Guide to the Atlas Intersections Festival, February 26 to March 13
The Atlas Performing Arts Center’s signature Intersections Festival — a three-weekend celebration presenting artists in the genres of story, movement, and sound — returns to the Atlas at 1333 H Street NE, Washington, DC, from Saturday, February 26, to Sunday, March 13, 2022. The complete schedule of all 22 events is below, color-coded by genre. Tickets ($20–$35) are on sale now online.
“It is an overwhelming feeling of joy to be able to bring live performances back for our Intersections Festival 2022,” said Executive Director Doug Yeuell. “Having the Atlas filled with the sights and sounds of music, theater, and dance will create a real air of excitement that all our artists have so desperately missed. We hope that audiences too will feel the joy as we all experience the performing arts live again.”
The Atlas Intersections Festival is a performing arts festival that presents work that impacts our society, culture, and world by informing, inspiring, educating, and entertaining. Intersections is about presenting excellent art that inspires a connected community, engages artists and audiences alike, and creates a vibrant neighborhood, city, and world. We are interested in unique perspectives and art that connect us to the many facets of our humanity.
“Each year the festival welcomes a cadre of artists that always bring new perspectives, challenging insights, and great entertainment — all through the lens of the performing arts. Intersections Festival 2022 brings a unique blend of works in our branded categories of story, movement, and sound,” said Yeuell.
The Intersections Festival is where DMV dance comes together to perform. All styles of movement can be seen at Intersections, and it’s the only chance to see such a variety of work at once. Our Story genre captures the best of local theater, spoken word, and film. Meet artists after each show for the meet-and-greet and talkback. Sound presented at Intersections comes in nearly every genre of music, from Grammy winners to local artists and hometown favorites.
“Intersections Festival 2022 is not only an opportunity to see some of our region’s best performing artists, but each performance also provides an opportunity for audience members and artists to connect — either through some form of audience engagement inclusive in the performance or through our popular artists’ talkbacks that take place directly after the performance. On all fronts, the festival is a great way to be a part of the performing arts in a fun, engaging, and compelling way,” said Yeuell.
FULL SCHEDULE and PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS in STORY, MOVEMENT, and SOUND
Click on an individual event name to purchase tickets. A day-by-day calendar of events and their performance spaces is here.
WEEK 1: SATURDAY, February 26
7:00 pm
Capital City Symphony — Convergence: When East Meets West
SOUND | Join us for an evening of saxophone and bansuri (Indian bamboo flute) as we join musicians Deepak Ram and Noah Getz in this genre- and culture-crossing performance.
7:30 pm
Kristin Rebecca: Folk Music: Life Told in Song
SOUND | Magical is a word often used to describe Kristin Rebecca. Her lyrical storytelling has captivated audiences around the country.
7:30 pm
Ebong Theatrix & Ta Thoi: A Living Doll
STORY | Patriarchy is still transforming women into living dolls — devoid of independent thought. This dance theater explores their choreographed existence, and whether they are able to walk away from it all.
8:00 pm
Nomad Dancers with Raqs El Hob and Teen World Dancers: Changing Cultures, Finding Hope
MOVEMENT | Immigrant, refugee, migrant — what did you bring? What did you leave behind? Your remembered dances contribute rhythm, joy, love, and hope to America’s tapestry. Nomad Dancers, with guests Raqs El Hob and Teen World Dancers, perform dances from Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, and more. Envision world peace through dance together!
WEEK 1: SUNDAY, February 27
3:30 pm
Capitol Tap and District Tap: SpecTAPular Rhythms! 100 Years of Tap Dance
MOVEMENT | Capitol Tap and District Tap, with special guests Tap City Youth Ensemble (NYC), bring rhythm and energy to the stage celebrating tap dance through the ages. Twenty-five tap dancers of all ages come together in this rousing celebration of tap dance, spanning 100 years of rhythms and motion.
4:00 pm
Ney Mello & Alexandra Mercado: Forever…Songs!
SOUND – DUO | A magical musical journey through many cultures. Exciting timeless elements of pure melody and rhythm come together in this musical wonder. Bossa Nova rhythms, European folk melodies, soaring vocal melodies, virtuoso jazz guitar improvisations, exotically tinged evocative songs, artfully blended into a vivid journey into the human soul.
