Joyful Adventure: Touring Production

This past week has been full of adventure. While I didn’t have the time to directly work on my Artistic Experiment (AE), I truly believe that the experiences I had are all part of my lifelong artistic journey, and somehow, they’re all connected.

Our Memphis Belle dance team had the incredible opportunity to tour several cities, performing a production that included two plays and multiple dance pieces. It was a truly rich and rewarding experience, and I feel honored to have been a part of it.

We traveled to several places, including Toronto where we performed at the beautiful Meridian Hall. We also made a stop in a small town in Ohio, performed in Philadelphia, then Manhattan, and most recently at George Mason University in Washington, D.C. That last stop was particularly memorable, the theater at George Mason is absolutely stunning, and it was such a joy to bring this production to life in that space.

The impact of this tour wasn’t just seen in the audience, it was deeply felt by everyone involved: our students, staff, parents, and even me. We were all moved in different ways, and it reminded me how powerful the arts can be in building connection and shared purpose.

One of the most meaningful additions to our tour was a new piece titled Eternal Redemption. This performance is a reenactment of the way sins were forgiven in the Old Testament, and how Jesus Christ brought eternal redemption through His sacrifice in the New Testament. The piece takes the audience on a journey, from the act of sacrifice in the past to Christ's resurrection and the unseen spiritual truth that He carried His blood to the eternal tabernacle in heaven. It’s a powerful dramatization of deep faith and divine love.

Eternal Redemption has added a beautiful new layer to our show. Personally, it allowed me to reflect more deeply on my own faith, and how much joy that faith brings into my life. It helped me realize that my source of joy—both artistically and personally—is rooted in Jesus Christ. That lens of faith touches every area of my life: my work as an artist, my family, my church, and my community.

It’s through this lens that I find the energy to perform, to teach, to create, and to serve. I feel incredibly thankful that I’ve been given a variety of tools and gifts to help bring joy to others, whether through dance, acting, language, or simply through presence. And above all, I’m grateful for the Word of God that sustains and fuels it all.

Even though I didn’t touch my AE project this week, I believe this journey will feed into it in unexpected ways. This time of touring wasn’t a distraction, it was a deeply affirming reminder of why I create, who I create for, and how I want to move through the world as an artist.