Critical Engagement 
Featuring a split showing of in-progress works of Akela Jaffi and Juma DeJesus
Saturday, October 7th at 7:30pm

Pay what you can donations at the door

FLOCK's Critical Engagement Series returns! On Saturday, October 7th, Akela Jaffi and Juma DeJesus will each present a work in progress. Following the showings, they will engage in conversation with each other and the audience. Our Critical Engagement series brings together audiences & choreographers to engage with the mystery surrounding the perceived illegibility of dance & the unique practices of individual choreographers. Drinks and snacks provided.

Jume DeJesus presents 12th House, an experimental movement & sound piece exploring themes around: 
The unconscious/conscious mind
Karmic and cosmic mirrors
Breaking cycles
Clearing generational curses
Shadow integration 
Restoration
Saturn in Pisces 
Choreographer/Artistic director: Juma DeJesus, Assistant choreographer: vale, Musician: Yaara Valey Perczek

Akela Jaffi is an artist living and working in portland oregon. A graduate of Jefferson High school, Akela has been studying dance for nearly 20 years with a focus in urban and contemporary styles. Dance has been her spiritual practice and her method for archiving the many changes of life. Akela is the creator of BASS - an art showcase that uplifts black voices of different mediums in Portland. She is immensely grateful to her teachers, mentors, elders and peers who have supported her in her creative practices and recognizes the invaluable impact they’ve had on this work. 

Juma DeJesus is a queer, Latine, non-binary multidisciplinary artist, and choreographer. They meld dance, performance, ritual, spoken word, and experimental video art to evoke the spirit world and the healing journeys of life, liminality, and rebirth. Starting their dance journey at age 7 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Juma intensified their commitment after losing their father at age 12, leading to a B.A in Dance from Desales University. Post-graduation, their professional endeavors took them to New York City, collaborating with notable companies. However, a transformative eclipse experience in 2017 drew Juma to Portland, Oregon. Over the past six years, Juma has delved into re-indigenizing practices, self and community healing, and nurturing connections to nature through deep listening, sound, and movement. Their extensive work includes collaborations with local artists, mentorship roles, and medicine studies in Peru. This past summer, Juma launched “Queer Dance Church,” a freeform movement series for 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Portland. Insta: @thepapiiimystic.227

photo credit: Ellen Robinette / Photo Bruja