By Jordyn Davis | The Birmingham Times
Germaul Barnes came across the work of James Baldwin a lot later in life. Baldwin came at a time when Barnes felt a strong pull to expand his knowledge of Black authors and truly absorb their perspectives on life in America. Now, Barnes, who is the Executive Artistic Director of Southern DanceWorks, will take everything he’s learned from Baldwin’s work and showcase his own take on A Letter to My Nephew through dance and spoken word.
Six male performers will take the stage on June 13 and 14 to transform Baldwin’s remarks on racism, societal realities and pain into modern dance meant to move the audience. Alongside dance, Charles Reese, an award-winning Baldwin historian, and Grammy award-winning Luke Crowder will offer spoken word and music. The production is a part of the Dorothy Jemison Day Theatre’s series ArtWorks@TheDJD.
“I’m hoping that all the people who attend will continue the conversation of how Black men are being perceived,” Barnes said. “I hope that men of color, and all men, come away with a sense of encouragement, voice and agency. That we can continue sitting down and actually talking very honestly with each other.”
A Letter to My Nephew
Baldwin’s thoughts on his nephew’s future first appeared in the 1962 issue of The Progressive magazine, and were later featured as an essay in his 1963 book, The Fire Next Time. Throughout the essay, Baldwin aims to help his nephew understand the complexities of being a Black man in America. He calls for his nephew to be aware of how he will be treated, constantly looked down upon, but to accept his oppressors with love.
In his letter, Baldwin urges, “The really terrible thing, old buddy, is that you must accept them, and I mean that very seriously. You must accept them and accept them with love, for these innocent people have no other hope. They are, in effect, still trapped in a history which they do not understand, and until they understand it, they cannot be released from it. They have had to believe for many years, and for innumerable reasons, that black men are inferior to white men.”
Barnes took this piece and applied it to his own life. He also felt inspired to have a conversation with his own nephews.
“I wanted to actually have conversations and listen to my own nephews,” Barnes said. “As I was developing this piece, [Baldwin’s] life became a larger voice in speaking to all men and asking those questions, like ‘what does it mean to identify as a male today?’”
Baldwin ends his letter with the prophetic statement, “We cannot be free until they are free,” telling his nephew that his oppressors are still stuck in a time when all men were not seen as free.
Collaboration and a call to action
While Barnes had a hand in nearly every facet of the show, he emphasizes the roles others have played in making his vision come to life. He said the entire piece wouldn’t have been possible without collaboration. The show will include all male dancers, 30 and under, original music from Grammy-award winner Luke Crowder, and collaborations with Charles Reese, a James Baldwin historian and poet.
Barnes said that with any performance comes a call to action. With this show, he hopes to get the audience thinking about the words of Baldwin and challenges everyone to think about how these words translate to today’s political climate.
“It is very important for me personally because it’s really asking the questions of how we can step up to James Baldwin’s charge for us, men, people of society,” Barnes said. “He spoke the truth, and that’s what I want to do with my choreography and at the same time, promote universal love.”
Barnes hopes Baldwin’s words can speak to others the way they have spoken to him.
“When Baldwin came into my sphere, I just thought, ‘He speaks my language,’” Barnes shared. “I started reading quite a lot of him [Baldwin] and reading about him. I saw the perspective of the person, of an artist, and of a Black American male who had an international vision. It spoke to me because of how I am perceived and how I perceive myself. I’m hoping that we feel empowered and that we all have a voice and agency.”
SOUTHERN DANCEWORKS & ArtWorks@TheDJD PRESENTS: James Baldwin: A Letter to My Nephew, June 13-14, Dorothy Jemison Day (DJD) Theater, 800 19th St N. For tickets and more information, visit djdtheater.org.
