“You Gotta Love Me, To See Me”
(from Mars: Where Shadows Burn, out Aug 18)
The title came from the subway, when someone in a mental health crisis said: “You can’t see me. You gotta love me to see me.”
This solo came while I was torn between making something “marketable” and staying true to myself. I wore tap shoes but never tapped—an homage to my past while showing I’ve grown beyond it. My friend
@ponotheono made a distressed denim costume that shed as I danced, leaving pieces on the floor—shedding who I was while still carrying my history.
As the lights became more frantic, the strobe made it harder and harder to see me. Those who looked away mirrored the difficulty of truly seeing me. To understand my art, you have to dive deep into your own discomfort, and the strobe acknowledged the challenge of doing that.
It was an honor working with my lifelong brother
@dav.gabs on editing this video. We went back and forth on the concept through multiple versions, and his talent as both editor and dancer is unmatched. This wouldn’t be the same without you, brother. Thank you to
@taylorjamesphoto for filming—your instinct and eye inspire me.
Grateful to
@lgfunk2 and
@hollyevans141 for supporting my vision, to
@takara_white for lighting it perfectly and bringing our vision to life, and to everyone who helped bring it to fruition. Directed by
@Igfunk2 @hollyevans141
Edited by
@dav.gabs
Filmed by
@taylorjamesphoto
Lighting Design by
@takara_white
Production Stage Manager
@marilisakr
Assistant Stage Manager
@hassonsarahi
Production Manager
@jay_giffin_
Produced by
@dancingj @elena.dahms
Costume by
@ponotheono @mikaelpono
Music by Colorbound