4:00 pm
The Many Mirrors of Josephine Baker: Melissa Wimbish in Recital
SOUND – OPERA | Genre-defying artist Melissa Wimbish reflects upon and celebrates the legacy of Josephine Baker. Through the music of Tom Cipullo, Florence Price, H. Leslie Adams, and Gilda Lyons, Wimbish steps into the shoes of the trailblazing performer and activist. This program is presented in collaboration with IN Series, where Melissa is a member of the inaugural Cardwell Dawson Artist Fellow cohort. The Artist Fellowship, designed by and for the participants, cedes place, power, and opportunity to Black singing artist-activist-leaders so that a dynamic ecosystem of operatic leadership emerges and proliferates.
WEEK 2: FRIDAY, March 4
7:30 pm
ALB Produces Identify
SOUND | Identify, a concert experience using art and music from a vast array of musical styles and collaborative interactions to create a musical space of ease and connection. Collaborators and audience members are encouraged to examine the pieces they use to find empowerment, support, challenges in their own pillars of identity.
7:30 pm
Ronnique Antoinette / The Ramdance Movement: Through Her Eyes
MOVEMENT | What’s your reality? We often couple the idea of being lost with incoherence when in reality, it may be our saving grace. Opportunity and space to be — free of judgment, fear, and/or responsibility. A moment in time to renew and simply hit the restart button. A lost soul is more or less a soul in the process of rejuvenation. What’s your reality? The project/performance will be broken up into four series in the show.
8:00 pm
Therese Gahl presents: Revival
MOVEMENT | Therese Gahl is back, with vignettes of her strongest contemporary ballet productions from the past. In addition, there’s an exciting world premiere that reflects her cross-connection with visual arts.
WEEK 2: SATURDAY, March 5
7:00 pm
Colby Moore
SOUND | Colby Moore is an eclectic artist with an acoustic sound and soul-inspired music. He is a Maryland singer-songwriter who has an intimate style with an electric voice and R&B-inspired songs. His songs consist of everyday experiences, lifestyles, and relationships from work to love to the idea of self-growth.
7:00 pm
K[squared]²
STORY | Kim B Miller (poet laureate of Prince William County, VA) performs her bold poems, while Kelly Haneklau (award-winning artist) creates an original painting on the spot to coincide with the poem’s message. Kelly creates her vivid interpretations in real-time. When the poem ends, the painting is complete.
7:30 pm
Black Leaves Project – Labyrinth: The Journey
MOVEMENT – CONTEMPORARY | Through a diverse and cohesive tapestry of modern dance theater, the all-Black, all-male dancers in Labyrinth: The Journey explore the historical roots of Justice for Black men in America, the ways those roots manifest today, and the path of Hope healing the wounded limbs of our community moving forward.
8:00 pm
Gin Dance Company: Look Beyond
MOVEMENT | Look Beyond is composed of all original works of GDC Artistic Director Shu-Chen Cuff featuring uplifting and motivational works, “Aspire” and “When the Wind Blows.” that delve into the importance of overcoming obstacles and circumstances outside of our control to achieve a fulfilled life and “The Golden Time,” an Asian/culturally-influenced work combining Chinese Opera movements and modern dance in exploring the golden time of Shanghai in the 1920s and the role women played during that era in China.
WEEK 2: SUNDAY, March 6
4:00 pm
IN Series: The Black Women of Opera: Elise Christina Jenkins in Recital
SOUND – OPERA | Soprano and scholar Elise Christina Jenkins presents a program that probes thoughtfully into the past in order to move fearlessly toward the future. Elise pays tribute to the Black women who have paved the way for today’s musical artists with genre-defying compositions and role-defining performances. This program is presented in collaboration with IN Series, where Elise is a member of the inaugural Cardwell Dawson Artist Fellow cohort.
4:30 pm
Silk Road Dance Company: SHAHNAMEH! Adventures from the Persian Book of Kings
MOVEMENT | A magical bird, an evil dragon, a clever princess, and a valiant hero bring to life Ferdowsi’s masterpiece written over 1,000 years ago. With vivid choreographies and costuming, Silk Road Dance Company and guest artists present fantastical tales in SHAHNAMEH! Adventures from the Persian Book of Kings.
