OZ Arts Nashville Premieres New Dance Works by Local Choreographers Becca Hoback and shackled feet DANCE!
Two visionary Tennessee choreographers unveil bold new performances merging dance, film, and live music, December 5 & 6 at OZ Arts Nashville.
By: A.A. Cristi Nov. 04, 2025
OZ Arts Nashville to present Solus + Synergy, December 5–6, 2025, featuring new works by acclaimed choreographers Becca Hoback and Shabaz Ujima’s shackled feet DANCE!.
Hoback’s Solus, a collaboration with cellist Kaitlyn Raitz, completes her multi-year Sacral Series with a spellbinding solo of dance, film, and live music. Ujima’s Synergy, created with co-director Thea Jones and jazz trumpeter Rod McGaha, unleashes an intergenerational cast of dancers and musicians in a joyous celebration of Black Classical Music.
The program opens with Solus, a riveting solo performance from Becca Hoback, named “Best Movement Artist” by the Nashville Scene. Collaborating with composer and cellist Kaitlyn Raitz, Hoback crafts an autobiographical triptych exploring the search for the sacred within the self. Expanding on her acclaimed Sacral Series—which includes Initial Dissent and Mellow Drama—Solus intertwines film, live performance, and choreography to trace a spiritual and emotional evolution.
The second half, Synergy, reunites Shabaz Ujima and Thea Jones of shackled feet DANCE!, featuring a dozen multi-generational dancers performing alongside jazz musicians led by trumpeter, composer, and visual artist Rod McGaha. McGaha’s original score and projected artwork drive a free-form, ecstatic movement celebration inspired by the improvisational spirit of Miles Davis’s “Black Classical Music.” The ensemble, ranging in age from 24 to 77, embodies the company’s belief in community through shared rhythm, movement, and artistic freedom.
“We are delighted to feature these significant Nashville artists in the OZ Arts season, alongside international talents from around the globe,” said Mark Murphy, OZ Arts Executive & Artistic Director. “Becca Hoback and shackled feet DANCE! are helping to shape the future of the city’s artistic landscape through their performances and community impact alike.”
ABOUT OZ ARTS NASHVILLE
Founded in 2013 by the Ozgener family, OZ Arts Nashville has become one of the Southeast’s most influential centers for contemporary performance and visual art. Its 10,000-square-foot creative warehouse hosts innovative local and International Artists who challenge conventions and engage diverse audiences through live events, residencies, and community programs. More than 70,000 audience members have experienced OZ’s adventurous programming since its opening, establishing it as a premier laboratory for experimentation and a vital hub for the performing arts in Middle Tennessee.
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