When We were Queens… presents a collaboration between African French dancer/choreographer Murielle Elizéon and acclaimed African American musician Shana Tucker, who together seek to explore a shared ancestry of diaspora and violence through movement and music. Presented as a conversation between the artists and museum visitors, this work-in-progress illuminates both the singularity of experience and the resonance embedded in the bodies of women of color from different African diasporic communities. During the nine-day residency, students, faculty, and community members will have the opportunity to engage with the artists through daily activations, open conversations, and performances in the museum’s galleries. Visit the Weatherspoon website for the full residency schedule.

When We were Queens… is a Culture Mill, Saxapahaw, NC, production, commissioned by NC State Live and co-produced by the Wilson Center at Cape Fear Community College and the Weatherspoon Art Museum, UNCG. Culture Mill is a 2022 National Dance Project finalist grant award recipient. The production was made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts with funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to address sustainability needs during Covid-19 and in support of When We were Queens…

Image: When We were Queens… Murielle Elizéon. Image credit: Sarah Marguier.