5:00 pm
Children’s Chorus of Washington & Dance Institute of Washington
SOUND | Dream a New World Trilogy is a performance collaboration between the Children’s Chorus of Washington and The Dance Institute of Washington composed by Dominick DiOrio. With themes of remembrance and today’s youth creating a brighter future, this premiere provides a unique opportunity to intersect choral music, dance, and poetry for audiences of all ages.
WEEK 3: SATURDAY, March 12
7:00 pm
Day Eight: Spoken Truths
SOUND | Directed by Regie Cabico, Spoken Truths captures the history and contemporary experience of DC poets. Black history was passed down by word of mouth, stories retold over generations. The struggles and the strengths. This poetic journey features four poets, four voices — Kim B Miller, Quetta Nelson, Jeffrey Banks, and John Johnson — but one history.
7:30 pm
Gabriel Mata & Adrian Gaston Garcia: Joteria
STORY | Joteria: Our Untold Stories… is a celebration of the experiences of queer Latinx men. Through a series of scripted and unscripted scenes, Joteria invites the audience on an intimate adventure where together they create a new vision of theater by replacing traditional formalities and producing unique art.
8:00 pm
Elements Dance Company presents reFRESH
MOVEMENT | We challenged our dancers to think about the most limiting belief of Hip Hop Dance. In EDC’s reFRESH, teen and adult choreographers will study some of the world’s most iconic dance works and create original dances inspired by these pieces…but through a Hip Hop lens.
WEEK 3: SUNDAY, March 13
4:30 pm
Jane Franklin Dance: Get There From Here
MOVEMENT | New works share a leitmotif of optimism for improving our footprint on the planet and in connection with one another. Experience the real, personal journeys of the people and ecosystems in our midst in an exciting evening of dance performed by some of the DMV’s finest movement artists. Choreography is by Krystal Collins, Jane Franklin, Horizon Miguel, Robert J. Priore, and Brynna Wilder. (Appropriate for all ages. There will be an artist talk-back following the performance.)
5:00 pm
Elizabeth McCain – Porch Stories; OUTrageous Confessions of a Southern Lesbian
STORY | Settle back for a wild ride through a Southern lesbian’s life of soul-searching, rule-breaking, and truth-telling. Hear eccentric stories about Elizabeth McCain’s Mississippi roots, coming out in DC in the 90s, family rejection, and finding love and belonging. Filled with poignancy, humor, and triumph over tragedy.
COVID Safety: All patrons, visitors, and staff who visit the Atlas Performing Arts Center must be fully vaccinated by the date of their visit. Face masks are required at all times for all patrons, visitors, and staff regardless of vaccination status in all indoor spaces in the Atlas Performing Arts Center. The complete Atlas COVID Health and Safety Policy is here.
ABOUT THE ATLAS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
The Atlas Performing Arts Center is a nonprofit performing arts venue in a historic theater. We’re the cultural anchor of the H Street Northeast community in Washington, DC. The Atlas fosters and presents stellar art in film, dance, music, theater, vocal and choral work, spoken word, and beyond.
The Atlas has four performance spaces and we often host free events in our lobby. We produce Atlas Presents performances and also rent our spaces to other artist groups so they can create their own productions. We support and partner with DC arts makers — our Arts Partners — including Capital City Symphony, Mosaic Theater Company of DC, and Step Afrika! The Atlas also leads in its arts education initiatives through our City at Peace youth development program and the Atlas’s Stagecraft Training and Apprenticeship Program. Annually each spring, we produce our popular Intersections Festival, which hosts artists and performing groups who entertain and engage thousands of patrons in a multi-week-long celebration of the arts. Our mission is to bring people together through the arts to expand the reach and strengthen the bonds of our community. We provide shared space in a creative environment that inspires exceptional performances, events, and initiatives that enlighten, entertain, and reflect the best of the arts and our humanity. As the catalyst for neighborhood growth and change, the Atlas continues to play a major role in the regional creative economy and is where the arts, culture, and connection happen on H Street. Visit atlasarts.org/intersections or call 202-799-3993 for more information, and check out Facebook (@atlasarts), Instagram (@atlaspacdc), Twitter (@atlaspacdc), and YouTube (@AtlasPerformingArtsCenter).