Lecture-Demonstration with Maura Garcia and Mark Gabriel Little

Join choreographer/dancer Maura Garcia and composer/musician Mark Gabriel Little for an interactive lecture-demonstration that extends the creative experience of their commissioned immersive performance Step This Way, which will be performed on Friday, November 10, 2023 from 7-9 p.m. during the 2nd Friday ArtWalk. On Sunday, November 12, Dancer-musician duo Garcia and Little will return to the Ackland to lead an interactive event that looks at their creative process, discusses their artistic practices, and encourages participants to ask questions and try out elements of their techniques.

Free and open to all ages. No experience necessary. Space is limited, so please register for a free ticket.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS. Maura García (non-enrolled Cherokee/Mattamuskeet) is a dancer, dancemaker, entertainer, facilitator, thought leader and artistic director. From theater stages, to nightclubs, to museums, to conferences, to universities, to private events, to site-specific outdoor performances, Maura’s powerful work transforms time and space. At the root of all of her endeavors is the desire to heal and create more space for joy in the world.

As an artistic director, Maura collaborates with Indigenous and POC artists to realize multi-media performances, interactive dance experiences and community arts projects. Her narrative driven work uncovers stories hidden by colonialism and reflects the power they have to change our realities. As a human and as a creator, Maura works to uplift Indigenous cultural values, perpetuate ancestral knowledge and actively respect the living earth.

Maura is an international touring artist and shares her work with the world via specially-designed commissions, repertoire performances, multi-day residencies and longer-term community programs. Her performances have been presented throughout North America. Learn more on her website (https://maurathedancer.com/).

Mark Gabriel Little is a composer, singer, and musician based in Chapel Hill, NC. His work builds on a deep foundation in Negro musical traditions and incorporates elements from many other musical traditions including Indigenous southeastern woodlands of North America, Caribbean, West Africa, Classical European, and East Asia. Throughout his career, he has balanced producing boundary-breaking compositions with live performances as a solo act, in a band, or accompanying other performing artists. Commissions include a choral piece for the Maura Garcia Dance Company (Charleston, South Carolina) and an experimental symphony, “Fracking Music!” for the Ackland Art Museum (Chapel Hill, North Carolina). In his collaborations, MGL bridges visual and performing arts with an unconventional sound and music vocabulary. In addition to his portfolio of commissioned work, MGL writes and performs electric soul songs as MGL & The Rev. Hear some of Mark’s music on his website (https://4mgl.bandcamp.com/).