Presence 2019
Presence 2019
Deneane Richburg, Artistic Director & Choreographer
A solo work that centers Blackness and explores honest and nuanced narratives around African American history and Africanist aesthetics via using energetic contradictions within the relationship between sound and movement on the ice. Set to the music of Nicholas Brittell, Presence, choreographed by Brownbody founder and Artistic Director, Deneane Richburg, engages the Black body to illustrate unique bodily shapes and pathways while playing with moments of momentum versus stillness. This work premiered during Ice Theater of New York’s City Skate Series at Rockefeller Ice Rink.
CAST
TJ (Theron James) is a USA native living in New York City. His career began at the age of 11 in his home state of Connecticut when his mother won a raffle at his brothers school with the prize being skating lessons at the local ice arena. A competitive figure skater on the National level until 2008 but a showman at heart, TJ joined his first touring professional ice show in 2009 as the lead skater for Disney on ice, from there he went on to perform as one of the lead soloists on multiple companies Performing all around the world. In 2019 – 10 years later he achieved his career long goal of being the lead soloist/principal skater for Holiday on Ice which is currently traveling throughout Europe. He brings his love of figure skating and passion for dance to the ice in his own unique style. Being unique and different is something he always strived for. As a fluent dancer he teaches both figure skating and dance full time to the many aspiring youth of tomorrow.