Bringing his mission to improve the world through dance to the forefront, visionary artist Jon Boogz returns to Santa Barbara for a special Juneteenth with Jon Boogz performance at the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara (MCASB), featuring a live dance performance, short film screenings, and a Q&A moderated by Boogz’s frequent collaborator, the world-renowned street dance artist Lil Buck.
Santa Barbara audiences may remember their most recent collaboration (read our cover feature here), which was actually part of what inspired Independent photographer Ingrid Bostrom, an MCASB boardmember, to put together this event. “It was a joy and inspiration to learn about Boogz and Buck through the various experiences offered by UCSB Arts & Lectures. Their artistry and presence left a lasting impression on me, as I believe it would for anyone familiar with their work. Since their visit, I’ve kept in touch with Boogz and have a sense of some of his upcoming projects and visions. In the spirit of amplifying the transformative nature of his otherworldly talents and spreading the word about his projects, this collaboration with MCASB came together somewhat spontaneously,” she said.
“Juneteenth happened to align with the timeline that Boogz could be in Santa Barbara, joined by Lil Buck and three other incredibly talented street dancers who are also close friends of theirs. Our mission is to commemorate this significant day by honoring and supporting their innovation through movement, film, and more,” continued Bostrom.
Among the elements of the program is the first live performance of MOTHER I SOBER, a Boogz-directed short film set to the music of Kendrick Lamar. It’s a powerful piece supporting POC and Black men with the idea that going to therapy, crying, being vulnerable, and sharing your feelings is a positive thing, and the dancer/actors and Boogz himself will perform live at Center Stage Theater for this event.
Known for pushing the evolution of dance, Jon Boogz is an Emmy Award–winning director, movement artist, and choreographer. First motivated to dance by the work of Michael Jackson, he has choreographed for Mikhail Baryshnikov, Naomi Campbell, and Gloria Estefan, among others. As a director, he has led projects that include the Emmy-nominated Where I’m From (part of the NFL’s Inspire Change campaign), and Banana Republic’s campaign No Boundaries. His work celebrates people, style, and community and advocates for centering Black artists. Boogz’s collaborators include Tribeca Film Festival, Terrence Malick, TEDx, and Flying Lotus. Recently, Boogz won an Emmy for his choreography work on the TV series Blindspotting.
The many, many facets of his body of work have a through-line in that they address social issues with joy and compassion while pushing the evolution of dance.
This special evening of Juneteenth with Jon Boogz takes place on Thursday, June 19, beginning at 6 p.m. at Center Stage Theater (751 Paseo Nuevo) and will be followed by a reception and a deejay from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on the Paseo Nuevo Arts Terrace. For tickets and information, see bit.ly/44rRWQv.
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