MBDance to Premiere THESE ARE THE BODIES THAT HAVE NOT BORNE. at Snug Harbor Dance Festival

The CUNY Dance Initiative (CDI) will present the world premiere of These are the bodies that have not borne., a new site-specific performance by MBDance, at the upcoming Snug Harbor Dance Festival.

Performances will take place on Saturday, August 23 and Sunday, August 24 at 6:00 PM at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden (1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY). Admission is pay-what-you-wish with a suggested donation of $10–$30. Tickets are available at snugharbor.org.

Choreographed and directed by Maria Bauman, These are the bodies that have not borne. integrates choreography, ritual, land art, and original music to explore themes of longing, healing, and the sacredness of the human body. Performers will emerge from earthen “portals” dug into the ground, invoking images of burial, rebirth, and ancestral connection. The piece features an original score by Mankwe Ndosi and a cast that includes Graciella Ye'Tsunami, Rochelle Jamila, AJ Wilmore, Angel Edwards, Myssi Robinson, Audrey Hailes, and Maria Bauman.

As a companion to the performance, MBDance is offering a self-published zine, These are the bodies that have not borne. a whisper. a seed. an archive., which centers Black, queer, and trans experiences around reproductive health and family-building. Pre-orders are available at mbdance.net.

The performance was developed through a PASS and Dance Festival residency at Snug Harbor’s Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art, in partnership with the CUNY Dance Initiative, which provides residencies and creative space to New York City choreographers.

The Snug Harbor Dance Festival is a two-day celebration of contemporary dance, featuring works by MBDance, Moriah Evans, Amelia Heintzelman, Maker Park Radio, and more across the venue’s historic 83-acre Staten Island campus. The festival is supported by the New York State Council on the Arts, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, the Howard Gilman Foundation, and John Robinson.