Call and Response Collective at First Church

Guest Residency: Malachi Ashley Stevens - Dance Theater and Open Mic

Workshop Period:
June 15th - July 11th

performance + open mic date:
July 11th

Arts First welcomes Malachi Ashley Stevens, the director of Call and Response Collective. This residency is based in process over product. Call and Response Collective will hold writing and dancing workshops in order to reimagine the story of Exodus in dance theater. Decolonizing Exodus requires instead of Moses the patriarch there is a collective of freedom fighters. Instead of the oppressed people exiting their homeland the oppressor will leave. This project is also about highlighting the radical history of the church through interviews of members and historians.

*This program is free and open to all ages, and experience levels.

Program Highlights

• Weekly Dance and Writing workshops

• Communal Creation Process

• World Building 

• Learning about the radical action of Chicago and First Church

• Possibility for Public performance and Open mic

About The Artists

Malachi Ashley Stevens is a dancer, choreographer and poet. They are alumni of the University of Southern California. Creator of Call and Response Collective’s has performed and written an evening length dance theater performance followed by an open mic at Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook. Stevens has performed with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago as a Guest Artist touring across the country during their 25/26 season. They have taught dance classes at Baltimore School for Arts, Towson University, The Rooted Space etc. Their vision is to empower and curate the human spirit by communally creating worlds that topple destructive systems.

Instagram @call_loveresponse

Instagram @ash444stevens,

More About CRC

Call and Response Collective (CRC) is a volunteer based, collaborative story telling through the live arts. CRC will hold prompt based writing and dancing workshops in order to reimagine the story of Exodus in dance theater. Following the performance an open mic will be hosted to facilitate artistic dialogue between performers and the audience. Decolonizing Exodus requires communal collaboration, open hearts, and radical thinkers. This project will include highlighting the history of First Presbyterian church of Chicago’s abolition and desegregation through interviews of members and community leaders.

Contact:
Ashley Stevens
crcollective444@gmail.com,

Program Coordination
arts@chicagofirstchurch.org