InterPlay series: Camryn Stafford and Storm Stokes play at Stephen Friedman Gallery, New York
Join us on Wednesday 30 October at 7pm for a performance entitled Transversal by dancers Camryn Stafford and Storm Stokes at our New York gallery.
Created in response to Denzil Forrester’s new exhibition, ‘Two Islands, One World’, the dance performance critically depicts the realities of Black lives. Forrester’s portrayals of nightclub scenes vibrantly illustrate the diasporic tradition of creating musical art and safe spaces for vital celebration and emotional release.
Through nightclub soundscapes, traveling movement, and provocative interactions with their audience, the dancers seek to invoke questions about Afro-diasporic escapism, mental health and social justice.
About the artists
Camryn Stafford, a Dallas native now based in NYC, is a dancer, choreographer, teacher, and company manager. She has collaborated with artists like Kyle Abraham, Misty Copeland, and Alicia Graf Mack. A Princeton University alumna, Camryn’s senior thesis, There She Is, received multiple awards, including the Toni Morrison Prize. She founded Turning Tables Inc., a non-profit advocating diversity in dance, providing opportunities for underrepresented youth, and supporting aspiring dancers. Camryn trained at renowned institutions like Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Dance Theatre of Harlem, with choreographic works showcased at venues such as McCarter Theater and Arts On Site. She is a 2024-2025 CUNY Dance Initiative Choreographer in Residence and remains dedicated to social reform in dance, focusing on inclusivity and innovative storytelling.
Storm Stokes is a contemporary dance scholar, choreographer, and artistic director based in Detroit and NYC. Known for her unique blend of movement, videodance, visual art, and site-specific work, Storm explores themes of liberation, Afro-Futurism, and self-discovery. She currently works as an Editorial Assistant for the Movement Research Performance Journal. A Princeton University graduate with a B.A. in African American Studies and Dance, Storm’s proscenium work, i, heresy, received awards including the Toni Morrison Prize and the Badi Foster Distinguished Senior Prize. Storm has trained at Princeton, Orsolina28, b12 Berlin, and ImPulsTanz, learning under artists such as Shamel Pitts, Rashaun Mitchell, Yin Yue, and Dianne McIntyre.
The event is free and open to everyone. RSVP here to secure your place.
