Join us at Common OBJECTS this weekend for two shows!
Saturday, July 26th, at 7pm
Sunday, July 27th, at 3pm
BLACK TO MY ROOTS: African American Tales from the Head and the Heart is a full length performance exploring the cultural significance of African American and African heritage through stories that center on the personal, social, and political meaning of Black women’s hair.
HAIR’S BREATH is an electrifying, intimate performance that explores the profound connection between Black women and their hair. Through soulful music and powerful storytelling, Adra Boo and Blake Madden will take you on a journey that delves into the social, political, and personal significance of Black women’s hair—an emblem of beauty, pride, and identity.
What to Expect:
Live performances by Adra Boo (soul singer & community leader) and Blake Madden (multi-instrumentalist & composer)
A behind-the-scenes glimpse into the creative process of this evolving project
A chance to be part of the journey as the show prepares for the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe
This isn’t just a performance; it’s a celebration of culture, identity, and the art of Black women’s hair. Whether you’re drawn to powerful music, storytelling, or simply want to experience an incredible cultural exploration, this is the event for you!
This two-hour gathering invites Kenyan, African, and Black women to come together in a warm, intentional space to reflect, create, and share stories rooted in identity, memory, and lived experience.
This event builds on the impact of the June 1 staged reading and talkback of MWEUSI MPAKA MIZIZI, where women spoke openly about personal and collective experiences around beauty, loss, joy, hair, migration, and resistance. The upcoming lounge continues this tradition of community-centered storytelling, honoring what we carry, what we’ve survived, and what we’re reclaiming.
Participants are invited to bring a personal expression—a poem, drawing, photo, memory, object, or journal entry—to share with others. The workshop will feature themed creative stations and guided prompts on topics such as:
The impact of the school system on self-image
Trauma and Hair
Religious and cultural pressure around hair and beauty
Family expectations, generational trauma, and texturism
Migration, assimilation, and identity shifts in the diaspora
Colonialism, misogyny, and resistance through self-expression
The space will also include a community collage table, a “Dear Younger Me” letter station, and an open reflection circle where participants may share stories if they choose.
This is a non-performance space—participants are encouraged to come as they are. This is not just a workshop. It’s a remembering. We’re creating space to reflect on how we became who we are—and how our stories shape the next woman who walks through the door.
This is a time for Black women to gather and share their hair stories. Childhood hairdos, a style that marks your adolescence, the time you were allowed to make your own hair choices. What hairstyle helped you on your self-love journey?
Come and share in community, and choose one story to share with the world and we’ll include your story on The BTMR Project’s social media.
When the Moment Comes is a powerful play about resilience, faith, and justice.
Touring from Anchorage, AK, DramaforaChange presents this moving production at the Rainier Arts Center, June 19-21, 2025.
Directed by Tamara Rothman the play tells the true story of Ruhi Jahanpour, an Iranian Bahá’í woman imprisoned for her beliefs after the 1979 revolution. Her journey, alongside ten cellmates executed in 1983, highlights the intersection of gender equality, religious freedom, and human rights.
Part of the global #OurStoryIsOne campaign, it honors those fighting for justice worldwide. Don’t miss this poignant reflection on courage in the face of adversity.
Join us for an informal pre-show reception, one hour before each performance, to view a display outlining the personal history of each of the imprisoned martyrs and connect with community members. Each performance will be followed by a Q&A led by Ruhi Jahanpour.
Performance alert! HAIR’S BREATH: Music Inspired by Black Women and Their Hair
Date: Sunday, April 27, 2025
Time: 5:00 PM (Doors Open at 4:00 PM)
Venue: The Rabbit Box, 94 Pike St, Seattle, WA (Pike Place Market)
HAIR’S BREATH is coming to Seattle, and you won’t want to miss it!
Join us for a special preview of this incredible performance by two of Seattle’s most exciting artists, Adra Boo and Blake Madden. This powerful evening of music, storytelling, and live performance explores the cultural significance of Black women’s hair—an emblem of beauty, identity, and pride.
The event will offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the creative process of this work-in-progress, delving into the social, personal, and political layers of Black women’s hair. This is more than just a performance; it’s a celebration of culture, identity, and art.
What to expect:
Live performances by Adra Boo (soul singer & community leader) and Blake Madden (multi-instrumentalist & composer)
A chance to be part of the creative journey as this project evolves ahead of its debut at the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Intimate, electrifying experience at one of Seattle’s hidden gems, The Rabbit Box
Get your tickets now! Link in bio!
$20 Advance | $25 At The Door
All Ages Welcome (Under 21 welcome until 10:00 PM)
Looking forward spending an afternoon at Auntmama’s Stage3 in Kingston, WA this weekend – Sunday, March 2nd!
Join the cast of Black To My Roots for a Staged Reading of the Award-Winning play as we gear up to take the production back to Scotland this summer for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe! We’ll also be hearing a selection from MWEUSI MPAKA MIZIZI, the Swahili translation of the work, by Muso Simekha.
It’s a journey, a conversation, and a celebration all in one. “BLACK TO MY ROOTS: African American Tales from the Head and the Heart, co-written by Kathya Alexander and Reneschia Brown, tells the story of Black women’s hair and how it affects self-esteem, social interactions, and career status.
FREE, but please RSVP (location details via Eventbrite RSVP, link below)
Head over to the performances page to check out pics and links from recent shows! Be sure to check back for upcoming opportunities to see us perform live and see what we’re up to!
Reclaiming Us – a four-part dance video series, in conjunction with International Women’s Month – is available for viewing on our Videos Page this week. Check out the trailer below and be sure to check back daily this week as we release the series!
“I don’t want to be included. Instead, I want to question who created the standard in the first place…I don’t wish to be assimilated into the status quo. I want to be liberated from all the negative assumptions that my characteristics bring. The same onus is not on me to change. Instead, it’s in the world around me.” – Reni Eddo-Lodge
Choreography: Ali Vice & Tori Campbell Dancers: Justice Beitzel, Robin Campbell. Tori Campbell, Amanda Davis, Brittany Maples, Nasim Simmons Bahador, & Ali Vice Special thank you to Jared Jones & Thomas Glass Edited by Tori Campbell | Videography by Justice Beitzel
Please join Splinter on APRIL 23rd for National Water Dance with Karin Stevens Dance at Green Lake to dance or walk (and hold a sign you make) to raise awareness for the removal of the the Snake River Dams, to stand with tribes, and save our salmon and orcas. We will meet before 1pm (12:30 for dancers) near the SW boat launch area, and commence to move around the Greenlake path at 1pm.
Live Stream can be found HERE and will begin at 1pm.
Give Governor Inslee and Senator Murray a call or email. And join us on April 23rd to encourage others to do the same. Fliers with more information about how to get involved will be provided at the event! Visit “events” at KSD website to learn more and join us! https://www.karinstevensdance.com/…/dance-or-walk-to…
HAIR’S BREATH: Music Inspired by Black Women and Their Hair 
Date: Sunday, April 27, 2025
Time: 5:00 PM (Doors Open at 4:00 PM)
Venue: The Rabbit Box, 94 Pike St, Seattle, WA (Pike Place Market)
Get your tickets now! Link in bio!
Tickets available at: 
