Memory Fleet: Stay in the Circle (2026)
By Jasmine Hearn
Projection Design by Nica Ross
April 24 – 25, 2026
Memory Fleet: Stay in the Circle, by Jasmine Hearn, was a dance performance presented at Kelly Strayhorn Theater, Pittsburgh, PA. The work was driven by original music and poetry and engaged themes of labor and rest, examining the past, present, and future of Black people who mother and mentor.
The piece was rooted in Jasmine’s personal history and informed by Black histories of Houston, Pittsburgh, and New York City. It unfolded through a series of embodied “recipes” that approached movement as a way of holding memory, story, and meaning, while working outside of conventional dance structures.
The projection design combined video from Jasmine’s archive, edited by Jasmine, with a live 180-degree camera mounted at the center of the performers’ communal table. Using TouchDesigner and Millumin, I composited the alpha channel from the live camera with the archival video. This allowed me to use the full circular field of view as well as segment and recompose it into ship-like forms using banners by artist and organizer Etta Cetera and draped clothing elements. The integration of live video created a visual relationship between the recorded material and the performers’ presence on stage.
Jasmine performed alongside Anqwenique Kinsel, Melike Vivastine Konur, Bekezela Mguni, Ursula Payne, Staycee Pearl, and Alisha B. Wormsley. Together, the group carried the work in a live performance setting.