by Barbara Smith

Storytelling through dance has the power to educate and inspire, and even more, to move to action. As part of California’s coordinated response to a nationwide rise in hate, the California Civil Rights Department (CRD), along with state and local partners, has initiated programs in alignment with the CA vs Hate legislation that will take effect in 2023, reaching out to communities to find innovative and creative ways to provide services to combat hate.

The Precinct Reporter Group of San Bernardino has taken on this challenge by producing a series of interactive concerts that bring diverse communities together to celebrate the universal language of dance. The series opened last November with a performance at San Bernardino Valley College and a second at Santa Ana College. The third and final concert in the series will take place on Friday, September 6, at the University Theater at Cal State Dominguez Hills. With executive producer Brian Townsend, publisher of the Precinct Reporter Group, and under the able direction of project director Kathryn Ervin, professor emerita of theater arts at Cal State San Bernardino, and associate producer Maura Townsend, choreographer/educator/dancer with the Maura Townsend Dance Project, audiences can expect an evening of thought-provoking, uplifting and engaging talent.

The concert features a mix of choreographers and dancers who practice their art with passion to connect and build bridges with their audiences. The program, which is FREE, presents dance, visual arts, spoken word and music. The selected pieces address differences in race, gender identity, religion and more. Audience members have the opportunity to share personal experiences, give them a voice and be heard.

Kybele Dance Theatre

According to project director Kathryn Ervin, a key goal is to highlight the artist’s role in educating the public about the trauma that hate causes in our communities and to underscore the importance of government action. “Art has the ability to captivate audiences and get to the point,” she says. “This is a passion project to start that discussion and show a way forward.”

The 90-minute program is narrated by actor/director/personal mediator Ron Berglas and filmmaker/actress/writer Joyce Lee, who act as storytellers and share information between parts to raise awareness about what hate crimes are and what resources are available to report and get help.

Artists include the Maura Townsend Dance Project, which offers an eclectic mix of modern dance, ballet, jazz, and West African dance; Kybele Dance Theater, directed by Seda Aybay, a company that blends theatrical and contemporary dance with Turkish sociocultural narratives and imagery; FUSE Dance Company, directed by Artistic Director Joshua Estrada-Romero, a group that blends contemporary dance with other movement practices; BrockusRED, directed by Deborah Brockus, a highly energetic, edgy, and innovative company that has toured internationally; and soulful Southern California singer William Lacey.

Each performance reflects the artist/choreographer’s personal story of experiencing and overcoming hate and/or trauma. Although such experiences are difficult to deal with, in the hands of these accomplished performers, each piece is expressed in a deeply poetic way and the stories resonate with audiences, allowing them to see others and know they are not alone.

“The arts act as a bridge between cultures,” says associate director Maura Townsend. “Bringing together dancers from different backgrounds, cultures, and gender identities is a way to open the door of communication. The arts have been creating change for years,” she says, “centuries, actually. This is our time, and we are using our platform to allow communities to engage in dialogue, break down walls, and build bridges to better understanding.”

For more information about the Precinct Reporter Group’s Stop the Hate project, visit www.precinctreporter.com or call (909) 889-0597.

This resource is funded in whole or in part by funds from the State of California and is administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and receive support, go to https://www.cavshate.org/.