sweet and tender love where one of the dancers comes over and he holds my face and I hold his hand, and all of this under the larger umbrella of a requiem for a Tuesday.

And that was Devon's idea, that he wanted to find work that engaged the conversation of death.

And why on a Tuesday?

Because we don't know when it's coming, So it can be any day.

And not only did I want to give this nod to Eric Garner, but I also wanted to reveal something about love so that we have a moment in one sentence that reflects not just the final moment of death, but also a moment in a state of ecstasy and that one not be able, as we like to do, as we swipe away at the world to choose what we look at, but to really engage.

Our audiences don't only become consumers of work, but that they too are invited into a conversation.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ When you ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Hold ♪ ♪ Me like this ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I can't ♪ ♪ Breathe ♪ ♪♪ ♪ When you ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Hold ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Hold me ♪ ♪ Like this ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I can't ♪ ♪ Breathe ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Hold ♪ ♪ Hold me ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Hold me ♪ ♪♪ ♪ When you ♪ ♪ Hold me ♪ ♪ Like this ♪ ♪ When you ♪ ♪ Hold me ♪ ♪ You-u-u ♪ You-u-u-u ♪ Hold ♪ ♪ Me-e ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I ♪ ♪ Can't ♪ ♪ Breathe ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ You ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Hold me ♪ ♪ Like this ♪ When you Hold me Like this ♪ When you ♪ ♪ Hold ♪ ♪ Me ♪ ♪ Like this ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I ♪ ♪ I can't ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Can't breathe ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Hold me ♪ ♪ Like this ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Hold me ♪ ♪ Like this ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Hold me ♪ ♪ Like this ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Hold me ♪ ♪ Like this ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Hold me ♪ ♪ Like this ♪ ♪ Hold me ♪ ♪ Like this ♪ ♪ Just like this ♪ ♪ Hold ♪ ♪ Hold me ♪ ♪ Like this ♪ ♪ Like this ♪ ♪ Hold ♪ ♪♪ I am always moved by the two of you, and I just want to thank you both for the -- just incredible actions of love that you continue to put out in the world, both through your incredible art and your souls and your optimism.

And I see you, and I thank you both.

Thank you, Paola, and thank you for inviting us to build a home, not just to have a place to have gigs, but to build a home for who we are.

Roumain: It's so rare.

National Sawdust is really -- has carved out a very neat space when it comes to that kind of collaboration.

♪ Lost in my heart ♪ ♪ Is what I understand ♪ ♪♪ ♪ So many questions and thoughts ♪ ♪ Lead me down the road of transformation ♪ ♪♪