philadelphia, โคPA – Choreographer Rennie Harris โขand โcontemporary dancer Megan Bridge are challenging perceptionsโ of age, race, and artistic boundaries with โ Stunningโฃ Human โLies: Chapter โ4, a new evening-length solo work premieringโ at the Philadelphia Fringe Festival. Theโฃ collaboration โmarks Harris’s first time โchoreographing a full-length solo piece and allows bridge, in her mid-40s, to showcase a โcareer peak, defying expectations aboutโค longevity in dance.
The work intentionally sparks dialog around appropriation and the complexities of racism, aiming to “demystify the exoticism of racism,” according toโ Harris. Bridge notes the process has โempowered her to โขexplore vulnerability and truth in a wayโ that resonatesโค across โdiverse backgrounds.
Harris, known โfor his work in hip โฃhop, approaches โthe choreographyโฃ with a โคmindful awareness of โhis position as a Black โคmale artist and his โpast experiences collaborating with women. Bridge describesโ his directionโค as “super-clear” and “fast,” offeringโ a satisfyingly decisive creative process.โค
A key element ofโ the piece โคis harris’s reframing of โฃhip hop’s origins. he explains the term “hip” derives from the Wolof word meaning “to open your eyes, to be aware,” positioning hip hop as a โfitting vehicle for Bridge’s self-exploration.
Both artists emphasize the mutualโ learning experience, framing the collaboration โas a demonstration of the value ofโ becomingโฃ “bilingual” – embracing โnew perspectives and understanding different cultural languages. Bridge cites fellow Philadelphia-based dancersโค Am [Gottschild], Brigitta andโ Manfred as inspirations for continuing โa professional dance career โbeyond age 40, stating, “I intend to keep โdancing professionally my whole life.”